Tennessee

Why did East Tennessee flood warnings seem too late during Hurricane Helene?

Published

1 year ago

October 7, 2024

Why did East Tennessee flood warnings seem too late during Hurricane Helene?

When Kriston Hicks first got an alert of a flash flood emergency at 9:20 a.m. Sept. 27, the home she shared with her 78-year-old grandfather in Hampton, Tennessee, was already doomed.

“I was wading through water to get my disabled grandfather into the van to leave because I had decided on my own that we needed to evacuate,” Hicks told Knox News in a text Oct. 3, the day after her home was demolished. “No one came to tell me. There is no siren in Hampton.”

The Doe River watershed in Carter County was one of several in East Tennessee that swelled to historic levels as remnants of Hurricane Helene drenched the southern Appalachian mountains in what the National Weather Service said was a once-in-a-millennium rainfall event.

In the National Weather Service office in Morristown, which covers East Tennessee, meteorologists were coordinating with local emergency management officials in several counties to issue warnings.

So, why did the warnings seem to come too late for many people across the region?

The answer lies partly in how the National Weather Service issues flash flood warnings, with emergencies and wireless text alerts reserved for “imminent or ongoing” severe flooding, said Morristown meteorologist Brandon Wasilewski.

Three levels to flash flood warnings in East Tennessee

People reading NWS updates on social media in the days leading up to the generational flood, which claimed at least 12 lives in Tennessee, got a sense of the danger ahead.

By Sept. 25, the NWS office in Morristown was already warning of “extreme risk of life-threatening flooding” along the Tennessee-North Carolina border as Helene moved through. At that point, the office had issued only a flood watch.

Residents in border counties did not get a wireless alert of emergency flash flooding until mid-morning on Sept. 27, when the flooding was already underway.

The National Weather Service needs to have confirmation of life-threatening flooding and “catastrophic damages occurring or imminent” before sending out a rare flash flood emergency, Wasilewski told Knox News.

Text alerts go out once the office adds a “considerable” or “catastrophic” tag to the flood warning, triggered by reports that “flash flooding capable of unusual severity of impact is imminent or ongoing,” Wasilewski said.

One trigger for the highest “catastrophic” tag is that multiple water rescues have occurred. The service relies on local emergency managers to handle evacuation orders.

“We always want to try to be proactive,” Wasilewski said. “We’re the ones that send it out, but we want to make sure that it’s risen to that level.”

While the National Weather Service issues flood warnings for specific rivers, it does not have a mechanism to alert specific communities at special risk of flooding. That’s something the service would like to add in the future, Wasilewski said.

“We don’t have the capability at this time specifically, and that’s why we do rely on more of the local officials,” Wasilewski said. “Whenever we do have an event of this magnitude, this is something that we always try to review and try to learn from.”

The week before the storm was already a strange one for weather in East Tennessee. On Sept. 24, East Tennessee recorded its first ever September tornado, an EF-1 twister in Hancock County with 110 mph winds.

The region also got 2-4 inches of rain before Helene even arrived as a tropical storm, which saturated the ground and caused fiercer runoff later on.

Some residents didn’t make much of flood warnings

Three rivers in particular carried a surge of floodwater from western North Carolina to East Tennessee – the French Broad, Nolichucky and Pigeon rivers. The hard-hit town of Erwin sits on the Nolichucky in Unicoi County.

Zully Manzanares, a Head Start program coordinator in Erwin, saw the flash flood warnings that began the night of Sept. 26 but didn’t realize the danger.

“We’ve gotten them before, but I don’t think the alerts were enough to make us realize like that it was going to be to the extent that it was,” Manzanares told Knox News. “The alerts were coming, but I don’t think that they were to the extreme that they needed to be so that people would have taken it more seriously.”

Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.

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Tennessee

Volunteers needed for community-wide cleanup day with Hands On Nashville

Published

11 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Volunteers needed for community-wide cleanup day with Hands On Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — On Thursday, Hands On and NewsChannel 5 staff will come together for a community-wide cleanup day.

The event, sponsored by NewsChannel 5 will take place from 9:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 5 as we assist in winter storm cleanup.

If you’d like to help volunteer, you can sign up here.

Rhori, Carrie, Lelan and Brittany will all be helping assist residents removing and sorting debris.

Important details for those wishing to volunteer:

This may require lifting and carrying objects that weigh 20+ pounds.
Closed-toe shoes and long pants required. Heavy soles and steel toes preferred. Gloves and safety goggles will be provided, or you may bring your own.
Current tetanus vaccination recommended. Chainsaws, utility crews, and heavy equipment will be active in the area.
Volunteers under the age of 18 are prohibited from participating.
Eat before you arrive and bring a water bottle, if needed.

Nashville’s Jefferson Street Sound Museum named stop on U.S. Civil Rights Trail

The Jefferson Street Sound Museum is a great little gem in North Nashville. The founder and curator turned his home into a museum to keep the legacy of historic Jefferson street alive. Now, it’s been named a stop on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Aaron Cantrell takes us inside.

– Lelan Statom

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Tennessee

Vanderbilt women’s basketball beats Lady Vols for second-ever win in Knoxville

Published

23 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Vanderbilt women’s basketball beats Lady Vols for second-ever win in Knoxville

KNOXVILLE ― Vanderbilt women’s basketball won at Tennessee for only the second time in program history, beating the Lady Vols 87-77 at Food City Center on March 1.

The Commodores (27-3, 13-3) are the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament, which begins March 4 in Greenville, South Carolina.

The regular-season finale featured multiple runs by both teams. Tennessee went on an 8-0 run in the second quarter and took a six-point lead into halftime. Vanderbilt went on an 8-0 run to end the third quarter, then went a 10-0 run in the fourth to put the game away.

The Commodores, who shot 53% from the field, were led by Mikayla Blakes, who finished with 34 points. Aubrey Galvan had 24 points, four rebounds and five assists, and Sacha Washington had 16 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

“The season has been really special, to be able to end it here at Tennessee with a win and secure I think the No. 2 seed in the SEC tournament,” coach Shea Ralph said. “So the double bye, it feels really cool. I’m happy for the team, but we are literally just getting started.”

Tennessee (16-12, 8-8) outrebounded Vanderbilt 32-29. The Commodores shot 17-for-20 on layups and had 27 fast-break points. Tennessee was 10-for-24 on layups.

Vanderbilt’s SEC Tournament seed

The SEC Tournament will be held at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Vanderbilt will start play on March 6 and holds a bye into the quarterfinals, where it will play the No. 7 or No. 10 seed at approximately 5 p.m. CT.

Mikayla Blakes stats

Blakes put up another 30-point performance, her third straight and eighth in her past nine games. She added six rebounds and four assists, but also had six turnovers.

She made six 3-pointers, which ties her season high.

“She had 34 but her biggest buckets were when we had to happen,” Ralph said. “Her biggest moments in this game were when we had to happen. That kid shows up every time.”

Third straight rivalry win

Vanderbilt now has three straight wins over the Lady Vols, beating them last season in Nashville and once in the SEC Tournament.

“I think Tennessee is a great team,” Ralph said. “They will be for as long as women’s basketball exists. Playing here in front of this crowd is tough. It’s tough. So I was really proud of our team for being able to figure it out the second half and win, especially here at Tennessee.”

The Commodores have their most SEC wins in program history.

Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on X @aria_gerson.

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Tennessee baseball vs Virginia Tech live updates: Highlights, TV channel

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee baseball vs Virginia Tech live updates: Highlights, TV channel

ARLINGTON, TX — Tennessee baseball is trying to wrap up the Amegy Bank College Baseball Series on a good note against Virginia Tech today.

The 19th-ranked Vols (7-3) lost to UCLA and beat Arizona State for a split at Globe Life Field, the home of the Texas Rangers. They’re finishing this trip against Virginia Tech (7-3), a game that began at 11:30 a.m. ET (FloCollege streaming).

Virginia Tech lost 10-0 by run rule to Texas A&M in Game 1 and lost 15-8 to Mississippi State in Game 2.

Lefthander Evan Blanco (1-1, 2.00 ERA) got the start for the Vols. Right-hander Ethan Grim (0-0, 3.75 ERA) started for Virginia Tech.

Follow live updates here from Arlington.

Tennessee baseball vs Virginia Tech live updates

Sam Grube struck out. Nick Lucorto singled to CF. Ethan Ball was hit by pitch to put runners on first and second. That ended UT starter Evan Blanco’s outing. Blanco allowed one run on two hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out six, walked one and hit three batters, tossing 91 pitches.

Left-hander Mark Hindy replaced Blanco. Hindy struck out Treyson Hughes. Hudson Lutterman fouled out to end the threat. 0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 2 LOB

Chris Newstrom grounded out. Manny Marin flied out to CF. Ariel Antigua popped out. 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB.

Top 5th inning: Tennessee 1, Virginia Tech 1

UT starter Evan Blanco made quick work of the Hokies, getting a strikeout, groundout and flyout. 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB

Bottom 4th inning: Tennessee 1, Virginia Tech 1

Levi Clark grounded out. Reese Chapman flied out to RCF. Tyler Myatt flied out to CF. 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB.

Nick Lucorto hit a solo home run, driving a 1-2 pitch over the LF wall to tie the game 1-1. Ethan Ball was hit by pitch. Treyson Hughes fouled out. Hudson Letterman reached on fielder’s choice, but UT couldn’t turn the double play. Owen Petrich flied out to RF. 1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors, 1 LOB.

Chris Newstrom flied out. Manny Marin popped out. Ariel Antigua reached on an infield single when he hit a grounder to the first baseman and beat the pitcher to the bag. Jay Abernathy walked to put two runners on base with two outs. Henry Ford singled through the middle to score Antigua from second and move Abernathy to third. Vols lead 1-0. Blaine Brown struck out to end the inning. 1 Run, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB.

Anderson French struck out. Pete Daniel walked and advanced to 2B on a balk. Sam Gates lined out. Sam Grube grounded out, stranding a runner on 2B. 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB.

Levi Clark smashed a long flyout to the CF warning track, traveling more than 400 feet. Reese Chapman struck out. Tyler Myatt struck out. 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB.

UT starter Evan Blanco only needed 12 pitches to get through a 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts. Treyson Hughes struck out. Hudson Lutterman flied out. Owen Pettrich struck out. 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB.

Bottom 1st inning: Tennessee 0, Virginia Tech

Jay Abernathy struck out. Henry Ford flied out. Blaine Brown struck out. 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB.

Top 1st inning: Virginia Tech 0, Tennessee 0

UT starter Evan Blanco hit leadoff hitter Sam Grube with a pitch. Nic Locurto flied out to RF. Grube was thrown by stealing by catcher Levi Clark. Ethan Ball struck out. 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB.

What channel is Tennessee baseball vs Virginia Tech on today?

TV channel: FloSports app on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, etc.
Live stream: FloCollege streaming (for subscribers)

Tennessee baseball vs Virginia Tech time today

11:30 a.m. ET at Globe Life Field (Arlington, Texas)

Tennessee baseball vs Virginia Tech probable pitchers

Tennessee: LHP Evan Blanco (1-1, 2.00 ERA)
Virginia Tech: TBD

Tennessee in Amegy Bank College Baseball Series schedule

Adam Sparks is the Tennessee beat reporter. Email adam.sparks@knoxnews.com. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.

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