Flash Flooding in Tennessee, July 16 to 17, 2009

Name: Flash Flooding in Tennessee, July 16 to 17, 2009
Start: 2009-07-16T00:30
End: 2009-07-17T10:00
Location: Tennessee

July 16 to 17, 2009 · NWS OHX · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

As a cold front moved into Middle Tennessee during the early morning hours, the atmosphere continued along and ahead of the front to remain rich in moisture. With instability in the atmosphere still present, and lift being provided by approaching frontal dynamics, thunderstorms developed that produced heavy rainfall resulting in flash flooding across four counties in the mid state through the…

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $80,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

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.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jul 15, 8:21 PM CST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 15, 8:21 PM CST, 4 hours 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
921 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

.DISCUSSION...SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE WEAKENED WITH THE STRONGEST
ACTIVITY NOW OVER WAYNE COUNTY. NEVERTHELESS...MODERATE RAINFALL AND
A FEW EMBEDDED TSTMS EXTENDS WESTWARD INTO WESTERN TN. WILL CONTINUE
WITH THE HIGH POPS BUT REMOVE THE REFERENCE TO TIMING AS STORMS HAVE
POPPED UP ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLATEAU.

WILL ALSO REMOVE REFERENCE TO SEVERE STORMS AS INSTABILITIES HAVE
BACKED OFF FOR THE NIGHT.

UPDATE OUT SHORTLY.

&&

.OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

21

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 15, 1:15 PM CST, 11 hours 15 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
215 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-161130-
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-
215 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED MOST MIDDLE TENNESSEE IN A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THE
MAIN HAZARD WITH ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THERE IS AN INCREASED CHANCE OF STRONG TO SEVERE WEATHER AGAIN
THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...AS A COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE REGION.
SEVERE STORMS COULD PRODUCE INTENSE RAINFALL...WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH
AND LARGE HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY INTO THIS EVENING...AND
AGAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY THURSDAY EVENING.

72/MED

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 15, 8:59 PM CST, 3 hours 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
959 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0304 PM     TSTM WND DMG     7 SW CLARKSVILLE        36.49N 87.44W
07/15/2009                   MONTGOMERY         TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN

0425 PM     TSTM WND DMG     KINGSTON SPRINGS        36.10N 87.10W
07/15/2009                   CHEATHAM           TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE DOWN

0640 PM     TSTM WND DMG     13 S CAMDEN             35.88N 88.10W
07/15/2009                   BENTON             TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE DOWN

0755 PM     FLASH FLOOD      13 S CAMDEN             35.88N 88.10W
07/15/2009                   BENTON             TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS SECONDARY RD CLOSURES AND WASHED OUT ROADS

&&

JBW

Local storm report, Jul 15, 10:22 PM CST, 2 hours 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
1122 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1105 PM     FLASH FLOOD      LIVINGSTON              36.39N 85.33W
07/15/2009                   OVERTON            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            OAK ST IN LIVINGSTON CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING

&&

21

Local storm report, Jul 15, 10:26 PM CST, 2 hours 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
1126 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1100 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 S LIVINGSTON          36.32N 85.33W
07/15/2009                   OVERTON            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HWY 42 IMPASSABLE ALONG SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF COUNTY

&&

21

Local storm report, Jul 15, 10:50 PM CST, 1 hour 40 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
1150 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0304 PM     TSTM WND DMG     7 SW CLARKSVILLE        36.49N 87.44W
07/15/2009                   MONTGOMERY         TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN

0425 PM     TSTM WND DMG     KINGSTON SPRINGS        36.10N 87.10W
07/15/2009                   CHEATHAM           TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE DOWN

0640 PM     TSTM WND DMG     13 S CAMDEN             35.88N 88.10W
07/15/2009                   BENTON             TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE DOWN

0755 PM     FLASH FLOOD      13 S CAMDEN             35.88N 88.10W
07/15/2009                   BENTON             TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS SECONDARY RD CLOSURES AND WASHED OUT ROADS

1100 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 S LIVINGSTON          36.32N 85.33W
07/15/2009                   OVERTON            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HWY 42 IMPASSABLE ALONG SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF COUNTY

1105 PM     FLASH FLOOD      LIVINGSTON              36.39N 85.33W
07/15/2009                   OVERTON            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            OAK ST IN LIVINGSTON CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING

&&

JBW

Local storm report, Jul 15, 11:06 PM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
1206 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1150 PM     FLASH FLOOD      COOKEVILLE              36.16N 85.51W
07/15/2009                   PUTNAM             TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            WILLOW STREET AND SPRING STREET ARE UNDER WATER.

&&

21

Local storm report, Jul 15, 11:08 PM CST, 1 hour 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
1208 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0304 PM     TSTM WND DMG     7 SW CLARKSVILLE        36.49N 87.44W
07/15/2009                   MONTGOMERY         TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN

0425 PM     TSTM WND DMG     KINGSTON SPRINGS        36.10N 87.10W
07/15/2009                   CHEATHAM           TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE DOWN

0640 PM     TSTM WND DMG     13 S CAMDEN             35.88N 88.10W
07/15/2009                   BENTON             TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE DOWN

0755 PM     FLASH FLOOD      13 S CAMDEN             35.88N 88.10W
07/15/2009                   BENTON             TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS SECONDARY RD CLOSURES AND WASHED OUT ROADS

1100 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 S LIVINGSTON          36.32N 85.33W
07/15/2009                   OVERTON            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HWY 42 IMPASSABLE ALONG SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF COUNTY

1105 PM     FLASH FLOOD      LIVINGSTON              36.39N 85.33W
07/15/2009                   OVERTON            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            OAK ST IN LIVINGSTON CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING

1150 PM     FLASH FLOOD      COOKEVILLE              36.16N 85.51W
07/15/2009                   PUTNAM             TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            WILLOW STREET AND SPRING STREET ARE UNDER WATER.

&&

JBW

The radar

The Nashville radar (KOHX), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:30 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Jackson

When: July 16, 12:30 AM CST to 2:45 AM CST
Where: Jackson County, 1.77 mi NW of Old Antioch to 0.99 mi SSW of Old Antioch
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.440, -85.550

Jackson County Sheriff Office reported several secondary roads were flooded off of State Highway 53 in the northeast part of the county. Newspaper also reported that two vehicles were trapped in high flood waters. Both drivers were rescued without any injuries being reported.

Flash Flood, Wayne

When: July 16, 5:45 AM CST to 8:15 AM CST
Where: Wayne County, 1.75 mi SSW of Mt Hope to 1.3 mi NW of Waynesboro
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.346, -87.758

Wayne County Sheriff Office reported several streets in Waynesboro and in the surrounding areas were flooded.

Flash Flood, Lawrence

When: July 16, 7:00 AM CST to 7:30 AM CST
Where: Lawrence County, 0.97 mi SW of Leoma to 1.05 mi E of Springers Station
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.159, -87.361

Flooding was reported along Rabbit Trail Road near Leoma and just to the southeast of Leoma.

Flash Flood, Benton

When: July 16, 10:00 AM CST to July 17, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Benton County, 3.24 mi NE of Mt Moriah to 0.96 mi W of Lipe
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 36.006, -88.013

Several areas across Southern Benton County were flooded. Water washed away the road at the intersection of Camp Mack Morris and Birdsong Road. Road crews worked through the night and into the morning hours of Friday, July 17th getting several of the roads back open. It is estimated that southern areas received up to 9 inches of rain.

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, July 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 186849, 186848, 186850, 187100.