As Threatening Weather Passes Through The Area
posted October 9, 2009
Numerous vehicles were involved in several wrecks along Interstate 75 and other area roads as frightening weather passed through Chattanooga on Friday night.
Police said at 9 p.m. the total number of involved vehicles still had not been assessed due to the number of responding agencies.
The Chattanooga Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff's Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol all assisted in clearing up the traffic congestion.
It was previously reported that as many as 15 cars were involved in at least four separate accidents.
A tornado watch late Friday afternoon was issued by the National Weather Service for the Chattanooga area through 10 p.m.
Reports were that a tornado had touched down in Jasper and also one in Hamilton County shortly before 7 p.m.
At 7:05 p.m., the NWS Doppler radar continued to indicate a tornado that was located near Middle Valley - 11 miles north of Chattanooga. It was moving northeast at 45 mph.
The tornado was expected near Cleveland around 7:25 p.m.
The tornadic storm initially was near Signal Mountain and Chattanooga around 7 p.m., headed for Harrison, Soddy Daisy and Cleveland.
Other locations affected by the tornadic thunderstorm include Powells Crossroad, Lone Oak, Red Bank, Middle Valley, Shady Grove, Birchwood and Big Spring.
The warning came after a line of severe thunderstorms passed through the area earlier in the day, bringing heavy rain through portions of North Georgia, Hamilton, Bradley and McMinn counties.
Chattanooga Police at 4:56 p.m. said there are numerous accidents working in the area of southbound I-75 from Exit 11 to 153 and Lee Highway.
Police said that section of the interstate had been shut down.
The number of accidents and whether or not there are injuries is unknown.
The downpours also caused a delay at the Chattanooga Classic golf tournament being played at the Black Creek Golf Course at Cummings Cove in Lookout Valley.
Areas under the tornado watch included:
ANDERSON BLEDSOE BLOUNT BRADLEY CAMPBELL CARTER CLAIBORNE COCKE GRAINGER GREENE HAMBLEN HAMILTON HANCOCK HAWKINS JEFFERSON JOHNSON KNOX LOUDON MARION MCMINN MEIGS MONROE MORGAN POLK RHEA ROANE SCOTT SEQUATCHIE SEVIER SULLIVAN UNICOI UNION WASHINGTON
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