A dry spring continued across Middle Tennessee during April 2026. Precipitation amounts were generally 3 to 5 inches across with most of this rain recorded during the last week of the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 38 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.
A dry spring continued across Middle Tennessee during April 2026. Precipitation amounts were generally 3 to 5 inches across with most of this rain recorded during the last week of the month. While these rain amounts were higher compared to the past couple months, it was still below normal for the month. Drought conditions worsened through the month of April. By the end of the month, all of Middle Tennessee was in at least severe drought with about 38 percent of this classified as 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 Mar 31, 11:40 PM CST, 20 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 1240 AM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1235 AM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 - Warm with well above normal temperatures through Saturday, then cooler to start next week. - Low to medium chances for showers and storms through Friday, increasing to high chances by late Saturday. - The risk of severe storms or flooding is very low. && .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Thursday Night) Issued at 1035 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026 Through the rest of the week, we will be situated between a high pressure system off the Southeast coast and a zone of active frontal systems from the plains to the Great lakes. For our wx this means deep southwest flow with warm, moist air. The tail end of the frontal systems will push into our area helping to set off some episodes of showers and storms, but the main energy with these systems will be deflected well to our north thanks to the ridge. Looking at the details for Wednesday and Thursday, scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to form. These could bubble up at any time, but mainly in the heat of the afternoon hours, peaking at 30 o 50 percent coverage. Unfortunately for those who need rain, rainfall totals the next couple of days will average less than one quarter inch, and many of us will not get any measurable rainfall at all. The good news is a very low severe storm risk. Otherwise, warm, moist south breezes will persist, including some gusty winds each day. Highs each day will reach the low to mid 80s, except upper 70s Plateau. We could reach record highs. The chance of that is low for Wednesday, but we have a medium chance for a record high Thursday. Here are a few stats: BNA Normals low 45 high 69 Records 4/1 86 in 1963 4/2 87 in 2012 4/3 86 in 2012 4/4 87 in 2025 && .LONG TERM... (Friday through next Wednesday) Issued at 1035 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026 The warm pattern with low coverage of scattered showers and storms will continue on into Friday. Models have been showing a dissipating frontal moving in early Friday, but with weakening trends shown on recent models, this front may not be noticed. The main story in the extended forecast is a stronger front approaching for Saturday evening. This front will bring the highest rain chances for the forecast period, 60 to 80 percent Saturday afternoon into early Sunday morning with rainfall amounts up to 1 inch. Models have been trending weaker with this one as well, so many areas may receive less than 1 inch, doing little to alleviate our rainfall deficits. The severe storm threat with this system will also be low given unfavorable dynamics. A shot of cooler and dry air will follow the front with slightly cooler than normal temperatures expected for Sunday and Monday followed by a rebound to normal temps for Tuesday. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1235 AM CDT Wed Apr 1 2026 High pressure dominates the weather across Middle Tennessee both at the surface and aloft. However, we are introducing afternoon convection to the TAFs as a surface boundary approaches the region from the northwest and helps provide some focusing for what has become a moist and unstable air mass. For now, we'll go with PROB30 groups during the afternoon -- SHRA for KBNA and KMQY, TSRA/CBs for KCSV and KSRB, where PoPs are somewhat greater and the likelihood of actual storms is greater. Winds will be somewhat gusty throughout the day. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 83 64 86 67 / 40 10 20 30 Clarksville 85 65 86 67 / 30 10 20 40 Crossville 77 60 80 61 / 60 20 30 10 Columbia 83 63 85 66 / 30 10 20 20 Cookeville 79 62 82 65 / 60 20 20 20 Jamestown 79 60 81 62 / 60 20 20 10 Lawrenceburg 81 63 84 65 / 40 10 20 20 Murfreesboro 83 64 85 67 / 40 10 20 20 Waverly 83 66 84 67 / 20 10 20 40 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...13 LONG TERM....13 AVIATION.....Rose
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
38 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April. All of Cumberland County deteriorated to at least severe drought with extreme drought across the eastern half of the county.
Severe drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with all of Stewart County in extreme drought.
Severe drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with all of Montgomery County in extreme drought.
Severe drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with all of Perry County in extreme drought.
Severe drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April. All of Wayne County deteriorated to at least severe drought with the northwest half of the county in extreme drought.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with all of Houston County in extreme drought.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with all of Humphreys County in extreme drought.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with all of Dickson County in extreme drought.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with a majority of Hickman County in extreme drought.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe to extreme drought conditions developing across Lewis County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Lawrence County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing across Robertson County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing across Cheatham County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with extreme drought conditions developing across Sumner County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe to extreme drought conditions developing across Davidson County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe to extreme drought conditions developing across Williamson County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Maury County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Giles County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe to extreme drought conditions developing across Macon County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe to extreme drought conditions developing across Trousdale County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe to extreme drought conditions developing across Wilson County.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Rutherford County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Marshall County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Bedford County.
Moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Coffee County.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Cannon County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across DeKalb County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Smith County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Clay County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Jackson County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Putnam County.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Warren County.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Grundy County.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Van Buren County.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across White County.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Pickett County.
Abnormally dry conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Overton County.
Abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from March 2026 worsened in April with severe drought conditions developing across Fentress County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, April 2026
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: 1322386, 1322387, 1322388, 1322389, 1322390, 1322391, 1322392, 1322393, 1322394, 1322395, 1322396, 1322397, 1322398, 1322399, 1322400, 1322401, 1322402, 1322403, 1322404, 1322405, 1322406, 1322407, 1322408, 1322409, 1322410, 1322411, 1322412, 1322413, 1322414, 1322415, 1322416, 1322417, 1322418, 1322419, 1322420, 1322421, 1322422, 1322423.