May is no stranger to cold air, with the setting in 1989 similar to what is being observed currently (in 2020) when a wet and colder than average May followed a mild and much below average snowfall regime during the 1988-89 winter season.
Flash flooding became a deadly issue during early May 1989, with the following written in my weather journal during this time (1989 was a wet year):
Around 8:00 PM, 5 May 1989: A family of three were plunged into swollen Garden Creek of Levisa Fork River after the Van they were driving collided with a coal truck on State Route 624. They were quickly swept downstream into the raging Levisa Fork. All three were lost and drown. One body was recovered 5-6 miles downstream, another in Grundy, and the third victim was eventually discovered 30 miles downstream, north of Fishtrap Lake in Pike County, Kentucky. Truly, a terrible tragedy!
Flash flooding occurred along the South Fork of Powell River within the Cracker Neck to Big Stone Gap section of Wise County, the Guest River in Wise County, the South Fork of Pound River in northern Wise County, and the Russell Fork River (among others) in Dickenson County.
Additionally, numerous mud-rock slides were reported.
Heavy rain accompanied a strong southward dip in the jet stream, with a surge of unseasonably cold air that changed precipitation into snow.
The observation time was 1700 hours (5 PM) daily in Wise, such that only 1″ remained on the ground at 5 PM on 7 May 1989 (increase zoom factor of page for best chart viewing).
Snow fell heavily into morning hours of May 7:
As the midnight hour passed into 7 May a wintry mix falling in mountain valleys began changing into large, fluffy flakes of snow as air temperatures reached the freezing mark. By 4:30 AM on 7 May, moderate-heavy snow was falling across the mountain area (from the High Knob Massif northward).
Snowfall rates intensified around dawn, with the break of sunrise appearing to be a mid-winter blizzard had it not been for spring vegetation.
Snowfall totals reached 2.3″ in Clintwood, 3.3″ in Wise, and 4″ or more at upper elevations within the High Knob Massif.
*This snow was so majestic, as adhesive crystals intermingled with a spectrum of hues representative of the spring forest, that it was part of the reason I was inspired to become a nature photographer.
Clearing skies allowed the air temperature to drop below freezing in Clintwood prior to midnight on 7 May, with high humidity in wake of rain and snow resulting in significant freeze damage (especially at lower-middle elevations which had more advanced spring growth).
Visible freeze damage was observed in the following tree species (to note a few impacted):
Hickory
(Carya spp.)
American Beech
(Fagus grandifolia)
Tulip-poplar
(Liriodendron tulipifera)
Magnolia
(Magnolia spp.)
Sourwood
(Oxydendrum arboreum)
Black Locust
(Robinia pseudoacacia)
Sumac
(Rhus spp.)
Sassafras
(Sassafras albidum)
Visible freeze damage remained evident on species such as American Beech into June, although I do not recall it being as severe and impressive as the forest browning which occurred during May 2005.
Min temperatures during the 7-8 May period reached 23 degrees within Burkes Garden Basin, 26 degrees in Clintwood, 27 degrees in Canaan Valley Basin, 28 degrees in Wise, and 30 degrees in the Great Valley at TRI (tying previous records for all-time May coldness in the Tri-Cities of northeast Tennessee).
Cold air collecting basins, at upper elevations above 3000 feet, tend to be coldest on nights conducive for radiation cooling.
Refer to Focus On Research_Big Cherry Basin for more informaton.
