KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A powerful overnight storm wreaked havoc across East Tennessee on Sunday, bringing high winds, heavy rain, and a significant number of fallen trees and downed power lines. Local authorities received dozens of reports as residents woke up to the aftermath of the storm, which left thousands without power and caused significant disruption.
Jim Snowden, a spokesperson for Knox County Engineering, explained that the ground, already saturated from previous rain, contributed to the number of trees uprooted by the storm. “We had a lot of rain, so the ground pre-saturated, and then as anybody that probably heard last night, there was just a lot of wind, and that wind started bringing down trees,” Snowden said.
Crews from the county began working at 4 a.m. to clear debris and restore order to affected areas. Snowden assured that most of the reported downed trees would be cleared by Sunday evening, though the work was complicated by safety concerns. “When a tree falls, it can get lodged against something, causing pressure. You can’t just go in and start cutting; live electrical lines could be present,” Snowden cautioned, noting that fallen trees have caused injuries in the past.
By Sunday morning, nearly 25,000 people across East Tennessee were without power. However, despite the widespread outages, officials emphasized that the damage could have been worse. “You look in Kentucky and some other areas, and you see just a tremendous amount more damage. We were very fortunate that we didn’t get the damage that a lot of our neighboring counties did,” Snowden reflected.
As cleanup efforts continued, attention turned to the possibility of more severe weather later in the week. City and county officials are already making preparations for potential snowfall, including replenishing salt supplies and mixing brine to treat roadways. “We’ve got our stockpile of salt back together. We’ve got all our brine mixed,” Snowden said. “It looks like we won’t be able to do much with brine this time due to the rain, but we’re prepared for whatever comes next.”
With unpredictable weather on the horizon, East Tennessee residents are being urged to stay informed and prepared as local authorities continue to address the lingering effects of the storm and anticipate the challenges of potential snow in the coming days.
