- Severe weather, including damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes, is also possible. As storms move eastward, the severe weather threat is expected to diminish and transition to a flooding threat.
- Heavy rain is expected Wednesday through Sunday across Middle Tennessee, with northwestern counties at the greatest risk for flooding.
- Some areas are likely to receive upwards of 10 inches of rainfall throughout the week.
A series of tornado warnings landed in Middle Tennessee in the early morning hours of Thursday.
Active tornado warnings include:
- Davidson: until 4:45 a.m.
- Hickman: until 5:15 a.m.
- Maury: 5:15 a.m.
- Williamson: until 5:15 a.m.
The storms are part of what is expected to be an active couple of days of severe weather. While West Tennessee is expected to get the brunt of these storms, Middle Tennessee can expect significant rain, flash flooding, large hail, straight line winds and possible tornadoes.
Nashville is expected to get between 5-6 inches, while Clarksville is expected to get between 8-10 inches by the end of the weekend.
Follow here for live updates from this round of severe weather.
School closures roll in across Middle Tennessee
Schools in Middle Tennessee have started to cancel school Thursday as severe weather rolls through the region.
School system closures include:
- Cheatham County Schools: closed Thursday
- Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools: closed Thursday
- Robertson County Schools: Closed Thursday
- Sumner County Schools: Closed Thursday
- Wilson County Schools: Closed Thursday
For more closures: Nashville area school closings: These schools are closed Thursday due to severe weather threat
Governor, TEMA declared State of Emergency ahead of storms
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, at the direction of Gov. Bill Lee, issued a State of Emergency for the severe weather hitting the state.
The declaration allows the state to expedite assistance, move resources around and coordinate responses across the state.
The request includes federal assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures and direct federal assistance.
Two storm deaths reported in Tennessee
The Tennessee Department of Health reported two storm-related deaths in Tennessee, Reuters reported.
One death was reported in McNairy County and the other in Obion County.
Flash Flood Warning issued for Middle Tennessee counties
The weather service issued several flash flood warnings until 10:30 a.m. amid the downpour in Middle Tennessee.
Counties include:
- Davidson
- Rutherford
- Sumner
- Williamson
- Wilson
State Troopers braving storms to clear roads in Dickson County
As severe weather swpt through the region Thursday morning, state troopers were out in the rain clearing roads of debris and checking for stranded drivers in Dickson County, according to a post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Nashville
The National Weather Service canceled a tornado warning for Davidson, Sumner and Wilson counties that was scheduled to last until 4:30 a.m. and issued a new one until 4:45 a.m.
The weather service also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Davidson, Sumner, Trousdale, Wilson, Macon and Smith counties until 5 a.m.
Tornado warnings issued for Middle Tennessee
The National Weather Service in Nashville issued a tornado warning for southern Davidson and northern Williamson counties until 4:15 a.m. A tornado warning was issued for eastern Davidson, Sumner and Wilson counties until 4:30 a.m.
At 3:38 a.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Fairview, or 10 miles northwest of Franklin, moving northeast at 45 mph. This dangerous storm will be near Forest Hills, Brentwood, Bellevue and Belle Meade around 3:45 a.m. and Oak Hill around 3:50 a.m. Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Berry Hill and Natchez Trace At Highway 96. This includes the following highways: Interstate 40 between mile markers 192 and 218. Interstate 65 between mile markers 66 and 86. Interstate 24 between mile markers 47 and 63.
Also under a tornado warning until 4:15 a.m. are northwestern Lewis, south central Dickson, northwestern Maury, southwestern Williamson and Hickman counties.
At 3:42 a.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Centerville, moving northeast at 60 mph. This dangerous storm will be near Centerville around 3:45 a.m. Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Santa Fe, Primm Springs, Lyles, Kimmins, Bon Aqua and Nunnelly. This includes the following highways: Interstate 40 near mile marker 178. Interstate 840 between mile markers 1 and 20.
Davidson, southwestern Sumner, north central Williamson and northwestern Wilson counties are under a tornado warning until 4 a.m.
At 3:33 a.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Belle Meade, or near Nashville, moving northeast at 45 mph. Tornado and quarter size hail are possible.
This dangerous storm will be near Nashville and Oak Hill around 3:40 a.m. Lakewood, Mount Juliet, Hendersonville, Hermitage and Old Hickory around 3:50 a.m. Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Green Hill, Berry Hill, Percy Priest Lake, Whites Creek and Bells Bend. This includes the following highways: Interstate 40 between mile markers 195 and 229. Interstate 65 between mile markers 74 and 97. Interstate 24 between mile markers 40 and 59.
Sumner and Wilson counties are also under a tornado warning until 4:15 a.m.
At 3:25 a.m., a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Mount Juliet, or near Lebanon, moving northeast at 45 mph. Tornado and golf ball size hail are possible. Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes could be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, vehicles and trees is likely.
Locations affected include Bethpage, Hartsville, Dixon Springs, Oak Grove, Pleasant Shade, Gallatin, Bledsoe Creek State Park, Dickerson Chapel Recreation Area, Cottontown, Lafayette, Westmoreland, Tuckers Crossroads and Lebanon.
Flash Flood Warning
East Central Cheatham County, central Davidson County, northwestern Macon County, southeastern Robertson County in middle Tennessee, Sumner County and northwestern Wilson County are under a flash flood warning until 9:15 a.m. Thursday.
Some locations that will experience flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service, include Gallatin, Nashville, Madison, Hendersonville, Goodlettsville, White House, Millersville, Greenbrier, Forest Hills, Coopertown, Belle Meade, Lakewood, Westmoreland, Ridgetop, Cross Plains, Portland, Old Hickory, Joelton, Bellevue and Orlinda.
Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
ORIGINAL STORY: Wednesday kicks off an active week of heavy rain across Middle Tennessee, with a flood watch in effect from Wednesday evening through Sunday morning. According to the National Weather Service, the flooding risk will increase starting Wednesday night and continue throughout the week.
Along with heavy rain, severe storms also pose a risk, specifically across the northwestern half of the region. The risk, however, is “conditional” said the weather service as storms may stay focused along the frontal northwest zone, which includes Stewart and Montgomery Counties.
“If storms do spread farther southeast into the Mid State, they may contain damaging winds and torrential downpours,” said the weather service. “Although less of a risk, large hail and tornadoes cannot be ruled out.”
Storms are expected to weaken as they move eastward through Middle Tennessee, reported the weather service, reducing the severe weather potential for areas east and south of Nashville Thursday and Thursday night.
“In fact, many locations won`t see any showers at all until Thursday or later,” said the weather service. “As storms weaken tomorrow evening and overnight, we will transition from a severe threat to more of a flooding threat.”
How much rain will Middle Tennessee receive? Anticipated totals for Nashville, Clarksville, Lafayette
The highest rainfall amounts are expected in the northwest, with current forecasts predicting 6-8 inches. Flash flooding and eventually river flooding will be concerns across the northwestern half of the region, said the weather service.
Stewart, Montgomery, and Houston Counties are at the greatest risk with 6-10 inches of rainfall expected, said the weather service.
- Clarksville: 8-10 inches
- Waverly: 6-8 inches
- Nashville: 5-6 inches
- Lafayette: 4-5 inches
- Waynesboro: 3-4 inches
- Columbia: 2-3 inches
- Smithville: 2-3 inches
- Jamestown: 2-3 inches
- Tullahoma: 2-3 inches
- Crossville: 1.5-2 inches
Nashville-area radar
Nashville 7-day forecast
Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 85 and a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, some of them severe, mainly after 4 p.m. Then a low of around 66 at night and a 70% chance of showers with thunderstorms, some of them severe, possibly after 3 a.m.
Thursday: High near 79 and an 80% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 p.m. Storms, some of them severe, are likely to continue throughout the day past 3 p.m. Then mostly cloudy, with a low around 68 at night and a 60% chance of showers and possibly severe thunderstorms before 4 a.m.
Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 86 and a 50% chance of showers and possibly severe thunderstorms after 10 a.m. Then mostly cloudy with a low around 69 at night and a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10 p.m. Storms, some of them severe, are likely to continue until 1 a.m.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 85 and a 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms, some of them severe, after 1 p.m. Then a low of around 60 at night and a 90% chance of showers and possibly severe thunderstorms.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 70 and a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 p.m. Then mostly cloudy with a low of around 43 at night.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62 and a low of around 38 at night.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 60.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
