An abnormally dry month of June 2024 led to flash drought conditions in the month of July 2024. By July 9th, severe drought conditions developed in Lawrence, Giles, Marshall, Maury, and Cumberland counties, or about 13 percent of Middle Tennessee.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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 month of June 2024 led to flash drought conditions in the month of July 2024. By July 9th, severe drought conditions developed in Lawrence, Giles, Marshall, Maury, and Cumberland counties, or about 13 percent of Middle Tennessee. Drought conditions expanded a week later on July 16th with about 32 percent of the area in at least severe drought. Southern portions of Lawrence and Giles deteriorated to extreme drought conditions at the point as well. Beneficial rainfall during the latter half of July, however, helped to improve drought conditions so that by the end of the month, only southern Lawrence and Giles counties remained in severe drought conditions.
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 15, 11:28 PM CST, 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 1228 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 ...New AVIATION... .UPDATE... Issued at 802 PM CDT Mon Jul 15 2024 All of the convection along the plateau has dissipated leaving the area completely dry. Conditions will stay dry through tomorrow morning before isolated convection develops again. There could be some patchy fog along the southern plateau late tonight for areas that received some rain this afternoon. The main concern for tomorrow continues to be the heat. Macon County was added to the heat advisory, otherwise no changes were made. && .SHORT TERM... (Rest of today through Tuesday) Issued at 1135 AM CDT Mon Jul 15 2024 We have already issued a Heat Advisory for this afternoon and again for tomorrow, but mostly for tomorrow. We do expect a few locations in the advisory area to reach a heat index of 105+ today, but even more so tomorrow. A surface ridge is situated to our east today, placing us under a southwesterly flow at the surface. There are some storm chances today mainly along the Cumberland Plateau, and again for tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be the hottest day, because temperatures will start to back down after tomorrow. && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday Night through next Monday) Issued at 1135 AM CDT Mon Jul 15 2024 A strong surface boundary will approach Middle Tennessee from the northwest late tomorrow night, with storm chances developing by the overnight period and becoming more widespread on Wednesday. The boundary will become quasi-stationary over us (yay!) and won't completely make it through the mid state until Thursday night or Friday, but will then come back through as a warm front as it connects with a low pressure system out west this weekend and the first part of next week. So we're about to trade our hot, dry pattern for a rainier spell with much cooler temperatures. At this time, we aren't outlooked for any severe storms. The only hazardous weather is the Heat Advisory covering this afternoon and tomorrow. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1221 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024 VFR. Light and variable winds will become more westerly/southwesterly around 5 to 10 knots during the day, becoming light and variable after sunset. Some isolated afternoon thunderstorms will be possible today, but coverage and confidence is low attm, so left out mention in the forecast for now. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 100 77 93 72 / 10 30 70 80 Clarksville 97 74 87 68 / 10 40 60 60 Crossville 92 69 89 65 / 20 20 80 80 Columbia 100 75 96 70 / 20 10 70 80 Cookeville 93 73 89 68 / 10 30 80 80 Jamestown 92 71 87 66 / 10 30 80 80 Lawrenceburg 97 73 93 70 / 10 10 70 80 Murfreesboro 100 75 96 71 / 10 20 80 80 Waverly 98 74 92 70 / 10 10 80 80 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for Bedford-Cheatham- Davidson-Dickson-Giles-Hickman-Houston-Humphreys-Lawrence-Lewis- Macon-Marshall-Maury-Montgomery-Perry-Robertson-Rutherford-Smith- Stewart-Sumner-Trousdale-Wayne-Williamson-Wilson. && UPDATE.......Reagan SHORT TERM...Rose LONG TERM....Rose AVIATION.....Barnwell
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Drought conditions worsened across Coffee County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across Grundy County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across Cannon County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across Warren County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across Van Buren County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across White County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across De Kalb County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across Putnam County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across Overton County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
Drought conditions worsened across Fentress County during the month of July 2024, peaking to severe drought conditions in mid-July. By the end of the month, drought conditions improved to moderate drought conditions.
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, July 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: 1189577, 1189578, 1189579, 1189580, 1189581, 1189582, 1189583, 1189584, 1189585, 1189586.