Name: Drought in Tennessee, November 1 to 30, 2023
Start: 2023-11-01T00:00
End: 2023-11-30T23:59
Location: Tennessee

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS HUN wrote it up.

The U.S. Drought Monitor introduced Exceptional Drought (D4) Conditions into a tiny sliver of far Southeastern Franklin County, TN. The U.S. Drought Monitor continued Extreme Drought (D3) conditions for all counties in Southern Middle Tennessee as of November 2nd. This includes Lincoln, Franklin, and Moore Counties.

With the next issuance on the 9th, D4 conditions worsened and expanded to the NW a little, but were further reduced once again by the issuance on the 23rd.

By the issuance on the 30th, all D4 conditions were removed from Franklin County in Southern Middle Tennessee, leaving Extreme Drought (D3) Conditions in place through the end of the month of November.

What forecasters said that day

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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 31, 11:30 PM CST, 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 31, 11:30 PM CST, 30 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
1230 AM CDT Wed Nov 1 2023

...New AVIATION...

.NEAR TERM...
(Tonight)
Issued at 847 PM CDT Tue Oct 31 2023

On this eerie Halloween night, a bone-chilling tale unfolds as the
frigid grip of winter tightens its hold. The skies overhead are
as empty as a ghost town, with temperatures plummeting deep into
the sinister 20s, and the wicked wind chills whispering in the
ears of the unsuspecting, reaching as low as the dreadful teens.
A cursed Freeze Warning shall descend upon us in the witching hour
of 11pm until 9am tomorrow. To survive this dire night, those
venturing outdoors must fortify themselves with layers upon layers
of clothing, guarding against the merciless freeze, especially at
bus stops and during the morning commute.

As the darkness looms, there is another dreaded force lurking in
the background. There remains prolonged drought conditions,
combined with howling winds will continue elevated fire danger.
Beware, for open flames are to be avoided at all costs!

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Wednesday through Friday)
Issued at 303 PM CDT Tue Oct 31 2023

After a chilly start, cold conditions will continue for the mid
week. Highs should warm only into the lower 50s under sunny skies.
Northerly winds of 5-15 mph in the morning should slacken somewhat
into the 5-10 mph range Wed afternoon. Another chilly, and frosty
period is forecast Wed night, with lows again in the mid/upper
20s. With light winds, clear skies, and a good opportunity for
radiational cooling, some of the coldest spots could experience
readings into the lower 20s. It still will be iffy near the larger
bodies of water on whether the water will be a temperature
moderating factor. Given that we will probably have a good
coverage of "hard" freezing temperatures tonight, have opted not
to send another Freeze Warning with this package.

A gradual warming trend is forecast for the latter half of the
week, with highs on Thu warming into the upper 50s to around 60.
Similarly Thu night with lows in the lower 30s. Even warmer on
Fri with highs in the low/mid 60s.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Friday night through Monday)
Issued at 303 PM CDT Tue Oct 31 2023

Zonal flow aloft and high pressure at the surface will continue
this weekend and into early next week. Thus, mostly sunny/dry
weather is expected through the weekend, with a continued warming
trend. Daytime highs will peak in the low to mid 70s and overnight
lows will be well above the freezing mark in the mid to upper 40s.

Another system nearing the area will bring an increase in clouds,
and low-medium chances for showers Monday night into Tuesday.

&&

.AVIATION...
(06Z TAFS)
Issued at 1230 AM CDT Wed Nov 1 2023

VFR conditions will prevail at each terminal through the period
under a clear sky. Gusty northerly winds will continue to be an
issue through daybreak at both terminals, potentially gusting as
high as 20-25 kts through 12-13z. Thereafter, winds will slightly
veer to the NNE to around 10 kts during the day and below 5 kts
after sunset.

&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...Freeze Warning until 9 AM CDT this morning for ALZ001>010-016.

TN...Freeze Warning until 9 AM CDT this morning for TNZ076-096-097.

&&

NEAR TERM...25
SHORT TERM....RSB
LONG TERM....AMP
AVIATION...AMP.24

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Lincoln

When: November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.141, -86.589 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The U.S. Drought Monitor introduced Exceptional Drought (D4) Conditions into a tiny sliver of far Southeastern Franklin County, TN. The U.S. Drought Monitor continued Extreme Drought (D3) conditions for all counties in Southern Middle Tennessee as of November 2nd. This includes Lincoln, Franklin, and Moore Counties.

With the next issuance on the 9th, D4 conditions worsened and expanded to the NW a little, but were further reduced once again by the issuance on the 23rd.

By the issuance on the 30th, all D4 conditions were removed from Franklin County in Southern Middle Tennessee, leaving Extreme Drought (D3) Conditions in place through the end of the month of November.

Drought, Moore

When: November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Moore forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.285, -86.359 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The U.S. Drought Monitor introduced Exceptional Drought (D4) Conditions into a tiny sliver of far Southeastern Franklin County, TN. The U.S. Drought Monitor continued Extreme Drought (D3) conditions for all counties in Southern Middle Tennessee as of November 2nd. This includes Lincoln, Franklin, and Moore Counties.

With the next issuance on the 9th, D4 conditions worsened and expanded to the NW a little, but were further reduced once again by the issuance on the 23rd.

By the issuance on the 30th, all D4 conditions were removed from Franklin County in Southern Middle Tennessee, leaving Extreme Drought (D3) Conditions in place through the end of the month of November.

Drought, Franklin

When: November 1, 12:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Franklin forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 35.155, -86.092 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The U.S. Drought Monitor introduced Exceptional Drought (D4) Conditions into a tiny sliver of far Southeastern Franklin County, TN. The U.S. Drought Monitor continued Extreme Drought (D3) conditions for all counties in Southern Middle Tennessee as of November 2nd. This includes Lincoln, Franklin, and Moore Counties.

With the next issuance on the 9th, D4 conditions worsened and expanded to the NW a little, but were further reduced once again by the issuance on the 23rd.

By the issuance on the 30th, all D4 conditions were removed from Franklin County in Southern Middle Tennessee, leaving Extreme Drought (D3) Conditions in place through the end of the month of November.

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Tennessee in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, November 2023

Sources

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: 1146632, 1146633, 1153046.