Flash Flooding and Hail in Tennessee, December 16, 2000

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in Tennessee, December 16, 2000
Start: 2000-12-16T12:00
End: 2000-12-16T20:00
Location: Tennessee

December 16, 2000 · NWS OHX · 25 events in 19 counties and zones

19 flash flood, 3 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 19 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 25

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 flash flood, 3 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Lawrence

When: December 16, 12:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.217, -87.396 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriff's office reported numerous road closures due to high water. AT 1430 CST 2 people had to be rescued in Lawrenceburg. U.S Highway 64 had to be closed along an 8 to 10 mile stretch outside of Lawrenceburg.

Flash Flood, Williamson

When: December 16, 12:00 PM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where: Williamson County, Fairview
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.894, -86.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

EMA reported several roads closed due to high water.

Flash Flood, Giles

When: December 16, 12:00 PM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where: Giles County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.202, -87.035 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriff's office reported flooding along U.S. Highway 31.

Flash Flood, Rutherford

When: December 16, 12:50 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Rutherford County, Murfreesboro
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.843, -86.417 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

SKYWARN Spotter reported numerous streets were flooded especially along Jefferson Pike near Murfreesboro along with some evacuations. At 1410 CST Spotter reported 1-2 feet of water along a 400 yard section of Old Nashville Highway near Murfreesboro.

Flash Flood, Williamson

When: December 16, 12:55 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Williamson County, Southeast Portion
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.894, -86.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

SKYWARN Spotter reported flooding of roads and yards in southeast part of the county.

Flash Flood, Marshall

When: December 16, 1:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Marshall County, Lewisburg
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.469, -86.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

SKYWARN Spotter reported several roads flooded in Lewisburg.

Flash Flood, Williamson

When: December 16, 2:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Williamson County, Franklin
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.894, -86.899 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Spotter reported flooding in Franklin and Spring Hill.

Flash Flood, Macon

When: December 16, 2:20 PM CST to 6:30 PM CST
Where: Macon County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.532, -86.007 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Many side roads flooded.

Flash Flood, Putnam

When: December 16, 2:20 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Putnam County, North Portion
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.141, -85.495 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

EMA reported flooding along State Highway 111 from Cookeville to Algood.

Flash Flood, Maury

When: December 16, 2:22 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Maury County, Countywide
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.617, -87.077 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

EMA reported flooding of many roads. The hardest hit area was West Sheepneck Road in the Sandy Hook Community. A drain stoppage caused water to stand on the road and residential driveways. The road was temporarily closed. Once the barrier was removed, the flood waters subsided.

Flash Flood, Sumner

When: December 16, 2:25 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Sumner County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.469, -86.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Widesdpread flooding of roadways reported in Hendersonville and White House. Flooding was along low lying areas.

Flash Flood, Bedford

When: December 16, 2:30 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Bedford County, Shelbyville
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.514, -86.459 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

EMA reported flooding along Bugscuffle Rd.

Flash Flood, Trousdale

When: December 16, 2:30 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Trousdale County, Hartsville
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.392, -86.157 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Sheriff's office reported water overflowing culverts in Hartsville.

Flash Flood, Wilson

When: December 16, 2:40 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Wilson County, Lebanon
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 36.155, -86.298 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

EMA reported flooding in Four Mile Hill area of south Lebanon.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When: December 16, 5:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, Winchester
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.155, -86.092 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement reported several roads flooded.

Hail, White

When: December 16, 5:00 PM CST
Where: White County, Bon Air
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.933, -85.383

Sheriff reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Franklin

When: December 16, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, Cowan
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.167, -86.017

EMA reported dime size hail.

Flash Flood, Coffee

When: December 16, 5:30 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Coffee County, Manchester
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.491, -86.075 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement reported several roads closed.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When: December 16, 5:30 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, Winchester
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.155, -86.092 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement reported several roads flooded.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cumberland

When: December 16, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Cumberland County, Countywide
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 35.967, -84.983

Law enforcement reported several trees blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fentress

When: December 16, 5:55 PM CST
Where: Fentress County, Jamestown
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 36.433, -84.917

Newspaper article reported strong thunderstorm winds damaged a barn and took the roof off an adjoining shed. Also, a portion of the fence was destroyed by flying debris from the barn. This occurred at the John Tallent farm, located east of Jamestown Airport.

Flash Flood, Putnam

When: December 16, 6:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Putnam County, Cookeville
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.141, -85.495 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Local law enforcement reported several roads were flooded.

Flash Flood, Clay

When: December 16, 6:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Clay County, Celina
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.551, -85.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement reported Polareesa Road was flooded when nearby pond overflowed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Van Buren

When: December 16, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, Bone Cave
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.767, -85.583

SKYWARN Spotter reported small trees down on Bone Cave Road.

Hail, Van Buren

When: December 16, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, Bone Cave
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.767, -85.583

Spotter reported nickel size hail.

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2000 Every state in 2000 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, December 2000

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5165996, 5168900, 5168911, 5168396, 5168395, 5165997, 5168397, 5168913, 5168915, 5168912, 5168914, 5168469, 5168916, 5168917, 5168901, 5168902, 5168903, 5168909, 5168910, 5168904, 5168979, 5168905, 5168906, 5168907, 5168908.