Flash Flooding and Flooding in Tennessee, December 23, 2017

Name: Flash Flooding and Flooding in Tennessee, December 23, 2017
Start: 2017-12-23T01:30
End: 2017-12-23T13:00
Location: Tennessee

December 23, 2017 · NWS OHX · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

Moderate to occasionally heavy rain overspread Middle Tennessee from Friday, December 23, 2017 into Saturday, December 23, 2017. Total rainfall amounts ranged from 1 inch up to 4 inches across the area, with the highest amounts in northwest Middle Tennessee.

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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 9

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 Dec 22, 11:14 PM CST, 2 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 22, 11:14 PM CST, 2 hours 16 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Nashville TN
1114 PM CST Fri Dec 22 2017

.UPDATE...
FOR 06Z AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

Updated the suite of forecast products to reflect most recent
regional radar mosiac imagery and short term model trends showing
brunt of rainfall moving northeastward across northern portions
of mid state, with little if any pcpn potential to the south.
Tweaked hrly temp, dewpoint, and wind speed/direction grids also.
Will continue to monitor regional radar and short term model
trends for a possible additional update just before midnight.
Still expecting wide area of shwrs to eventually move across
entire mid state as the overnight hours progress. Remainder
of forecast continues to be on track.

&&

.AVIATION...
06Z TAF DISCUSSION.

Poor flying weather will continue across the region as a low
pressure system tracks along a cold front, bringing a period of
moderate to heavy showers late tonight and Saturday morning.

For BNA and MQY, a break from the rain will continue with MVFR
cigs through 08Z, along with gusty south winds to 20KT. Then,
showers and possibly embedded thunder with IFR conditions will
accompany the frontal passage 08Z-13Z. After 13Z, showers will
linger for a few hours with IFR and gusty northwest winds.
Rain will taper off with improvement to MVFR in the afternoon.

CSV will keep IFR through the taf period. There will be a break
from the rain much of the night, then showers will return around
13Z. Gusty south winds will become northwest around 13Z.

CKV will stay mostly IFR through the night. Frontal passage will
occur around 08Z with gusty northwest winds developing. Showers
and IFR will continue through 15Z. After 15Z, showers will taper
off with gradual improvement to MVFR.

&&

.OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Flash Flood Watch through Saturday morning for Bedford-Cannon-
Cheatham-Clay-Coffee-Cumberland-Davidson-De Kalb-Dickson-
Fentress-Giles-Grundy-Hickman-Houston-Humphreys-Jackson-Lawrence-
Lewis-Macon-Marshall-Maury-Montgomery-Overton-Perry-Pickett-
Putnam-Robertson-Rutherford-Smith-Stewart-Sumner-Trousdale-Van
Buren-Warren-Wayne-White-Williamson-Wilson.

&&

DISCUSSION......31
AVIATION........13

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 22, 10:58 PM CST, 2 hours 32 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Nashville TN
1058 PM CST Fri Dec 22 2017

TNZ005>011-023>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-231100-
Stewart-Montgomery-Robertson-Sumner-Macon-Clay-Pickett-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-
1058 PM CST Fri Dec 22 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Middle
Tennessee.

.DAY ONE...Rest of Tonight.

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect across Middle Tennessee until
noon Saturday. Heavy rainfall will continue tonight and into
Saturday. Additional amounts of 1 to 3 inches are expected
tonight through Saturday morning. These rains will be falling
on grounds that are already nearly saturated, which may lead
to flash flooding. If you are planning to travel around the
mid state tonight through Saturday morning, stay tuned to a
reliable source of weather information, and listen for any
warnings that may be issued.

A marginal risk of severe thunderstorms is possible after
midnight tonight for locations south of I-40 and along and
west of the I-65 Corridor. Main threat for any severe
thunderstorms that do develop will be damaging winds.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday

The Flash Flood Watch will continue until noon Saturday. Rain
will taper off through the afternoon hours, but the flooding
potential will continue mainly during the morning hours.

A marginal risk of severe thunderstorms is possible during
the morning hours on Saturday for locations generally along
and east of a Lawrenceburg, to Carthage, to Jamestown line.
Main threat for any severe thunderstorms that do develop will
be damaging winds.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed for flash flooding and the
potential of severe thunderstorms rest of tonight through
Saturday morning.

Spotter Thunderstorm Reporting Criteria...
Tornado
Funnel Cloud
Flooding
Hail >= 1/2 inch
Winds >50 MPH (Measured)
Structural Damage
Trees or Power Lines Down

31

The radar

The Ft Campbell radar (KHPX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:27 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 flash flood, 4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Stewart

When: December 23, 1:30 AM CST to 3:30 AM CST
Where: Stewart County, 3.87 mi WSW of Model to 6.22 mi SSE of Ft Henry
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.622, -88.031

Significant flash flooding affected much of Stewart County. Numerous roads were flooded and closed including Gillum Hollow Road, Bellwood Landing Road, Highway 120, Highway 46 near Springs Rorie Hollow Road, Shepherd Hollow Road, Ray Crain Road, and North Cross Creek Road. One home in the Carlisle area was surrounded by flood waters, and a water rescue from a stranded vehicle was conducted on Highway 46 in Indian Mound.

Flash Flood, Robertson

When: December 23, 4:00 AM CST to 6:00 AM CST
Where: Robertson County, 2.58 mi NNE of Sadlersville to 1.07 mi SSE of Stroudsville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 36.637, -87.110

Multiple roads were flooded and closed across northwest and north-central parts of Robertson County.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When: December 23, 4:00 AM CST to 6:00 AM CST
Where: Montgomery County, 7.31 mi NNW of Oakwood to 4.76 mi WSW of Shiloh
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 36.629, -87.627

Several roads were flooded and closed across Montgomery County, including International Blvd at Highway 79 in Clarksville which was covered in 3 to 4 feet of water.

Flood, Maury

When: December 23, 4:00 AM CST to 6:00 AM CST
Where: Maury County, 0.43 mi NE of Spring Hill to 0.54 mi SE of Spring Hill
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.754, -86.924

Old Kedron Road near Duplex Road in Spring Hill was closed due to water over the road.

Flash Flood, Sumner

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, 1.46 mi W of Mitchellville to 1.84 mi SSE of White Hill
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.629, -86.556

Ten roads were flooded and closed across Sumner County, including Saundersville Road near George A. Whitten Elementary School in Hendersonville.

Flash Flood, Wilson

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where: Wilson County, 0.88 mi N of Commerce to 1.56 mi NNE of Morene
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.163, -86.097

Several roads were flooded and closed in southeast Wilson County around Statesville.

Flood, Smith

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where: Smith County, 1.58 mi SSW of Dixon Spgs to 2.3 mi SW of Sykes
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 36.349, -86.080

Parts of Hickman Creek Road in Hickman and Pleasant Shade Highway north of Carthage were impassable due to high water.

Flood, Williamson

When: December 23, 6:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where: Williamson County, 4.25 mi NE of Fernvale to 4.64 mi WNW of Boston
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 35.987, -87.019

Several roads that commonly flood across Williamson County were impassable due to high water, including Old Hillsboro Road in Leipers Fork.

Flood, Marshall

When: December 23, 11:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Marshall County, 1.75 mi SSE of Verona to 2.05 mi SSE of Verona
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 35.508, -86.766

Double Bridge Road north of Lewisburg was impassable due to high water.

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, December 2017

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: 728864, 728865, 728866, 728869, 728867, 728868, 728872, 728871, 728870.