An abnormally dry August led to worsening drought conditions, especially across southwest Middle Tennessee. 50 inches to nearly 3 inches for the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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.
An abnormally dry August led to worsening drought conditions, especially across southwest Middle Tennessee. Precipitation totals were below average across the area with Middle Tennessee's climate stations reporting rainfall deficits of around 1.50 inches to nearly 3 inches for the month. For the Nashville area, August 2024 was the 11th driest August on record, and the summer of 2024 was the 17th driest summer on record. By the end of the month, about 40 percent of Middle Tennessee was in at least moderate drought conditions. Of this, about 18 percent was in at least severe drought status with about 8 percent in extreme drought.
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 19, 11:12 PM CST, 48 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 1212 AM CDT Tue Aug 20 2024 ...New AVIATION... .UPDATE... Issued at 807 PM CDT Mon Aug 19 2024 High pressure extending all the way from Canada is continuing to bring gradually drier and cooler air into the region. Tonight will be mainly clear with lows in the pleasant 50s to lower 60s. Although the air is drying, there will be a few pockets of fog late tonight, mainly Plateau valleys. Forecast trends were freshened but no major changes this evening. && .SHORT TERM... (Rest of today through Tuesday) Issued at 1204 PM CDT Mon Aug 19 2024 As of 11 AM CDT...skies across Middle Tennessee were partly to mostly cloudy as a wide swath of stratocumulus moves through the region. Temperatures were in the 70s although some recent 80s have popped up in Wayne, Lawrence, and Giles Counties. Winds were from the north at 5 to 10 mph with some gusts as high as 20 mph. At the surface, high pressure, centered in the northern United States, was building into the region. This weekend's cold front was now south, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Aloft, a northwest flow regime has set up on the back of a trough of low pressure located over the eastern United States. Other than the low clouds, satellite shows clear skies overhead as a result of a large area of subsidence noted on water vapor imagery. For the rest of today through Tuesday, quiet weather should be anticipated. A few brief sprinkles/showers may be observed over the Cumberland Plateau region where 20 pops have been placed. The stratocumulus will remain stubborn and maintain itself a while longer, so we're likely on track for cooler temperatures than what were advertised in previous forecasts. We're still in the time of year where it doesn't take much sun to have a quick rise in temperatures, so only trimmed a degree or two where cloud cover should persist longer. Outside of that shower chance mentioned above, a dry forecast has been issued...and this extends through the next 7 days. When it comes to temperatures, we are expecting some drier air, currently observed in the Midwest, to filter south into our region through the next 24-36 hours. In addition, very dry air aloft should mix down with daytime heating, leading to a noticeable drop in humidity. Afternoon high temperatures today will be in the 70s and 80, and slightly cooler Tuesday with highs projected to climb only into the mid 70s to mid 80s, warmest in our southwestern forecast area. Overnight low temperatures range from the mid 50s to low 60s. If you're needing a reason to take off from work and enjoy a nice day outside, tomorrow is the day to do just that! && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday Night through next Monday) Issued at 1204 PM CDT Mon Aug 19 2024 The forecast through next Monday brings a lot of the same...dry weather. This is not good for the ongoing drought conditions across Tennessee, especially when temperatures ramp up once again Thursday and into the weekend. Tuesday night will bring some of the coolest temperatures we've seen in a while, with lows currently forecast in the low to upper 50s. Yes, you read that right...50s. Quite the change. Wednesday will once again bring below normal temperatures, around 8-10 degrees below normal for this time of year. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end...and the cooldown will evaporate with the return of southerly flow near the surface. Warm Gulf air returns Thursday and you'll notice the difference quite easily. Dewpoints return to the 60s, and afternoon high temperatures Thursday return to normal levels, 80s to approaching 90 in some locations along the Tennessee River. High pressure will maintain it's grip on Middle Tennessee through the weekend, and temperatures will get quite hot once again unfortunately. We should be into the 90s region-wide by Monday, so enjoy the cooldown while you can! && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1211 AM CDT Tue Aug 20 2024 VFR conditions are forecasted through the TAF period. We will see quiet conditions with mostly clear skies. Northerly winds under 10 knots. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 83 58 82 60 / 0 0 0 0 Clarksville 81 56 80 55 / 0 0 0 0 Crossville 76 49 77 53 / 0 0 0 0 Columbia 84 56 83 58 / 0 0 0 0 Cookeville 76 52 77 55 / 0 0 0 0 Jamestown 75 51 76 52 / 0 0 0 0 Lawrenceburg 82 54 82 58 / 0 0 0 0 Murfreesboro 83 56 83 58 / 0 0 0 0 Waverly 83 56 81 56 / 0 0 0 0 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && UPDATE.......13 SHORT TERM...Husted LONG TERM....Husted AVIATION.....Mueller
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Abnormally dry conditions across Wayne County at the end of July 2024 worsened throughout August. By August 20, northern portions of Wayne County had deteriorated to severe drought conditions. By August 27, the same areas degraded to extreme drought conditions.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions across Perry County at the end of July 2024 worsened throughout August. By August 20, most of Perry County had deteriorated to severe drought conditions. By August 27, all of the county was in either severe or extreme drought.
Abnormally dry conditions across Lewis County at the end of July 2024 worsened throughout August. By August 20, all of Lewis County had deteriorated to severe drought conditions. By August 27, all of the county was in extreme drought.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions across Maury County at the end of July 2024 worsened throughout August. By August 20, the western half of Maury County had deteriorated to severe drought conditions. By August 27, western Maury County was in severe to extreme drought.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions across Hickman County at the end of July 2024 worsened throughout August. By August 20, most of Hickman County had deteriorated to severe drought conditions. By August 27, the majority of Hickman County was in severe to extreme drought.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, August 2024
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: 1199254, 1199255, 1199258, 1199259, 1199261.