Scattered thunderstorms that produced heavy rain developed across Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening of May 31, 2026. This heavy rain along with slow storm motions across portions of Jackson County caused flash flooding in the Gainesboro area.
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.
Scattered thunderstorms that produced heavy rain developed across Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening of May 31, 2026. This heavy rain along with slow storm motions across portions of Jackson County caused flash flooding in the Gainesboro area.
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 31, 5:48 PM CST, 2 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Nashville TN 648 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 ...New UPDATE... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 640 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 - Scattered showers and storms will continue through Monday. A few storms will be strong with gusty winds and heavy downpours. - There is a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) for severe storms Monday. The main threat will be damaging winds. - Dry weather with seasonable temperatures and lower humidity starts Tuesday. && .UPDATE... Issued at 640 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 As we head into the remainder of this evening and overnight, scattered showers and thunderstorms that developed this afternoon across the region are beginning to trend down. Any lingering activity will continue to weaken and become more isolated through the night, with the primary concern being brief heavy downpours. Conditions remain muggy with dew points int he 60s, temperatures gradually cooling from the low to mid 80s into the upper 60s to low 70s this evening before settling into the mid 60s overnight. Winds are generally light and variable. Expect partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies to persist, with a chance of isolated showers and thunderstorms into the early overnight hours before things trend quieter. Patchy fog could develop toward dawn in spots. && .SHORT TERM... (Rest of today through Monday) Issued at 1145 AM CDT Sun May 31 2026 We are not quite done with the very humid, unsettled pattern we have experienced the past 10 days. Additional disturbances will cross the area kicking off scattered showers and storms today and again Monday. Today's showers and storms will be most numerous over the southeast half of our area. It will be very warm and humid with enhancement of activity along a moisture convergence boundary, so a few strong storms may produce gusty winds and very heavy downpours. The activity is expected to settle down and move off to the east this evening. More showers and storms will move in Monday, and there could be a couple of episodes of concern. We are under a marginal risk (level 1 out of 5) for severe storms with damaging wind gusts. CAMS vary, but generally show 2 possible waves of storms. The first, more likely MCS is shown coming down from the northwest in the morning through midday. Another MCS possibility is shown late afternoon into early evening. The first may affect the evolution of the second, so we may need to just wait and see the details as things unfold on Monday. If you have outdoor plans, please check updates early Monday morning for the latest information. && .LONG TERM... (Monday Night through next Sunday) Issued at 1145 AM CDT Sun May 31 2026 the last of the lingering showers and storms will move out late Monday evening, and by Tuesday morning we will feel north northeast breezes kicking in with dry and stable air. High pressure will build through midweek bringing us rain-free conditions with mainly clear skies and lower humidity. Temperatures will be pleasant. Nights will be a little on the cool side with lows mostly in the 50s while daytimes will bring warm sunshine and highs in the 80s. By the weekend we will see a typical summer pattern begin to develop as humidity starts to creep up again with chances for mainly diurnal showers and storms. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 633 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026 Some uncertainties through the TAF period due to TS, mainly for tomorrow morning and afternoon. There's a signal for a cluster of storms to impact CKV, BNA, and MQY in the morning, so kept PROB30 for now. Afternoon potential will be contingent upon how morning activity evolves. Otherwise, we have improving conditions at CKV and BNA currently with lingering -RA at MQY. Scattered convection remains west of BNA, but nothing in vicinity at this time. Overnight IFR at SRB and CSV due to low cig/vis is more likely thanks to recent rainfall. Kept BR mentioned at BNA, MQY, and CKV overnight. Patchy fog could also develop at these sites. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Nashville 67 84 62 81 / 70 80 40 0 Clarksville 66 83 60 80 / 40 80 30 0 Crossville 62 78 55 76 / 70 60 20 0 Columbia 66 84 62 81 / 70 80 30 0 Cookeville 64 80 57 78 / 70 70 20 0 Jamestown 61 80 54 77 / 50 60 20 0 Lawrenceburg 65 82 62 79 / 70 90 30 0 Murfreesboro 65 84 61 81 / 70 80 40 0 Waverly 67 84 62 81 / 50 90 30 0 && .OHX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && UPDATE.......Cravens SHORT TERM...13 LONG TERM....13 AVIATION.....Sizemore
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
226 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
TNZ094-311945-
Lawrence TN-
226 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTH CENTRAL LAWRENCE COUNTY
THROUGH 245 PM CDT...
At 225 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Lexington, or 16 miles south of Lawrenceburg, moving southeast at 10
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Loretto and St. Joseph.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3500 8756 3504 8757 3509 8732 3500 8727
TIME...MOT...LOC 1925Z 320DEG 10KT 3502 8740
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
40/SizemoreSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
309 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
TNZ011-033-034-312100-
Fentress TN-Overton TN-Pickett TN-
309 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EASTERN OVERTON...SOUTHWESTERN
PICKETT AND SOUTHWESTERN FENTRESS COUNTIES THROUGH 400 PM CDT...
At 308 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Livingston. This thunderstorm was nearly stationary.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Livingston and Crawford.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3624 8529 3645 8531 3653 8507 3622 8498
TIME...MOT...LOC 2008Z 262DEG 2KT 3638 8521
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
13Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
515 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
TNZ025-026-312300-
Dickson TN-Cheatham TN-
515 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN DICKSON AND SOUTH
CENTRAL CHEATHAM COUNTIES THROUGH 600 PM CDT...
At 514 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles west of Ashland City, moving southeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
White Bluff, Kingston Springs, and Pegram.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3616 8699 3613 8700 3607 8724 3628 8730
3628 8715
TIME...MOT...LOC 2214Z 330DEG 9KT 3623 8717
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
40/SizemoreSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
631 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
TNZ006-025-026-010015-
Dickson TN-Cheatham TN-Montgomery TN-
631 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN DICKSON...
SOUTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY AND NORTHWESTERN CHEATHAM COUNTIES THROUGH
715 PM CDT...
At 631 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 12
miles northwest of Ashland City, moving southeast at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Pleasant View and Cheatham Dam.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3639 8731 3643 8724 3636 8700 3621 8715
TIME...MOT...LOC 2331Z 305DEG 10KT 3638 8721
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
40/SizemoreSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Nashville TN
632 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
TNZ025-010015-
Dickson TN-
632 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL DICKSON COUNTY THROUGH
715 PM CDT...
At 632 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 13
miles north of Dickson, moving southeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Dickson, White Bluff, Charlotte, Vanleer, and Slayden.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3623 8717 3621 8719 3620 8717 3619 8717
3619 8716 3618 8715 3617 8717 3614 8717
3606 8740 3625 8753 3625 8752 3627 8752
3633 8742
TIME...MOT...LOC 2332Z 311DEG 14KT 3626 8743
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
40/SizemoreThe Nashville radar (KOHX), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:48 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused flooding in Gainesboro along Dodson Branch Highway near Dodson Branch School with the nearby creek out of its bank. Damages are not known.
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, May 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: 1328592.