Alert archive / Tennessee / Flash Flood Warnings in 2009

Flash Flood Warning 17, NWS Nashville, TN

May 2, 20095 counties in Tennessee

NWS Nashville, TN issued this flash flood warning at May 2, 2009, 2:46 AM CDT for 5 counties in Tennessee. It was in force for 4 hr. 9 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: May 2, 2009, 2:46 AM CDT (07:46 UTC)
Expired: May 2, 2009, 6:45 AM CDT
In force: 4 hr
Issued by: NWS Nashville, TN
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Benton County, TN, Hickman County, TN, Lewis County, TN, Maury County, TN, Perry County, TN

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 2, 5:40 AM CDT	FLOOD	11 E Hohenwald, TN	HOMES FLOODED ON MOUNT JOY ROAD.
May 2, 5:40 AM CDT	FLOOD	2 N Hohenwald, TN	HOME FLOODED ON CANE CREEK RD
May 2, 5:45 AM CDT	FLOOD	1 Nnw Lobelville, TN	HOMES FLOODED ON BRUSH CREEK RD.
May 2, 5:45 AM CDT	FLOOD	1 Nw Lobelville, TN	HOMES FLOODED ON RED BANK ROAD.
May 2, 5:45 AM CDT	FLOOD	2 W Lobelville, TN	HOMES FLOODED NEAR CROOKED CREEK RD.
May 2, 6:00 AM CDT	FLOOD	5 S Centerville, TN	HIGHWAYS 48S AND 100W FLOODED.
May 2, 6:05 AM CDT	FLOOD	11 E Columbia, TN	HIGHWAY 431 FLOODED. NUMEROUS SECONDARY ROADS IN MAURY COUNTY FLOODED.
May 2, 6:10 AM CDT	FLOOD	10 S Camden, TN	FLOOD WATERS UP TO EDGE OF HIGHWAY 641. NUMEROUS LOW AREAS FLODDED.
May 2, 6:30 AM CDT	HEAVY RAIN 0	4 Wnw Hohenwald, TN	5.73 INCHES OF RAIN DURING PAST 24 HOURS. OBSERVER NOTES THAT IS THE HIGHEST WATER HE HAS SEEN ON UPPER CANE CREEK IN 7 YEARS BY A COUPLE OF FEET. MANY COUNTY ROADS ARE FLOODED, PONDS ARE OVERFLOWING INTO YARDS, ETC.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 104 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 131 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -132 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 770 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 128 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 96 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WGUS54 KOHX 020746
FFWOHX
TNC005-081-101-119-135-021145-
/O.NEW.KOHX.FF.W.0017.090502T0746Z-090502T1145Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
246 AM CDT SAT MAY 2 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NASHVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  BENTON COUNTY IN WEST TENNESSEE...
  HICKMAN COUNTY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...
  LEWIS COUNTY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...
  MAURY COUNTY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...
  PERRY COUNTY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...

* UNTIL 645 AM CDT

* AT 245 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE    
  WARNED AREA. 

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO CAMDEN,    
  CENTERVILLE, HOHENWALD, COLUMBIA, AND LINDEN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 3637 8809 3636 8799 3616 8792 3597 8801
      3594 8793 3584 8794 3585 8772 3600 8753
      3599 8741 3597 8720 3585 8721 3571 8679
      3543 8696 3547 8744 3541 8757 3550 8773
      3544 8805 3551 8797 3581 8798 3585 8822

$$

ROSE

1 follow-up statement

000 
WGUS74 KOHX 020959
FFSOHX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
459 AM CDT SAT MAY 2 2009

TNC005-081-101-119-135-021145-
/O.CON.KOHX.FF.W.0017.000000T0000Z-090502T1145Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MAURY TN-HICKMAN TN-PERRY TN-LEWIS TN-BENTON TN-
459 AM CDT SAT MAY 2 2009

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 AM CDT FOR
BENTON...LEWIS...PERRY...HICKMAN AND MAURY COUNTIES...

AT 456 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE HEAVY RAINFALL FROM WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE 
WARNED AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

&&

LAT...LON 3637 8809 3636 8799 3616 8792 3597 8801
      3594 8793 3584 8794 3585 8772 3600 8753
      3599 8741 3597 8720 3585 8721 3571 8679
      3543 8696 3547 8744 3541 8757 3550 8773
      3544 8805 3551 8797 3581 8798 3585 8822

$$

ROSE

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Nashville, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at May 1, 9:42 PM CDT, 5 hours 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 1, 9:42 PM CDT, 5 hours 4 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
942 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

.UPDATE...
LOOKS LIKE A LULL IN CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY...SO WILL LOWER POPS FOR
REMAINDER OF NIGHT...KEEPING A WATCHFUL EYE ON DEVELOPMENTS OUT W.
&&

17/MAG

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 350 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009/

DISCUSSION...
SFC HIGH PRES IN THE CNTL PLAINS WL CONTINUE TO PUSH A COLD FRONT
INTO MID TN TONIGHT. FRONT WL PULL UP STATIONARY. PERIODS OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON TAP TONIGHT.

SFC HIGH PRES MOVES ACR THE OH VLY SAT WITH PERIODS OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH ALONG STATIONARY FRONT. MODELS AGREEMENT
WITH INVERTED TROUGHING ALONG STALLED FRONT SAT NIGHT-SUN ACR MID
TN.

EXCESSIVE RAINFALL LIKELY SAT NIGHT-SUN. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL AMOUNTS
OF THREE TO SIX INCHES EXPECTED. HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE IF LATER
MODELS HOLD THIS TREND. CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR FLASH FLOODING
SAT NIGHT-SUN. FLASH FLOOD OR HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK (MEMESFOHX) SENT
TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN. FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED.

PCPN CHANCE DECREASES MON AS SYS MOVES EAST. DRY PERIOD MON EVENING
INTO WED MORNING...BEFORE NEXT FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVES IN WED NIGHT.

&&

.OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT TONIGHT FOR TNZ005>011-
022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 1, 5:44 PM CDT, 9 hours 2 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
544 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-021030-
STEWART-MONTGOMERY-ROBERTSON-SUMNER-MACON-CLAY-PICKETT-BENTON-
HOUSTON-HUMPHREYS-DICKSON-CHEATHAM-DAVIDSON-WILSON-TROUSDALE-
SMITH-JACKSON-PUTNAM-OVERTON-FENTRESS-PERRY-HICKMAN-LEWIS-
WILLIAMSON-MAURY-MARSHALL-RUTHERFORD-CANNON-DEKALB-WHITE-
CUMBERLAND-BEDFORD-COFFEE-WARREN-GRUNDY-VAN BUREN-WAYNE-LAWRENCE-
GILES-
544 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT TONIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES SWEEPING ACROSS THE AREA WILL GENERATE
A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING HAIL OR WINDS.
HEAVY RAINS WILL LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING AS WELL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

A FRONTAL SYSTEM OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WILL DROP SOUTHEASTWARD
ON SATURDAY AND BECOME STATIONARY OVER THE MIDSTATE. THE FRONT
IN COMBINATION WITH UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES SWEEPING ACROSS THE
OHIO AND TENNESSEE VALLEYS WILL GENERATE A SLIGHT RISK OFF SEVERE
STORMS THIS WEEKEND. THE FRONTAL SYSTEM WILL ALSO TEND TO
CONCENTRATE RAINFALL OVER THE NORTHWESTERN AND NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES
THIS WEEKEND. THERE IS SOME POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL AND
POSSIBLY FLASH FLOODING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY TONIGHT AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND
DUE TO THE CONTINUING THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

17/MAG

The office that day

Everything else NWS Nashville, TN issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 1, 8:31 PM CDT	River Flood Advisory	OHX	Cheatham	36 hr
May 2, 1:45 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Hickman, Lewis, Maury	30 min
May 2, 2:12 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Hickman, Lewis, Maury	33 min
May 2, 3:17 AM CDT	Flood Watch	OHX	Bedford, Benton, Cannon, Cheatham, Clay, Coffee and 33 more	48 hr
May 2, 3:18 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OHX	Bedford, Marshall	4 hr
May 2, 4:52 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OHX	Coffee	4 hr
May 2, 5:13 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	OHX	Hickman	7 days
May 2, 5:16 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OHX	Giles, Lawrence, Wayne	4 hr
May 2, 6:45 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	OHX	Perry	3 days
May 2, 7:19 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OHX	Grundy, Van Buren	82 min
May 2, 9:58 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	OHX	Humphreys	50 hr
May 2, 11:39 AM CDT	River Flood Warning	OHX	Maury	5 days
May 2, 12:01 PM CDT	River Flood Advisory	OHX	Bedford	36 hr
May 2, 12:01 PM CDT	River Flood Advisory	OHX	Lawrence	36 hr
May 2, 12:01 PM CDT	River Flood Advisory	OHX	Bedford	9 hr
May 2, 12:01 PM CDT	River Flood Advisory	OHX	Davidson, Williamson	9 hr
May 2, 6:29 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	OHX	Marshall	16 hr
May 2, 6:34 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	OHX	Lawrence	16 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Tennessee, 2009 Every flash flood warning in 2009

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.