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NOUS44 KMRX 111725
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NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-005-
006-008-111413-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
125 PM EDT SAT JUN 11 2005

ON SATURDAY MORNING JUNE 11, 2005 A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN, TN SURVEYED THE SITE OF A POTENTIALLY 
WEATHER-RELATED FATALITY ON A GOLF COURSE IN NORTHEASTERN LOUDON 
COUNTY, TN.  THE EVENT INVOLVED A MAN RIDING IN A GOLF CART WHO WAS 
KILLED WHEN A LIMB FROM A TREE FELL AND STRUCK THE MOVING CART.

THIS INVESTIGATION ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN WHY THE LIMB BROKE FROM THE 
TREE.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME OF THE FINDINGS FROM THE EVENT:

DATE....6/10/05
TIME....245 PM (APPROXIMATE)
WHAT...6 INCH DIAMETER LIMB FROM 20-22 FEET HEIGHT IN CEDAR TREE. 
THE TREE AND LIMB APPEARED HEALTHY.  TREE IS ABOUT 30-35 FEET IN 
HEIGHT.
LOCATION...5 MILES NORTH OF LENOIR CITY
PEAK WIND SPEED...40 MPH (ESTIMATED)
WIND DIRECTION...FROM SOUTHEAST...THE LIMB WAS PROTRUDING FROM THE 
TREE TOWARD THE EAST.

THE RELATIVELY LOW WIND ESTIMATE IS BASED ON THE FACT THAT NO OTHER 
DISLODGED LIMBS...BRANCHES...OR LEAVES WERE NOTED ON ANY PART OF THE 
GOLF COURSE.

AFTER HEARING ACCOUNTS OF THE EVENT AND SURVEYING THE SITE...THE 
FOLLOWING SCENARIO HAS BEEN CONSTRUCTED AS TO HOW AND WHY THE LIMB 
BROKE.

AN INTENSIFYING SHOWER HAD HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS AS IT 
MOVED TO THE NORTHWEST OVER THE GOLF COURSE.  THE LIMB BECAME HEAVY 
DUE TO HEAVY RAIN WAS HANGING LOWER PUTTING STRESS ON ITS CONNECTION 
WITH THE TREE.  WITH THE LIMB NOW HANGING...THE ESTIMATED 40 MPH 
WINDS SPLIT THE LIMB AWAY FROM ITS PARENT TRUNK EITHER BY PUSHING 
THE LIMB BACK AND FORTH...OR IF THE LIMB WAS HANGING LOW ENOUGH...BY 
PUSHING DOWN ON THE LIMB. AT ANY RATE...THE LIMB SPLIT AWAY AT ITS 
CONNECTION TO THE MAIN TRUNK...PEELED OFF SOME OF THE BARK FROM THE 
TRUNK AND FELL TOWARD THE GROUND.

THE POSSILITY OF LIGHTNING STRIKING THE TREE WAS CONSIDERED...BUT IT 
IS FELT...FROM LIGHTNING DATA...THAT THE LIGHTNING OCCURRED TOO LATE 
TO HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE.  ALSO NO EVIDENCE OF LIGHTNING DAMAGE TO THE 
TREE WAS NOTED.

IN CONCLUSION...THE REASON FOR THE FAILURE OF THE LIMB IS THOUGHT TO 
HAVE BEEN A COMBINATION OF RAIN-LOADING (ADDING WEIGHT TO THE 
LIMB)...A WIND GUST OF ABOUT 40 MPH...AND A NATURALLY WEAK PLACE ON 
A TREE WHERE THE LIMB BRANCHES FROM THE MAIN TRUNK.  LASTLY...IF THE 
LIMB WERE RAIN-LOADED ENOUGH TO BE HANGING DOWNWARD...THE WIND 
DIRECTION (FROM THE SOUTHEAST) MAY HAVE BEEN PUSHING THE LIMB 
DOWNWARD.

QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS EVENT MAY BE CALLED IN TO THE NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE AT 423-586-3771.

$$

GM