Storm pounds Cumberland County
Published July 7, 2004

During summer storms that ravaged the Cumberland County area, this pine tree fell on Teoualdo Perdoma's Stanley Street residence. The Perdoma family was at home during the storm and heard a large crack outside their residence. Thinking it was lightning, the Perdomas thought nothing of the noise until it was accompanied by a large thud that shook their house. Once Perdoma stepped outside his residence to discover the origin of the noise, he discovered the large tree that had fallen on his home.

By Gary Nelson
Chronicle staffwriter
An unusual storm which Mother Nature conjured up in Missouri blew through Tennessee Monday afternoon causing numerous power outages, downed trees and countless reports of damage.

The freak storm carried with it winds in excess of 50 m.p.h., heavy rain, lightning, and marble-sized hail in some areas of the county.

"What happened Monday was an unusual and bad storm that originated in Missouri, held together strong and remained strong as it came through Kentucky and Tennessee from the north," Crossville Meteorologist Steve Norris said.

"There were reports of gusts of wind in the Cookeville area of 71 m.p.h. Reports in Cumberland County were winds around 50 m.p.h. but the gusts could have reached that high here," Norris added.

The storm carried with it a punch that knocked down dozens of trees and power lines creating numerous power outages.

"We had approximately 10,000 customers without power at the height of the storm due to a lightning strike at a feeder substation in the Mayland area," said Robin Hall, superintendent of operations for Volunteer Energy Cooperative.

There were approximately 2-3,000 customers without power due to poles being downed and from wind damage, according to Hall.

The downed utility poles were in Mayland, Potato Farm Rd. area, Crab Orchard and the Old Mail Rd. area.

As of Tuesday afternoon all customers had their power restored, Hall said.

Although there were high winds, hail, lightning and heavy rain, no tornadoes were reported in connection with the storm. Rainfall totals were 1.25 inches in an hour in Crossville with the heaviest rainfall total being in the Peavine Rd. area between Crossville and Fairfield Glade. In that area, a total of 2.5 inches of rain fell in a one-hour period.

"There was a lot of lightning that accompanied this storm with the majority of the heaviest strikes occurring from the Mayland area through the Tabor area and Fairfield Glade," said Norris.

Norris said whenever storms come from the north they seem to be more volatile and damaging noting that the vicious hail storm of 1990 was a storm from the north.

Although rainfall totals are above normal for the months of July, June and May, Norris said the rainfall total for the year is at a normal level.