Isolated severe weather activity started in the western part of Middle Tennessee Friday evening. The activity became tornadic early Saturday morning on May 3.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 episode as NWS OHX wrote it up.
Isolated severe weather activity started in the western part of Middle Tennessee Friday evening. The activity became tornadic early Saturday morning on May 3.
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 May 2, 1:37 PM CST, 3 hours 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 237 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 .SHORT TERM...(THRU SUN NITE) CURRENT...MORE CONVECTION THAN EXPECTED TODAY AS H5 IMPULSES MOVE NE ACROSS AREA. SOME SMALL HAIL REPORTED. TEMPS IN UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. CONVECTION NOW SHOWING UP OVER WRN TN (WITH NUMEROUS SEVERE INCLUDING TORNADO) COULD MAKE ITS WAY INTO FAR W THIS EVE...BUT EXPECT MAIN SQLLN TONITE NW PORTIONS AROUND 06Z...BNA (AND MOST LIKELY WEAKENING) AROUND 08Z OR 09Z...AND APPROACHING PLATEAU 12Z. SPC HAS SLITE RISK ALL BUT PLATEAU AND ADJACENT COUNTIES AND HAVE ACCEPTED. MAIN RISK WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL BUT ISOLATED TORNADOES NOT OUT OF QUESTION. SPC HAS GONE WITH SLITE RISK ALL BUT NW SECTIONS FOR TOMORROW AFTERNOON WITH MAIN FRONT. HAVE ACCEPTED THIS AS WELL...BUT MIDNITE SHIFT CAN ADDRESS FOR ZONE INCLUSION. AFTER FRONT...ANOTHER GOOD COOL-DOWN WITH LOTS OF CLEAR SKIES SUN AND SUN NITE. .LONG TERM... CLEAR SKIES AND FAIRLY COOL (ESPECIALLY AT NITE) MON INTO TUE WITH SOME WEAK RETURN FLOW BY TUE. TUE NITE AND WED SOME WAA CONVECTION POSSIBLE...THAN A SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM COULD MOVE ACROSS THU INTO THU NITE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... NASHVILLE 61 73 46 68 / 80 40 10 0 CLARKSVILLE 58 70 42 67 / 80 30 10 0 CROSSVILLE 60 70 44 64 / 50 70 10 0 COLUMBIA 62 72 47 69 / 80 40 10 0 LAWRENCEBURG 62 71 47 70 / 80 30 10 0 WAVERLY 60 71 44 69 / 80 30 10 0 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 17/MAG
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 1038 AM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 TNZ005>009-022>030-056>062-075-093>095-031030- STEWART-MONTGOMERY-ROBERTSON-SUMNER-MACON-BENTON-HOUSTON- HUMPHREYS-DICKSON-CHEATHAM-DAVIDSON-WILSON-TROUSDALE-SMITH-PERRY- HICKMAN-LEWIS-WILLIAMSON-MAURY-MARSHALL-RUTHERFORD-BEDFORD-WAYNE- LAWRENCE-GILES- 1038 AM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG COLD FRONT MAY BRING A ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER TO MIDDLE TENNESSEE TONIGHT. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST INTO WEST MIDDLE TENNESSEE AROUND MIDNIGHT...AND INTO THE METRO NASHVILLE LATE. THE MAIN WEATHER HAZARDS WILL BE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHEN THE MAIN FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. THIS WILL LIKLEY NOT BE A PROBLE FOR THE NORTHWEST SECTIONS. AGAIN...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... DUE TO THE BRIEF AND ISOLATED NATURE OF POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. TNZ010-011-031>034-063>066-077>080-031030- CLAY-PICKETT-JACKSON-PUTNAM-OVERTON-FENTRESS-CANNON-DEKALB-WHITE- CUMBERLAND-COFFEE-WARREN-GRUNDY-VAN BUREN- 1038 AM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THERE WILL BE A CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHEN THE MAIN FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. AGAIN...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... DUE TO THE BRIEF AND ISOLATED NATURE OF POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. 17/MAG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 1202 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 TNZ027-059-021815- DAVIDSON-WILLIAMSON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...NASHVILLE...FRANKLIN...BRENTWOOD 1202 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR DAVIDSON COUNTY INCLUDING NASHVILLE METRO AREA... AT NOON...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM...POSSIBLY CONTAINING PEA SIZE HAIL... AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH WAS LOCATED NEAR BELLEVUE IN SOUTHWEST DAVIDSON COUNTY. THIS STORM WILL MOVE NORTHEAST AND INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA BY 1210 PM CDT. MOVE INDOORS WHEN THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. BOY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 1242 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 TNZ027-021845- DAVIDSON- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...NASHVILLE 1242 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR WESTERN AND NORTHERN DAVIDSON COUNTY... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING THROUGH WESTERN DAVIDSON COUNTY AT 1240 PM CDT. THIS STORM MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ALONG WITH PEA SIZE HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. THE STORM WILL PASS THROUGH THE WESTERN PART OF METRO NASHVILLE... WHITES CREEK...INTO THE GOODLETTSVILLE AREA THROUGH 1255 PM CDT. BOYD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 213 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-022115- STEWART-MONTGOMERY-ROBERTSON-SUMNER-MACON-CLAY-PICKETT-BENTON- HOUSTON-HUMPHREYS-DICKSON-CHEATHAM-DAVIDSON-WILSON-TROUSDALE- SMITH-JACKSON-PUTNAM-OVERTON-FENTRESS-PERRY-HICKMAN-LEWIS- WILLIAMSON-MAURY-MARSHALL-RUTHERFORD-CANNON-DEKALB-WHITE- CUMBERLAND-BEDFORD-COFFEE-WARREN-GRUNDY-VAN BUREN-WAYNE-LAWRENCE- GILES- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DOVER...CLARKSVILLE...SPRINGFIELD... GALLATIN...LAFAYETTE...CELINA...BYRDSTOWN...CAMDEN...ERIN... WAVERLY...DICKSON...ASHLAND CITY...KINGSTON SPRINGS...NASHVILLE... LEBANON...MOUNT JULIET...HARTSVILLE...CARTHAGE...GAINESBORO... COOKEVILLE...LIVINGSTON...JAMESTOWN...ALLARDT...LINDEN... LOBELVILLE...CENTERVILLE...HOHENWALD...FRANKLIN...BRENTWOOD... COLUMBIA...LEWISBURG...MURFREESBORO...WOODBURY...SMITHVILLE... SPARTA...CROSSVILLE...FAIRFIELD GLADE...SHELBYVILLE...TULLAHOMA... MANCHESTER...MCMINNVILLE...TRACY CITY...ALTAMONT...COALMONT... SPENCER...WAYNESBORO...LAWRENCEBURG...PULASKI 213 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DIMINSHING IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DECREASED IN NUMBER IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE SINCE 1 PM CDT. AT 145 PM CDT...MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS CONFINED TO NORTHEASTERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...AROUND CARTHAGE...HARTSVILLE...AND LAFAYETTE. SHOWERS EXTENDED SOUTH FROM THIS AREA TO NEAR THE ALABAMA BORDER. MOVEMENT REMAINS NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. ALL EYES WILL BE WATCHING THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN AREAS TO OUR WEST. A NEW TORNADO WATCH HAS JUST BEEN ISSUED THAT INCLUDES ALL OF WEST TENNESSEE UNTIL 8 PM CDT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...ARE EXPECTED IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE IN THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. HOWEVER...A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE ALONG AND NEAR THE TENNESSEE RIVER DURING THE EVENING. ALTHOUGH THE THREAT FOR TORNADOES IS NOT AS GREAT IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AS IT IS TO OUR WEST...AREA RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED TO...ONCE AGAIN.. CHECK PREPARENESS PLANS. YOU SHOULD KNOW WHERE TO GO IN THE EVENT A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. PLAN AHEAD AND KEEP A BATTERY POWERED FLASHLIGHT HANDY...JUST IN CASE THE POWER GOES OUT. AVOID BEING CAUGHT OUTSIDE DURING SEVERE WEATHER...AND...REMEMBER... NEVER TRY AND OUT RUN A TORNADO IN YOUR CAR. ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURE...PREFERABLY UNDER GROUND. TONIGHT...WOULD BE A GOOD NIGHT TO KEEP A NOAA WEATHER RADAR WITH AN ALARM FEATURE NEAR YOUR BED. IT JUST MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE. BOYD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
507 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 PM TSTM WND DMG 15 SSW CAMDEN 35.86N 88.21W
05/02/2008 BENTON TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 192 AND KELLY RD.
PUBLIC OBSERVED A FUNNEL CLOUD.
&&
ORCHANIANPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
507 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 PM TSTM WND DMG 12 SSW CAMDEN 35.86N 88.21W
05/02/2008 BENTON TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 192 AND KELLY RD.
PUBLIC OBSERVED A FUNNEL CLOUD.
&&
CORRECTED FOR DISTANBCE FROM CAMDEN.
ORCHANIANThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Benton County EMA said a tree fell on a trailer home at 7020 Highway 192 near Holladay. Trees were down along Sorghum Road toward U.S. Highway 641.
The tornado struck at 3675 Possum Hollow Rd. The tornado snapped trees, and the trees were lying in different directions. Two very large trees were uprooted behind the house.
A mobile home was tore apart at 4160 Tarsus Road in Palmyra, TN. The mobile home was blown off its base and hurled across the road. Trees were snapped.
The tornado rolled a mobile home across the road on Harris Circle. Numerous trees were snapped. There were 3 minor injuries from folks inside the mobile home.
A pavilion was destroyed at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds, which is about 2 miles south-southwest of downtown Clarksville. Telephone poles were snapped in half. A wooden utility pole was leaning.
There was damage to the bleachers at the fairgrounds.
Fairground bleachers were deemed unsafe and closed by Clarksville Park and Recreation officials.
Fencing was blown away along the top bleachers.
Clarksville Park and Recreation officials said that there were cracks in the bleacher's cinder block supports. They also found that portions of the structure had moved at least 2 inches by the tornado.
Golf ball size hail reported at I-24 and Highway 104.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Tennessee, 2008Warnings in Tennessee, May 2008
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: 95068, 95074, 95079, 95080, 95088, 95071.