Tennessee, 2025

Flooding in Tennessee, April 6 to 7, 2025

April 6 to 7, 2025 · NWS MEG · 9 events in 2 counties and zones

Total rainfall amounts of 10-15 inches occurred across parts of east Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, West Tennessee, and extreme northwest Mississippi during the April 2- April 5 event. This resulted in widespread river flooding for several days following the event including major flooding on the Obion River and the North Fork Forked Deer River.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
$4.3 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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 MEG wrote it up.

Total rainfall amounts of 10-15 inches occurred across parts of east Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, West Tennessee, and extreme northwest Mississippi during the April 2- April 5 event. This resulted in widespread river flooding for several days following the event including major flooding on the Obion River and the North Fork Forked Deer River.

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 Memphis, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 6, 5:22 AM CST, 7 hours 38 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 604 AM CDT Sun Apr 6 2025 -Significant river flooding will continue into next week. -Scattered showers and cooler temperatures are on tap for today. -Cool and dry weather is expected Monday through Wednesday. -Patchy frost is possible over the next couple of nights as lows drop into the 30s in some places.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 6, 5:22 AM CST, 7 hours 38 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
622 AM CDT Sun Apr 6 2025

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 604 AM CDT Sun Apr 6 2025

-Significant river flooding will continue into next week.

-Scattered showers and cooler temperatures are on tap for today.

-Cool and dry weather is expected Monday through Wednesday.

-Patchy frost is possible over the next couple of nights as lows
 drop into the 30s in some places.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
(Today through Saturday)
Issued at 221 AM CDT Sun Apr 6 2025

The severe threat has ended across northeast MS. The flash flood
threat continues across areas east of the MS attm. The threat will
gradually shift from flash flooding to areal flooding as the rain
ends from west to east and water is slow to recede.

Event rainfall totals as of 1 am CDT:

NWS Memphis (East Memphis) 14.07 inches
Memphis International 12.35 inches
West Memphis 10.00 inches
Jonesboro 8.75 inches
Blytheville 8.41 inches
Tupelo 2.66 inches

Surface low pressure and front are shifting into AL. Post frontal
rain continues across parts of West TN and NE MS but this is
rapidly shifting east. The upper trough will pivot through the
area today with scattered showers and much cooler temps. Highs
will range from around 50 northwest to the mid 60s southeast.
River flooding will continue to worsen today as 10-15 inches of
rain works its way through the system. Many roads will be flooded
across the region. Do not drive through flooded roadways.

Cool high pressure will build into the region early this week with
much below normal temperatures. Expect highs in the upper 50s and
lower 60s with lows in the 30s and lower 40s. Patchy frost is
possible in the typical colder areas. Looks like Tuesday morning
represents the best chance for frost and a Frost Advisory may be
needed.

Southerly winds return in advance of an upper trough digging
through the TN/OH valleys mid week. This will result in milder
temps Wed/Thu. The upper trough moving through will result in a
chance of showers across the region Thursday and Thursday night.

High pressure will build in for Friday and Saturday with cooler
temps. Expect highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s. A return to
southerly flow should bring a milder end to next weekend with
highs back in the 70s.

&&

.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 622 AM CDT Sun Apr 6 2025

Rain chances will continue to diminish through midday at all
terminals. IFR CIGs will persist through the majority of the
period with MVFR conditions returning overnight. A brief period of
gusty winds may materialize this evening as a reinforcing front
swings across the Mid-South.

ANS

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...Flood Watch until 7 AM CDT this morning for ARZ009-018-026>028-
     035-036-048-049-058.

MO...Flood Watch until 7 AM CDT this morning for MOZ113-115.

MS...Flood Watch until 7 AM CDT this morning for MSZ001>005-007-008-
     010>014-020.

     Flood Watch until 1 PM CDT this afternoon for MSZ006-009-015>017-
     021>024.

TN...Flood Watch until 7 AM CDT this morning for TNZ001>004-019>022-
     048>055-088>092.

&&

PUBLIC FORECAST...SJM
AVIATION...ANS

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Obion

When
April 6, 1:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Obion County, 0.13 mi SW of Harris to 0.39 mi SE of Harris
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$125,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.449, -88.952

The Harris Fork Creek flooded parts of Harris. Several homes were affected.

Flood, Obion

When
April 6, 1:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Obion County, 0.99 mi S of Obion to 1.32 mi S of Obion
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$300,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.256, -89.201

The Obion River flooded parts of Obion. About a dozen homes were affected.

Flood, Obion

When
April 6, 1:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Obion County, 0.81 mi ENE of Kenton to 0.75 mi ENE of Kenton
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$100,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.203, -89.006

Heavy rain caused flooding along the Rutherford Fork Obion River. About a half-dozen homes were affected in the Obion County part of Kenton.

Flood, Dyer

When
April 6, 1:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Dyer County, 9.53 mi E of Trimble to 9.67 mi E of Trimble
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.201, -89.009

Heavy rain caused flooding along the Rutherford Fork Obion River. Three homes were affected on the Dyer County side of Kenton.

Flood, Dyer

When
April 6, 1:00 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Dyer County, 0.55 mi SW of Calvary to 2.12 mi WSW of Miston
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$1.3 million
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.194, -89.457

Heavy rain resulted in widespread flooding of the Obion River in Bogota. Nearly 100 structures were affected.

Flood, Obion

When
April 6, 1:37 PM CST to 7:37 PM CST
Where
Obion County, 0.74 mi W of South Fulton to 0.09 mi W of South Fulton
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$300,000
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
36.502, -88.883

Flooding in South Fulton near Harris Fork Creek. Nearly 20 homes were affected by standing water.

Flood, Obion

When
April 6, 2:03 PM CST to 8:03 PM CST
Where
Obion County, 0.57 mi SE of Rives to 1.13 mi S of Rives
Cause
Dam / Levee Break
Property damage
$1.5 million
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.364, -89.044

The entire community of Rives was flooded due to three levee breeches caused by heavy rainfall. Nearly 100 structures were affected.

Flood, Dyer

When
April 7, 11:12 AM CST to 5:12 PM CST
Where
Dyer County, 0.54 mi NNE of (Dyr)dyersburg Muni to 0.49 mi NNE of Middle City
Cause
Heavy Rain
Property damage
$750,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
36.007, -89.396

The North Fork Forked Deer River flooded across the southern part of Dyersburg. Water rescues from homes in South Dyersburg were necessary. Over 100 structures were affected.

Flood, Dyer

When
April 7, 12:46 PM CST to 1:46 PM CST
Where
Dyer County, 1.07 mi NW of Bishop to 1.73 mi NNW of Bishop
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
36.010, -89.345

SR 20 WB in Dyer County between Sorrell Chapel Loop and Beaver Rd was closed due to flooded road conditions.

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Tennessee in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, April 2025

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: 1266761, 1266764, 1266767, 1266769, 1266772, 1254687, 1254688, 1254689, 1254690.