14 flash flood, 7 flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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 local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Mar 16, 8:45 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 845 PM CST SAT MAR 16 2002 FRONT SEEMS TO STALLED NEAR A TRI CITIES TENNESSEE TO JACKSON MISSISSIPPI LINE. LOCAL ETA MODEL SUGGESTS THAT CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE MIDSTATE SEEMS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH AN AREA OF UPPER LEVEL MASS DIVERGENCE...MOVING ACROSS THE STATE OVERNIGHT. UPPER JET TO THE NORTHWEST LIES ALONG A TUSCON-DODGE CITY-CHICAGO LINE. VERY LARGE BROAD TROUGH MOVING THROUGH WESTERN US WITH H5 LOW CENTER LOCATED IN WESTERN WASHINGTON STATE. WILL UPDATE ZONES TO REMOVE SOME TIME SENSITIVE WORDING...OTHER CURRENT PACKAGE LOOKS GOOD. .BNA...NONE. JLM
The Nashville radar (KOHX), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:58 UTC.
14 flash flood, 7 flood, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High water, along with mud and some debris, on roads. A 500 pound propane tank was washed out of a yard and into the creek on Gassaway Road. Gassaway Road was also blocked by a mud slide.
TDOT reported several trees down.
Flooding of many highways across the county. At 215 AM, according to TEMA, a 17 year-old male was swept away as he and two other teens tried to push a stalled pick up truck across flooded Old Belfast Rd. The teen either slipped off the side of the road or stepped off the side of the road. His body was found 200 yards away in a drain pipe.
Spotter reported flooding of many highways across the county.
TEMA reported numerous roadways covered with water.
911 center reported Highway 285 was closed.
911 center reported many road closures and stranded vehicles.
The Buffalo River crested at 16.9 feet in Lobelville, flood stage is 21 feet. Flooding occurred along agricultural bottom land.
Sheriff reported Jones Creek Road was under water. Also, EMA reported that a 46 year old man was swept away near White Bluff around 8 PM CST on Trace Creek Rd. Rock Church Road near Dickson was under water. Dickson County Schools were closed Monday March 18 because of road closures.
Spotter reported Hadley Drive in Old Hickory was flooded. Also, Central Pike had 1 to 2 feet of water near the Davidson county and Wilson county line. By 755 PM, there was 3-4 feet of water near the fairgrounds. 2 cars were stranded on Nolensville Rd.
The Duck River crested at Columbia at 37.8 feet, flood stage is 32 feet. Flooding occurred along agricultural bottom land. One house in Meadowbrookl had major damage, and other nearby homes had minor damage. The damages were from drainage ditches backing up.
The Harpeth River crested at 23.3 feet in Franklin, flood stage is 21 feet. Flooding occurred along agricultural bottom land.
Sheriff's office reported several county roads under water.
EMA reported numerous roads were flooded. Cedar Creek flooded a little league park and moved a dumpster 300 yards in Mt. Juliet.
Off duty NWS employee reported 2 large trees were blown down in the Verona Hills subdivision.
Highway 109 had high water. Woman had to be rescued from her vehicle in Sumner county.
Poplar Cove Road was under water.
Streets flooded around Celina and Wet Mill Creek. One bridge was washed out. Celina EMA reported flooding on back roads.
Spotter reported many roads becoming flooded around the county. Old Nashville Highway was closed from La Vergne to Murfreesboro. At one point, 6 roads were closed. 9 homes received minor damage, and one home had moderate damage. Several people had to be rescued from their cars. 7 people had to receive shelter at the Shoney's Inn.
The Harpeth River crested at 16.4 feet in Kingston Springs, flood stage is 15 feet. Flooding occurred along agricultural bottom land.
Standing water on many secondary roads.
The Duck River crested at 26.1 feet in Shelbyville, flood stage is 25 feet. Flooding occurred along agricultural bottom land.
The Elk River crested at 19.4 feet in Fayetteville, flood stage is 17.5 feet. Flooding occurred along agricultural bottom land.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Marshall | 2002-03-17 | 17 | Male | In Water | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Dickson | 2002-03-17 | 46 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, March 2002
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: 5285660, 5285661, 5287365, 5287366, 5287367, 5287368, 5287369, 5285732, 5285650, 5285651, 5285663, 5285730, 5285653, 5285655, 5285658, 5285652, 5285656, 5285654, 5285657, 5285731, 5285659, 5285662, 5285733.