During the late evening hours on Tuesday, April 19th and through the afternoon hours on Wednesday, April 20th, another strong cold front approached Middle Tennessee from the northwest and then moved southeast across the area. Along and ahead of this front, some thunderstorms reached severe thresholds.
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.
During the late evening hours on Tuesday, April 19th and through the afternoon hours on Wednesday, April 20th, another strong cold front approached Middle Tennessee from the northwest and then moved southeast across the area. Along and ahead of this front, some thunderstorms reached severe thresholds. This resulted in thunderstorm wind damage occurances in ten different counties and large hail occurances in six different counties across the mid state.
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 Apr 19, 9:57 PM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 1057 PM CDT TUE APR 19 2011 .MESOSCALE UPDATE... PRESTORM UPDATE SHOWS HIGH 0-3 KM SRH W/POCKETS OF CAPE AROUND 2500 J/KG IN W MID TN. ACTIVITY APPROACHING MS RVR IN AR INTENSIFYING WITH IR TOPS TO -80 C. LINE OF STORMS WILL HOLD TOGETHER INTO W MID TN NEXT 2-4 HRS W/PROBABLE BOWS IN THE LINE AND BRIEF SPINUPS POSSIBE. OTW LOOKS TO BE DAMAGING WINDS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 738 PM CDT TUE APR 19 2011/ UPDATE... BNA/DOD FT CAMPBELL RAOB SHOW CAPPED H8/7 LAYER. LITTLE IF ANY ACTIVITY EXPECTED AHEAD OF THE LINE. LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS EXPECT TO MAINTAIN INTENSITY OR STRENGTHEN THIS EVENING. LINE WL SHIFT EAST OF THE MS RVR INTO THE NORTHWEST COUNTIES OF MID TN AS SOON AS 11 PM. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 252 PM CDT TUE APR 19 2011/ DISCUSSION...MAIN CONCERNS THIS FORECAST PERIOD INCLUDE SEVERE WX POTENTIAL LATE TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...AND LONG TERM TEMPERATURES AND RAIN PROBABILITIES. IT WAS A WARM AND BREEZY AFTERNOON WITH SUNNY TO PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES. GUSTY SOUTH SOUTHWEST WINDS OVER 30 MPH AT TIMES HAD HELPED WARM TEMPS INTO THE 80S. DEW POINTS HAD CLIMBED INTO THE LOWER 60S. THE LATEST SURFACE MAP SHOWED A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER MO. A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDED EASTWARD ACROSS THE OH VALLEY...AND A COLD FRONT EXTENDED FROM THE LOW BACK ACROSS OK/TX. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND STORMS HAD OCCURRED ACROSS THE OH VALLEY TODAY...AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP OVER MO. MID TN WAS RAIN FREE AND WILL BE INTO THE EVENING AS THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS CAPPED. THE WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM...WITH WIND GUSTS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH SLIGHTLY AROUND SUNSET. OVERNIGHT...THE LOW PRESSURE WILL LIFT QUICKLY TO THE GREAT LAKES REGION AS THE TRAILING COLD FRONT SWEEPS INTO THE MID STATE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL STRENGTHEN OVER THE MID MS VALLEY AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS EVENING...THEN THE ACTIVITY WILL MOVE INTO MID TN LATE. STRONG THERMODYNAMICS AND ADEQUATE WIND FIELDS MAY PROMOTE A FEW CELLS AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE WITH AN ISOLATED TORNADO THREAT. HOWEVER..THE MAIN SEVERE MODE IS EXPECTED TO BE A QLCS JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WITH POCKETS OF DAMAGING WINDS. OUR NORTHWEST COUNTIES ARE IN A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE WX...WITH THE RISK TAPERING DOWN AS THE STORMS CROSS THE MID STATE. THE TORNADO THREAT WILL ALSO DIMINISH THROUGH THE NIGHT AS THE LOW PRESSURE AND STRONGEST WINDS LIFT WELL TO THE NORTH. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN OUR FAR NORTHWEST AREA AROUND 11 PM...BNA NEAR 1 AM...AND PLATEAU ABOUT 4 AM. RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM 1 TO 1.5 INCH WILL BE COMMON. IT APPEARS THE BAND WILL BE NARROW AND FAST MOVING ENOUGH THAT ANY FLOOD THREAT WILL BE VERY LOCALIZED. ON WEDNESDAY...THE FRONT WILL TAKE ON A MORE WEST TO EAST ORIENTATION AS IT SETTLES SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE MID STATE. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY FLARE UP OVER OUR FAR SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST COUNTIES AS THE FRONT SLOWLY DRAGS THROUGH THERE IN THE AFTERNOON. SEVERE HAZARDS WITH THE STORMS WILL BE LOCALIZED DOWNBURST WINDS AND HAIL. ALSO...WITH MUCH WEAKER WIND FIELDS...THESE STORMS WILL MOVE MORE SLOWLY...AND COULD DUMP LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS. PER DISCUSSION WITH MEG...SOME SOUTH TN COUNTIES MAY NEED FLASH FLOOD WATCHES ON WEDNESDAY IF THE FRONT BECOMES VERY SLOW. THE FRONT WILL SETTLE SOUTH OF TN WEDNESDAY NIGHT...BUT RETURN NORTH THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AGAIN THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY...AND CONDITIONS WILL BE UNSTABLE ENOUGH THAT A FEW COULD BE BRIEFLY STRONG TO SEVERE. THE OUTLOOK FOR THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK PUTS MID TN IN A VERY WARM PATTERN. A STALLED FRONT WILL BE LOCATED TO OUR NORTH AND NORTHWEST. WAVES ALONG THIS FRONT MAY BRING SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH DOWNPOURS AT TIMES...BUT MUCH OF THE PERIOD SHOULD BE RAIN FREE. TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB WELL INTO THE 80S. MODELS...ESPECIALLY THE ECMWF...SHOW A SUMMER LIKE STRONG MID LEVEL RIDGE...SO WE WILL FORECAST TEMPS MUCH WARMER THAN MOS GUIDANCE FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD. IF THE FRONT SAGS A LITTLE FARTHER SOUTH THAN INDICATED...IT COULD SPOIL OUR FORECAST...BUT MODES SEEM TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE RIDGE. IT APPEARS ANOTHER BIG SYSTEM WITH STORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL DEVELOP AROUND THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. 13 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 04
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 807 PM CDT TUE APR 19 2011 TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-201030- 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-DE KALB-WHITE- CUMBERLAND-BEDFORD-COFFEE-WARREN-GRUNDY-VAN BUREN-WAYNE-LAWRENCE- GILES- 807 PM CDT TUE APR 19 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE REGION LATE TONIGHT. THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR NORTHWEST MIDDLE TENNESSEE LATE THIS EVENING AND EARLY WEDNESDDAY MORNING. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS REMAINS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE REST OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE TONIGHT...WITH A LINE OF STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS. THE MAIN CONCERNS WITH SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...MAINLY FOR LOCATIONS NORTH AND WEST OF THE NASHVILLE. PONDING OF WATER ON AREA ROADWAYS IS EXPECTED WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE THROUGH NOON WEDNESDAY...AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES INTO NORTH ALABAMA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... REPORTS FROM TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. SPOTTER THUNDERSTORM REPORTING CRITERIA... TORNADO FUNNEL CLOUD FLOODING HAIL >= 1/2 INCH WINDS > 50 MPH (MEASURED) STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TREES OR POWER LINES DOWN 04
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 756 PM CDT TUE APR 19 2011 TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-200300- 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-DE KALB-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...NASHVILLE...LEBANON... MOUNT JULIET...HARTSVILLE...CARTHAGE...GAINESBORO...COOKEVILLE... LIVINGSTON...JAMESTOWN...LOBELVILLE...CENTERVILLE...HOHENWALD... FRANKLIN...BRENTWOOD...COLUMBIA...LEWISBURG...MURFREESBORO... WOODBURY...SMITHVILLE...SPARTA...CROSSVILLE...SHELBYVILLE... TULLAHOMA...MANCHESTER...MCMINNVILLE...ALTAMONT...SPENCER... WAYNESBORO...LAWRENCEBURG...PULASKI 756 PM CDT TUE APR 19 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWEST MIDDLE TENNESSEE AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...WITH A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH AND EAST ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE MID STATE AFTER MIDNIGHT...AND THE CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL CONTINUE. THE MAIN CONCERNS WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...MAINLY FOR LOCATIONS NORTH AND WEST OF THE NASHVILLE. PONDING OF WATER ON AREA ROADWAYS IS EXPECTED WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER SYSTEM ACROSS MIDDLE TENNESSEE. 04
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
20 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were reported downed across the southern part of the county. Power outages were also reported across the county.
Several trees were blown down in Dover.
Multiple trees were downed across eastern portions of the county. Several roads were blocked as power lines were taken down by these trees.
Numerous trees were downed across the northwestern portion of the county. A newspaper also reported that six homes received damage in the county. Specific details concerning the type of damage and associated costs were unknown.
Several trees were downed in Dickson.
A large tree was blocking U.S. Highway 41 between Bagwell and Durham Roads.
Several large trees were downed blocking State Highway 48.
Trees were downed near the city square in Centerville.
Trees were blown down near I-24 exit 11 east of Clarksville.
Several trees were downed along State Highway 50 to the east of Centerville.
A couple of trees were blown down on a house in Greenbrier. Specific details concerning any type of damage to the home and associated cost were unknown.
In downtown Nashville at the intersection of Elm and 4th Street, structural wind damage occurred to a building with some bricks and pieces of the roof being blown off.
Several trees were downed in Cross Plains.
Straight line winds blew down several trees from Orlinda to Cross Plains. A large metal sign was also blown down near the intersection of State Highway 52 and Interstate 65.
A dozen or so trees were downed across Davidson County.
A couple trees were blown down Murfreesboro.
A tree was blown down.
Several trees needed to be cleared from area roads.
A few trees were blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, April 2011
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: 300924, 303947, 300928, 300925, 300926, 300930, 301497, 301470, 303950, 301475, 301488, 301500, 301479, 301494, 294326, 301498, 291421, 303955, 291673, 291419, 301492, 303989, 303992, 291672, 291671, 291670, 291656, 291650.