A strong storm system moving through the eastern United States spawned a QLCS that moved across Middle Tennessee during the evening hours on February 20. Widespread damaging winds and one tornado were reported with the QLCS, along with a few reports of large hail.
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 storm system moving through the eastern United States spawned a QLCS that moved across Middle Tennessee during the evening hours on February 20. Widespread damaging winds and one tornado were reported with the QLCS, along with a few reports of large hail.
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 Feb 20, 6:04 PM CST, 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 604 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014 .UPDATE... UPDATED TO REMOVE THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON GROUPING FROM ZONE FORECAST PRODUCT. && .PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 525 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014/ UPDATE...FOR 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. AVIATION...00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. ANTICIPATE MULTIPLE AMENDMENTS THRU AT LEAST 21/06Z PER ACTUAL FLUCTUATIONS IN WINDS...CEILINGS...TSTM...AND RAINFALL IMPACTS. ALONG WITH STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT CONCERNS ALONG AND AHEAD OF EXPECTED SQUALL LINE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS MID STATE...EMBEDDED SVR TSTMS COULD PRODUCE VRB WIND GUSTS AT OR GREATER THAN 50KTS. AVIATION INTEREST NEED TO PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WX CONDITIONS THRU THE MID STATE THRU AT LEAST 21/06Z. WILL GO WITH A TIME FRAME OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS CKV 21/00Z-21/02Z... BNA 21/01Z-21/03Z...AND CSV 21/03Z-21/05Z...WITH PREDOMINATE MVFR CEILINGS AND IFR VSBYS DURING THESE TIME PERIODS. PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 447 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014/ DISCUSSION... UPDATED TO BREAK OUT LATE AFTERNOON GROUPING IN THE ZONE FORECAST PRODUCT FOR GREATER CLARIFICATION FOR FORECAST THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON HOURS AND FOR TONIGHT. PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 348 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014/ POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT AS STRONG COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH... SHORT TERM...AS OF 330 PM, THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALREADY DEVELOPING OVER THE EXTREME NORTHWESTERN PART OF OUR CWA. INTERMEDIATE 20Z OHX SOUNDING STILL SHOWED A WARM NOSE AROUND 700MB, AS DID THE EARLIER 12Z SOUNDING. HOWEVER, FORECAST RUC SOUNDINGS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST AN EROSION OF THE INHIBITING NOSE THROUGH OUR NORTHWESTERN COUNTIES, AS INDICATED BY THE ONGOING THUNDERSTORMS. RECORD WARMTH WAS RECORDED OVER THE MID STATE TODAY, WITH NASHVILLE EQUALING A RECORD HIGH OF 78 DEGREES. WINDS CONTINUE TO GUST TO BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH OVER OUR WESTERN COUNTIES, IN ADVANCE OF THE STORMS. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM FOR OUR MOST WESTERN COUNTIES, AND IT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISING TO SEE SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES EXTENDED INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE MID STATE LATER THIS EVENING. STILL LOOKS LIKE THE STRONG COLD FRONT, NOW LOCATED BACK OVER SOUTHEASTERN MISSOURI, WILL SWEEP RAPIDLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE MID STATE BETWEEN 00Z AND 06Z THIS EVENING, WITH AN ATTENDANT SQUALL LINE, AND THE EXPECTATION FOR SOME DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS, LARGE HAIL, AND POSSIBLY A FEW TORNADOES AS WELL. THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR LINGERING SHOWERS IN THE MORNING, ALONG THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU. OTHERWISE, TOMORROW SHOULD BRING SOME DRIER AND MUCH QUIETER WEATHER, WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE 50S. UNSEASONABLY MILD TEMPERATURES REMAIN OVER THE UPCOMING WEEKEND, WITH DAYTIME HIGHS FORECAST TO BE IN THE 60S BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. LONG TERM...A GENERAL COOL DOWN OCCURS NEXT WEEK, WITH HIGHS FALLING TO THE 40S AND 50S MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND INTO THE 40S FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. HAVE TRENDED TOWARD THE COOLER ECMWF FOR THE LATTER PERIODS, AS BOTH GFS AND ECMWF SUGGEST SOME PRETTY GOOD DEEPENING OF UPPER TROUGH BY NEXT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR TNZ009>011-029>034- 063>066-077>080. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CST THIS EVENING FOR TNZ005>008-023>028- 056>062-075-093>095. && 31
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN 518 AM CST THU FEB 20 2014 TNZ009>011-029>034-063>066-077>080-211115- MACON-CLAY-PICKETT-TROUSDALE-SMITH-JACKSON-PUTNAM-OVERTON- FENTRESS-CANNON-DE KALB-WHITE-CUMBERLAND-COFFEE-WARREN-GRUNDY- VAN BUREN- 518 AM CST THU FEB 20 2014 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. STRONG SOUTH WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH WILL OCCUR TODAY AND TONIGHT AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION. DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON A SQUALL LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO ENTER WESTERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND MOVE EASTWARD DURING THE EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WHICH COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV OR BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... REPORTS FROM TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. TNZ005>008-023>028-056>062-075-093>095-211115- STEWART-MONTGOMERY-ROBERTSON-SUMNER-HOUSTON-HUMPHREYS-DICKSON- CHEATHAM-DAVIDSON-WILSON-PERRY-HICKMAN-LEWIS-WILLIAMSON-MAURY- MARSHALL-RUTHERFORD-BEDFORD-WAYNE-LAWRENCE-GILES- 518 AM CST THU FEB 20 2014 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 9 PM CST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. STRONG SOUTH WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MPH WILL OCCUR TODAY AND TONIGHT AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION. DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON A SQUALL LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO ENTER WESTERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND MOVE EASTWARD DURING THE EVENING. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WHICH COULD CAUSE PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV OR BY LISTENING TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... REPORTS FROM TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED. SPOTTERS CAN MAKE REPORTS VIA TWITTER USING HASHTAG #TSPOTTER TO MAKE A REPORT VIA FACEBOOK GO TO: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/US.NATIONALWEATHERSERVICE.NASHVILLE.GOV SPOTTER THUNDERSTORM REPORTING CRITERIA... TORNADO FUNNEL CLOUD FLOODING HAIL >= 1/2 INCH WINDS > 50 MPH (MEASURED) STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TREES OR POWER LINES DOWN BOYD 01
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
440 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
TNZ005-023-024-202330-
HOUSTON-HUMPHREYS-STEWART-
440 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HOUSTON...HUMPHREYS AND STEWART
COUNTIES...
AT 436 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CAMDEN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH INCLUDE HOUSTON COUNTY AIRPORT...TENNESSEE
RIDGE...ERIN AND CUMBERLAND CITY.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3653 8768 3643 8760 3634 8758 3634 8752
3633 8751 3612 8792 3617 8792 3619 8794
3622 8796 3628 8795 3635 8798
TB12SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
509 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
TNZ005-006-023-202345-
HOUSTON-MONTGOMERY-STEWART-
509 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HOUSTON...MONTGOMERY AND STEWART
COUNTIES...
AT 506 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BIG ROCK...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
SOME LOCATIONS IN THE PATH INCLUDE PALMYRA...WOODLAWN AND
CLARKSVILLE.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LAT...LON 3664 8712 3655 8714 3629 8760 3649 8776
3665 8744 3665 8719
TB12The Nashville radar (KOHX), 156 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:59 UTC.
52 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A few trees were blown down across northern Wayne County.
A NWS Storm Survey along with numerous reports from spotters and social media indicated a large 2 to 3 mile wide downburst struck areas of southern and eastern Robertson County along a 30 mile long path. A tree was blown down on Gause Road in Pleasant View, and one house on Highway 257 in Coopertown suffered minor roof and siding damage. A tree was blown down at Palestine Road at New Cut Road south of Springfield. An old barn was blown onto Pinson School Road and destroyed east of Springfield. In the Cross Plains area, several outbuildings suffered minor roof damage and large tree limbs were blown down. An abandoned mobile home on Bob Carr Road was blown over and destroyed. East of Orlinda, trees were also blown down on Starks Road and on Cedar Grove Road at Highway 31. A power pole was also blown down onto a car on Highway 52, trapping the occupants. Winds were estimated up to 80 mph.
A few trees were blown down with half inch size hail reported 5 miles south of Linden. The public also reported 3 trees blown down in the backyard of their home in the same area.
Several trees were blown down in northwestern Lewis County.
Several trees and large tree limbs were blown down blocking roads across southwest Dickson County, including on CCC Road, Garners Creek Road, Highway 48 two miles north of I-40, and Cowen Road. Some power outages were also reported.
The front brick wall of the Lewis County Herald newspaper building collapsed due to high thunderstorm winds.
The public reported via Facebook that a tree was uprooted onto a house in Portland.
A tree was blown down on a house in Fairview.
A tree was blown down on Temple Road south of Highway 100.
A tree was blown down on 46th Avenue at Idaho Avenue in Sylvan Park.
An 18 inch diameter tree was blown down and blocked Mobley's Cut Road east of Boston Theta Road. Another tree was uprooted in the yard of a home at that intersection.
Numerous trees were blown down on Carters Creek Pike at the Williamson County and Maury County line.
A tree was blown down on Leipers Creek Road in the Water Valley area.
A 16 inch diameter tree was blown down and partially blocked Union Hill Road at Lickton Pike.
Power lines were blown down on Woodson Road in Pleasant View.
Power lines were blown down in Spring Hill on the Williamson County and Maury County line causing a fire.
Two trees were blown down blocking Del Rio Pike in Franklin.
Several trees were blown down onto six vehicles at an apartment complex on Magnolia Drive.
Numerous trees, traffic lights, and power lines were blown down in the Cool Springs area of Franklin. Local police reported power lines down at Bakers Bridge and Galleria Boulevard.
A tree was blown down across the road at 807 Lori Lane in Mount Juliet.
Three large trees and one power line were blown down on Rocky Fork Road near Nolensville Elementary School.
Lawrence County Emergency Management reported a 24 inch diameter tree was blown down in Summertown.
A large tree was blown down across Patton Road in Arrington.
A trained spotter reported trees blown down on Horton Highway near College Grove.
Numerous trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down across Smyrna. Power lines were reported down on Valley View Drive. A power pole was blown down on a vehicle on Longview Drive at Old Nashville Highway, and another power pole was snapped at the National Guard Buildings in Smyrna. One tree fell on a house at 208 Cumberland Road, and another tree fell on a home on Chestnut Street. More trees and power lines were reported down on Weakley Lane just northeast of the Smyrna Airport.
A tin roof barn was destroyed with a few 5 foot diameter trees blown down on 1 Mile Lane near Almaville Road.
A tree was blown down across Stewarts Ferry Pike east of Highway 840 in Gladeville.
A tree was blown down across the road at 440 Rocky Valley Road.
Trees were reportedly blown down all across Macon County, including several in Lafayette.
A tree was blown down blocking North Commerce Road at Knee Road.
A tree fell onto and crushed a car in Chapel Hill. No injuries were reported.
Power lines were blown down on Flat Rock Road east of Murfreesboro.
A large tree was blown down at Church Street and High Street.
Trees and power lines were blown down across the county with numerous power outages.
Trees and power lines were blown down in several parts of Giles County.
Jackson County 911 Center reported numerous trees and power lines blown down across the county with widespread power outages.
Jackson County 911 Center reported the Jackson County High School gym roof was blown off. The press box at the nearby football stadium was also damaged with a few trees blown down in the area. Aerial photos indicated damage was from a small but intense microburst with debris was blown from south to north. Winds were estimated up to 80 mph.
A tree was blown down across Interstate 24 blocking lanes near the Epps Mill Road exit.
The porch of a home was damaged on Tinsley Bottom Road southwest of Celina.
A large tree was blown down and blocked Comstock Road.
Trees were blown down in the Allons, Hilham, and Timothy communities, including across Allens Chapel Road in Hilham.
A home received roof damage on Old Highway 53 east of Celina. Multiple trees were also blown down in the area and a subdivision was without power.
A tree and power lines were blown down on East Lane Street.
A tree was blown down on Highway 64 East in Beechgrove blocking the road.
A tree was blown down on Smithville Highway just east of Smithville.
A couple of trees were blown down along Interstate 24 near Mile Marker 101.
A vehicle was blown off the road on Judge Warren Road.
An NWS storm survey found a path of downburst wind damage to the south of the EF1 tornado track. The metal porch of a home on Rutledge Hill Road was destroyed. Several trees were snapped and uprooted along Rutledge Hill Road and Highway 41. Winds were estimated around 70 mph.
An NWS storm survey confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down along Interstate 24 northwest of Pelham where a tree was snapped and two billboards damaged. Several more trees were uprooted along Betsy Willis Road. A farm suffered significant damage just north of Betsy Willis Road on the west side of Highway 41, with 3 grain silos blown off their base and destroyed and a barn losing part of its roof. An outbuilding at the farm was also destroyed with debris blown southeast across Highway 41. Another barn on the east side of Highway 41 suffered minor roof damage. More trees were blown down east of Highway 41 with another outbuilding destroyed and debris blown across adjacent fields. The tornado then moved into inaccessible forests before lifting. Max winds were estimated up to 90 mph.
Trees were blown down on Cooper Road.
Some trees were blown down with power outages 3 miles southeast of Jamestown.
A tree was blown down on Crossville Highway around 1 mile east of Sparta.
Several trees were blown down on roads around Gruetli-Laager and Palmer including on Colony Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Tennessee, 2014Warnings in Tennessee, February 2014
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: 497309, 497328, 497310, 497326, 497327, 497329, 497332, 497334, 497341, 497348, 497347, 497936, 497344, 497931, 497933, 497937, 497926, 497349, 497350, 497925, 497930, 497941, 497928, 497929, 497351, 497927, 497932, 497943, 497935, 497945, 497934, 497938, 497939, 497940, 497942, 497944, 497946, 497948, 497947, 497949, and more.