A mix of light rain and light snow fell across Middle Tennessee throughout much of the day on February 20. Higher elevations above 800 feet and much of the Cumberland Plateau measured snowfall up to 3 inches.
Every event with a place to put it; 13 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 mix of light rain and light snow fell across Middle Tennessee throughout much of the day on February 20. Higher elevations above 800 feet and much of the Cumberland Plateau measured snowfall up 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 Feb 19, 10:43 PM CST, 5 hours 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 1043 PM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 .UPDATE... FOR 06Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .DISCUSSION... No major changes to the forecast this evening or for Thursday morning snow potential. We will adjust hourly temps, dew points, and pops slightly. Messaging remains the same. First look at new NAM looks a little too cold with low levels with too much moisture. Short range CAMs seem pretty good though and line up well enough with our forecast. Our 00Z OHX upper air shows very dry air. This dry air was associated with a strong high pressure system centered over Fargo, ND. NNE winds will continue to bring coolish and dry air overnight. A couple of shortwave troughs will come together to bring our precipitation chances for tomorrow morning- one already producing precip over the Lowe Ms Valley and another wave coming down from the Central Plains. Our area will be located along the northern edge of the expanding precip shield, so incoming moisture will be battling the dry air in place. As precipitation becomes heavier, the air will moisten and evaporative cooling will become a factor, so some light snow is a good bet. Negative factors for accumulation include mostly or all above freezing surface air temps and warm ground. We continue to expect accums mainly south of I-40, mainly on grassy areas. If there are locations that could over-achieve, it could be our Plateau where snow may hang on well into the afternoon and temps may hover near freezing. This could boost localized amounts to 1 inch or a bit more for some high elevations spots. The overnight crew may consider an advisory for that area, but the rest of the Mid State should have few if any travel impacts. && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF DISCUSSION. VFR conditions will continue this TAF period at CKV/BNA/MQY although cigs will gradually lower with VCSH after 11-13Z. At CSV, a mix of light rain/snow will develop by 11-12Z becoming all snow by 14Z, with cigs/visibility lowering into the IFR category. Snow will end at CSV by 21Z with a quick return to MVFR/VFR conditions. North to northeast winds gusting up to 20 knots are expected to continue through the TAF period at all airports. && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && DISCUSSION......13 AVIATION........Shamburger
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Nashville TN 520 AM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 TNZ005>011-023>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-201100- 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- 520 AM CST Wed Feb 19 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Frontal boundary will stall across northern Gulf Coast area tonight. Disturbances will ride eastward along boundary and transport moisture northward into colder air as Thursday progresses. Therefore, a rain, snow mixture is possible for much of mid state on Thursday morning. Although most locations are not expected to see any significant wintry mixture accumulations, Upper Cumberland Region could experience snowfall accumulations of up to one inch before snowfall ends Thursday afternoon. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... If wintry mixture and or snowfall accumulations occur on Thursday, especially across Upper Cumberland Region, any accumulation reports relayed to NWS Nashville office appreciated. JB Wright
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
13 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Up to 2.0 inches of snow fell across Fentress County. CoCoRaHS station Clarkrange 6.0 NE measured 2.0 inches of snow, and CoCoRaHS station Jamestown 12.9 S measured 1.2 inches of snow.
Up to 3.0 inches of snow fell across Putnam County. CoCoRaHS station Cookeville 3.3 SSW measured 2.0 inches of snow, and CoCoRaHS station Monterey 3.9 W measured 1.5 inches of snow. Social media reports indicated 3 inches of snow fell 5 miles WNW of Pleasant Hill on Glade Creek Road, and 3 inches of snow fell 5 miles south of Monterey.
Up to 3.0 inches of snow fell across Cumberland County. CoCoRaHS station Fairfield Glade 0.1 NNW measured 2.5 inches of snow, CoCoRaHS station Crossville 5.8 SSW measured 2.5 inches of snow, and CoCoRaHS station Crossville 0.9 S measured 2.0 inches of snow. Media and social media reports indicated 3 inches of snow fell in Fairfield Glade, 3 inches of snow fell in Pleasant Hill, and 2 inches of snow fell in Rinnie.
Up to 1.0 inch of snow fell across De Kalb County. Social media reports indicated 0.75 inches of snow fell 5 miles east of Smithville.
Up to 2.5 inches of snow fell across White County. CoCoRaHS station Sparta 2.0 WSW measured 0.5 inches of snow, and CoCoRaHS station Sparta 8.6 NW measured 0.5 inches of snow. Social media reports indicated 2.5 inches of snow fell on Bon Air Mountain.
Up to 2.0 inches of snow fell across Warren County. CoCoRaHS station Mcminnville 8.5 ESE measured 2.0 inches of snow, and CoCoRaHS station Morrison 1.9 SSW measured 0.5 inches of snow. Social media reports indicated 2.5 inches of snow fell on Bon Air Mountain.
Media photos showed around 2 inches of snow fell in Spencer.
Up to 0.5 inches of snow fell across Williamson County. CoCoRaHS station Brentwood 0.5 SSW measured 0.5 inches of snow, CoCoRaHS station Eagleville 3.9 WSW measured 0.5 inches of snow, and CoCoRaHS station Nolensville 2.4 SW measured 0.5 inches of snow. Social media reports indicated 0.5 inches of snow fell just south of College Grove at an elevation of 830 feet MSL.
Up to 0.5 inches of snow fell across Rutherford County. CoCoRaHS station La Vergne 2.1 SW measured 0.5 inches of snow.
Up to 1.0 inch of snow fell across Hickman County. CoCoRaHS station Bon Aqua 3.0 ESE measured 0.8 inches of snow.
Up to 1.5 inches of snow fell across Marshall County. CoCoRaHS station Lewisburg 6.2 SSE measured 1.1 inches of snow. Social media reports indicated 1.0 inch of snow fell 1 mile NNW of Cornersville on McDaniel Hollow Road at an elevation of 1100 feet MSL.
Up to 1.0 inch of snow fell across Bedford County. CoCoRaHS station Bell Buckle 2.0 SE measured 1.0 inch of snow. Social media reports indicated 0.75 inches of snow fell 9 miles west of Tullahoma on Chestnut Ridge in the Flat Creek area.
Up to 2.0 inches of snow fell across Grundy County. Grundy County Emergency Management reported varying snow amounts up to 2 inches across the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, February 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: 879259, 879262, 879264, 879268, 879270, 879271, 879272, 879273, 879274, 879275, 879278, 879280, 879282.