Hail and Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 19, 2012

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 19, 2012
Start: 2012-05-19T12:25
End: 2012-05-19T17:53
Location: Tennessee

May 19, 2012 · NWS OHX · 23 events in 12 counties and zones

Through the afternoon hours on Saturday, May 19th, scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across central portions of Middle Tennessee. Some of these thunderstorms reached severe thresholds, resulting in either large hail or thunderstorm wind damage or both across a dozen counties in the mid state.

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: $1,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Events: 23

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 May 19, 11:32 AM CST, 53 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 19, 11:32 AM CST, 53 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
1232 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

.UPDATE...FOR 18Z TAFS

&&

.AVIATION...SCT-BKN CU FORMING THIS AFTERNOON WITH ISOLATED TSTMS
POSSIBLE...MAINLY AT KCSV. ANY CONVECTION SHOULD DISSIPATE AFTER
SUNDOWN LEAVING ONLY SCT STRATOCU AND SOME SCT MID CLOUD OVERNIGHT.
VSBYS AT KBNA AND KCKV SHOULD REMAIN UNLIMITED WHILE KCSV WILL
LIKELY HAVE A PERIOD OF MVFR/IFR FOG FROM 09Z TO 13Z. ALL
TERMINALS EXPECTED TO BE VFR BY MID MORNING.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 901 AM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012/

UPDATE...
NOT MUCH CHANGE WITH THE WEATHER PATTERN. STILL LOOKING AT A RIDGE
AXIS TO OUR NORTHWEST WITH WEAK TROUGHING FROM GA NORTHWESTWARD.
MID LEVEL FLOW SHOULD BE FROM THE NE AGAIN TODAY. MORNING
SOUNDINGS SLIGHTLY MORE MOIST THIS MORNING THAN ON FRI MORNING.
THEREFORE...WILL LIKELY SEE ISOL STORMS DEVELOP AGAIN. GFS SHOWS
WEAKENING AFTERNOON CAPS WITH THE BEST MOISTURE ACROSS SOUTH
CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE MID STATE.

CURRENT FCST LOOKS TO BE ON TRACK WITH 20 POPS SOUTH...10 POPS NC
AND NE. TEMPS SHOULD WARM BACK UP INTO THE 80S. CONVECTIVE TEMP IS
IN THE LOWER 80S ONCE AGAIN. NUMERICAL GUIDANCE SHOWING ONLY A
SLIGHT AFTERNOON DECREASE IN DEW POINTS SO THE LOWER TO MID 80S SHOULD
HOLD SERVE WITH THE SOUNDING BASED PREDICTED CONVECTIVE TEMPS.

CURRENT FCST ON TRACK...NO UPDATES FOR NOW.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 605 AM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012/

AVIATION...BNA/CKV/CSV...HIGH PRESSURE SITUATED TO OUR EAST
REMAINS THE DOMINANT FEATURE ACROSS MIDDLE TENNESSEE, WITH
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON. HOWEVER,
POP'S AREN'T HIGH ENOUGH TO WARRANT MENTION IN THE TAF'S. WINDS
WILL REMAIN GENERALLY LIGHT TODAY, AND CALM OVERNIGHT, WITH FOG
DEVELOPING AFTER MIDNIGHT.

&&

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

18

Hazardous weather outlook, May 19, 4:00 AM CST, 8 hours 25 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
500 AM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

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-
500 AM CDT SAT MAY 19 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ONCE AGAIN EXPECTED TO DEVELOP DURING
THE AFTERNOON. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG, WITH SMALL
HAIL BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. DUE TO WEAK UPPER-LEVEL WINDS,
STORM MOVEMENT WILL BE SLOW, AND HEAVY RAINFALL IS LIKELY WITH THE
STRONGER CELLS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

ROSE

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Grundy

When: May 19, 12:25 PM CST
Where: Grundy County, 0.69 mi S of Hobbs Hill
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.260, -85.732

Hail, Davidson

When: May 19, 2:17 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 0.76 mi NNW of Wrencoe
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 36.030, -86.705

Thunderstorm Wind, Coffee

When: May 19, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Coffee County, 1.2 mi S of Pocahontas
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.613, -86.051

A home weather station near Beechgrove measured a wind gust of 64 mph.

Hail, Robertson

When: May 19, 3:20 PM CST
Where: Robertson County, Springfield
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.500, -86.880

Hail, Cannon

When: May 19, 3:35 PM CST
Where: Cannon County, 1.49 mi NNE of Mitchelville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.820, -86.140

Hail, Coffee

When: May 19, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Coffee County, 1.76 mi ENE of Gnat Hill
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.629, -86.121

Hail, Rutherford

When: May 19, 3:58 PM CST
Where: Rutherford County, 1.68 mi E of Murfreesboro
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.850, -86.390

Hail, Sumner

When: May 19, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Sumner County, 2.17 mi SE of Peytona
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.350, -86.490

Hail, Rutherford

When: May 19, 4:01 PM CST
Where: Rutherford County, 1.08 mi E of Murfreesboro
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.852, -86.401

Hail, Maury

When: May 19, 4:11 PM CST
Where: Maury County, Columbia
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.620, -87.050

Hail, Cheatham

When: May 19, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Cheatham County, Pleasant View
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.400, -87.030

Hail, Rutherford

When: May 19, 4:23 PM CST
Where: Rutherford County, 3.23 mi SSE of Murfreesboro
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.810, -86.390

Hail, Rutherford

When: May 19, 4:23 PM CST
Where: Rutherford County, 3.27 mi W of Dillton
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.802, -86.388

Hail, Bedford

When: May 19, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Bedford County, 0.56 mi E of Unionville
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.620, -86.590

Heavy Rain, Bedford

When: May 19, 4:45 PM CST to 5:15 PM CST
Where: Bedford County, 1.49 mi SSW of Fall Creek
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Reported by: CoCoRaHS
Coordinates: 35.550, -86.560

Two and three tenths of an inch of rain was measured in the past 30 minutes. This resulted in water covering low lying roadways in this area, causing them to close temporarily, and resulting in economic commerce interest having to use alternate transportation routes.

Hail, Wilson

When: May 19, 4:50 PM CST
Where: Wilson County, 2.27 mi SE of Lebanon
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.194, -86.275

Hail, Wilson

When: May 19, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Wilson County, 1.03 mi SSE of Lebanon
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.207, -86.290

Hail, Wilson

When: May 19, 5:09 PM CST to 5:19 PM CST
Where: Wilson County, West End Hgts
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.220, -86.320

Potentially hailed through a 10 minute period with maximum hail size up to a quarter.

Hail, Rutherford

When: May 19, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Rutherford County, 2.19 mi SSW of La Vergne
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.989, -86.588

Hail, Williamson

When: May 19, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Williamson County, 1.68 mi E of Nolensville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.950, -86.650

Hail, Davidson

When: May 19, 5:49 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 1.12 mi W of Wrencoe
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.020, -86.720

Hail, Davidson

When: May 19, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 1.48 mi ESE of Wrencoe
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.010, -86.677

Hail, Davidson

When: May 19, 5:53 PM CST
Where: Davidson County, 1.12 mi W of Wrencoe
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 36.020, -86.720

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.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, May 2012

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: 375346, 375347, 375504, 375348, 375349, 375350, 375497, 375353, 375352, 375354, 375355, 375351, 375356, 375415, 381481, 375428, 375436, 375437, 375451, 375462, 375494, 375495, 375496.