After an already very wet month, additional heavy rainfall and thunderstorms moved into Middle Tennessee from Tuesday February 19 into Wednesday February 20. With the airmass being initially cold and dry, the rainfall briefly fell as a mix of rain and sleet across southern Middle Tennessee, although no measurable sleet accumulation was reported.
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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.
After an already very wet month, additional heavy rainfall and thunderstorms moved into Middle Tennessee from Tuesday February 19 into Wednesday February 20. With the airmass being initially cold and dry, the rainfall briefly fell as a mix of rain and sleet across southern Middle Tennessee, although no measurable sleet accumulation was reported. Considerable cloud to ground positive lightning also occurred, which caused several fires to structures. By Wednesday February 20, the prolonged heavy rainfall led to flash flooding in many areas.
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 19, 2:20 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 220 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019 .DISCUSSION... The rainy cycle rolls on as several periods of heavy rain are expected through early next week. Very saturated ground already in place and excessive runoff surely to lead to localized flash flooding as well as multiple rivers and creeks running high. The first wave is already commencing as rain already spreading up across our south with an inverted SFC/LL trough - Quasi warm front...and it will continue northward track well into tonight as these boundary push into southern. Onset of this precip has seen brief period of sleet as saturation/cooling occurs in still dry low layer. Thunder also occurring as layer also destabilizes a bit. May have to add brief sleet for the evening. Heavier band associated expected to pivot northwest tonight in or very close to our northwest counties...eventually making a eastward track Wed well into Wed night ahead of a slow moving cold front. Vertical motion very much enhanced as ML jet streak cuts across the MS river valley. Moisture transport very favorable as well, PWATs 1.5+ through most of the period. Movement of this band puts the northwest in area of highest expected rainfall...3.5+, lessening to around 2 inches southeast. Behind the front overnight Wed through much of Thu the area will get a break from rain as a high pressure moving across the OH valley dips down into the mid-south. Thu night largely dry early but then rain redevelops overnight. Just how much will be over the area by 12z Fri still in question as models differ, but Fri-Sat night another round of heavy rain is very likely. This 2nd wave looks like most locations will pick up another 2.5-3.5+ inches, further aggravating our overly saturated grounds and high running rivers. ML/UL jet punching in Sat afternoon and night looks a bit stronger then Wed, and instability more elevated as well. In addition to heavy rain, isolated severe storms possible, mainly west of I-65. Behind this system Sun through Mon currently looks dry but another system is setting up for the first part of next week. QPF currently looks much lower than the last few episodes but we will have to wait and see there. && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF DISCUSSION. Rain spreading in rapidly today will make for degraded conditions once again this period. CIGs and VSBYs all on a lowering trend starting this afternoon and are expected to remain low well into Wed. Wind speeds are expected to increase as well, likely becoming quite gusty. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 40 61 41 55 44 / 100 100 60 10 50 Clarksville 39 59 37 53 42 / 100 100 20 10 50 Crossville 38 54 42 57 43 / 100 90 80 10 50 Columbia 40 60 40 55 44 / 100 100 60 10 70 Lawrenceburg 42 59 41 56 45 / 100 100 80 20 70 Waverly 39 59 37 53 43 / 100 100 30 10 50 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch through late Wednesday night 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......07 AVIATION........07
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Nashville TN 503 AM CST Tue Feb 19 2019 TNZ005>011-023>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-201115- 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- 503 AM CST Tue Feb 19 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight The first of several rounds of heavy rainfall will begin this afternoon. With grounds already saturated and 2 to 4 inches of rain expected from this afternoon through tonight flash flooding and continued rises in area creeks and rivers will be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Rain and the flooding threat will continue Wednesday and Thursday. Several more rounds of heavy rain are expected from Friday through Sunday. Additional rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches will be possible across Middle Tennessee. These totals, combined with the recent rainfall and already saturated ground, could lead to significant flooding across the area. Some strong to potentially severe thunderstorms may affect parts of Middle Tennessee on Saturday or Saturday night. However, details such as timing and possible impacts remain uncertain this far out in time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed from Tuesday through Sunday due to the potential for flooding. 11
The Nashville radar (KOHX), 60 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:30 UTC.
18 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A powerful positive cloud to ground lightning bolt struck four separate homes in Fairview. All four homes, which were located in the 7100 block of Glenhaven Drive, 7200 block of Dogwood Drive, 7300 block of Dogwood Drive, and the 1000 block of Brayden Drive, suffered minor to moderate fire and smoke damage.
Media reports indicated the intersection of Hafner Road at Highway 48 N around 1 mile north of Charlotte, and the intersection of Barbeque Road at Highway 46 in Dickson, were both flooded and closed.
Media reports indicated Kidd Road in Nolensville was underwater in multiple places, and Chestnut Lane at Maple Drive in Franklin was closed due to flooding.
Wilson County Emergency Management reported residents of the Timberline Campground on Murfreesboro Pike south of Lebanon were evacuate due to flooding from Sinking Creek. Several roadways were also flooded and closed across the county, including 6882 Stewarts Ferry Pike, Bluebird Road, and Alsup Mill Road at Baldy Ford Road.
Maury County Emergency Management reported Beechcroft Road as well as Old Kedron Road between Duplex Road and Kedron Road were both closed due to flooding in Spring Hill.
Overton County Emergency Management reported Tower Hill Road, Jamestown Highway near the Overton County Memorial Gardens, Bradford Hicks Drive at Celina Highway, and North Oak Street in Livingston were flooded and closed.
Amateur radio and local law enforcement reported numerous roads were flooded and closed across Rutherford County, including Stones River Lane at the Stones River Slab, County Farm Road at Elam Road, Elam Mill Road at the Elam Mill Slab, 4300 block of Elam Road, Blackman Road at Bass Road, Sulphur Springs Road at Shacklett Road, and Sulphur Spring Roads near Leanne Church of Christ in Murfreesboro; Vaught Road at Cripple Creek Road near Readyville; Kedron Church Road and West Jefferson Pike at Powells Chapel Road in Smyrna; and both Apple Street and Old Nashville Highway in La Vergne.
Several roads were flooded and closed across southeast Davidson County, including Knapp Boulevard near Donelson Pike, as well as Bluff Road and Culbertson Road near Nolensville Pike.
Numerous roads were flooded and closed across Williamson County, including Brittain Lane at the Mill Creek Bridge, Arno Road, Lewisburg Pike, Peytonsville Road, York Road, North Chapel Road, Blazer Road, Trinity Road, Old Natchez Trace, and many others. Several cars were also flooded in the Brentwood YMCA parking lot on Concord Road.
Numerous roads were flooded and closed across Davidson County, including Granada Avenue at Apex Street, Glenrose Avenue at Old Glenrose Avenue, Newsom Station Road at Merrymount Drive, and areas around the Ellington Ag Center Barns and Arena. Mill Creek was also flooding low lying areas around Briley Parkway near I-24.
Several roads were flooded and closed across Putnam County, including Moss Road at Ditty Road, Lee Seminary Road, Bennett Road, and Commercial Avenue in Monterey.
Several roads were flooded and closed across Grundy County, including Highway 50 in Pelham, Dogtown Road and Highway 108 in Coalmont, and Lee Hargis Road in Gruetli-Laager.
Several roads were flooded and closed across Coffee County, including Skinner Flat Road, Lumley Stand Road, Stephenson Road, Hickory Grove Road, and Rock Road.
Numerous roads were flooded and closed across Bedford County, including Mullins Mill Road, Bugscuffle Road, Midland Road at Peacock Lane, Happy Valley Road, South Valley Road at Narrows and Woodland Drive, El Bethel Road at Shaw Road, Arnold Road at Fairfield Pike, Airport Road, Higgins Road, Millhouse Road, Hurricane Grove Road, Whiteside hill Road at Highway 130, Cathy Road, and Halls Mill Road at Virgil Crowell Road.
Warren County 911 Center reported numerous roads were flooded and closed across the county, including Barry Knight Road at Charles Creek, the 700 block of Brown|Prater Road, Wheeler Road, Dark Hollow Road, Robert Wilson Road, Old Morrison Road at Pepper Branch Road. A water rescue of people from a horse-carriage was conducted at the flooded intersection of Ivy Bluff Trail at Pettigap Road.
Numerous roads were flooded and closed across Cannon County, including McFerrin Street, Meadowbrook Drive, Greenbriar Drive, Wilmouth Creek, Bullpen Creek Road, River Road, Bridge Road, and Bush Road.
Numerous roads were flooded and closed across Jackson County, including Gladdice Highway, Blackburn Fork Road, Fort Blount Ferry Road near Granville Highway, Dodson Branch Highway near Blackburn Fork Road, Roaring River Road, Spring Creek Road, Aaron Branch Road, and Overton Road.
Several roads were flooded and closed across Cumberland County, including Highway 70 North at Mayland Market, Pomona Road, and Creston Road.
Overton/Pickett County 911 Center reported some homes and businesses were flooded in Livingston along the Highway 111 Bypass near Celina Highway. Roads were also flooded and closed across Overton County, including Highway 111 Bypass Southbound, Highway 52, Cedar Chapel Road, Shiloh Road, Columbia Hill Road, and Cedar Springs Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, February 2019
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: 810862, 810863, 810868, 810880, 810881, 810882, 810883, 810949, 810950, 810951, 810952, 810953, 810955, 810954, 810956, 810957, 810958, 810959, 810960.