Alert archive / Tennessee / Flash Flood Warnings in 2025
Flash Flood Warning 68, NWS Nashville, TN
NWS Nashville, TN issued this flash flood warning at May 20, 2025, 7:53 PM CDT for Cumberland County, Van Buren County, White County, Tennessee. It was in force for 3 hr. 2 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 20, 2025, 7:53 PM CDT (00:53 UTC)
- Expired
- May 20, 2025, 11:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Nashville, TN
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- None
Counties Cumberland County, TN, Van Buren County, TN, White County, TN
The radar
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 131 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:52 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 8:31 PM CDT | FLASH FLOOD | 10 S Crossville, TN | Dunbar Road reported impassable due to flooding. |
| May 20, 8:31 PM CDT | FLASH FLOOD | 10 S Crossville, TN | Dunbar Road reported impassable due to flooding. |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this flash flood warning; the first came 38 minutes after it went out.
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
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 282 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 735 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -2 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1407 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 42 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 82 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 124 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.3
- Supercell composite
- 5.0
The text
As transmitted.
499
WGUS54 KOHX 210053
FFWOHX
TNC035-175-185-210400-
/O.NEW.KOHX.FF.W.0068.250521T0053Z-250521T0400Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Nashville TN
Issued by National Weather Service Morristown TN
753 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
The National Weather Service in Nashville has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Southern Cumberland County in middle Tennessee...
Northeastern Van Buren County in middle Tennessee...
Southeastern White County in middle Tennessee...
* Until 1100 PM CDT.
* At 753 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or
expected to begin shortly.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Crossville, Sparta, Spencer, Fairfield Glade, Crab Orchard,
Pleasant Hill, Indian Rock Lake, Lake Tansi, Virgin Falls State
Natural Area and Cumberland Mountain State Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded
roads. Find an alternate route.
&&
LAT...LON 3599 8487 3583 8480 3577 8510 3577 8525
3574 8527 3571 8539 3581 8549 3596 8549
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
$$
HolleyWhat 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 20, 6:20 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Updated at 620 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
- There is an enhanced risk (level 3 out of 5) for severe storms today. All modes of severe weather are possible, including damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes.
- Cooler temperatures move over the area Wednesday and through early next week along with some chances for showers and thunderstorms through the weekend.
Area forecast discussion, May 20, 6:20 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN Issued by National Weather Service Morristown TN 620 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 620 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025 - There is an enhanced risk (level 3 out of 5) for severe storms today. All modes of severe weather are possible, including damaging winds, hail, and tornadoes. - Cooler temperatures move over the area Wednesday and through early next week along with some chances for showers and thunderstorms through the weekend. && .SHORT TERM... (Rest of today through Wednesday) Issued at 1055 AM CDT Tue May 20 2025 Our previously forecasted morning/early afternoon showers and thunderstorms are moving through Middle TN. As expected, the environment is not quite primed enough for any widespread severe storms. At this time, biggest impacts with any of these storms look to be gusty winds and heavy downpours as the line of storms arrive. We continue to monitor the severe threat with another round of storms is forecasted to impact our area later this afternoon through the evening. The question is, how much is the atmosphere going to recover from this mornings convection before the next round. Satellite imagery shows a sharp gradient of clear skies over W TN, just behind this mornings convection. This dry slot is expected to push east ahead of our advancing mid-level trough. As it does so, surface instability should increase. Additionally, strong deep- layer shear and surface to mid-level lapse rates will increase through the late afternoon. With these factors in place, this afternoon and evening's convection will have a better potential for severe storms. Storms move out of the area by 10 pm tonight, ushering in cooler and dryer air. Wednesday looks reasonably dry with highs in the upper 70s. Late Wednesday night, a shortwave lifts to the NE and brings increasing showers and thunderstorm chances across the SW. Not seeing any severe storm concerns with these at this time. && .LONG TERM... (Wednesday Night through next Tuesday) Issued at 1055 AM CDT Tue May 20 2025 Thursday and Friday remain mostly dry as a ridge builds to the SW. Cooler temperatures also stick around with highs in the 70s. Middle TN will remain on the backside of the ridge by the weekend with a short wave rolling over the ridge Sunday. This will introduce better rain chances back into the forecast, sticking around through early next week. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 620 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025 A line of TSRA is currently moving west to east across the area this evening. This will cause issues with ceilings and vsbys in the initial TAF period. Once this clears (before 06z), ceilings should lift and stay in VFR conditions for the remainder of the TAF period. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 64 81 60 77 / 60 0 20 20 Clarksville 60 78 58 74 / 40 0 10 10 Crossville 61 73 54 70 / 80 10 20 30 Columbia 61 80 59 77 / 50 0 50 20 Cookeville 62 75 56 71 / 80 0 20 30 Jamestown 60 74 53 70 / 90 0 20 40 Lawrenceburg 61 79 58 77 / 60 0 40 20 Murfreesboro 63 80 58 77 / 70 0 30 20 Waverly 57 78 57 74 / 40 0 30 10 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...Cravens LONG TERM....Cravens AVIATION.....Holley
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 20, 6:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
649 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0643 PM Flash Flood 5 WSW Franklin 35.89N 86.93W
05/20/2025 Williamson TN Public
Flooding reported on Southhall Road in
Franklin.
&&Local storm report, May 20, 6:55 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
655 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0545 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 7 WSW Bon Aqua 35.91N 87.45W
05/20/2025 Hickman TN Public
Tree down on home on Keys Branch Road near
Bon Aqua.
&&Local storm report, May 20, 7:06 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
706 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0517 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 S Smyrna 35.91N 86.50W
05/20/2025 Rutherford TN Public
Multiple structures with light damage and
dozens of large trees and powerlines down.
Time estimated.
&&Local storm report, May 20, 7:12 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
712 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0555 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Cross Plains 36.54N 86.68W
05/20/2025 Robertson TN Emergency Mngr
Large tree down at Highway 25 east at Cedar
Grove in Cross Plains blocking the road.
Time estimated from radar.
&&Local storm report, May 20, 7:14 PM CDT, 39 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
714 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0550 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 E Wartrace 35.53N 86.27W
05/20/2025 Bedford TN Emergency Mngr
Trees and powerlines down in the Knob Creek
and White Road areas east of Wartrace. Time
estimated from radar.
&&Local storm report, May 20, 7:23 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
723 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0701 PM Hail 4 SW Doyle 35.81N 85.56W
05/20/2025 M1.00 Inch White TN Public
Quarter-size hail in Quebeck.
&&The office that day
Everything else NWS Nashville, TN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 7:02 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | OHX | Van Buren, Warren | 3 hr |
| May 20, 7:06 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OHX | Cannon, Coffee, Grundy, Van Buren, Warren | 54 min |
| May 20, 7:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Cumberland, Fentress, Jackson, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and 1 more | 62 min |
| May 20, 7:53 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OHX | Cumberland | 25 min |
| May 20, 8:00 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | OHX | Cumberland, Van Buren | 45 min |
| May 20, 8:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Fentress, Pickett | 20 min |
| May 21, 5:12 AM CDT | River Flood Advisory | OHX | Davidson, Williamson | 19 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Tennessee, 2025Every flash flood warning in 2025
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.