Alert archive / Tennessee / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 19, NWS Nashville, TN

July 17, 2026Lawrence County, Tennessee

NWS Nashville, TN issued this flash flood warning at Jul 17, 2026, 2:09 PM CDT for Lawrence County, Tennessee. It was in force for 3 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 17, 2026, 2:09 PM CDT (19:09 UTC)
Expired
Jul 17, 2026, 5:15 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Nashville, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Lawrence County, TN

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 131 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:08 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.

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 12:00Z, 7.2 hours before the alert went out and 144 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2026-07-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 742 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2026-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -7 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
742 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-41 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
887 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
8 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-7 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
2 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

470 
WGUS54 KOHX 171909
FFWOHX
TNC099-172215-
/O.NEW.KOHX.FF.W.0019.260717T1909Z-260717T2215Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Nashville TN
209 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

The National Weather Service in Nashville has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southwestern Lawrence County in middle Tennessee...

* Until 515 PM CDT.

* At 209 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1.5 and 2 inches of 
  rain have fallen. 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...
  Loretto, St. Joseph, Westpoint and Iron City.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 3500 8730 3500 8761 3502 8761 3504 8761
      3503 8758 3505 8758 3506 8759 3514 8759
      3514 8758 3515 8758 3516 8758 3520 8757
      3507 8733 3502 8730

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

Cahill

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 Jul 17, 12:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 1235 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026
  • Daily rounds of scattered storms will continue through the weekend. Strong winds gusts and heavy rain causing localized flooding are possible. There is a marginal risk of severe storms for the Plateau through the weekend.
  • Heat indices will reach the low 100s for many areas west of the Cumberland Plateau into early next week. Tuesday will be the hottest day of the period with heat indices nearing or exceeding 105 degrees for much of the area.
  • Slightly cooler and less humid air is expected late next week.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 12:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Nashville TN
1249 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1235 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

- Daily rounds of scattered storms will continue through the
  weekend. Strong winds gusts and heavy rain causing localized
  flooding are possible. There is a marginal risk of severe storms
  for the Plateau through the weekend.

- Heat indices will reach the low 100s for many areas west of the
  Cumberland Plateau into early next week. Tuesday will be the
  hottest day of the period with heat indices nearing or exceeding
  105 degrees for much of the area.

- Slightly cooler and less humid air is expected late next week.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Rest of today through Saturday)
Issued at 1144 AM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

Diurnally driven cumulus are already popping up across Middle
Tennessee on satellite this morning, with showers and thunderstorms
forecasted for today, yet again. Temperatures will barely get into
the 90s for highs today, with some areas on the Cumberland Plateau
sticking in the mid 80s. Triple digit heat indices are the name of
the game the next few days, so make sure you are staying hydrated if
you have any outdoor plans for the weekend.

Overnight we can expect some patchy fog to develop in Middle
Tennessee. Nothing too dense, but enough to drop visibility a bit.
Overnight lows will dip into the upper 60s to low 70s, and rebound
back into the low 90s with heat indices in the triple digits once
again.

There is a chance for isolated severe storms into the weekend, with
SPC highlighting portions of our area in a marginal risk (level 1
out of 5). Primary hazard with any stronger storms would be gusty
winds and heavy rainfall leading to localized flash flooding, given
the sheer amount of moisture in the atmosphere (with PWATs in
forecast soundings above 2"). The chance for severe weather is low
however, as we lack meaningful shear to sustain decent updrafts and
stronger storms, but an isolated strong storm cannot be ruled out.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Saturday Night through next Friday)
Issued at 1144 AM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

Into the work week, temperatures will only continue to increase as
WAA increases at 850mb. This will lead to triple digit heat indices
into early next week, some getting into Heat advisory territory. We
will have to evaluate the need for a heat product as we continue to
approach that point in time. Remember to stay hydrated and take
frequent breaks in the AC or shade if you work outside or have any
activities planned. Until the cold front comes through on Wednesday
bringing cooler and less humid air into Middle Tennessee, diurnal
thunderstorms will continue to be a daily threat. Most of these will
not be strong, but we could see some gusty winds and localized flash
flooding from stronger or training storms.

After the cold front on Wednesday morning, we will enter a quieter
period for the mid-week. Highs will be in the mid 80s for Thursday
and Friday, slowly warming back into the 90s into next weekend.

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1235 PM CDT Fri Jul 17 2026

Expect mainly a persistence forecast across the airspace today.
High moisture content and instability has encouraged another
afternoon of scattered showers and thunderstorms, warranting
PROB30s for each site. Timing of this sporadic convection may last
a little after 01Z, but CAMs are in fairly good agreement on the
bulk of storms settling down by then. The Cumberland Plateau is
showing a pretty strong signal for fog and low ceilings (IFR to
LIFR), especially for CSV overnight. Current guidance suggests
improvement shortly after 12Z, but with the high humidity and
light winds, CSV and SRB may end up socked in through tomorrow
afternoon. More pop-up storms are on tap tomorrow afternoon as
well.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Nashville      73  92  75  91 /  30  30  30  70
Clarksville    74  92  74  91 /  20  20  30  60
Crossville     69  84  69  85 /  20  40  40  70
Columbia       72  92  73  91 /  20  20  30  70
Cookeville     71  87  71  86 /  30  50  50  70
Jamestown      69  86  69  85 /  20  50  70  70
Lawrenceburg   71  90  72  89 /  20  30  30  70
Murfreesboro   72  92  73  91 /  30  30  50  70
Waverly        72  91  73  91 /  20  10  40  60

&&

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

SHORT TERM...Holley
LONG TERM....Holley
AVIATION.....Dirkes

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 16, 7:17 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOHXOverton118 min
Jul 16, 8:29 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOHXRutherford2 hr
Jul 17, 3:33 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOHXCheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Maury, Williamson3 hr
Jul 17, 4:05 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOHXDavidson40 min
Jul 17, 4:05 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOHXCoffee40 min
Jul 17, 4:17 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementOHXCumberland43 min
Jul 17, 4:40 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOHXCheatham, Dickson, Montgomery, Robertson3 hr
Jul 17, 5:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOHXCumberland, Fentress, Overton, Putnam2 hr
Jul 17, 6:43 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningOHXDeKalb, Jackson, Putnam, Van Buren, White3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Tennessee, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

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.