A couple of thunderstorms impacted southwest Middle Tennessee during the early evening hours of August 5, 2023. These thunderstorms were briefly severe with damaging winds causing a few trees and powerlines to fall in Lawrence County.
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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.
A couple of thunderstorms impacted southwest Middle Tennessee during the early evening hours of August 5, 2023. These thunderstorms were briefly severe with damaging winds causing a few trees and powerlines to fall in Lawrence County.
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 5, 6:12 PM CST, 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 712 PM CDT Sat Aug 5 2023 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM... (This afternoon through Monday Night) Issued at 221 PM CDT Sat Aug 5 2023 Surface low located over IL this afternoon with a warm front trailing off to the southeast and across the mid state. Cold front extends southwestward from the low to across southern MO and northern KN. The cold front and areas just south will continue to serve as a breeding ground for MCS development going forward. Currently, the remnants of the latest system covers our north central and northeastern areas and will continue to weaken with time. Model data going forward is not very dependable in terms of futuristic MCS timing and approximate location. That said, we'll be adhering to the short term cams and current and expected trajectory patterns for the forecast through Monday night. We are currently outlooked with a marginal risk through tonight. Expectations are for an mcs to develop across eastern AR and move eastward and reach our area this evening. Hrrr and Namnest are in agreement with this expectation. Since its noteworthy, The GFS also shows some enhancement for this evening, though the Euro is not in support. Straight line strong to perhaps damaging winds will be the threat. The degree of afternoon destabilization may be overdone as the current cloudiness and rainfall may be a little slower to end. We are getting some better destabilization across our southwest. The surface low to our north could generate a little more in the way of helicity magnitudes but that should generally remain to or north. Localized flooding will also be a possibility. Cams show up to 1-2 inch localized amounts through sunrise. Some areas across our northwest have received 1-2 inches since midnight. Moving on, perhaps a break for the first portion of your Sunday. Then we will see convection ramp up once again for the late afternoon/evening period. At that time, a more vigorous surface low across nrn IL will contain a southward extending cold front. Shear values will be picking up with good instability levels in advance of it. Our entire area is in a slight risk and we do see some better helicity values of 200+ at that time. Otw, straight line damaging winds will be the primary threat. On Monday, we'll carry highest pops along the Plateau where instabilities will ramp up significantly by afternoon. The slight risk will still be in effect for areas east of I-65. Mid level lapse rates approach 8C at that time with strong cape through the -20C level. Can't rule out some hail at that point. Look for improving conditions by Monday night. Through Monday night, WPC is carrying areal average qpf amounts of around 2 inches west to an inch east. For the near term temps, we should warm into the upper 80s on Sunday with that non active morning and early afternoon period expected. More in the way of sunshine will keep us near 90 for Monday. && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday through next Saturday) Issued at 221 PM CDT Sat Aug 5 2023 In the extended forecast, not much pattern change as in general, a broad troughing regime resides. Westerlies will remain semi-active but we can hone in on Wednesday and Thursday as rather wet. At that time, a more robust series of shortwaves will impact our area. The NBE numbers have shown some copious rainfall amounts with the last several runs. Looks like the builder will give us 2 inch amounts, or so, area wide. GFS is showing quite a bit more with the Euro close to 2 inches. In terms of severe potential, SPC shows some activity upstream from us on Day 5, but there is no Day 6 eastward prorogation indicated at this time. For the extended temps, with the expected clouds and precip for Wed and Thu along with the aforementioned gentle troughing, temps will run a few degrees below normal. Then, look for conditions to normalize by the weekend with near 90 for highs returning. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 708 PM CDT Sat Aug 5 2023 A broken line of storms is expected to move from west to east across Middle TN this evening. Heavy rain could cause decreased visibilities and gusty winds will likely accompany any storm. Storms should clear CSV by 09Z. Low cigs and patchy fog may develop overnight...with SRB and CSV being the most likely to experience deteriorated conditions. Broken mid clouds are expected to hang around throughout the day on Sunday. Additional storm development is expected Sunday afternoon, but coverage is uncertain. Mentioned vcts for now. Winds will remain out of the west for most of the period. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 74 90 75 89 / 50 70 60 50 Clarksville 72 89 73 88 / 50 50 60 30 Crossville 67 84 68 82 / 60 70 60 70 Columbia 72 91 73 90 / 50 70 30 50 Cookeville 69 87 71 85 / 60 70 60 60 Jamestown 69 85 68 82 / 60 60 70 70 Lawrenceburg 71 90 72 89 / 50 70 30 50 Murfreesboro 72 92 72 90 / 50 70 50 50 Waverly 71 88 71 87 / 60 50 60 40 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...21 LONG TERM....21 AVIATION.....Whitehead
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 130 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:30 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed powerlines across Highway 43 about one mile north of the Tennessee and Alabama state line. Numerous trees were also reported downed along Cowpen Road. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a large tree along Tennessee State Route 227 southeast of Loretto. Damages are a rough estimate.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, August 2023
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: 1106748, 1106749.