Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Watches in 2025

Tornado Watch 305

May 20, 20254 states

The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 20, 2025, 2:36 PM CDT for 4 states. It was in force for 8 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 20, 2025, 2:36 PM CDT (19:36 UTC)
Expired: May 20, 2025, 10:41 PM CDT
In force: 8 hr
Issued by: the Storm Prediction Center
Largest hail expected: 2.5 in
Strongest gust expected: 60 kt

All 96 counties

Colbert County, AL, Cullman County, AL, DeKalb County, AL, Franklin County, AL, Jackson County, AL, Lauderdale County, AL, Lawrence County, AL, Limestone County, AL, Madison County, AL, Marshall County, AL, Morgan County, AL, Catoosa County, GA, Chattooga County, GA, Dade County, GA, Walker County, GA, Adair County, KY, Allen County, KY, Barren County, KY, Breckinridge County, KY, Butler County, KY, Caldwell County, KY, Casey County, KY, Christian County, KY, Clinton County, KY, Crittenden County, KY, Cumberland County, KY, Daviess County, KY, Edmonson County, KY, Grayson County, KY, Green County, KY, Hancock County, KY, Hardin County, KY, Hart County, KY, Henderson County, KY, Hopkins County, KY, Larue County, KY, Logan County, KY, Lyon County, KY, McLean County, KY, Metcalfe County, KY, Monroe County, KY, Muhlenberg County, KY, Ohio County, KY, Russell County, KY, Simpson County, KY, Taylor County, KY, Todd County, KY, Trigg County, KY, Union County, KY, Warren County, KY, Webster County, KY, Bedford County, TN, Bledsoe County, TN, Cannon County, TN, Cheatham County, TN, Clay County, TN, Coffee County, TN, Cumberland County, TN, Davidson County, TN, DeKalb County, TN, Dickson County, TN, Fentress County, TN, Franklin County, TN, Giles County, TN, Grundy County, TN, Hamilton County, TN, Hickman County, TN, Houston County, TN, Humphreys County, TN, Jackson County, TN, Lawrence County, TN, Lewis County, TN, Lincoln County, TN, Macon County, TN, Marion County, TN, Marshall County, TN, Maury County, TN, Montgomery County, TN, Moore County, TN, Overton County, TN, Perry County, TN, Pickett County, TN, Putnam County, TN, Robertson County, TN, Rutherford County, TN, Sequatchie County, TN, Smith County, TN, Stewart County, TN, Sumner County, TN, Trousdale County, TN, Van Buren County, TN, Warren County, TN, Wayne County, TN, White County, TN, Williamson County, TN, Wilson County, TN

The radar

The Nashville radar (KOHX), 28 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:39 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 SPC expected

The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.

Two or more tornadoes: 60%
One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes: 40%
Ten or more severe wind reports: 70%
One or more gusts of 65 knots or more: 10%
Ten or more severe hail reports: 60%
One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more: 30%
Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports: 95%

Warnings issued inside it

100 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 20, 2:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Franklin, Lincoln, Moore	50 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, 3:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Caldwell, Carlisle, Crittenden, Graves, Hopkins, Livingston and 4 more	41 min
May 20, 3:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Franklin	35 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, 3:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Marion, Sequatchie	61 min
May 20, 4:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Caldwell, Crittenden, Livingston, Lyon	16 min
May 20, 4:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Colbert, Lauderdale	50 min
May 20, 4:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Calloway, Marshall, Trigg	42 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, 4:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Colbert, Lauderdale	46 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, 4:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	PAH	Christian, Todd, Trigg	48 min
May 20, 4:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threat	OHX	Cannon, Davidson, Rutherford, Williamson, Wilson	56 min
May 20, 4:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Christian, Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Todd	39 min
May 20, 4:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Marshall, Maury, Williamson	35 min
May 20, 4:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Bledsoe, Hamilton, Marion, Sequatchie	49 min
May 20, 4:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	HUN	Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison	63 min
May 20, 5:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Colbert, Lauderdale	27 min
May 20, 5:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Montgomery, Robertson	21 min
May 20, 5:14 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Muhlenberg	2 hr
May 20, 5:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Christian, Todd	30 min
May 20, 5:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Todd	26 min
May 20, 5:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LMK	Butler, Ohio	40 min
May 20, 5:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Cheatham, Dickson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery and 2 more	54 min
May 20, 5:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LMK	Logan, Simpson, Warren	39 min
May 20, 5:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Bedford, Marshall, Rutherford	37 min
May 20, 5:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LMK	Butler, Logan	34 min
May 20, 5:26 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Montgomery, Robertson	34 min
May 20, 5:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Montgomery, Robertson, Sumner	64 min
May 20, 5:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence	43 min
May 20, 5:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan	39 min
May 20, 5:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	OHX	Cannon, DeKalb, Rutherford, Wilson	66 min
May 20, 5:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Bradley, Hamilton, Meigs, Rhea	48 min
May 20, 5:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LMK	Breckinridge, Butler, Grayson, Ohio	14 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, 5:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	HUN	Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison	64 min
May 20, 6:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning EmergencyTornado observed	HUN	Limestone, Madison	44 min
May 20, 6:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Cheatham, Davidson, Hickman, Maury, Rutherford, Sumner and 3 more	54 min
May 20, 6:09 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan	23 min
May 20, 6:12 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LMK	Warren	110 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, 6:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan	28 min
May 20, 6:32 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	LMK	Allen, Barren	90 min
May 20, 6:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LMK	Allen, Barren, Monroe	30 min
May 20, 6:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	LMK	Hardin, Hart, Larue, Nelson	38 min
May 20, 6:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threat	HUN	Jackson, Madison	46 min
May 20, 6:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson, Madison	51 min
May 20, 6:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson, Madison	51 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
May 20, 7:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Limestone, Madison, Morgan	29 min
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, 7:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Limestone, Madison	18 min
May 20, 7:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson	39 min
May 20, 7:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Bledsoe, Hamilton, Meigs, Rhea, Sequatchie	50 min
May 20, 7:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Limestone, Madison, Morgan	33 min
May 20, 7:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Cumberland, Fentress, Jackson, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and 1 more	62 min
May 20, 7:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Morgan	30 min
May 20, 7:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Bledsoe, Rhea	43 min
May 20, 7:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Catoosa, Dade, Walker	43 min
May 20, 7:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson	40 min
May 20, 7:53 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	OHX	Cumberland, Van Buren, White	3 hr
May 20, 7:53 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Cumberland	25 min
May 20, 7:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson, Madison, Marshall	51 min
May 20, 7:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Franklin, Lawrence	52 min
May 20, 8:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	OHX	Cumberland, Van Buren	45 min
May 20, 8:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Bledsoe	43 min
May 20, 8:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Jackson, Madison, Morgan	26 min
May 20, 8:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Madison, Morgan	35 min
May 20, 8:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	OHX	Fentress, Pickett	20 min
May 20, 8:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Dade, Walker	36 min
May 20, 8:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson	20 min
May 20, 8:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Catoosa, Dade, Walker, Whitfield	45 min
May 20, 8:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Cullman, Madison, Marshall, Morgan	28 min
May 20, 8:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall	49 min
May 20, 8:52 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Cullman, DeKalb, Marshall	53 min
May 20, 8:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Catoosa, Murray, Walker, Whitfield	48 min
May 20, 9:06 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Chattooga, Dade, Walker	39 min
May 20, 9:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Jackson, Madison, Marshall	17 min
May 20, 9:28 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	HUN	DeKalb	31 min
May 20, 9:35 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson, Madison, Marshall	71 min
May 20, 9:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon, Walker, Whitfield	26 min
May 20, 9:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon, Walker, Whitfield	42 min
May 20, 9:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Chattooga, Walker	50 min
May 20, 9:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	DeKalb	13 min
May 20, 10:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Chattooga, Floyd	41 min
May 20, 10:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Bartow, Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon, Murray	47 min
May 20, 10:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Chattooga, Floyd, Gordon	45 min

Discussions around it

SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 34 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

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 20, 10:19 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Colbert, Lauderdale, Limestone, Madison	2 hr
May 20, 1:48 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Blount, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette and 14 more	117 min
May 20, 3:33 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Colbert, Lauderdale	117 min
May 20, 5:08 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chilton, Clay and 20 more	2 hr
May 20, 5:47 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison	118 min
May 20, 6:46 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne and 16 more	7 hr
May 19, 7:02 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Catoosa, Dade, Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon and 7 more	88 min
May 20, 6:27 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Dade, Dawson and 14 more	6 hr
May 20, 1:07 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Ballard, Caldwell, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Daviess and 16 more	83 min
May 20, 2:15 AM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	Ballard, Caldwell, Carlisle, Crittenden, Daviess, Hancock and 11 more	4 hr
May 20, 12:10 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	Bath, Bell, Bourbon, Boyd, Breathitt, Carter and 39 more	5 hr
May 20, 1:09 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman and 3 more	8 hr
May 20, 2:42 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher and 3 more	2 hr
May 20, 5:13 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Bell, Boyle, Breathitt, Clark, Clay, Estill and 25 more	62 min
May 20, 12:34 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Haywood, Lake, Lauderdale and 2 more	116 min

Nearby

Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2025 Tornado Watches in Kentucky, 2025 Tornado Watches in Alabama, 2025 Every tornado watch 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.