A strong cold front that had moved into the mid state the night before continued to move southeastward through the mid state during the early morning hours on May 9th. This resulted in a severe weather outbreak during the morning hours which included thunderstorm wind damage and flash flooding.
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.
A strong cold front that had moved into the mid state the night before continued to move southeastward through the mid state during the early morning hours on May 9th. This resulted in a severe weather outbreak during the morning hours which included thunderstorm wind damage and flash flooding.
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 8, 5:57 PM CST, 6 hours 33 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 657 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 .UPDATE...00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 501 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009/ .MESOSCALE UPDATE... TORNADO WATCH COVERING LARGE PART OF MID STATE UNTIL 11 PM. PRESENTLY A LULL IN THE ACTIVITY BUT ANOTHER MCS TYPE SYSTEM MAY BE TRYING TO GET STARTED BACK IN BOOTHEEL AREA OF MISSOURI. 850-300MB MEAN WIND WOULD DRIVE THIS SYSTEM DUE EAST ACROSS MID STATE LATER THIS EVENING WITH DAMAGING WINDS/LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES POSSIBLE. ACROSS THE MID STATE MSAS LIS AT -6 AT 21Z WITH SURFACE DEW POINTS IN THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70. && .AVAITION...UPDATE FOR 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. REMANANTS OF ONCE WELL ORGANIZE MCS CROSSING TN RIVER AT THIS TIME. EXPECT THIS TO BRING SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO BNA AT AROUND 01Z...WITH PERIODIC IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. SAME SCENARIO WILL PLAY OUT AT CSV STARTING AROUND 03Z. MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT UNTIL THE NEXT ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVES ACROSS THE MID STATE STARTING DURING THE LATE MORNING HOURS ON SATURDAY. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR TNZ005>011- 022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095. && 31/JBW WEATHER.GOV/NASHVILLE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 1053 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-100400- 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- 1053 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 277 IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CDT SATURDAY... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT IS MOVING TOWARD MIDDLE TENNESSEE OVERNIGHT. THE ENVIRONMENT ACROSS THE MID STATE CONTINUES TO BE HIGHLY UNSTABLE...AND MODERATELY SHEARED....MEANING THAT SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE IF WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPS. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/OHX OR BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE FOLLOWING WEATHER HAZARD(S) ARE IN EFFECT... WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT SATURDAY... AND FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER AND EMERGENCY MANAGER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. 31/JBW
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
823 PM CDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0410 PM TORNADO 3 ENE JAMESTOWN 36.45N 84.89W
05/08/2009 FENTRESS TN EMERGENCY MNGR
POSSILE TORNADO OCCCURRED RESULTING IN ONE MOBILE HOME
BEING DESTROYED AND NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ACROSS HOUSES. A
COUPLE OF BUIDINGS HAD THEIR ROOFS BLOWN OFF JUST NORTH
NORTHEAST OF ALLARDT.
&&
JBWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
825 PM CDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0159 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 7 SSW ADAMS 36.49N 87.11W
05/08/2009 ROBERTSON TN EMERGENCY MNGR
MILE MARKER 16 ON INTERSTATE 24, PUBLIC REPORT RELATED BY
EMA
0404 PM HAIL JAMESTOWN 36.43N 84.94W
05/08/2009 E1.00 INCH FENTRESS TN TRAINED SPOTTER
0406 PM HAIL JAMESTOWN 36.43N 84.94W
05/08/2009 E1.75 INCH FENTRESS TN TRAINED SPOTTER
0410 PM TORNADO 3 ENE JAMESTOWN 36.45N 84.89W
05/08/2009 FENTRESS TN EMERGENCY MNGR
POSSILE TORNADO OCCCURRED RESULTING IN ONE MOBILE HOME
BEING DESTROYED AND NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ACROSS HOUSES. A
COUPLE OF BUIDINGS HAD THEIR ROOFS BLOWN OFF JUST NORTH
NORTHEAST OF ALLARDT.
0422 PM TORNADO 2 SE JAMESTOWN 36.41N 84.91W
05/08/2009 FENTRESS TN FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
TORNADO ON THE GROUND REPORTED BY FIRE DEPT.
&&
JBWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
1143 PM CDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0452 AM HAIL 5 NE GALLATIN 36.43N 86.39W
05/08/2009 M0.88 INCH SUMNER TN NWS EMPLOYEE
0159 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 7 SSW ADAMS 36.49N 87.11W
05/08/2009 ROBERTSON TN EMERGENCY MNGR
MILE MARKER 16 ON INTERSTATE 24, PUBLIC REPORT RELATED BY
EMA
0404 PM HAIL JAMESTOWN 36.43N 84.94W
05/08/2009 E1.00 INCH FENTRESS TN TRAINED SPOTTER
0406 PM HAIL JAMESTOWN 36.43N 84.94W
05/08/2009 E1.75 INCH FENTRESS TN TRAINED SPOTTER
0410 PM TORNADO 3 ENE JAMESTOWN 36.45N 84.89W
05/08/2009 FENTRESS TN EMERGENCY MNGR
POSSILE TORNADO OCCCURRED RESULTING IN ONE MOBILE HOME
BEING DESTROYED AND NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ACROSS HOUSES. A
COUPLE OF BUIDINGS HAD THEIR ROOFS BLOWN OFF JUST NORTH
NORTHEAST OF ALLARDT.
0422 PM TORNADO 2 SE JAMESTOWN 36.41N 84.91W
05/08/2009 FENTRESS TN FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
TORNADO ON THE GROUND REPORTED BY FIRE DEPT.
&&
JBWThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 flash flood, 4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line wind damage occurred in the Hampton and Sango Road areas of Clarksville. Tree fell on school bus and caused major damage to bus. Numerous other trees and power lines down across this area.
Numerous trees were blown down with damage to several houses.
Several trees were reported blown down across roads in Adams.
Several trees were reported blown down across the county.
Twenty five homes received water damage. One family was trapped in their home, but was eventually rescued. Most homes had water damage in basements and crawl|areas, with three to four homes receiving major water damage of which details of damage unkown. Emergency management officials reported an event total of 5.05 inches of rainfall. Newspaper reported that several roads were impassible due to the|water depth on them.
Flash flooding that resulted in heavy rains caused Sycamore Creek to flood, affecting several roads in the county including George Boyd, Harristown, and Lockersville. In addition, high waters affected the Girl Scout Camp off Highway 49, but no additional details were provided. Parts of Sycamore Valley Golf Course was under water. In Pleasant View, some flooding occurred on Dowlen and Main Streets. Water got into the air conditioning units in two homes on Main Street and a garage on Dowlen Street.
People stranded in cars and homes were flooded in Walnut Grove and the surrounding areas.
Numerous homes were flooded in the Indian Mound Community.
Several people were rescued from their homes.
People were evacuated from their homes due to flash flooding.
Flash flooding resulted in mudslides on Days Road.
Flash flooding resulted in mudslides on State Highway 261 near Lafayette.
Heavy downpours caused creeks and streams to flow out of their banks, causing some|flooding and hazardous driving on local roadways due to flash flooding. In Alexandria the waters rose to cover the DeKalb County Fairgrounds, as well as making some vehicles and trailers in the area having at least three feet of water depth surrounding|them. A small bridge in the Tramel Branch area of DeKalb County was also overrun with flooding waters.
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, May 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: 174368, 174370, 174108, 173088, 174386, 174695, 174376, 174390, 174378, 174373, 174380, 174384, 174683.