A line of thunderstorms moved southeast through Middle Tennessee during the afternoon of May 25, 2025. Damaging winds was the primary threat along this line with numerous reports of downed trees received across southern portions of Middle Tennessee.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
A line of thunderstorms moved southeast through Middle Tennessee during the afternoon of May 25, 2025. Damaging winds was the primary threat along this line with numerous reports of downed trees received across southern portions of Middle Tennessee.
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 May 25, 11:28 AM CST, 1 hour 42 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 1228 PM CDT Sun May 25 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1228 PM CDT Sun May 25 2025 - Daily rain and thunderstorm chances continue into mid-week. Severe threat is low, but if there are any, the main hazard will be strong winds. - Monitoring flooding potential next work week. Continue to monitor the forecast. && .SHORT TERM... (Rest of today through tonight) Issued at 1057 AM CDT Sun May 25 2025 Surface obs this morning indicate a weak surface low over OK, and an associated front is the focus for thunderstorm development. A line of thunderstorms is taking shape over AR this morning with additional development behind it in OK & KS. This line over AR is expected to grow and better organize itself as it dives south and east. As it does so, it'll clip our southwestern counties which will have to be monitored for strong to severe potential this afternoon where a slight risk (level 2 out 5) is still in place. Fortunately, our severe weather risk remains low with unfavorable parameters. CAPE values are low at around 500-800 J/kg with bulk shear at around 30-40 knots. Mid- and low-level lapse rates are also unimpressive at around 6 C/km. HRRR soundings across the area only show a low severe weather threat through the evening with the main threat from any stronger storm being strong to potentially damaging winds. The thunderstorms developing over OK & KS will move into the area right behind the first wave, more or less following the same path. Again, unfavorable parameters still show a low severe weather threat. Thunderstorms will move out of the area late this evening, with a low chance for lingering light rain overnight. && .LONG TERM... (Monday through next Sunday) Issued at 1057 AM CDT Sun May 25 2025 Our weather pattern remains very unsettled as we begin a new week. With abundant moisture in place, additional showers and storms will develop Monday, but it will be that evening and overnight where more widespread rain moves into the area. This is due to a shortwave that moves through the area Monday night through Tuesday, providing additional forcing for greater coverage and more substantial rain. Models show PWAT values of 1.75 inches to near 2 inches, which would easily surpass the 90th percentile for this time of the year and potentially approach daily records. Forecast soundings are too saturated to suggest much of a severe weather threat, but with moisture values like this, we'll have to monitor the flooding potential closely. Especially across the southwest due to the repeated rounds of rain. The shortwave exits our area Tuesday, but our daily rain chances continue with a troughing pattern setting up over the eastern CONUS. An unsettled pattern and plenty of moisture still hanging around keeps low to medium rain chances in the forecast through Friday. We'll likely be entering a more summer-like pattern with isolated to scattered storms following a diurnal pattern. A weak front moves through the area Friday, finally scouring out our moisture which means that a drier weekend is currently favored. Unfortunately, we won't be cooling off post-front as temperatures make their way back into the 80s this weekend. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1228 PM CDT Sun May 25 2025 Ceilings will continue lowering into MVFR conditions through the TAF period. SH and TS will continue moving from west to east across all TAF sites into the 03z hour. Low ceilings will persist once the rain clears the area, and winds will remain northeasterly or variable under 10 knots. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 61 77 67 80 / 60 70 90 100 Clarksville 60 73 65 76 / 50 70 100 90 Crossville 57 72 61 73 / 60 70 100 90 Columbia 62 77 67 80 / 70 80 90 90 Cookeville 58 75 64 76 / 50 60 100 100 Jamestown 55 74 60 74 / 50 50 100 100 Lawrenceburg 63 78 66 79 / 70 80 90 90 Murfreesboro 61 77 66 81 / 60 80 90 100 Waverly 58 72 63 76 / 60 80 100 90 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...Clements LONG TERM....Clements AVIATION.....Holley
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
142 PM CDT Sun May 25 2025
TNZ024-025-056-057-251930-
Hickman TN-Dickson TN-Humphreys TN-Perry TN-
142 PM CDT Sun May 25 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN DICKSON...NORTH
CENTRAL PERRY...HUMPHREYS AND NORTHWESTERN HICKMAN COUNTIES THROUGH
230 PM CDT...
At 141 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
New Johnsonville, or near Camden, moving east at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Dickson, Waverly, Centerville, Camden, New Johnsonville, McEwen,
Hurricane Mills, Pinewood, Nunnelly, Bucksnort, and I-40 Near The
Tennessee River.
This includes Interstate 40 between mile markers 136 and 169.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3600 8800 3603 8800 3605 8799 3613 8792
3617 8792 3620 8794 3620 8759 3618 8757
3621 8755 3621 8741 3578 8738 3579 8798
3583 8797 3587 8794 3594 8793 3595 8801
3597 8802
TIME...MOT...LOC 1841Z 264DEG 37KT 3599 8803
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
10The Ft Campbell radar (KHPX), 139 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:07 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a tree on Highway 13 South in Linden. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed multiple trees across northern portions of Wayne County. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a tree onto a van in Lawrenceburg, trapping its occupants inside. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a tree on TN-242 in Lawrenceburg. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a tree onto a home on Lawrence Street in Lawrenceburg. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds uprooted a large tree near High Avenue and Groh Street in Lawrenceburg. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed multiple trees across northern Giles County. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a couple trees and caused power outages on the south and southwest side of Lewisburg. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a few trees near Mt. Herman Road and Hawthorne Hill Road near Shelbyville. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a large tree near New Herman Road and George Reagor Road. Damages are a rough estimate.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a tree on Woodbury Highway in Manchester. Damages are a rough estimate.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, May 2025
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: 1247712, 1247713, 1247714, 1247716, 1247717, 1247718, 1247719, 1247720, 1247722, 1247723, 1247724.