Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening hours of March 24, including one supercell thunderstorm that tracked through Wayne and Lawrence Counties. Although no severe weather was reported, several incidents of flash flooding occurred.
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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.
Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening hours of March 24, including one supercell thunderstorm that tracked through Wayne and Lawrence Counties. Although no severe weather was reported, several incidents of flash flooding occurred.
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 Mar 24, 1:35 PM CST, 3 hours 7 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 235 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020 .DISCUSSION... Line of convection has developed and just crossed the TN River Valley in our northwest. Instability is on the weaker side for most of the mid state so far with the warm front just getting into southern middle TN early this afternoon. The warm front is speeding northward a bit faster than it was this morning, so additional WAA and moisture will move into the area, and allow for more instability for these developing thunderstorms. Main focus remains south of I-40 where the warm front will eliminate the low level inversion and allow for additional instability/low level shear as well. Helicity will also be enhanced along and just south of the warm front, especially as the surface low moves through and may help to back surface winds a bit. Pressure falls are evident in the southern half of western TN currently, suggesting the path of the surface low will be ENE through the afternoon from its current location near Memphis. This will place the surface low near and possibly just north of the SPC enhanced risk area, and make severe storm development more favorable in that area especially with the warm front nearby. With helicity and low level shear also better, risk for tornadoes is highest in that area this afternoon and evening along the front and near the triple point. With stronger updrafts, damaging winds and hail will also be possible, as well as heavy rain. Flash Flood Watch remains in effect for the southern 1/3 of the mid state due to upcoming rain over areas that already received good amounts over the past few days. Also, even though the focus is on the enhanced risk area, all areas of middle TN have decent instability and strong shear, despite having a shallow low level inversion. Existing convection that travels through other locations in the area will be able to utilize this instability, and be able to become strong to severe with damaging winds and hail. Isolated tornadoes can also not be ruled out in the slight/marginal risk area. Severe risk will continue this evening mainly along and east of I-65 as the surface low and upper trough move to the northeast. Instability does weaken a bit, however shear and helicity will remain high. After 10 pm or so, the thunderstorms should be out of the mid state with only lingering showers in the eastern half of the area. Drier weather will move in on Wednesday and Thursday as upper ridging moves in overhead. Models still hinting at some light rain potential Friday morning as a weak shortwave moves through the Midwest, but most of the mid state looks to remain dry. Next chance for showers and thunderstorms will be on Saturday, and strong to severe storms are not out of the question. Some instability and shear are showing up on long term models, and will definitely be something we keep an eye on in the coming days. Chances for rain will end Sunday morning, and the rest of the weekend looks dry. Unfortunately it will be short lived as another round of rain looks to move in Monday night and Tuesday. && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF DISCUSSION. BNA/MQY/CKV/CSV...A warm front is currently lifting northward across Middle Tennessee and will likely make it to around I-40 before a cold front quickly moves in from the NW. The HRRR shows a line of storms forming along or just ahead of the cold front, and have timed the storms according to the HRRR progs. Storms should quickly exit the mid state during the evening, with perhaps some lingering light showers. Low ceilings will probably stick around overnight, with VFR conditions breaking out by 18Z tomorrow. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 49 64 47 76 63 / 80 0 0 10 10 Clarksville 46 64 48 79 63 / 60 0 0 10 20 Crossville 48 62 44 70 58 / 90 10 0 10 10 Columbia 49 66 46 78 62 / 90 10 0 10 10 Lawrenceburg 50 67 47 77 62 / 90 10 0 0 10 Waverly 50 68 50 79 64 / 80 10 0 0 10 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch until 1 AM CDT Wednesday for Bedford-Coffee- Giles-Grundy-Lawrence-Lewis-Marshall-Maury-Van Buren-Warren- Wayne. && DISCUSSION......Barnwell AVIATION........08
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Nashville TN 328 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020 TNZ005>011-023>034-056>066-075-077>080-093>095-251000- 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- 328 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight A Tornado Watch is in effect until 10 p.m. for most of Middle Tennessee south of I-40. Isolated strong tornadoes are possible in and close to the watch area. A Flash Flood Watch is also in effect for southern Middle Tennessee until 1 a.m. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday The development of some strong to severe thunderstorms could be possible Saturday afternoon across mid state region. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will be needed this afternoon and evening.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
450 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020
TNZ056-058-093-094-242215-
Lawrence TN-Wayne TN-Lewis TN-Perry TN-
450 PM CDT Tue Mar 24 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LEWIS...NORTHERN WAYNE...
NORTHWESTERN LAWRENCE AND SOUTHERN PERRY COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM CDT...
At 450 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles northeast of Olive Hill, or 9 miles west of Waynesboro, moving
east at 65 mph.
Half inch hail and winds in excess of 30 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Hohenwald, Waynesboro, Flatwoods, Gordonsburg, Kimmins and
Henryville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for Middle
Tennessee.
LAT...LON 3552 8797 3563 8751 3562 8745 3565 8738
3531 8736 3520 8798 3530 8799
TIME...MOT...LOC 2150Z 249DEG 55KT 3534 8792
WhiteheadThe Nashville radar (KOHX), 162 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:43 UTC.
6 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A couple of roads were flooded and closed between Waynesboro and Clifton.
Several bridges and driveways were washed out in Lynnville and other parts of northern Giles County.
Up to a foot of water covered Buffalo Road.
Beasleys Bend Road was flooded and closed.
A truck was washed off Pleasant Shade Highway into trees along Peyton Creek by flooding.
Several roads were flooded and closed in Pelham with one bridge damaged by flood waters.
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, March 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: 883169, 883170, 883171, 883174, 883176, 883177.