After making landfall in southwest Louisiana on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Hurricane Laura moved northward into Arkansas and weakened to a tropical storm on Thursday, August 27, then traveled eastward across Tennessee and Kentucky and weakened further to a tropical depression on Friday, August 28. The system brought numerous showers and thunderstorms to Middle Tennessee, some of which became…
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.
After making landfall in southwest Louisiana on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Hurricane Laura moved northward into Arkansas and weakened to a tropical storm on Thursday, August 27, then traveled eastward across Tennessee and Kentucky and weakened further to a tropical depression on Friday, August 28. The system brought numerous showers and thunderstorms to Middle Tennessee, some of which became severe and produced several reports of damaging winds along with two weak tornadoes. Rainfall totals across the area ranged from 1 to 3 inches.
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 Aug 28, 10:03 AM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 1103 AM CDT Fri Aug 28 2020 .UPDATE... FOR MORNING DISCUSSION. && .DISCUSSION... Tornado watch now in effect for the eastern half of the area through 4 pm as the remnants of Laura works its way east. The tornado threat will not come to an end at that point as a favorable tornadic environment will spread eastward. Instability and low level shear are slowly increasing in the west, and a favorable environment for low topped supercells with the potential for quick spin up tornadoes is increasing. 12Z model runs are starting to come in, and suggest slightly lower QPF over the area today. However, with a tropical system, PWAT values in addition to a high freezing level/deep warm cloud depth support showers and storms producing very heavy rainfall in a short duration. The threat for flooding even outside of the flash flood watch will be possible, especially for areas that receive stronger cells and/or training of multiple rounds of heavy rain. Strong to severe storms, in addition to the tornado threat, will also be able to produce some damaging wind gusts as well. Outside of thunderstorms, winds of 10-25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph will be possible today, calming down a bit overnight tonight. Updated the short term forecast to line up with latest guidance and forecast thinking. && .AVIATION... 12Z TAF DISCUSSION. Tropical depression Laura is now working her way across northeastern AR at this time. Thus feature is expected to continue to track to the northeast and then turn toward the east, and move across central KY. She should reach WV on saturday morning. For the mid state, the widespread convection is expected to reach the TN river around 18Z. Following this, the activity will overspread the area during the afternoon hours. Some severe weather will be possible with the showers and thunderstorms, and being on the right hand side of the track, we cannot rule out a tornado or two. Otherwise, look for wind speeds to be on the increase with gusts by afternoon reaching 30 to 35 mph. By the end of the taf period, the deepest moisture will be over our eastern third, with coverage decreasing over western areas. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch through late tonight for Bedford-Cheatham- Davidson-Dickson-Giles-Hickman-Houston-Humphreys-Lawrence-Lewis- Marshall-Maury-Montgomery-Perry-Robertson-Rutherford-Stewart- Sumner-Wayne-Williamson-Wilson. && DISCUSSION......Barnwell AVIATION........21
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Nashville TN 333 AM CDT Fri Aug 28 2020 TNZ005>011-023>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-290845- 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- 333 AM CDT Fri Aug 28 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. The remnants of Hurricane Laura will move across Middle Tennessee today and tonight. Gusty winds and heavy downpours are expected, especially this afternoon and evening. A few severe storms with damaging winds are possible, and a couple of brief tornadoes may form. The main time for possible severe storms and spinup tornadoes will be this afternoon and this evening until midnight. The downpours could be heavy enough to cause some localized flash flooding. Western sections have the greatest potential for flooding, so a Flash Flood Watch is in place generally along and west of I-65 this afternoon and evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. A few strong storms with gusty winds may occur Saturday afternoon and evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed. Please relay any information about observed severe weather or flooding to the NWS while following all local, state, and CDC guidelines. 13
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
1124 AM CDT Fri Aug 28 2020
TNZ024-025-057-281700-
Hickman TN-Dickson TN-Humphreys TN-
1124 AM CDT Fri Aug 28 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN DICKSON...EAST CENTRAL
HUMPHREYS AND NORTHWESTERN HICKMAN COUNTIES UNTIL NOON CDT...
At 1123 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near McEwen to 9 miles southeast of Hurricane
Mills. Movement was northeast at 50 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Dickson, McEwen, Burns, Charlotte, Vanleer, Pinewood and Bucksnort.
This includes Interstate 40 between mile markers 149 and 174.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 400 PM CDT for Middle
Tennessee.
LAT...LON 3608 8769 3617 8758 3619 8756 3632 8740
3632 8736 3604 8728 3578 8771
TIME...MOT...LOC 1623Z 226DEG 34KT 3607 8761 3590 8764
HawblitzelSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Nashville TN 1152 AM CDT Fri Aug 28 2020 TNZ058-060-093>095-281730- Lawrence TN-Wayne TN-Lewis TN-Maury TN-Giles TN- 1152 AM CDT Fri Aug 28 2020 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN LEWIS...NORTHEASTERN WAYNE...NORTHERN LAWRENCE...SOUTHWESTERN MAURY AND NORTHWESTERN GILES COUNTIES UNTIL 1230 PM CDT... At 1151 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from 6 miles southwest of Hohenwald to near Collinwood. Movement was east at 45 mph. Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms. Locations impacted include... Columbia, Lawrenceburg, Pulaski, Mount Pleasant, Summertown, Ethridge and Henryville. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 400 PM CDT for Middle Tennessee. LAT...LON 3561 8704 3517 8702 3518 8768 3548 8766 TIME...MOT...LOC 1651Z 253DEG 39KT 3548 8764 3521 8765 Hawblitzel
The Nashville radar (KOHX), 79 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:08 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down and a few power outages were reported in the Primm Springs area.
A Twitter photo showed a tree blown down on Highway 7.
Trees were blown down in eastern Hickman County.
Trees were blown down on Old Franklin Road.
Trees were blown down onto power lines in Ashland City.
Trees were blown down onto power lines in Kingston Springs.
Two trees were blown down on Dry Creek Road.
Trees were blown down.
Two power poles and one large tree were damaged.
A damage survey by Warren County Emergency Management along with video by nearby residents indicate a brief and weak EF-0 tornado intermittently touched down in extreme southwest Warren County between Morrison and Viola. One barn sustained significant damage on Cecil Laxson Road and several trees were blown down along the roadway and in adjacent orchards. Another small barn was destroyed on Fred Hoover Road with a damage path noted through adjacent corn fields. This is the first known tornado to occur in Warren County in the month of August.
A large tree was blown down that blocked the road at 1621 Copenhaver Road.
Large tree limbs were blown down on Old Railroad Grade Road.
A damage survey by Putnam County EMA along with radar data indicate a brief EF-0 tornado touched down south of Baxter. One home on Palmer Lane suffered garage door damage near the start of the path and a mobile home lost part of its roof on Thomas Twin Oak Road at Palmer Lane. A barn was damaged on Moss Road north of Alton Boyd Road. Several trees were snapped and uprooted along the intermittent damage path. Additional minor wind damage including snapped tree branches and minor exterior damage to a greenhouse occurred further to the northeast along Ditty Road and Cowan Road, but the damage was too minor to be certain if this was part of the tornado path. This is the first known tornado to occur in Putnam County in the month of August.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Tennessee, 2020Warnings in Tennessee, August 2020
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: 917942, 917943, 917941, 917944, 917947, 917945, 917946, 917948, 917949, 917953, 917950, 917951, 917952.