Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 71, NWS Nashville, TN

May 20, 2025Bedford County, Marshall County, Rutherford County, Tennessee

NWS Nashville, TN issued this tornado warning at May 20, 2025, 5:23 PM CDT for Bedford County, Marshall County, Rutherford County, Tennessee. It was in force for 37 min. 4 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, 5:23 PM CDT (22:23 UTC)
Expired: May 20, 2025, 6:00 PM CDT
In force: 37 min
Issued by: NWS Nashville, TN
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.25 in

Counties Bedford County, TN, Marshall County, TN, Rutherford County, TN

The radar

The Nashville radar (KOHX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:27 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, 5:49 PM CDT	HAIL 1.75	7 E Eagleville, TN	Estimated golf ball size hail near Christiana. Time estimated.
May 20, 5:49 PM CDT	HAIL 1.75	7 E Eagleville, TN	Estimated golf ball size hail near Christiana. Time estimated.
May 20, 6:06 PM CDT	HAIL 1.5	9 S Murfreesboro, TN	Report from mPING: Ping Pong Ball (1.50 in.).
May 20, 6:06 PM CDT	HAIL 1.5	9 S Murfreesboro, TN	Report from mPING: Ping Pong Ball (1.50 in.).

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 tornado 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 20, 2:36 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 56 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: 1162 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 904 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 114 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 137 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.9
Supercell composite: 3.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

254 
WFUS54 KOHX 202223
TOROHX
TNC003-117-149-202300-
/O.NEW.KOHX.TO.W.0071.250520T2223Z-250520T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Nashville TN
Issued by National Weather Service Fort Worth TX
523 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

The National Weather Service in Nashville has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Marshall County in Middle Tennessee...
  Southern Rutherford County in Middle Tennessee...
  Northern Bedford County in Middle Tennessee...

* Until 600 PM CDT.

* At 523 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 9 miles north of Lewisburg, moving east at 50 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and half dollar size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* Locations impacted include...
  Rover, Christiana, Deason, Bell Buckle, Unionville, Chapel Hill,
  Fosterville, Rockvale, Wartrace, and Murfreesboro.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile
home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and
protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3554 8682 3567 8681 3584 8626 3553 8625
TIME...MOT...LOC 2223Z 253DEG 44KT 3559 8675 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN

$$

Shamburger

2 follow-up statements

163 
WWUS54 KOHX 202240
SVSOHX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
Issued by National Weather Service Fort Worth TX
540 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

TNC117-202250-
/O.CAN.KOHX.TO.W.0071.000000T0000Z-250520T2300Z/
Marshall TN-
540 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN MARSHALL COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for Middle
Tennessee.

&&

LAT...LON 3556 8662 3560 8665 3569 8664 3572 8666
      3584 8626 3553 8625
TIME...MOT...LOC 2240Z 258DEG 36KT 3562 8655 

$$

TNC003-149-202300-
/O.CON.KOHX.TO.W.0071.000000T0000Z-250520T2300Z/
Rutherford TN-Bedford TN-
540 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR SOUTHERN
RUTHERFORD AND NORTHERN BEDFORD COUNTIES...

At 540 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 10 miles northwest of Shelbyville, moving east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Rover, Christiana, Deason, Bell Buckle, Rockvale, Unionville,
Fosterville, and Murfreesboro.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter now!  Get to an
interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid
windows.

&&

LAT...LON 3556 8662 3560 8665 3569 8664 3572 8666
      3584 8626 3553 8625
TIME...MOT...LOC 2240Z 258DEG 36KT 3562 8655 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN

$$

Shamburger

212 
WWUS54 KOHX 202246
SVSOHX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
Issued by National Weather Service Fort Worth TX
546 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

TNC003-149-202300-
/O.CON.KOHX.TO.W.0071.000000T0000Z-250520T2300Z/
Rutherford TN-Bedford TN-
546 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR SOUTHERN
RUTHERFORD AND NORTHEASTERN BEDFORD COUNTIES...

At 546 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 10 miles north of Shelbyville, moving east at 45 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and tennis ball size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Christiana, Deason, Bell Buckle, Fosterville, Rockvale, and
Murfreesboro.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter now!  Get to an
interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid
windows.

&&

LAT...LON 3559 8655 3574 8659 3584 8626 3553 8625
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 254DEG 39KT 3564 8647 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.50 IN

$$

Shamburger

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at May 20, 12:46 PM CDT, 4 hours 37 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Updated at 1237 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, 12:46 PM CDT, 4 hours 37 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Nashville TN
Issued by National Weather Service Morristown TN
1246 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1237 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...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1237 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

Mixed bag this afternoon with SRB/CSV seeing showers and
thunderstorms with some marginal CIGs, while CKV/BNA/MQY are
seeing clearing skies behind a line of storms. Widespread VFR
conditions will prevail until after 21z when another round of
showers and thunderstorms move through the area. Storms have the
potential to be severe with damaging winds, large hail, and
tornadoes. Clearing conditions return after 00z. Strong NW winds
develops after 12z tonight.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Nashville      64  81  60  77 /  60   0  20  20
Clarksville    60  78  58  74 /  40   0  20  10
Crossville     61  73  54  70 /  80  10  10  30
Columbia       61  80  59  77 /  50   0  20  20
Cookeville     62  75  56  71 /  80   0  10  30
Jamestown      60  74  53  70 /  90   0  10  40
Lawrenceburg   61  79  58  77 /  60   0  20  20
Murfreesboro   63  80  58  77 /  70   0  20  20
Waverly        57  78  57  74 /  40   0  20  10

&&

.OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&

SHORT TERM...Cravens
LONG TERM....Cravens
AVIATION.....Cravens

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 20, 5:08 PM CDT, 15 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
508 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0442 PM     Hail             7 SSE Franklin          35.84N 86.80W
05/20/2025  M3.00 Inch       Williamson         TN   NWS Employee

            Measured 3 inch hail in Franklin. Time
            estimated from radar.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 5:10 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
510 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0436 PM     Hail             6 SW Franklin           35.88N 86.92W
05/20/2025  E2.75 Inch       Williamson         TN   Public

            Estimated baseball size hail near Franklin.
            Time estimated from radar.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 5:11 PM CDT, 12 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
511 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0456 PM     Hail             2 SSE Columbia          35.60N 87.04W
05/20/2025  E1.25 Inch       Maury              TN   Public

            Hail a little bigger than quarters reported
            in Columbia. Time estimated from radar.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 5:13 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
513 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0440 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 W Dover               36.48N 87.88W
05/20/2025                   Stewart            TN   Emergency Mngr

            EM reports downed trees and structure damage
            west of Dover. Time estimated from radar.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 5:16 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
516 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0502 PM     Hail             5 E Columbia            35.62N 86.96W
05/20/2025  M2.00 Inch       Maury              TN   Amateur Radio

            Measured 2 inch hail on Tom Osborne Road
            near Boyd Butler Road. Time estimated from
            radar.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 5:21 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Nashville TN
521 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0521 PM     Tornado          4 NNW Clarksville       36.62N 87.38W
05/20/2025                   Montgomery         TN   Broadcast Media

            Ongoing tornado, also confirmed by radar.

&&

RRH

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 20, 9:39 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Hickman, Perry	36 min
May 20, 10:02 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Wayne	43 min
May 20, 10:20 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OHX	Williamson	40 min
May 20, 10:41 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OHX	Lewis	49 min
May 20, 12:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Lawrence, Wayne	50 min
May 20, 1:26 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OHX	Giles	34 min
May 20, 1:59 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	OHX	Giles	31 min
May 20, 2:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Giles	15 min
May 20, 2:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Dickson, Hickman, Humphreys, Perry	64 min
May 20, 3:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	OHX	Hickman, Lewis, Maury	28 min
May 20, 3:39 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Hickman	36 min
May 20, 3:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	OHX	Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Maury, Williamson	64 min
May 20, 3:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Coffee, Grundy	62 min
May 20, 4:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Houston, Montgomery, Stewart	67 min
May 20, 4:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Lawrence, Lewis, Maury	33 min
May 20, 4:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Stewart	28 min
May 20, 4:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Dickson, Houston, Humphreys	54 min
May 20, 4:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	OHX	Cannon, Davidson, Rutherford, Williamson, Wilson	56 min
May 20, 4:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Marshall, Maury, Williamson	35 min
May 20, 5:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Montgomery, Robertson	21 min
May 20, 5:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Cheatham, Dickson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery and 2 more	54 min
May 20, 5:26 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Montgomery, Robertson	34 min
May 20, 5:27 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	OHX	Davidson, Maury, Rutherford, Williamson	4 hr
May 20, 5:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery, Robertson, Sumner	64 min
May 20, 5:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	OHX	Cannon, DeKalb, Rutherford, Wilson	66 min
May 20, 5:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Grundy, Warren	42 min
May 20, 5:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Cannon, Coffee, Rutherford	35 min
May 20, 6:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Cheatham, Davidson, Hickman, Maury, Rutherford, Sumner and 3 more	54 min
May 20, 6:23 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OHX	Cheatham, Davidson, Maury, Rutherford, Williamson, Wilson	3 hr
May 20, 6:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, Rutherford	51 min
May 20, 6:26 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OHX	Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Robertson, Sumner, Trousdale and 1 more	3 hr
May 20, 6:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Van Buren, Warren	33 min
May 20, 6:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Clay, Macon, Sumner, Trousdale	25 min
May 20, 6:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Cumberland, Van Buren, White	66 min
May 20, 6:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	DeKalb, Jackson, Putnam, Smith, White, Wilson	47 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 2025 Every tornado warning in 2025 Tornadoes 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.