In an amphitheaterlike room, emergency responders stared at a giant video screen showing the Chattanooga area centered in an angry red oval.
“We’re real concerned about long-lived, strong tornadoes developing and moving toward this area, the plateau counties and Southeast Tennessee,” meteorologist David Hotz told the room via conference call from the National Weather Service in Morristown, Tenn. “As you can see, we have a lot of risk for a huge chunk of our area, and I would not be surprised if we wake up [today] and the risk is higher.”
After Hotz’s presentation Tuesday, Hamilton County Emergency Management Chief Bill Tittle told the group that weather forecasters have advised him that the highlighted red area has a 70 percent chance of seeing a tornado.
“Normally in these storm systems, our chances range from 10 to 15 percent, and our highest chances are usually 20 to 25 or 30 percent,” Tittle said, hoping to drive home the need for planning in each person’s respective department.
Tonight’s forecast also includes warnings of severe thunderstorms, large hail, wind gusts of 40 and 50 mph and sporadic downpours of rain.