Tennessee, 2009

Winter Weather in Tennessee, December 18 to 19, 2009

December 18 to 19, 2009 · NWS OHX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

A cold airmass was in place across Middle Tennessee as moisture associated with a strong surface low off the South Carolina coast, which moved north into Virgina during the early morning hours on December 19th, ushered in snowfall across the northern Cumberland Plateau region. A range of total snowfalll accumulations from one half to almost three inches occured across the northern Cumberland…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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

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The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
1
Property damage
$10,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS OHX wrote it up.

A cold airmass was in place across Middle Tennessee as moisture associated with a strong surface low off the South Carolina coast, which moved north into Virgina during the early morning hours on December 19th, ushered in snowfall across the northern Cumberland Plateau region. A range of total snowfalll accumulations from one half to almost three inches occured across the northern Cumberland Plateua region, with the almost three inch amount in Cumberland County. Multiple roads across these counties became snow covered, causing hazardous driving conditions and several car accidents. In Cumberland County, a women was killed when her car hit a patch of snow.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Overton

When
December 18, 7:30 PM CST to December 19, 12:30 PM CST
Where
Overton forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
36.345, -85.288 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Total snowfall accumulation of one half inch was reported across the county by the Overton County Sheriff's Office. Some secondary roads were also reported slipery. Multiple roads across this area became snow covered, causing hazardous driving conditions and several car accidents. Details on any damage amounts or injuries associated with these accidents were unknown.

Winter Weather, Cumberland

When
December 18, 8:00 PM CST to December 19, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Cumberland forecast zone
Deaths
0 direct, 1 indirect
Injuries
0 direct, 1 indirect
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
35.950, -84.998 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cumberland County Sheriff's Office reported total snowfall accumulations approaching three inches with snow sticking to all exposed surfaces. Multiple roads across the county became snow covered, causing hazardous driving conditions. A newspaper reported that one woman driving a 2003 Jeep SUV was killed and one women who was a passanger in the same vehicle was injured after the vehicle hit a patch of snow at mile marker 309 on Interstate 40 at 8:40 PM CST. The driver lost control of the vehicle, which rotated left, ran off the left side of the highway and struck a tree. Both women were ejected from the vehicle during the crash. Extent of injury details to the passenger was unknown.

Winter Weather, Fentress

When
December 18, 8:00 PM CST to December 19, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Fentress forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
36.381, -84.932 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Total snowfall accumulation of one inch was reported. Multiple roads across the county became snow covered, causing hazardous driving conditions and several car accidents. Details on any damage amounts or injuries associated with these accidents were unknown.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Winter Weather, Cumberland2009-12-1850FemaleVehicle/Towed TrailerIndirect

What these are

Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Tennessee in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, December 2009

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 207012, 207009, 207254.