As a cold frontal system moved into Middle Tennessee from western portions of the state and upper level disturbances moved across the mid state in northwesterly upper level flow, thunderstorms formed across the area during the evening hours. Some of these thunderstorms produced damaging thunderstorm winds with two reports of lightning strikes causing damage also.
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.
As a cold frontal system moved into Middle Tennessee from western portions of the state and upper level disturbances moved across the mid state in northwesterly upper level flow, thunderstorms formed across the area during the evening hours. Some of these thunderstorms produced damaging thunderstorm winds with two reports of lightning strikes causing damage also.
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 4, 6:02 PM CST, 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 702 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 .MESOSCALE UPDATE... CLASSIC BOW ECHO MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL STEWART CO AT 2353Z WITH COMMA HEAD OVER SOUTHERN TRIGG CO KY. TORNADO WARNING IN EFFECT FOR STEWART AND WESTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTIES. BOYD && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 641 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009/ MESOSCALE UPDATE... BROAD CIRCULATION FROM STORM IN CALLOWAY CO KY AT 2326Z OFF PAH DOPPLER. MESO POPPED OFF IN EASTERN CALLOWAY CO AT 2329Z OFF OHX DOPPLER. THIS STORM HAS PRODUCED REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS. HAVE ISSUED TORNADO WARNING FOR STEWART COUNTY UNTIL 700 PM CDT. THIS STORM IS NOW ENTERING LAND BETWEEN LAKES AREA. SHOULD BE A TREE DOWNER AS IT PASSES THROUGH THAT AREA. BOATERS NEED TO GET OFF TENNESSEE AND CUMBERLAND RIVERS IN STEWART CO IMMEDIATELY. BOYD PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 523 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009/ MESOSCALE UPDATE... CLUSTER OF STORMS TO THE WEST OF NASHVILLE...FROM ABOUT ASHLAND CITY WEST TO WAVERLY WITH A RATHER INTENSE CELL OVER SOUTHEAST DICKSON CO NEAR BURNS. CELL OVER BURNS STILL HAS SUSPENDED CORE. WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM FOR SOUTHEAST DICKSON AND NORTHEAST HICKMAN COS. MSAS SURFACE LIS HAVE LOWERED SOMEWHAT FROM NASHVILLE EASTWARD. ALSO... THERE APPEARS TO BE SOME SURFACE BASED NEGATIVE ENERGY (CIN) FROM ABOUT I65 EASTWARD. AS STORMS TO THE WEST NASHVILLE MOVE EAST OF I65 THEY SHOULD WEAKEN AS INSTABILITY IS MUCH WEAKER. BOYD PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 435 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009/ MESOSCALE UPDATE... -6 LIFTED INDICES STRUNG OUT ACROSS NORTHWEST MIDDLE TN GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 AS FAR EAST AS I65. ONE STORM IN SOUTHWEST SUMNER CO HAS 60 DBZ SUSPENDED AROUND 11K. THIS RIGHT ON EASTERN EDGE OF BEST LIS. STORM MOVEMENT FROM 270/30KTS. BOYD PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 244 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009/ DISCUSSION... SFC LOW OVER NORTHERN MO THIS AFTERNOON WITH GOOD LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE EVIDENT ON THE SFC ANALYSIS CHARTS ACROSS SOUTHERN IL...SW IN AND ALONG THE OH RIVER. BEST SFC CONVERGENCE ZONE TO MOVE EASTWARD TONIGHT AS OPPOSED TO SOUTHEASTWARD. BEST PRECIP ON THE NORTHERN SIDE OF THE SYSTEM WILL OCCUR GENERALLY ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE 850 MB BOUNDARY. OF ADDITIONAL NOTE...PVA CORRIDOR TO SET UP GENERALLY SW OF THE MID STATE. THUS...ALL IN ALL...THE HEAVIEST PRECIP WILL REMAIN NORTH OF THE MID STATE AND SOUTHWEST OF THE MID STATE. SFC LOW LOOKS TO BE DISPLACED FROM THE PVA CORRIDOR AND THUS...THE SFC LOW WILL WEAKEN SOME AFTER 06Z GIVEN THE LACK OF IMMEDIATE UPPER SUPPORT. NEVERTHELESS...FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SWING THROUGH BUT NOT UNTIL SUNDAY AFTERNOON. CURRENT PRESSURE FALLS DO EXIST IN ADVANCE OF THE BOUNDARY BUT ARE UNIMPRESSIVE. AS THE BOUNDARY SWINGS THROUGH...ENERGY ALONG THE SFC FRONT BECOMES MORE ELONGATED THEREBY REDUCING THE ASSOCIATED SFC FORCING. SO...HEAVIER PRECIP OVER A GENERAL AREA APPEARS TO BE ABSENT FROM THE EQUATION ONCE AGAIN. OVERALL...CATEGORICAL POPS WILL STILL BE INCLUDED TONIGHT GIVEN THE APPROACHING MOISTURE AXIS WITH LIKELY POPS FOR TOMORROW. IT JUST LOOKS AS THOUGH THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN NORTH AND SOUTHWEST OF THE MID STATE. AS FOR TIMING OF TONIGHTS ACTIVITY. PRECIP PROBABILITIES WILL INCREASE WITH TIME WITH THE CATEGORICAL IMPACT GEARED TOWARD THE AFTER MIDNIGHT HOURS. TOUGH CALL FOR THE FIREWORKS ACROSS THE AREA BUT I WILL INCLUDE A CHC OF SHOWER AND TSTMS THIS EVENING...WITH THE BEST CHANCE...OF COURSE...BEING ACROSS THE NW ZONES. FOR BNA IN PARTICULAR...RAINFALL MAY HOLD OFF UNTIL 9 OR 10 PM. SFC FRONT TO BECOME MORE PARALLEL TO UPPER FLOW WITH TIME SO WE WILL SEE THE FRONT SLOW DOWN EVEN FURTHER AS IT REACHES NORTHERN AL SUNDAY NIGHT. WILL THEREFORE KEEP 20-40 POPS GOING FOR SOUTH MIDDLE TN THROUGH MON NT AND A SLT CHC NORTH THROUGH SUN NT. FOR TEMPS...MAV LOOKS TOO COOL FOR LOWS AS THAT MODEL APPEARS A BIT SLUGGISH IN REGARD TO THE INCREASING DEWPOINT TREND. WILL THEREFORE GO ABOVE THE MAV MINS. IN THE EXT FCST...UPPER RIDGE AXIS TO LEAN TOWARD TN TOWARD THE END OF NEXT WEEK. WILL START OUT THE PERIOD WITH A RATHER DEEP DRY LAYER IN PLACE AS A SFC RIDGE CONTROLS. THEN...AS SFC RIDGE SHIFTS EAST...LOW LEVEL HUMIDITIES WILL INCREASE ALONG WITH WARMER MID/UPPER LEVEL TEMPS...COMPLIMENTS OF THE APPROACHING UPPER RIDGE. AT THE TAIL END OF THE EXTENDED...WEAK NW FLOW MAY SLIP A BOUNDARY ACROSS US. THUS...WILL INCLUDE A SLT CHC OF SHOWERS AND STORMS FOR SATURDAY. FOR TEMPS...WILL GO ABOVE THE MEX AS IT CONTINUES TO MIGRATE TOWARD CLIMO WHILE THE EURO AND THE GFS POINT TOWARD INCREASING HEIGHTS. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 01
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 523 AM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-051030- 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- 523 AM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE MID STATE THIS EVENING...AND SWING THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT AND SUNDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME LIKELY...AND A FEW MAY BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO OCCUR...WITH AVERAGE RAIN AMOUNTS BETWEEN ONE AND ONE AND A HALF INCHES. LOCALIZED FLOOD PROBLEMS MAY DEVELOP DURING THUNDERSTORM DOWNPOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ON SUNDAY...AND A FEW STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN HALF OF THE MID STATE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 551 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 TNZ007-008-026>028-059-050100- ROBERTSON-SUMNER-CHEATHAM-DAVIDSON-WILSON-WILLIAMSON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SPRINGFIELD...GALLATIN...ASHLAND CITY... KINGSTON SPRINGS...NASHVILLE...LEBANON...MOUNT JULIET... FRANKLIN...BRENTWOOD 551 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 ...STORMS APPROACHING DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE... THE LEADING EDGE OF A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS MOVED INTO WESTERN DAVIDSON COUNTY AT 550 PM CDT. A STORM OR TWO COULD BE STRONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AND SMALL HAIL...ALONG WITH DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. STORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH...AND WILL BE IN THE NASHVILLE AREA FOR THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS. BOYD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 622 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 TNZ005-050030- STEWART- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...DOVER 622 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 ...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF STEWART COUNTY... A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE HAVE MOVED DOWN FROM WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND AT 615 PM CDT THE LEADING EDGE EXTENDED FROM CLIFTY TO CADIZ TO AURORA AND THEN TO JUST WEST OF MURRAY. STORMS ALONG THIS LINE HAVE PRODUCED SEVERAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS FROM OUR NEIGHBORING WEATHER SEVICE OFFICE IN PADUCAH. SOME ROTATION WAS INDICATED EARLIER IN A STORM THAT MOVED INTO TRIGG COUNTY. THE LINE OF STORMS WILL ENTER NORTHWEST STEWART COUNTY SHORTLY...IN THE LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES AREA. BOATERS ALONG THE TENNESSEE AND CUMBERLAND RIVERS ARE URGED TO HEAD FOR SHORE AT THIS TIME. CAMPERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR GUSTY WINDS...HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. REMEMBER...MOVE INDOORS WHEN THUNDER ROARS. BOYD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 706 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 TNZ005-006-050115- STEWART-MONTGOMERY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DOVER...CLARKSVILLE 706 PM CDT SAT JUL 4 2009 ...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR STEWART AND WESTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM CDT... CLASSIC BOW ECHO MOVING EASTWARD AT 40 MPH THROUGH EASTERN STEWART COUNTY AT 705 PM...WITH COMMA HEAD JUST NORTH OF KENTUCKY BORDER. GOOD REAR INFLOW ON BACKSIDE OF BOW WILL PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS ALONG ITS PATH. BOYD
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
711 PM CDT SAT JUL 04 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0705 PM TORNADO 6 W CLARKSVILLE 36.56N 87.46W
07/04/2009 MONTGOMERY TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
2 TORNADOES REPORTED ON GROUND AT WOODLAWN AND SEVERAL
MILES SOUTHWEST OF WOODLAWN
&&
MGIRODOThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were blown down near the Indian Mound Community.
Trees were blown down south of Clarksville.
A large tree was struck by lightning, with several large limbs falling to the ground.
A house fire was the result of a lightning strike at 128 Smith Lane. The bolt of lightning struck the side of the house. The bolt hit the phone and electric lines and actually blew a two-foot wide by six-inch deep hole in the yard. Several fire crews arrived on the scene and found the home with thick smoke and fire smoldering in the walls of the home. Firefighters used axes and saws to cut the walls out in order to reach the blaze.|Though the home suffered some smoke and water damage, the house and all of its contents were saved. No injuries were reported during the incident.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, July 2009
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: 186921, 186925, 187401, 187402.