From the mid afternoon through evening hours on Wednesday, September 5th, as a line of showers and thunderstorms moved southeastward across Middle Tennessee, eight counties in Middle Tennessee experienced severe weather, and/or flooding impacts, and/or lightning strike damage.
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.
From the mid afternoon through evening hours on Wednesday, September 5th, as a line of showers and thunderstorms moved southeastward across Middle Tennessee, eight counties in Middle Tennessee experienced severe weather, and/or flooding impacts, and/or lightning strike damage.
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 Sep 5, 3:32 PM CST, 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 432 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 .MESOSCALE UPDATE... THERMODYNAMICALLY UNSTABLE AIRMASS ACROSS MIDDLE TENNESSE WITH CAPES ON THE ORDER OF 3000 J/KG. BULK SHEAR IS WEAK ACROSS THE MID STATE AT 21Z AND LOW LEVEL WIND FIELDS ARE LIGHT. LINE OF CONVECTION THAT HAS BEEN MOVING SOUTHEAST THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY WITH OUTFLOW BOUNDARY OUT AHEAD. CONVECTION WITHIN THIS LINE HAS SPREAD OUT...OFTEN TIMES AN INDICATION OF SOME OVERALL WEAKENING. BOYD && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 335 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012/ SHORT TERM (THRU FRI)... WARM AND UNSTABLE AIR ACROSS MID-TN AT MID AFTN W/HEAT INDICES IN THE MID-UPR 90S. S/B CAPES 2-3K J/KG. COUPLE OF AREAS OF CONCERN TNGT...ONE IS GUST FRONT IN KY HEADING SOUTH. SECOND IS H5 S/W HEADING EAST OVR AR. HRRR/GFS MODELS SHOW THE GUST FRONT SYSTEM MOVING SOUTH INTO THE REGION THIS EVE...WITH ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE. DEVELOPING MCS IN AR SHOULD TURN MORE SOUTHEAST...AND AFFECT PORTIONS OF WEST MID-TN. A SLGT RISK OF SVR WEATHER CONTINUES FOR THE REGION THIS EVENING WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE. BULK OF THE MOISTURE PUSHES EAST LATE TNGT WITH ANOTHER WARM DAY ON TAP THU UNDER PARTLY SUNNY SKIES...WITH A SCHC OF AFTN STORMS. MAINLY DRY AND WARM WEATHER THU NGT-FRI. WL NOT BUY INTO NAM12 HIGHER POP SCENARIO FRI...WITH PREFRONTAL SYSTEM. INSTEAD WL ADVERTISE CLOSE THE THE GFS WITH ISO-SCT TRW. LONG TERM (SAT-WED)... MODELS ARE COMING INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH STORM SYSTEM THAT WL BRING COOLER WEATHER TO THE MID-STATE THIS WEEKEND. THE COLD FRONT AND LINE OF STORMS LOOK TO MOVE INTO MID-TN LATE FRI NGT...AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE ACTIVITY WL MOVE QUICKLY EAST SAT WITH COOLER AIR LINGERING INTO MON. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 01
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 826 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 TNZ005>011-022>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-061330- 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- 826 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT VERY WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. HEAT INDICES WILL APPROACH 100 DEGREES WEST OF THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. A LINE OF STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION LATE FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... EVEN THOUGH ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE BRIEF AND ISOLATED, SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO CALL IN ANYTHING REACHING REPORTING CRITERIA. 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
340 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
TNZ005-006-022>025-052145-
BENTON-DICKSON-HOUSTON-HUMPHREYS-MONTGOMERY-STEWART-
340 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BENTON...DICKSON...HOUSTON...
HUMPHREYS...MONTGOMERY AND STEWART COUNTIES...
AT 339 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
SOME STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY SOUTHWEST OF DOVER...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
SMALL HAIL...AND WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3634 8728 3633 8729 3632 8726 3618 8716
3590 8783 3589 8815 3620 8815 3626 8809
3636 8810 3637 8801 3646 8806 3665 8751
31SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
431 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
TNZ006>009-025-026-029-052230-
CHEATHAM-DICKSON-MACON-MONTGOMERY-ROBERTSON-SUMNER-TROUSDALE-
431 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHEATHAM...DICKSON...MACON...
MONTGOMERY...ROBERTSON...SUMNER AND TROUSDALE COUNTIES...
AT 430 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN KENTUCKY...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 35 MPH....AND WILL MOVE INTO LOCATIONS ACROSS
NORTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR...MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH
OF A HARTSVILLE...TO GALLATIN...TO CUNNINGHAM LINE.
SMALL HAIL...WINDS AROUND 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING
STRIKES...AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LAT...LON 3664 8617 3643 8584 3642 8590 3643 8598
3639 8598 3637 8608 3637 8648 3639 8673
3641 8675 3639 8677 3640 8685 3628 8734
3664 8765
31SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
438 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
TNZ005-052200-
STEWART-
438 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR STEWART COUNTY...
AT 437 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11 MILES NORTHWEST OF DOVER...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT
15 MPH.
SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES...BRIEF HEAVY
DOWNPOURS...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3667 8786 3665 8784 3664 8784 3664 8782
3653 8768 3636 8800 3649 8806 3653 8804
3663 8806 3668 8798
31The Nashville radar (KOHX), 34 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:20 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 2 flash flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A couple of trees were downed.
A tree fell onto a moving car. If and extent of any injuries, exact type of damage, and any associated damage costs that occurred to the car were unknown.
Multiple trees were downed on James Robertson Parkway.
Lightning struck a house at 2005 Cromwell Drive in Forest Hills. Exact extent of damage that resulted to the house and any associated repair costs were unknown.
Total rainfall amount of 2.52 inches received in one hour. Four to six inches of water was standing on roadways in this area also. This standing water caused transportation interest in and around this area to seek alternate routes, thus resulting in additional travel cost.
Public report relayed by broadcast media of deep standing water along West Spring Street.
Some roads in this area were flooded due to a few creeks overflowing their banks and causing overflow onto county roadways. 2.4 inches of rainfall was measured near McCrory Lane in Bellevue.
Several trees and power lines were downed along James Walker Road.
A large tree was downed across a road in Bon Aqua.
Tidwell Road was blocked by small trees across the road.
A construction sign was also blown down.
A tree was downed on Buffalo Road and also on Howard Switch Road.
A house was struck by lightning in the Pinewood Community. One male was injured as he was using a computer in the house at the time of the strike and was then transported to an area hospital for treatment. Final condition of this person was unknown.
A tree was downed on a house in Loretto. Exact extent of any damage and any associated damage cost to the house were unknown.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, September 2012
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: 409371, 409370, 409378, 409342, 409687, 411816, 409686, 409369, 409373, 409387, 409381, 409384, 409334, 409395.