A line of severe thunderstorms moved through Middle Tennessee in the early morning hours of July 12. Numerous reports of wind damage along with hail and flash flooding were received.
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 line of severe thunderstorms moved through Middle Tennessee in the early morning hours of July 12. Numerous reports of wind damage along with hail and flash flooding were received.
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 Jul 12, 12:38 AM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 138 AM CDT Sun Jul 12 2020 .DISCUSSION... The earlier round of convection in Kentucky fizzled out as it moved into the northern part of our area. At this point, that batch of activity is producing moderate rain with an occasional lightning strike. Models have been advertising more storms developing northwest of the CWA and moving into our area through the rest of the nighttime hours. That solution is on track as convection has quickly exploded along the Ohio River and southward. The environment in the western half of the CWA is unstable with 1000-2000 J/kg of MUCAPE and 1000-1400 J/kg of DCAPE. In addition to the instability, modest northwesterly flow has led to 30-40 kts of effective bulk shear. A few strong storms can be expected overnight with even a couple being able to reach severe limits. The main threat will be damaging winds. Some sub- severe hail is possible as well. Models show activity continuing into the morning today. HRRR seems to be holding onto the convection a little too long compared to the NAM Nest. This will have an impact on later activity as the shortwave swings through Middle Tennessee. Most models show a second wave of activity by 21z along the surface front. Bulk shear values will still be in the 35-45 kt range. The question will be how much we can recover from the morning round. Right now, it seems reasonable that we will be able to recover enough for a couple storms to reach severe limits with damaging winds once again being the main threat. If a storm can remain discrete, a tornado could not be completely ruled out, but chances are slim. Behind the front, things will quickly dry out as another slightly refreshing air mass filters in. Monday will be the coolest day of the week with temperatures mainly in the 80s. A couple locations including Nashville could touch 90. The warm up will commence on Tuesday as the influences of the western upper high creep eastward. Right now, Wednesday and Thursday look to be the hottest days with highs everywhere in the 90s and a couple locations possibly reaching the upper 90s. Heat index values exceeding 105 look possible Wednesday through the weekend west of the Cumberland Plateau. PoPs return to the forecast on Wednesday, but they look to be diurnal in nature. PoPs Wednesday onward to limited to 30-40% despite higher values that the GFS is producing. && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF DISCUSSION. Chances for showers and thunderstorms will impact all terminals this TAF period, with 2 rounds possible. Should storms pass over terminals, MVFR/IFR vis will be possible with heavier showers. Overnight, storms look to develop and move in from the northwest through mid morning, with a break late morning through mid afternoon. Additional showers and storms may develop late afternoon through the mid evening. Outflow from earlier storms will bring strong winds over the next hour or two at KBNA/KMQY, otherwise expecting light and variable winds overnight. Southwest/west winds will pick up by mid morning to around 10 knots gusting up to 15 knots during the day, becoming northwest by the evening. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 88 69 89 68 93 / 50 30 0 0 0 Clarksville 86 67 87 64 91 / 50 10 0 0 0 Crossville 83 65 82 62 87 / 40 20 0 0 10 Columbia 87 68 88 66 92 / 60 30 0 0 10 Lawrenceburg 86 68 87 65 92 / 60 30 0 0 10 Waverly 87 68 88 66 92 / 60 10 0 0 0 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && DISCUSSION......Reagan AVIATION........Barnwell
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Nashville TN 506 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020 TNZ005>011-023>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-121015- 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- 506 AM CDT Sat Jul 11 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Storms will move into Middle Tennessee tonight after midnight. A few storms may be capable of producing damaging winds and heavy rain. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Additional storms will impact Middle Tennessee during the day on Sunday. A few storms could be severe with damaging winds and heavy rain. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed on Sunday. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the NWS while following all local, state, and CDC guidelines. 10
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
1253 AM CDT Sun Jul 12 2020
TNZ007>009-120645-
Robertson TN-Sumner TN-Macon TN-
1253 AM CDT Sun Jul 12 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SUMNER...WEST CENTRAL MACON AND
EASTERN ROBERTSON COUNTIES UNTIL 145 AM CDT...
At 1252 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 10
miles north of Cross Plains, or 17 miles northeast of Springfield,
moving southeast at 30 mph.
Pea size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Gallatin, Springfield, Hendersonville, Goodlettsville, White House,
Millersville, Greenbrier, Westmoreland, Ridgetop, Cross Plains,
Portland, Orlinda, Mitchellville, Black Jack, Bethpage, Oak Grove,
Bledsoe Creek State Park and Cottontown.
This includes Interstate 65 between mile markers 98 and 121.
LAT...LON 3665 8629 3651 8607 3645 8617 3648 8619
3649 8624 3645 8624 3645 8627 3638 8627
3634 8634 3636 8637 3631 8639 3633 8646
3628 8652 3632 8655 3626 8657 3625 8661
3634 8672 3640 8675 3639 8678 3664 8695
TIME...MOT...LOC 0552Z 327DEG 28KT 3669 8667
BarnwellSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
246 AM CDT Sun Jul 12 2020
TNZ005-006-120830-
Stewart TN-Montgomery TN-
246 AM CDT Sun Jul 12 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MONTGOMERY AND NORTHEASTERN
STEWART COUNTIES UNTIL 330 AM CDT...
At 246 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Fort Campbell, moving east at 40 mph.
Half inch hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Clarksville, Big Rock, Indian Mound and Woodlawn.
This includes Interstate 24 between mile markers 1 and 17.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3662 8713 3661 8712 3656 8714 3655 8713
3655 8712 3654 8712 3652 8711 3647 8713
3646 8712 3644 8715 3641 8715 3643 8717
3642 8718 3651 8777 3664 8777 3664 8711
TIME...MOT...LOC 0746Z 285DEG 36KT 3659 8752
BarnwellThe Ft Campbell radar (KHPX), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:07 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 3 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree fell onto a house east of Indian Mound in western Montgomery County.
A Twitter tSpotter report and photo showed penny size hail fell in Indian Mound.
Trees and power lines were blown down along Highway 49.
A tree was blown down in the roadway on Beasley Drive.
A few power lines were blown down with power outages across Houston County.
Nickel size hail was reported on Spot Light Road near State Highway 100.
Campbell Ridge Road in Kingston Springs had severe flood damage with asphalt washed away.
Multiple roads were closed across Dickson County due to flooding. Flood waters were up to homes and front porches in downtown Dickson.
Lightning struck a tree then traveled into a home in the 200 block of Ewing Drive and set it on fire.
Several trees were blown down across Maury County.
Several trees and power lines were blown down across Hickman County with around 1,100 power outages.
Several trees and power lines were blown down along Highway 412 from Little Swan Creek Road eastward to the Maury County line.
Nickel size hail was reported 9 miles south of Mount Pleasant.
Several roads were flooded in Maury County including Mt. Joy Road and Terrapin Branch Road near Mount Pleasant, as well as Taylor Store Road and multiple other roads in Hampshire. One home was flooded near Columbia. Another water rescue from a mobile home was conducted on Terrapin Branch Road.
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, July 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: 911792, 912772, 911798, 911801, 911805, 912774, 911807, 911808, 911813, 911817, 911819, 911821, 912773, 911825.