Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, June 15, 2011

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, June 15, 2011
Start: 2011-06-15T05:54
End: 2011-06-15T20:50
Location: Tennessee

June 15, 2011 · NWS OHX · 45 events in 18 counties and zones

Widespread strong to severe thunderstorms affected Middle Tennessee from the early morning through late evening hours on June 15. Dozens of reports of large hail and damaging winds were received.

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: $52,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 45

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.

Widespread strong to severe thunderstorms affected Middle Tennessee from the early morning through late evening hours on June 15. Dozens of reports of large hail and damaging winds were received.

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 Jun 15, 5:34 AM CST, 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 15, 5:34 AM CST, 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
634 AM CDT WED JUN 15 2011

.UPDATE...FOR 12Z TAFS.

&&

.AVIATION...
COMBINATION OF H5 S/W TROF DROPPING SE OVR THE AREA AND INCREASE
IN DEWPTS/TEMPS EXPECTED TO GET AREA OF RW/TRW STARTED AROUND NOON.
WL TEMPO MVFR COND W/TSRA 18Z-22Z KBNA AND 20Z-24Z KCSV. MVFR FG
KCSV LATE TNGT.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 314 AM CDT WED JUN 15 2011/

DISCUSSION...UPPER TROUGH OVER THE PLAINS IS EXPECTED TO ROTATE EWD
THROUGH THE OH/TN VALLEY TODAY. LOCAL WRF MODEL SHOWS SIGNIFICANT
INCREASES IN INSTABILITY...B+...PRECIPITABLE WATER. IT ALSO SHOWS
A 500MB JET DEVELOPING OVER THE AREA BY 18Z AND MOVING EWD ACROSS
THE MIDSTATE THIS AFTERNOON. THUS IT APPEARS THAT ALL OF THE
INGREDIENTS ARE COMING TOGETHER FOR A FEW SVR STORMS...MAINLY THIS
AFTERNOON. SPC HAS OUTLOOKED A SLIGHT RISK SVR FOR TODAY WITH
DAMAGING WIND AND HAIL THE PRIMARY THREAT. CONVECTION TAPERS OFF
THIS EVENING AS DRIER AIR MOVES INTO THE AREA.

NO COOLING AT THE SFC UNFORTUNATELY AS HIGH TEMPS BUMP UP AGAINST
THE 90 MARK TOMORROW. UPPER RIDGE BUILDS BACK OVER THE AREA BY
SAT. AS THIS UPPER RIDGE BUILDS IN OVER THE SERN STATES THE NEXT
UPPER TROUGH MOVES INTO THE PLAINS BY MON WITH A WELL DEFINED SFC
LOW SETTING UP OVER THE PLAINS BY FRI. THE ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT
EXTENDS FROM THE KANSAS LOW SEWD ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH ON FRI AM.
THE WARM FRONT MOVES NWD TO AN IOWA TO WEST VIRGINIA LINE BY MON
AM. THIS FEATURE WILL ALSO HELP TO KICK OFF CONVECTION OVER THE
AREA DURING THE FRI-SUN PERIOD.

SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF DRY AIR AT ALL LEVELS GET PUMPED NEWD OUT
OF THE LOWER PLAINS BEHIND THE WARM FRONT SUCH THAT CHANCES OF
CONVECTION SEEMED TOO LOW TO MENTION ON MON AND TUE.

THE UPPER TROUGH OVER THE PLAINS FINALLY MOVES EWD ENOUGH TO SPARK
CONVECTION FOR TUE NGT AND WED.

&&

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

04

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 15, 4:27 AM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
527 AM CDT WED JUN 15 2011

TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-161030-
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-
527 AM CDT WED JUN 15 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MIDDLE
TENNESSEE TODAY.

MOISTURE WILL INCREASE ALONG A FRONTAL SYSTEM TODAY. AN ORGANIZED
AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN MIDDLE
TENNESSEE THIS AFTERNOON. SOME STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH
DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL POSSIBLE AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

A WARM FRONT WILL MOVE NORTH ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY. WARM AND
UNSTABLE CONDITIONS COULD GENERATE ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ON FRIDAY.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

REPORTS FROM TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS MAY 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

The radar

The Nashville radar (KOHX), 20 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:54 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

34 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Sumner

When: June 15, 5:54 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, Gallatin
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.400, -86.450

Nickel size hail was reported in Gallatin.

Hail, Sumner

When: June 15, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, 4 mi E of Gallatin
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 36.400, -86.378

Nickel size hail was reported by a NWS employee.

Hail, Jackson

When: June 15, 9:02 AM CST
Where: Jackson County, 6 mi E of Gainesboro
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.350, -85.542

Trained spotter reported penny size hail.

Hail, Smith

When: June 15, 9:59 AM CST
Where: Smith County, 1 mi S of Carthage
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.236, -85.930

Trained spotter reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Putnam

When: June 15, 10:47 AM CST
Where: Putnam County, 5 mi NW of Cookeville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.221, -85.563

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 10:51 AM CST
Where: Davidson County, Nashville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.170, -86.780

Hail, Putnam

When: June 15, 10:55 AM CST
Where: Putnam County, Cookeville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.170, -85.500

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 10:56 AM CST
Where: Davidson County, 5 mi N of Nashville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.242, -86.780

Hail, Putnam

When: June 15, 10:59 AM CST
Where: Putnam County, Double Spgs
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.170, -85.600

Quarter size hail was reported in Double Springs.

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 11:05 AM CST
Where: Davidson County, Nashville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.170, -86.780

Trained spotter reported quarter size hail.

Hail, Overton

When: June 15, 11:18 AM CST
Where: Overton County, 0.33 mi SE of Doubling Spur
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.166, -85.177

Golfball size hail was reported along Hanging Limb Highway in Overton County.

Hail, Cumberland

When: June 15, 11:22 AM CST
Where: Cumberland County, 0.89 mi NE of Elmore
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.130, -85.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Davidson

When: June 15, 12:15 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 8 mi SE of Nashville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.088, -86.679

Spotter estimated 60 mph winds from a wet microburst.

Hail, Stewart

When: June 15, 12:55 PM CST
Where: Stewart County, 2.05 mi S of Dover
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 36.451, -87.837

Quarter size hail was observed on Lick Creek Road.

Hail, Cumberland

When: June 15, 1:16 PM CST
Where: Cumberland County, 6 mi W of Crossville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.950, -85.137

Hail, Lewis

When: June 15, 1:39 PM CST
Where: Lewis County, 2.1 mi NE of Blondy
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.593, -87.505

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 2:08 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, Belle Meade
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.100, -86.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Cheatham

When: June 15, 2:08 PM CST
Where: Cheatham County, Ashland City
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.280, -87.070

Trees were blown down across Cheatham County.

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 2:15 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 2.18 mi W of Tusculum
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.072, -86.759

Tennis ball size hail observed at Crieve Hall in Nashville.

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 2:20 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 0.41 mi N of Paragon Mill
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.086, -86.700

Hail occurred at Harding Place and Interstate 24 intersection.

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 2:22 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 10 mi NW of Nashville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.272, -86.907

Funnel Cloud, Davidson

When: June 15, 2:25 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 1.48 mi ESE of Bellevue
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.061, -86.906

Funnel cloud observed at Edwin Warner Park.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rutherford

When: June 15, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Rutherford County, 7 mi NW of Murfreesboro
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.922, -86.508

Trees blown down across much of northwestern Rutherford County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lewis

When: June 15, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Lewis County, 2 mi S of Hohenwald
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.521, -87.570

Trees were blown down across the southern portion of Lewis County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When: June 15, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, 4 mi W of Lawrenceburg
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.250, -87.401

Trees were blown down and some buildings suffered roof damage across the western portion of Lawrence County.

Hail, Grundy

When: June 15, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Grundy County, Pelham
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.320, -85.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When: June 15, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, Lawrenceburg
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.250, -87.330

A roof was blown off a home in Lawrenceburg and trees were blown down in and around the city.

Hail, Dickson

When: June 15, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Dickson County, 6 mi SW of Dickson
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.019, -87.456

Hail, Dickson

When: June 15, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Dickson County, 6 mi SW of Dickson
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.019, -87.456

Hail, Maury

When: June 15, 3:55 PM CST
Where: Maury County, 5 mi NE of Columbia
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.671, -86.987

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 3:58 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 0.75 mi S of Richland
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.139, -86.880

Quarter size hail observed near Charlotte Pike and Annex Drive.

Hail, Dickson

When: June 15, 4:02 PM CST
Where: Dickson County, 2.99 mi NNW of Mt Sinai
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.038, -87.426

Hail, Davidson

When: June 15, 4:05 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 2.05 mi ESE of Richland
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.139, -86.846

Two inch diameter hail was observed at McCabe Golf Course in west Nashville.

Hail, Humphreys

When: June 15, 4:47 PM CST
Where: Humphreys County, Waverly
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.080, -87.800

Half dollar size hail occurred in Waverly.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dickson

When: June 15, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Dickson County, 6 mi SW of Dickson
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.019, -87.456

A trained spotter reported a wind gust of 60 mph and half inch hail in far southwestern Dickson County.

Hail, Lawrence

When: June 15, 5:55 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, 12 mi S of Lawrenceburg
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 35.076, -87.330

Quarter size hail was reported 12 miles south of Lawrenceburg.

Hail, Maury

When: June 15, 6:18 PM CST
Where: Maury County, 2 mi E of Spring Hill
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.750, -86.894

Half dollar size hail was reported 2 miles east of Spring Hill.

Hail, Wayne

When: June 15, 6:22 PM CST
Where: Wayne County, Collinwood
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.180, -87.750

Hail up to quarter size was reported across southern Wayne County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wayne

When: June 15, 6:22 PM CST
Where: Wayne County, Collinwood
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.180, -87.750

Trees were blown down across southern portions of Wayne County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When: June 15, 6:35 PM CST
Where: Lawrence County, Loretto
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.080, -87.450

A wind gust of 60 mph was estimated in Loretto.

Thunderstorm Wind, Giles

When: June 15, 6:45 PM CST
Where: Giles County, Pulaski
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.200, -87.020

Trees were blown down with small hail reported in and around Pulaski.

Hail, Putnam

When: June 15, 8:10 PM CST
Where: Putnam County, 3 mi N of Cookeville
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.213, -85.500

Half dollar size hail was reported 3 miles north of Cookeville.

Hail, Smith

When: June 15, 8:10 PM CST
Where: Smith County, Pleasant Shade
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.380, -85.950

Quarter size hail was reported in Pleasant Shade.

Hail, Jackson

When: June 15, 8:37 PM CST
Where: Jackson County, Gainesboro
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.350, -85.650

Hail, Putnam

When: June 15, 8:50 PM CST
Where: Putnam County, 2 mi W of Cookeville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.170, -85.536

Golfball size hail was reported 2 miles west of Cookeville.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, June 2011

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: 320509, 320510, 320511, 320512, 320513, 320517, 320518, 320519, 320520, 320521, 320522, 320523, 320524, 320525, 320526, 320527, 320528, 320529, 320530, 320532, 320534, 320535, 320536, 320537, 320538, 320539, 320540, 320542, 320543, 320544, 320545, 320546, 320548, 320550, 320551, 320552, 320554, 320555, 320563, 320556, and more.