Last updated May 8, 2026
| 1 | 1927: The Cumberland River at Nashville crests at a record 56.2 feet - 16.2 feet above flood stage -- in the "Great Flood of 1927." The river swells to 3 miles wide at one point. Two people are killed and 10,400 are left homeless. Ryman Auditorium becomes a shelter. One young man, whose Old Hickory girlfriend lives ½-mile across the river, has to drive 110 miles around the flooded area to get to her. Water reaches as far inland as 3rd Avenue. Two steamboats float onto 1st Avenue. Sixty square blocks are under water. Grocery shopping in some cases is done Venetian style - by rowboat. |
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1964: New Year's Day storm sets single day snowfall records in several locations, including:
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| 2022: Nashville sets its highest January high temperature with 78 degrees. | |
| 2 | 1904: A powerful cold front dunks Nashville's temperature 46 degrees - from a daytime high of 59 degrees to a low of 13 the following morning. |
| 3 | 2000: A very pleasant, almost spring-like, day settles over the mid-state. At Nashville, the high temperature reaches 72° with a low of 61°. Elsewhere, Clarksville reports 71°, Springfield 69°, Tullahoma 68°, and Crossville, Lawrenceburg, and Murfreesboro 66°. |
| 4 | 1997: Strong thunderstorm winds (likely a tornado) estimated near 110 mph pick up a mobile home 5 miles east of Erin (Houston County) and wrap it around a tree. The mobile home is thrown 100 feet, and one man inside the mobile home is killed instantly. Wind damage (and possibly tornadoes) are reported elsewhere, including an estimated $500,000 worth at the Rivergate area in Madison. |
| 5 | 1924: Nashville's sea-level pressure climbs to 30.97" - the highest barometric pressure ever recorded at Nashville. |
| 1960: A winter storm brings heavy snowfall to much of Middle Tennessee. Crossville measures 8" of snow while Tullahoma reports 7.9" and Nashville 7.3". | |
| 6 | 1910: A winter storm buries Clarksville under 12" of snow, a single-day record there. |
| 7 | 1946: The Harpeth River at Kingston Springs reaches its highest stage to date - 32.2 feet which is 17.2 feet above flood stage. |
| 1988: A snowstorm brings widespread accumulation to the mid-state. Some snowfall totals include Lawrenceburg with 10", Nashville with 8.1", and Crossville with 6". | |
| 2014: A bitterly cold Arctic airmass brings light snow and record cold temperatures to Middle Tennessee. The NWS Nashville office in Old Hickory sees a low of -1°, while Crossville drops down to -9°. Fall Creek Falls has a low of -8° and a high of only 8°. | |
| 8 | 1886: A winter storm system ushers in one of the worst cold outbreaks in mid-state history. A strong cold front brings 3.7" of snow to Nashville and drops the temperature from a high of 35° to -8° the following morning. For the next 3 days, the temperature does not rise above 8°, and the low temperature drops to 0° or below for five consecutive mornings, falling to -9° on the morning of January 11. |
| 1913: Pinewood measures an even 8.00" of rainfall. | |
| 9 | 1886: One of the coldest days in Nashville's history - high temperature tops out at 7°, with a low of -8°, making for a daily mean value of -1°. All three are records. |
| 10 | 1963: An F3 tornado touches down at Spring Hill (Maury County) just before midnight. The twister cuts a 4 mile path, lifting at Bethesda (Williamson County) after causing 4 injuries. |
| 11 | 1918: Nashville receives 6.5" of snow. |
| 12 | 1916: Seven are injured in Madison after an F2 tornado rips a 5-mile path during the middle of the afternoon. |
| 1918: High temperature at Nashville reaches just 2° - the lowest daily maximum temperature on record. | |
| 13 | 1968: Dover measures 8.5" of snow. |
| 14 | 1989: In Clarksville, 2.39" of rain leaves water in the streets as high as car doors. |
| 2024: A major winter storm impacted all of Middle Tennessee beginning late on January 14th. Many locations across Middle Tennessee reported storm total snow amounts in excess of 6 inches. The official climate site at Nashville International Airport measured 7.6 inches of snow during this event, receiving more snow in this one event than the city typically receives during the entire winter season. This heavy snow combined with dangerously cold temperatures that settled in after the snow was over led to days of treacherous conditions for all counties as the snow was unable to melt. Numerous traffic accidents were reported all across the area. Unfortunately, this event led to three fatalities - one in Hickman County and two in Marshall County. | |
| 15 | 1978: The high temperature at Nashville reaches just 28°. This is the 7th consecutive day in which temperatures have remained below freezing, tying a record. During this stretch, the temperature has never risen above 31° nor fallen below 7°. |
| 2024: A major winter storm hits Middle TN, bringing heavy snow to many locations. Nashville measures 6.3" of snow with other amounts coming in at 4 to 8 inches. | |
| 16 | 1948: Nashville receives 7" of snow. |
| 2003: A major snowstorm strikes the mid-state with Nashville reporting 7" of snow becoming the city's biggest snowfall in nearly 7 years. The snow begins falling around 8:00 AM, and by mid-day the city is paralyzed with blocked interstates, numerous accidents, and large-scale gridlock. | |
| 17 | 1999: About 350 homes and 25 businesses receive damage from straight-line winds in Columbia. At the Shady Brook Mall, huge panes of glass at the entrance are shattered. Forty mature trees are uprooted at the Graymere Country Club. There is $400,000 in damage to the Pepsi Cola plant alone. Overall, $4 million in damages are reported in the city. Elsewhere, softball-sized hail is reported at Pulaski, damaging numerous vehicles. This is the largest known hail ever to fall in Tennessee's history. |
| 18 | 1994: A record cold air mass pushes into the mid-state. The high temperature reaches just 10° at Nashville. The Cumberland Plateau is especially hard-hit as Crossville checks in with a low of -8°. |
| 19 | 1936: Nashville receives 6.2" of snow. |
| 20 | 1918: McMinnville measures 10" of snowfall which is the most ever received in one day there. |
| 1985: Nashville sets an all-time record low mean temperature of -5°. Following a daytime high of 7°, the temperature falls to -16° by midnight. Temperature at Crossville falls to -21° by midnight, establishing an all-time record low. | |
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1888: Nashville receives 6.1" of snow. |
| 1935: Nashville reports an early morning high temperature of 69° before a strong cold front passes through, dropping the temperature to 36° by 7:00 AM, 24° by noon, and 14° by 7:00 PM. The temperature drops another 2 degrees during the evening, for a low of 12° and a daily range of 57 degrees. Three inches of snow fall by evening. | |
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1959: A cold front drops the temperature at Nashville a remarkable 59 degrees - from a high of 74°, to 15° the next morning. Temperature ranges at other locations include:
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1985: Temperature at Nashville drops to -17°, setting an all-time record low. Other record lows include:
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| 22 | 1966: Nashville receives 7.5" of snow. |
| 1999: Clarksville is struck by an F3 tornado before dawn. Five people are injured. Mount Pleasant (1 N) measures 7.10" of rainfall - its greatest one-day rainfall ever. | |
| 23 | 1963: The strongest cold front in mid-state history brings heavy snow and an unprecedented drop in temperature. Nashville receives 6.2" of snow. In addition, the high temperature reaches 48°, but plummets to -13° by midnight - for a range of 61 degrees. This is the greatest daily range of temperatures in Nashville's history. |
| 2016: A major two-day snowstorm dumps several inches of snow across nearly all of Middle Tennessee, mainly on January 22. Nashville measures 8", the third highest January snowfall on record. Other snow totals include 10" at Springfield, 13.5" near Lafayette, and 15" near Jamestown. | |
| 2026: A major winter storm begins to impact Middle TN, bringing heavy ice to many locations. Ice accumulations of 0.50" or more cripple the Nashville metro area. | |
| 24 | 1943: Temperature at Clarksville climbs to 82°. It's the warmest temperature ever observed there in January. |
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1963: Temperature at Kingston Springs drops to -30°, which is the lowest temperature ever recorded in Middle Tennessee and comes within 2 degrees of tying the all-time record low for Tennessee (Mountain City, 12/30/1917). Other record lows include:
In fact, Waverly sees its temperature drop by 80 degrees with the passage of the strongest cold front in mid-state history. Five inches of snow accompany the dramatic change in temperature. The Duck River freezes solid from bank to bank for the first time since 1898. Harbors along the Tennessee River also freeze. It is considered the worst winter weather since the 1951 ice storm. |
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| 1997: A rare winter severe weather outbreak results in at least 7 tornadoes across Middle Tennessee, injuring 31 people and causing damage in excess of $9 million. Amazingly, there are no fatalities. Barfield, near Murfreesboro, is hit by an F4. | |
| 25 | 1937: The Cumberland River at Clarksville reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 65.6 feet which is 19.6 feet above flood stage. |
| 1940: Following a cold spell lasting several days, the Cumberland River freezes as the low temperature at Nashville drops to 1 degree. | |
| 2002: Three-day flooding event across Middle Tennessee ends with flooding reported in 39 of the mid-state's 42 counties. Two people are killed in Cookeville on the 23rd during a rescue attempt. In Bedford County, a couple and their son are killed when their car is swept into Carr Creek during the evening of the 24th. A woman is killed at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park in Wilson County when she is swept away in a flooded creek. Overall, 6 people are killed with another 11 injuries. A total of 97 homes are damaged along with 37 businesses and at least 34 bridges. Some 40 roads are damaged in Lawrence County alone. There are also numerous school and road closings, and 180 people have to be evacuated from their homes, 46 of them being placed in shelters. Rainfall totals during the three days are topped off by Wartrace which measures 9.25". Flooding also occurs along many rivers with the Duck River at Columbia cresting more than 13 feet above flood stage. Damage is estimated at $2 million. | |
| 26 | 1832: The Sparta Recorder and Law Journal reports that a cold snap drops temperatures to -18° at Sparta, -26° at McMinnville, and -18° at Nashville. (The official all-time record low at Nashville is -17.) |
| 1940: Temperature at Waynesboro drops to -21°, setting an all-time record low as does Murfreesboro with -19°. | |
| 27 | 1918: Nashville measures 2.88" of rain. |
| 28 | 1951: A strong cold front moves through Nashville shortly after 1:00 PM, causing temperatures to fall during the afternoon and evening and ushering in one of the most remarkable weather events in Nashville's history. |
| 29 | 1905: Nashville records greatest one-day snowfall for January, measuring 8.5". |
| 1948: The high temperature at Nashville reaches just 28°. This is the 7th consecutive day in which temperatures have remained below freezing, setting a record. During this stretch, the temperature has never risen above 31 degrees, nor fallen below -2 degrees. | |
| 1951: The worst ice storm in Nashville's history begins, causing a complete stalemate of transportation in Nashville for two days. Frozen precipitation starts during the evening with 1.6" of snow and ice accumulating by midnight. | |
| 1966: Monteagle measures 15" of snowfall - the most ever recorded in one day. | |
| 30 | 1966: Temperature at Pulaski drops to -16°, setting an all-time record low, as does Lawrenceburg with -14°. |
| 2002: The temperature at Crossville tops out at 72°, setting a record high for the month. | |
| 2013: A strong early morning cold front produces 24 mostly weak tornadoes across Middle Tennessee. However, three EF-2 tornadoes occur, the strongest of which heavily damages the small community of Coble in Hickman County. | |
| 31 | 1951: Five inches of snow and ice fall, much of it during the evening, producing a water equivalent of 3.83". This is the greatest one-day precipitation event for January in Nashville's history. |
| 1 | 1951: Precipitation continues at Nashville through the morning, most of it as snow, and finally ends around noon. An additional 5.2" are measured, leaving the city buried under 8" of ice and snow. |
| 1985: Nashville receives 6.7" of snow. | |
| 2 | 1886: Nashville receives 6.5" of snow. |
| 1951: Temperature at Nashville drops to -13°, tying the record low for the month. | |
| 3 | 1886: Nashville records greatest one-day snowfall for February, measuring 9.8". |
| 1997: Two construction workers are injured by lightning while working on the new library for MTSU in Murfreesboro. They are treated for electrical shock and released from a local hospital. Power is also knocked out to 500 homes when lightning strikes a transformer. | |
| 1998: A snowstorm brings treacherous driving conditions, school closures, and widespread power outages to the Cumberland Plateau. Interstate 40 is closed at Monterey for 18 hours due to the heavy snow. Traffic is backed up for 13 miles. Winds gust to 50 mph at times during the snowstorm. Approximately 100,000 electric customers lose power. TEMA reports damages of about $5 million. | |
| 4 | 1998: Jamestown sets a station one-day snowfall record with 18" of snow (20.5" storm total snowfall). |
| 5 | 1996: The temperature at Sparta drops to -20°, setting an all-time record low. Crossville's low of -16 sets a record low for February. |
| 2008: One of the worst tornado outbreaks in Middle Tennessee history strikes during the evening and early morning of the 6th. Fourteen tornadoes touchdown across the mid-state, including an EF-3 that kills 22 persons in Sumner, Trousdale, and Macon counties - the deadliest single tornado in Middle Tennessee in nearly 75 years. This is the 6th largest tornado outbreak in mid-state history. | |
| 2025: Four tornadoes touched down across Jackson, Putnam, Overton, and Fentress counties. These tornadoes caused damage to multiple homes, powerlines, trees, and other structures and injured two people. | |
| 6 | 1942: One person is injured near Ardmore as a pre-dawn F2 tornado rips a 6-mile path across Giles and Lincoln counties. |
| 7 | 2021: Rain moved into Middle TN during the evening hours of February 6th, changing over to snow during the morning of the 7th. By the end of the event, 1 to 8 inches of snow fell across southern and eastern Middle TN with the heaviest amounts falling on the northern Cumberland Plateau. |
| 8 | 1960: Nashville receives 7.4" of snow. |
| 9 | 1994: A major winter weather event strikes the mid-state. Temperature at Nashville at midnight is 70°, but a strong cold front sweeps through with temperatures falling throughout the day. By noon, snow begins as the temperature falls to 32° and changes to freezing rain by evening. At midnight, the temperature is 23°. By the following morning, the ground is covered by an inch of snow and ice. |
| 10 | 1899: Temperature at Nashville drops to -7° during the second coldest February on record. It's the lowest reading ever observed on this date. The high temperature tops out at a mere 10°, a record "cool high." |
| 11 | 1895: Nashville receives 6" of snow. |
| 1910: Nashville receives 8.8" of snow. | |
| 12 | 1880: A late evening F2 tornado rips a 4-mile path across the Hillsboro area of Davidson County. |
| 13 | 1880: Nashville records greatest one-day rainfall for February with 5.20". This caps off a three-day total of 7.65", another Nashville record. |
| 1899: McMinnville sets its all-time record low with a reading of -26°. Nashville's -13° sets a record low for February. | |
| 1952: A F4 tornado tears through Moore and Franklin counties, moving through or near Lois, Marble Hill, Beech Hill, Marble Plains, and Decherd. There is damage to 109 farms. Hundreds of trees are downed in Lois and Marble Hill. Over a hundred homes are damaged or destroyed in Franklin County. A church, a school, a store, and a home are destroyed at Beech Hill. Two people are killed in Marble Plains and one more in Decherd. Storm continues into Grundy County, producing an F2 which rips a path from Monteagle to Tracy City. The damage in Monteagle is estimated at $110,000 and $90,000 in Tracy City. About 150 buildings are affected. One person is injured in each town. A total of 4 fatalities are reported in the three counties with 46 injuries. Overall, 5 tornadoes are reported across Middle Tennessee. | |
| 14 | 1902: Nashville receives 8" of snow. |
| 1905: Temperature drops to a frigid -23° at Hohenwald and -22° at Tullahoma, establishing all-time record lows at both spots. | |
| 1948: The Buffalo River at Lobelville reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 26.0 feet which is 16.0 feet above flood stage. The Duck River at Columbia reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 51.8 feet which is 19.8 feet above flood stage. The Duck River at Hurricane Mills reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 30.7 feet which is 6.7 feet above flood stage. | |
| 15 | 1969: A major snowstorm hits Middle Tennessee from the 15th into the 16th. Clarksville measures a whopping 10.1" of snow while Nashville sees 6.9" and Crossville receives 4.0". |
| 16 | 1928: People walking through the old Albertstown cemetery in the Third district of Fentress County, viewing the havoc wrought by a recent storm, were horrified to see a pair of children's shoes imbedded in the roots of a pine tree that had been uprooted by the storm. Investigation shows the shoes to have belonged to a child of Dan Richard's buried near the pine tree some forty years before. No trace of a casket or any other apparel was found except the shoes which seemed to be well preserved. |
| 1969: Orlinda records its greatest snowfall ever, measuring 13". | |
| 1999: Lightning hits the Coffee County Consolidated Communications Center in Manchester and knocks out emergency 911 calls for about an hour. The center also handles dispatch calls for area law enforcement, fire, and ambulance services. Emergency calls have to be routed through the jail. This is the second time in 12 years the center is struck by lightning. | |
| 17 | 1956: Two injuries are reported in Lawrence and Giles counties along a 10-mile F3 tornado path. A second tornado, a F2, injures two more in Fentress County between Jamestown and Allardt along Highway 52. |
| 18 | 1936: Low temperature at Nashville falls to -1° - the latest sub-zero temperature on record. |
| 19 | 1960: Sparta receives 10" of snowfall - its greatest one-day snowfall ever. |
| 20 | 1929: Nashville receives 7" of snow. |
| 2015: A devastating ice storm brings up to 1" of ice accumulation to the Cumberland Plateau. The weight of the ice combining with wind gusts up to 50 mph brought down over 700 power poles and hundreds of trees, knocking out power to all of Fentress County and most of Cumberland County for up to 1 month. It was considered the worst natural disaster in the history of Cumberland County. | |
| 21 | 1929: Nashville receives 8" of snow for a two-day total of 15". The entire event occurs during a 13-hour period. |
| 22 | 1874: Nashville records a record 2.58" of rain for a 2-day total of 5.36". |
| 23 | 1909: Nashville measures 3.69" of rain. |
| 24 | 1967: Record lows for this date are set at both Nashville (10°) and Crossville (2°). |
| 2018: Four tornadoes hit Montgomery and Robertson counties in the late afternoon and evening. The strongest tornado produces EF-2 damage across eastern Clarksville, damaging numerous homes in the Farmington subdivision along Rossview Road and injuring 2 people. Damage from this one tornado alone is estimated at $7 million. | |
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1894: One of the most severe snowstorms in Middle Tennessee's history produces record accumulations of:
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| 26 | 1962: Nashville records 2.86" of rain in the middle of a 3-day stretch during which 5.31" are measured. |
| 27 | 1902: Nashville's sea-level pressure drops to 29.02" - the second lowest barometric pressure ever recorded. |
| 28 | 1916: Hohenwald gets buried under 9" of snow. |
| 29 | 1952: F4 tornado rips through Fayetteville in Lincoln County, killing 2 and injuring 166. About 140 homes are destroyed and over 300 others damaged. Damages are estimated at $43 million. |
| 2012: A tornado outbreak that began in Kansas and Nebraska on February 28 continues into Kentucky and Tennessee, spawning 3 tornadoes in the Upper Cumberland. One EF1 tornado kills a woman east of Smithville in DeKalb County while another EF2 tornado with a damage path nearly 1 mile wide destroys several homes in the small community of Rinnie in northern Cumberland County, killing 2. |
| 1 | 1902: The Elk River at Prospect reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 40.9 feet which is 14.9 feet above flood stage. Shoal Creek at Prospect reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 28.1 feet which is 14.1' above flood stage. |
| 1926: The Cumberland River at Celina reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 61.3 feet which is 21.3 feet above flood stage. | |
| 2 | 1997: The Red River is out of its banks due to heavy rainfall. Local law enforcement reports 4 to 6 feet of water in the Belmont Subdivision near Clarksville. Sixty homes are affected by flooding in Montgomery County. A cooperative weather observer in Clarksville reports about 5.25" of rain between March 1 and March 3. |
| 3 | 1980: The temperature at Nashville drops to 2°, setting a record low for the month. Likewise, Clarksville's 0° establishes a new low mark for March, and Crossville's reading of -2° is also a record. |
| 2003: Nashville is treated to abundant sunshine after 17 consecutive cloudy days. This is longest known cloudy streak in the city's history. | |
| 2020: A tornado outbreak impacts Middle Tennessee late on March 2nd and into the early morning hours of the 3rd. One of these tornadoes was an EF-3 that tracked over 60 miles across the Nashville metro area eastward into Smith County and an EF-4 that caused severe damage between Baxter and Cookeville. In total, seven tornadoes were recorded during this outbreak. Hundreds were injured and 25 were killed. | |
| 2023: A very strong low pressure system brought high winds to Middle Tennessee. These winds were measured up to 80 mph which led to widespread wind damage and power outages in every county. Power outages lasted up to one week in some areas. Unfortunately, three fatalities and five injuries were reported. | |
| 4 | 1917: Nashville receives 7.5" of snow. |
| 5 | 1955: Middle Tennessee is hit by two tornadoes. An F1 in Carthage injures 3. An F2 touches down in southeast Wilson County and skips for 20 miles, crossing into De Kalb County and hitting Alexandria and Temperance Hall. There are no injuries reported. |
| 1960: The temperature dips to -2° at Crossville, setting a new record for the month. | |
| 6 | 1853: According to the Gallipolis Journal of Gallipolis, Ohio, "A tornado visited the vicinity of Clarksonville [sic], Tennessee, on Sunday night, levelling dwellings, stables, barns and trees to the ground; but as far as heard from no lives were lost. The track of the storm was half a mile wide. So terrific was it that the roads were filled with the fallen timber." |
| 7 | 1863: The Fayetteville Observer reports on March 12 that "We are informed that Shelbyville was visited by another hurricane on last Saturday [7th] night, which blew down the Baptist Church, the Depot, Telegraph Office, besides other buildings. One person is said to have been killed. We have no other particulars." |
| 8 | 1998: An F0 tornado cuts a 1-mile path across Maury County, south of Bryant Station. No injuries are reported. |
| 9 | 1960: A major winter storm strikes Middle Tennessee. Some snowfall totals include Crossville with 8.5", Clarksville 8", Springfield 7.8", Cookeville 7.5", and Nashville 5.5". |
| 10 | 2000: EMA officials report 5.5" of rain in 1.5 hours in Lewisburg. Many roads are flooded, and 6 cars are damaged. Three feet of water cover some roads. A man has to be rescued from his vehicle on Belfast Avenue. Local Tennessee National Guard members assist in evacuating about 30 children from a daycare center which is flooded with 2.5 feet of water. |
| 11 | 1923: Wind gust of 72 mph is recorded at Nashville. |
| 12 | 1855: A "terrible tornado," accompanied by hail and rain, strikes downtown Nashville, unroofing the State Capitol and causing $10,000 in damage to the building. The First Presbyterian Church and other buildings are also damaged. |
| 1963: Livingston (5 NE) records 6.40" of rainfall. | |
| 13 | 1913: Four tornadoes strike the mid-state. One of these, an F3, cuts a 50-mile swath across Giles, Marshall, and Rutherford counties, killing 7 and injuring 50. |
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1975: One-day rainfall records are set at:
​Clarksville reports a 2-day total of 9.11". The Red River at Port Royal reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 48.3 feet which is 18.3 feet above flood stage. The Harpeth River at Franklin reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 33.7 feet which is 12.7 feet above flood stage. |
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| 1993: The "Storm of the Century" brings heavy snow to the Cumberland Plateau. Jamestown receives the highest storm total snowfall ever measured in Middle Tennessee with a whopping 26" of snow. Crossville sets a station record with a storm total of 20.5" of snow while Allardt sets its own one-day snowfall record with 14.1". | |
| 14 | 1933: F3 tornado touches down 4 miles west of downtown Nashville and continues for 45 miles, moving through Wilson and Smith counties. Fifteen are killed and 45 injured. |
| 15 | 1973: F2 tornado strikes Taft (White County). A manufacturing plant is destroyed. The entire roof is ripped off and thrown to the ground, killing the night watchman. Several homes are moved from their foundations, and one is flattened. Two heavy trailers are overturned. There are $250,000 in damages and 3 injuries. |
| 16 | 1942: F3 tornado clears a 55 mile path, starting near Huntington and just missing the towns of Mansfield, Manlyville, and Springville. In Stewart County, near Stribling, "the soil [is] swept away," along with a house in which a boy is killed, and seven other people are injured. Eight farms are torn apart near Lick Creek. There are a total of 5 fatalities, and 68 injuries. F3 tornado strikes Humphreys County, destroying a half dozen homes in the Hurricane-Bold Springs area. Storm continues into Cheatham County, producing an F3 tornado which passes near Cooperstown, destroying at least a dozen barns and littering the landscape with dead chickens. At least a dozen homes are destroyed. Damage estimate is $100,000. Three persons are killed in the two counties with another 30 injuries. |
| 17 | 1892: Nashville records its greatest one-day snowfall ever, measuring 17". The snow starts after midnight and continues until noon. Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America cancel their annual parade. No street cars are running. Morning trains are delayed. And the "arteries of trade" are clogged. Suburban workers have to walk to town. Mailmen don't leave the post office on their rounds until 10:00 AM. A freight train from Chattanooga slides off the track at the Winton community, near Murfreesboro, and a passenger train from Memphis due at 7:00 AM doesn't arrives until 2:00 PM. Riddleton, a few miles northwest of Carthage, receives 18.7" in what is believed to be the greatest single-day snowfall in Middle Tennessee's history. |
| 1978: Nashville measures precipitation for the 11th consecutive day, tying a record. | |
| 18 | 1925: F4 tornado rips a 60 mile path from near Buck Lodge (8 miles north of Gallatin) to Barren County, KY. Homes are swept away in many communities, including Keytown, Angle, Oak Grove, and Liberty. As many as 8 people die in one home. Trees are blown down in steep valleys as well as on hilltops. At least 29 people are killed in Sumner County with one woman dying from her injuries one month after the tornado. Crossing into KY, the tornado strikes Holland, killing 4, and Beaumont, killing 8 more. Over 150 homes are damaged or destroyed. There are a total of 41 fatalities and 95 injuries. This is the 3rd deadliest tornado ever to strike Middle Tennessee. |
| 2002: Widespread heavy rainfall begins during the afternoon of the 17th and lasts into the early morning of the 18th. A total of 5 people are killed across Middle Tennessee: three in Robertson County, one in Lewisburg, and another in Nashville. All 5 deaths are vehicle-related. Manchester receives the most rainfall - 6.44" in 24 hours. Dickson reports 5.45", Warner Park (Nashville) with 4.12", and Morrison (Warren County) with 3.67". | |
| 19 | 1996: Nashville receives 8.7" of snow. |
| 20 | 1968: Nashville measures 8.2" of snow in a rare late-season winter weather event. |
| 21 | 1932: F4 tornado strikes 2 miles west of Pulaski, killing 5 people in one of 10 destroyed homes. Homes are said to have been destroyed as completely in the valleys as on the hilltops. There are $120,000 in damages. F2 tornado hits Cannon County, striking near the Mt. Ararat, Sugar Tree, and Rock House communities. Ten homes are destroyed, and a woman and her son are killed in one of them. Overall, 5 tornadoes are reported across Middle Tennessee. |
| 2026: The temperature at Nashville reaches 89°, setting a record high for the month. | |
| 22 | 1955: Nashville measures precipitation for the 11th consecutive day, setting a record. |
| 1968: An unusual late-season snowstorm strikes the mid-state. Murfreesboro measures 10" of snow. Lebanon (3 W) measures 9", setting a record. | |
| 1991: An F2 tornado hits Lewis County. The tornado moves from Sweetwater to Hohenwald. Three homes, eight trailers, and six businesses are completely destroyed by the tornado. A four-month-old baby girl is killed after being blown from her father's arms at an apartment in Hohenwald. | |
| 23 | 1893: One-half of the state penitentiary in Nashville is destroyed by a tornado, but the 500 convicts had just been moved to the mess hall and escape uninjured. |
| 1968: Springfield measures 10" of snowfall - its greatest one-day snow ever. | |
| 24 | 1921: F3 tornado (described as "twin tornadoes") moves across eastern Maury County and Marshall County before lifting in northwest Bedford County, traveling 18 miles. Four people are killed about 10 miles north of Lewisburg as five homes are destroyed at Rich Creek. |
| 1994: The belltower of the Warren County courthouse in McMinnville catches fire following a lightning strike. In a separate incident, a barn at Shipp's Bend (Hickman County) is destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning. | |
| 25 | 2000: Baseball-size hail is reported at Kingston Springs. |
| 26 | 1944: An F3 tornado in Giles County tracks for 5 miles, passing aloft over Pulaski. Five people are killed with another 2 injured. |
| 1959: Three-inch hail is reported in Rutherford County. | |
| 27 | 1890: An F3 tornado tears a 25 mile path through Sumner and Macon Counties, from just north of Gallatin to near Eulia. The storm kills 5, and injures 50 others. |
| 2021: A historic flash flooding event affected central portions of Middle TN starting during the early morning hours of the 27th. 7 to 9 inches of rain fell across Davidson, Williamson, and Wilson counties, prompting a rare Flash Flood Emergency to be issued. Rapid rises on several Nashville metro creeks and streams were observed, including Sevenmile Creek (which reached its highest level on record), Browns Creek, and Mill Creek, among others. Many of these creeks reached within their 2nd or 3rd highest water levels on record. The rapid water rises flooded hundreds of homes and businesses, with reports of some people trapped in the attics or on the roofs of their houses. Dozens of roadways were flooded and impassable, including both I-24 and I-40, with many cars submerged in the flood waters and people forced to cling onto trees to avoid getting swept away. Although the flood waters receded quickly on Sunday, March 28, many area rivers reached flood stage in the week after the event, including the Cumberland River, Harpeth River, and Duck River. Six fatalities were reported. | |
| 28 | 1902: A tremendous heavy rain event pounds the mid-state. Lewisburg records an even 9.00" of rainfall. |
| 1984: Nashville's sea-level pressure drops to 29.02", setting the record for the lowest barometric pressure. | |
| 29 | 1902: The Duck River at Shelbyville reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 43.4 feet, which is 18.4 feet above flood stage. Significant flooding occurs throughout the town. Homes never before reached by water are submerged, many of them up to the second story. Many families are rescued by boat. A steel bridge across Duck River is swept away during the evening. |
| 1929: The Good Friday Flood produces record flooding along the Caney Fork River and its tributaries, wiping out dozens of mills, houses, and bridges. | |
| 30 | 1960: One person is injured as an F2 tornado cuts an 8-mile path from Lewisburg to Farmington. |
| 31 | 1923: It's a cold day in Nashville as the temperature drops to 21° with a high of only 36°. Both are daily records. |
| 1 | 1974: A series of at least three tornadoes up to F2 intensity along with widespread damaging winds damaged or destroyed dozens of homes and buildings across Middle Tennessee, especially the Nashville metro area, causing millions of dollars in damage. 2 people were killed and 21 others were injured. A wind gust of 96 mph is measured at the Nashville Airport - the fastest known wind gust ever recorded in the city. |
| 2 | 1951: A rare late-season winter weather event produces an inch of snow at Nashville. The high of 43° is the lowest high temperature ever recorded on this date. |
| 3 | 1903: According to the Hopkinsville Kentuckian, a tornado touches down 3 miles east of Clarksville and destroys a 400-foot Tennessee Central trestle - a loss estimated at $10,000. Gigantic oak timbers, ties, guard rails, and braces are twisted and broken into splinters. Workers are forced to quit at the storm's approach, but there are no injuries. |
| 1974: The Super Outbreak, perhaps the worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history, produces 148 tornadoes - with 24 confirmed tornadoes across Middle Tennessee (likely more), killing 54, and injuring another 655. Lincoln County is particularly hard-hit as an F4 kills 22 and injures another 250. This is the 5th deadliest tornado ever to strike Middle Tennessee. Three-inch hail is reported in Marshall County. This is the largest tornado outbreak in mid-state history. | |
| 1998: Six tornadoes strike Middle Tennessee during the afternoon. There are 3 injuries resulting from an F2 in Robertson County. Baseball-size hail is reported at White House. | |
| 4 | 1936: A brief cold spell brings the temperature down to 21° at Clarksville. |
| 5 | 1936: Three tornadoes strike the mid-state during the evening. An F3 kills 5 people near Columbia, injuring 30 others. Wayne, Lewis, and Lincoln counties are also affected. |
| 6 | 1971: A rare late-season winter weather event produces 1.1" of snow at Nashville. The high temperature of 42° is the lowest high temperature ever recorded on this date. |
| 7 | 1982: Temperature at Nashville drops to 23°, setting a record low for the month. |
| 2006: The deadliest tornado outbreak since the Super Outbreak of 1974 strikes Middle Tennessee. Nine tornadoes touch down across the mid-state, including an F3 storm that kills 7 people in Gallatin, injuring another 128. Two separate tornadoes strike Warren County, killing 3. Widespread hail also occurs. Four-inch hailstones are reported in Ashland City, and 3¼ hail occurs in Hillsdale (Macon County). Three-inch hail is reported in Centerville with baseball-size hail occurring in several other locations. | |
| 2007: Crossville's low temperature of 20° sets a new record low for the month, just 13 days after setting a record high for the month of March. | |
| 8 | 1998: Baseball-size hail is reported at Piney (Van Buren County), crashing through car windows and damaging roofs. |
| 2007: Crossville's low temperature of 20° ties the record low for the month. Likewise, Nashville's 23° ties its record low for April. | |
| 9 | 2011: Temperature at Nashville soars to 91°, tying the all-time record high for April. It is also the earliest 90-degree day on record. |
| 10 | 1994: One person is killed and 18 others injured when lightning strikes during an Ultimate Frisbee Match in Antioch (Davidson County). |
| 2009: An EF4 tornado carves a 23.25 mile long by 1/2 mile wide path across Rutherford County, passing through the northern sections of Murfreesboro. 194 homes are destroyed and another 1547 damaged or affected across the county, with 2 people killed and 58 others injured. 9 other tornadoes touch down across Middle Tennessee. | |
| 11 | 1944: One person is killed, and 14 more injured, as an F2 tornado strikes near Lebanon at 6:30 AM, cutting a 4-mile path before lifting. |
| 2008: Eight tornadoes touch down during the late morning and early afternoon, including two EF-3's in Lawrence and Giles counties. There is one injury, but no fatalities. | |
| 12 | 1966: Three-inch hail is reported in Davidson County. |
| 13 | 1950: A cold outbreak produces the lowest high, low, and mean temperatures ever observed on this date at Nashville. The high is 42° with a low of 27°, producing a mean temperature of 35°. |
| 14 | 1922: Eight people are injured as an F2 tornado cuts a 20 mile path across portions of Wilson and Smith counties. Most of the damage occurs near New Middleton. |
| 15 | 1910: Waynesboro measures 6.94" of rainfall, setting a station record. |
| 2001: High winds topple the steel radio tower for WGNS-AM. The tower was built in 1946 and stood 328 feet tall. It was Murfreesboro's tallest structure. Damage to the tower is estimated between $250,000 and $500,000. | |
| 16 | 1921: An early morning severe weather outbreak produces 5 tornadoes across Middle Tennessee, primarily along a path from Giles to Cannon County. All are classified as F2. A total of 4 fatalities are reported with another 41 injuries. |
| 1998: A major tornado outbreak spawns 13 tornadoes across Middle Tennessee, beginning early in the morning and continuing through the afternoon. A massive nearly 1 mile wide F4 tornado kills 3 in Wayne County, and another F5 tornado heavily damages the Deerfield area of Lawrence County. An F3 tornado moves through downtown Nashville, the first tornado to hit the downtown area in more than 65 years. Baseball-size hail is reported northwest of Ashland City (Cheatham County), damaging 35 to 50 homes. This is the 9th largest tornado outbreak in mid state history. | |
| 17 | 1885: A tornado occurs at Brentwood during the evening. Two buildings, one a church, are blown down, and a large stable is lifted from its foundation; a large pile of railroad ties is blown over. |
| 18 | 1877: A tornado touches down 1 mile south of Newburg, in Lewis County, and travels for 40 miles, finally lifting at La Vergne. The twister kills 10 and injures another 50. A second tornado, possibly associated with the same thunderstorm, touches down 3 miles northwest of Lebanon and travels another 15 miles to near Hartsville. This second twister is rated an F2. |
| 19 | 1981: Downpour at Nashville sets rainfall intensity records for 5 minutes (0.95"), 10 minutes (1.35"), & 15 minutes (1.60"). |
| 1999: Baseball-size hail is reported northwest of Nashville at Whites Creek Pike. | |
| 20 | 1996: An early morning severe weather outbreak produces extensive wind damage (in excess of $6 million) across Middle Tennessee, including 2 tornadoes, and isolated flash flooding. Lightning destroys 2 huge 161 kilovolt transformers in Tullahoma, at a cost of around a half million dollars. |
| 21 | 1997: Golfball size hail strikes the Minor Hill (Giles County) area, causing damage to cars and roofs. The hardest hit area is along Pleasant Ridge Road. |
| 22 | 1883: Nashville records greatest one-day rainfall for April with 5.03". |
| 1997: Lightning strikes a 130-year-old red oak tree northeast of Lynchburg. Chunks of wood weighing as much as 175 pounds fly about 50 yards. One large piece of wood is embedded in the taillight of a car. The lightning follows the tree's roots, digging a trench almost 3 feet deep into and under a house. Flying wood damages the home and 3 cars. | |
| 23 | 1968: An F2 tornado hits Smithville at 2:58 in the afternoon, injuring 1. |
| 24 | 1975: One person is killed, with an additional 4 injuries, as an F2 tornado strikes Mayland (Cumberland County), remaining on the ground for 2 miles. |
| 25 | 1910: Temperature at Nashville drops to 32° - the latest freeze ever. Snowfall measuring 1.5" also represents the greatest one-day snowfall for April and is the latest date for measurable snowfall. |
| 26 | 1989: Temperature at Nashville reaches 91°, setting a record high for the month. |
| 27 | 1970: An F4 tornado moves across Montgomery, Robertson, and Sumner counties. The storm begins 8 miles south of Clarksville, passes 2 miles south of Springfield, south of Fountainhead, and ends near Bethpage. Many homes and farm buildings are leveled between Springfield and Greenbrier. Another home is leveled near the end of the 42-mile path. Damage is estimated at $1.5 million. The tornado path is 400 yards wide. There are 3 fatalities and 85 injuries. |
| 1986: Temperature at Crossville climbs to 88° - a new record high for April. | |
| 2011: An early morning QLCS (quasi-linear convective system, aka squall line) produced widespread damaging winds and at least 23 mainly weak tornadoes across Middle Tennessee around sunrise. One woman is killed in Franklin (Williamson County) after being hit in the head by a fallen tree limb. Two people are injured in an EF-1 tornado in Viola (Warren County) when their mobile home is destroyed. | |
| 2013: Major flash flooding affects northwestern Middle Tennessee from the evening of April 27 into the early morning hours of April 28. Stewart County is particularly hard hit with 70 homes flooded, numerous roadways washed out, and 5 people needing rescue from stranded vehicles. One man is injured when he drives into a ravine cut through Leatherwood Road by flood waters. Damage estimates for Stewart County alone reach $10 million. | |
| 28 | 1989: The temperature at Nashville reaches 91° for the 2nd consecutive day. |
| 2002: Severe thunderstorms produce widespread wind damage and large hail across Middle Tennessee. An F3 tornado touches down at 7:34 AM in Rutherford County, about 8 miles southeast of Murfreesboro, injuring 20 and damaging 10-15 homes. In southeast Maury County, a two-story home is destroyed by fire following a lightning strike. | |
| 29 | 1909: The deadliest tornado outbreak ever in Middle Tennessee hits from the evening hours on April 29 into the early morning hours on April 30, killing 62 people. F4 tornado hits Giles and Lincoln Counties, killing 31 and injuring 70. It is the 2nd deadliest tornado ever to strike Middle Tennessee. In Bee Spring alone, 22 persons are killed. F3 tornado strikes Hickman and Williamson counties, killing 17 and injuring 43. About 75 homes are damaged or destroyed at Centerville and losses total over $100,000. 4 people are killed by an F3 tornado east of Clarksville. At least 12 tornadoes strike Middle Tennessee. |
| 30 | 1909: An additional 6 fatalities and 30 injuries occur shortly after midnight as an F2 tornado strikes Decherd in Franklin County. Another F2 tornado hits Cookeville and Algood around 1 AM, and yet another tracks across Fentress, Morgan, and Scott counties, killing 1 and injuring 4. |
| 1 | 1963: Temperature at Nashville drops to 34°, setting a record low for the month - a record that would be tied the very next day. |
| 2 | 2010: An historic rain event never before witnessed in Middle Tennessee brings record rainfall amounts and widespread flash flooding and river flooding on May 1 and May 2. Nashville sets a new all-time record one-day rainfall with 7.25 inches for a two-day total of 13.57 inches. Rainfall intensity records for 6 hours (5.57") and 12 hours (7.20") are also set. The Cumberland River at Nashville floods for the first time in 26 years and posts its highest crest since flood control began, reaching 51.86 feet. 18 people were killed in the flooding across Middle Tennessee. |
| 3 | 2000: Lightning strikes a home more than 100 years old in Lewisburg. The 2 story home burns to the ground. This house had also been hit by a tornado in 1913. The tax assessor claims the home was worth $26,452. |
| 2020: A derecho developed across southern Kansas on Saturday night, May 2, 2020, then tracked eastward across southern Missouri and western Kentucky during the morning of May 3, 2020 before reaching Middle Tennessee in the afternoon. This derecho produced widespread straight-line wind damage across nearly every county of Middle Tennessee with numerous trees, power lines, and buildings damaged. A peak wind gust of 71 mph was measured at the Nashville International Airport which is the 5th highest on record at that location. Sadly, 1 man was killed, and 3 other people were injured by falling trees due to the storms. This was also likely the worst straight-line wind event across Middle Tennessee since the July 13, 2004 derecho. | |
| 4 | 1976: Temperature at Nashville drops to 34°, tying the record low for the month. Crossville sets a new record low for May with a reading of 27° degrees. |
| 5 | 1999: Severe weather outbreak produces widespread wind damage (at least $4.7 million) across Middle Tennessee. Linden is hit by an F4 tornado, killing 3. FAA wind equipment at Nashville International Airport clocks a 99 mph wind gust. Seventy planes are damaged, and 2 hangars are destroyed. Debris and jet fuel are scattered across the runway, closing the airport for several hours. A total of 6 tornadoes strike the mid-state. |
| 2003: Two waves of severe weather drop a total of 14 twisters across Middle Tennessee during the late evening of May 4 into the early morning of May 5, then again from late morning through early afternoon on May 5. One person is injured in Montgomery County by an F3 tornado, and two people are injured by another F3 tornado in Lincoln County. Baseball-size hail is reported in Lutts (Wayne County). In addition, widespread flash flooding occurs as a result of excessive rainfall. Nashville measures 4.63" of rain. This is also the 9th largest tornado outbreak in mid-state history. | |
| 6 | 1868: Five people are killed with another 15 injured as a tornado rips a 10-mile path across Williamson and Davidson counties. |
| 7 | 1832: What is described as a "hurricane" (most likely a tornado), strikes downtown Murfreesboro. The roof of the new courthouse is blown off while a carpenter is at work on the upper story of the building. He springs from a window and is badly hurt. |
| 1967: F2 tornado strikes Hartsville. Homes lose their roofs and barns are destroyed. Livestock is killed. | |
| 1984: Eighteen tornadoes touch down across Middle Tennessee over two days. The strongest tornado, an F2, hits Springfield (Robertson County). Fortunately, there are no injuries or fatalities. This is the 4th largest tornado outbreak in mid-state history. | |
| 8 | 1947: It's an almost winter-like day in Middle Tennessee as Nashville's low drops to 36°. |
| 2024: One of the most widespread severe thunderstorm events to impact Middle Tennessee in several years occurred from the early morning hours on May 8th into the early morning of May 9th. Several waves of severe thunderstorms, including many supercells, impacted the mid-state during this period. All together this event resulted in widespread wind damage across nearly every county of Middle Tennessee, large hail up to apple size, and four tornadoes. A Tornado Emergency was issued for a large EF-3 tornado that moved across Maury County during the afternoon of May 8th - the second one issued by NWS Nashville in 5 months. In addition, heavy rainfall as high as 9 inches fell during this 24-hour period, causing major flash flooding and river rises. Some of the worst flooding affected Robertson and Sumner counties in northern Middle Tennessee where Flash Flood Emergencies were issued and numerous water rescues were conducted. This is the first time NWS Nashville had issued both a Tornado Emergency and Flash Flood Emergency during the same weather event. | |
| 9 | 1995: Flash flooding in Warren County washes out a bridge and covers several roads with as much as three to four feet of water. |
| 10 | 1864: The Nashville Dispatch reports on May 12 "The storm of wind and rain which visited our city on Tuesday [10th] evening, we learn, has been particularly destructive in the vicinity of Nashville for miles around. In the region of country skirting the Nolensville Pike, the storm which amounted to a perfect hurricane, in its course uprooted trees, tore down fences, and tumbled over houses to an alarming extent, carrying in its track devastation and ruin to many small farmers and their families, and in some cases loss of life as well as property. Rev. John Rains, living about three miles from the city, near the Nolensville Pike, had his home utterly stripped and ruined - carriagehouse, stable, smoke-house, servants' house, and fencing were entirely destroyed, and his dwelling house is nearly so. Mr. Woodward, in the same vicinity, had his dwelling-house literally torn to pieces, and his wife seriously, if not fatally injured, besides three children badly hurt; the hand of the eldest was so badly crushed as to require amputation of the thumb. Nast. F. Dortch, Mr. McConnico, Mr. Harper, Mr. Lucus, Dr. Whitsitt, and others in the same locality, suffered considerably. Mrs. Aaron V. Brown had a large lot of beautiful timber land destroyed. Mr. John Hooper sustained considerable damage, his barn and fencing being destroyed. In the vicinity of the Hermitage, we learn, a large amount of valuable timber, dwelling houses, etc. were destroyed. Tim. Dodson had his barn, cut house, and fences utterly wrecked. A brick house, on Mill Creek, the property of P. Vickers, is in ruins. The storm traversed a large extent of country Wilson county, doing great damage to fences and out houses. Altogether, from what we hear, this is one of the most disastrous hurricanes that has visited Tennessee for many years." |
| 1933: F4 tornado moves for 20 miles from near Livingston to near Byrdstown. Thirty-three of the 35 deaths are in Beatty Swamps, 6 miles north of Livingston. The half-mile wide funnel destroys every home in the community and kills or injures virtually every resident. Much of the area is swept clean of debris. Damage totals $100,000. There are 150 injuries. (According to the family of Ewing Hull, the air after suppertime was very quiet although stifling for May. The Hull cabin was blown away that night, and the family woke up on the ground.) This is the deadliest tornado ever to strike Middle Tennessee. | |
| 11 | 2003: A pre-dawn severe weather outbreak produces six tornadoes across the Nashville metropolitan area between 2 AM and 4 AM CDT. One F3 tornado tracks 20 miles across Williamson County, ending just northeast of downtown Franklin. One woman is injured in a demolished 3-story home on Old Hillsboro Road. Another F3 tornado causes severe damage in Walterhill (Rutherford County). |
| 12 | 1923: An F2 tornado touches down 10 miles north of Nashville and cuts a 10 mile path northeastward into Sumner County. There are 6 injuries. |
| 13 | 1962: Temperature at Crossville climbs to 91°, establishing a new high mark for May. |
| 1999: At Crab Orchard, marble to golfball-size hail covers the ground 3" deep on I-40. Over a half dozen wreckers are sent to clear the accidents on the interstate. Traffic is backed up for 12 miles to the Roane County line. There are 4 injuries. Snow plows are used to clear the hail off the interstate. Hailstones measure 7" deep at one residence. | |
| 14 | 1834: A "very severe tornado" strikes Florence, Alabama then crosses into Tennessee and causes much damage in Pulaski, carrying away fences and houses and doing great damage to plantations. |
| 1995: Lightning strikes a house in rural Hickman County. The home is completely destroyed by a resulting fire. | |
| 15 | 1994: A man is killed by a lightning strike while trying to park his tractor-semitrailer near his home in Pleasant View (Cheatham County). |
| 16 | 1988: Golfball size hail is reported in Hickman and Clay counties. |
| 17 | 1957: Golfball size hail is reported in Davidson County. |
| 18 | 1995: A large outbreak of supercell thunderstorms strikes Middle Tennessee. There are 16 confirmed tornadoes across the mid-state, including an F4 which tears a 29-mile path across Lawrence and Giles counties, killing 3 and injuring 32. Another massive F3 tornado carves a 1/2-mile-wide swath across Cumberland County, ending on the south side of Crossville. A swath of hail damage extends from near Linden to Shelbyville, causing extensive damage to homes and vehicles. Hail as large as 3" is reported. Another hailstorm in DeKalb County produces an estimated $1.5 million in damage. This is the 6th largest tornado outbreak in mid-state history. |
| 19 | 1997: Flash flooding around Fairview (Williamson County) damages several stores and covers some roads, especially Old Franklin Road, which also sustains some damage. |
| 20 | 1990: An F1 tornado cuts a 2-mile path near Summertown (Lawrence County). No injuries are reported. |
| 21 | 1941: The temperature climbs to 99° at a Clarksville COOP station which sets a new mark for the month of May. |
| 22 | 1989: One person is killed and two are injured as an F2 tornado hits Minor Hill (Giles County). The storm remains on the ground for 9 miles. |
| 23 | 1973: Golfball size hail is reported in Williamson County. |
| 24 | 2000: A five day stretch of severe weather reaches its zenith during the evening of the 24th and early the following morning. Seven tornadoes touch down in less than 4 hours, fourteen during the five days. The most damaging of these is an F2 which strikes southeast Hickman County, tearing a 7.8 mile path and injuring 3. |
| 25 | 2000: Heavy rainfall in southern Cheatham County results in flash flooding. Nine people are rescued from flooded homes. Some are on rooftops. Twenty people are isolated because of the flood waters. Three inches of water collect in the Pegram City Hall. At Turner's Creek, water rises as much as 3 feet in 5 minutes. Up to six inches of rain fall in Cheatham County. There is water damage to Sam's Creek Bridge on State Route 249. Propane tanks float down Sam's Creek. A wooden bridge is destroyed and twisted into an "S" by the flood waters at Dry Creek. |
| 26 | 1996: Golfball size hail is reported at Walterhill (Rutherford County). |
| 27 | 1991: Cheatham Lock & Dam measures its greatest one-day rainfall with 5.85". |
| 2000: F3 tornado hits Houston County, moving through Tennessee Ridge and Erin. Damages are estimated at $1.3 million. Roofs and walls of some well constructed homes are torn off. Many trees are snapped and blown down along with power lines. The Betty Ligon Pavillion in Erin is flattened. Fifty people require shelter at Erin. A storage trailer is moved 50 feet at Tennessee Ridge. Fortunately, there are no injuries or fatalities. | |
| 28 | 1911: Temperature at Nashville reaches 96°, setting a record high for the month. |
| 1961: Crossville experiences its latest freeze ever as the temperature drops to 32°. | |
| 1978: Downpour at Nashville sets rainfall intensity records for 30 minutes (1.86"), 1 hour (2.82"), & 2 hours (3.47"). | |
| 29 | 1983: One person is injured in Fall City (White County) by an F1 tornado. |
| 30 | 1830: A devastating tornado strikes Charlotte and surrounding areas. The tornado levels all but two buildings, including the first courthouse - a two-story brick structure. The Voorhies-James house and one other building are the only ones left. Most public records from the courthouse, as well as those housed in law offices, are blown into the countryside. Some are recovered, but many are never found. Some books are found several miles away. The roof of the jail is found 13 miles away. |
| 1987: Golfball size hail is reported in Montgomery County. | |
| 31 | 1830: Shelbyville is turned into "a heap of ruins" as a tornado moves through the center of town, destroying 15 homes and 38 businesses along with churches and public buildings. A book is carried seven miles. Losses are estimated as high as $100,000. Another tornado, or a continuation of this one, touches down 20 miles northeast of Shelbyville and destroys a farm. |
| 1937: Temperature at Nashville reaches 96°, tying the record high for the month. |
| 1 | 1966: The temperature at Nashville drops to 42°, setting record lows for the month. |
| 2 | 1998: Softball-sized hail is reported at Allons (Overton County). In a separate incident, lightning strikes a home on Temple Ridge Drive and starts a fire on the roof. The fire then spreads to the attic and walls of the house. |
| 3 | 1956: Crossville's low temperature of 33° establishes a new record for the month. |
| 1996: Golfball size hail is reported at Linden. | |
| 4 | 1985: Softball-sized hail is reported in Davidson County. |
| 1998: Lightning strikes the 108-year-old St. Patrick Catholic Church on Second Avenue South in Nashville. The resulting fire significantly damages the roof and steeple. | |
| 5 | 1998: Flash flooding in Brentwood causes damage to 30 homes. |
| 6 | 1995: A thunderstorm over Palmyra (Montgomery County) produces golfball size hail and wind damage. |
| 7 | 1995: A home in Triune (Williamson County) is badly damaged in a fire started by lightning. |
| 8 | 1872: Nashville records 2.56" of rainfall. |
| 9 | 1994: An estimated 9½" of rain fall in a four-hour period producing flash flooding in Waynesboro. Sixteen homes are damaged and 31 residents are evacuated from their homes. |
| 10 | 1998: A hailstorm at Smithville produces golfball-size hail. Seventy cars and 17 homes are damaged. Wind driven hailstones cause holes in the siding of homes. Damage is estimated at $750,000. |
| 1999: Lightning strikes a substation on Eddy Lane in Franklin. The lightning damages a breaker, insulators, and lightning arrestors. Eight thousand customers are without power. | |
| 11 | 2003: The mean temperature at Nashville of 75° is one degree above normal, ending a remarkable streak of 22 consecutive cooler-than-normal days. |
| 2023: Across Middle Tennessee, several supercell thunderstorms developed that produced 3 tornadoes across Fentress and Cumberland counties as well as many reports of large hail and damaging winds. | |
| 12 | 1968: Golfball size hail is reported in Putnam County. |
| 13 | 1953: Wind gust of 61 mph is recorded at Nashville. |
| 14 | 1948: Nashville measures 3.08" of rain. |
| 15 | 1952: The temperature at Nashville climbs to 100° - the earliest date ever for a 100° reading. |
| 16 | 1966: An F1 tornado touches down briefly near Hartsville (Trousdale County). No injuries are reported. |
| 17 | 2000: Lightning strikes a garage in Shop Springs (Wilson County). The fire destroys the garage and leaps to a nearby house. The fire severely damages the rear of the house, the second floor, and the roof. Many other rooms in the house receive smoke and water damage. |
| 18 | 1934: A Clarksville COOP station sets a station record for most rainfall in 1 day, measuring 6.30". |
| 1944: Thermometer tops out at 109° at a Clarksville COOP station - the hottest ever seen in June. | |
| 19 | 1995: Lightning is responsible for a house fire in Normandy (Bedford County). |
| 20 | 1997: Golfball size hail is reported in Fentress County. |
| 21 | 2000: Lightning strikes the Saxony Apartments, one of the oldest apartment complexes in Cookeville. Flames race through the common attic of a 10 apartment, two story wood structure unit at a high rate of speed. Ten families are left homeless. The Saxony Apartment complex is about 30 years old. When it was built, codes regulations did not require draft stop walls in the attic. Damage estimate is $1 million. |
| 22 | 1988: Summer begins with a record heat wave. Nashville's high of 100° is the second in a six-day string of 100+ readings. |
| 23 | 1969: Two young children drown in Red Boiling Springs as 7.95" of rain falls between 3:30 AM and 8:30 AM, causing significant flooding along Salt Lick Creek and some $2 million dollars in property damage in the community. One-day rainfall records are set at Lafayette (6.80"), North Springs (4 NW) (6.70"), and Portland (8.05"). |
| 24 | 1910: Wind gust of 60 mph is recorded at Nashville. |
| 25 | 1911: Nashville sees a remarkable 3.79" of rainfall. |
| 26 | 1994: Middle Tennessee is struck by 4 tornadoes during the evening. The worst is an F3 which travels a remarkable 38 miles, touching down at Lutts (Wayne County) and traveling southeastward, passing through Iron City and St. Joseph before crossing the Alabama state line. There are 22 injuries, but no fatalities. Six more people are injured along a 4-mile F2 path near Altamont (Grundy County). And an F1 touches down near Topsy (Wayne County), cutting a 5-mile path, but with no reported injuries. |
| 27 | 1923: Wind gust of 62 mph is recorded at Nashville. |
| 28 | 1928: A severe weather outbreak produces 5 tornadoes across Middle Tennessee, beginning on the afternoon of the 28th and continuing into the next morning. All tornadoes are classified as F2. One person is killed in Davidson County. Another 38 injuries are reported overall. |
| 29 | 1928: Allardt records its greatest one-day rainfall ever with 6.75". Nashville records its greatest one-day rainfall for June, measuring 4.22". |
| 1936: Temperature at Allardt reaches 104°, setting an all-time record high. | |
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2012: An abnormally hot, dry air mass settles over Middle Tennessee. Several all-time record high temperatures are set, including:
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| 30 | 1952: Temperature at Nashville reaches 106°, marking the 8th consecutive day of 100°+ readings, a record. |
| 1 | 1999: Lightning strikes Moss Florist in Mt. Juliet, destroying all contents inside the greenhouse. |
| 2012: Nashville's high temperature reaches 105°, giving the city 4 straight days of 105°+ readings for the first time in history. | |
| 2 | 1999: The home of a prominent Dickson physician burns to the ground being struck by lightning. No one is injured. Damage is estimated at $200,000. |
| 3 | 1936: Tullahoma records its greatest one-day rainfall ever with 8.25" as well as McMinnville with 7.37". |
| 1952: The temperature at Nashville hits 94°, the 31st consecutive day with 90+ degree readings. The average high temperature during this remarkable stretch is 97.3°. | |
| 4 | 1995: A man is killed by a lightning strike while working on a barn roof at Rushing Springs (Overton County). Another man is injured by a lightning strike while sitting on his front porch in Joelton. |
| 1997: A swath of hail from marble to dime size strikes between the towns of Sandy Springs and Ridgetop. The hail storm damages 100 acres of tobacco. Damage estimate to the tobacco crop by the Robertson County Department of Agriculture is $440,000. | |
| 5 | 1968: A Clarksville COOP station establishes a new record low for July with a reading of 47°. Crossville's 50° sets a daily record low. |
| 6 | 1930: It is a sultry day in one of the most oppressive heat waves in Middle Tennessee history. The high at Nashville reaches 99° following a morning low of 76°. The mean temperature of 88° sets a record for this date. The temperature at Tullahoma and Waynesboro also climbs to 99°. Franklin and McMinnville hit 100°, Dover 101°, and Lewisburg 103°. |
| 7 | 1999: Four fully-loaded mobile homes are struck by lightning at the Oakwood Homes on Highway 31 in Pulaski. Damage is estimated at $150,000. |
| 8 | 1954: The temperature at Nashville reaches 90°, the 31st consecutive day with 90°+ readings. |
| 9 | 1988: Temperature at Lebanon (3 W) reaches 105°. |
| 10 | 1961: Temperature at Crossville falls to 46°, setting a low mark for July. |
| 11 | 1901: An unusually hot day across the mid-state as Nashville hits 102°. Some of the county stations measure as high as 107°. Clarksville and Lewisburg record 104°. |
| 12 | 1930: In one of Middle Tennessee's most oppressive heat waves ever, a Clarksville COOP station's 110° sets a record high for July. |
| 1980: Temperature at Livingston reaches 108°, setting an all-time record high. | |
| 13 | 1956: An F1 tornado touches down briefly at Cedar Springs, near Monterey. No injuries are reported. |
| 2004: A wind gust of 67 mph is measured at the Nashville International Airport as an evening thunderstorm complex produces wind damage in every Middle Tennessee county. | |
| 14 | 1954: The low temperature of 85° is Nashville's highest minimum temperature on record. In addition, the mean temperature of 95° ties a record high. |
| 1998: Lawrenceburg records its greatest one-day rainfall ever with 8.76", giving a two-day total of 12.26". Numerous roads are closed due to high water. Two people are killed, 20 are injured, 122 homes are damaged or destroyed, 13 mobile homes, and several small bridges are swept away. One hundred people are evacuated from their homes. Eighteen businesses sustain water damage. One home has 29" of water in it. The water and sewage plant are left inoperable, and residents have no water or bath facilities. | |
| 1998: A widespread severe weather outbreak strikes Middle Tennessee with over 6 dozen reports of large hail, damaging winds, and two tornadoes. One of the tornadoes tracks for 11 miles across Pickett and Fentress Counties - the first tornado on record to occur in July in either county. Another tornado is captured on video by numerous residents as it moves through the Double Springs area just west of Cookeville. Hail up to the size of apples falls across Cookeville. | |
| 15 | 1966: One person is injured in Columbia by an F1 tornado. |
| 16 | 1980: Crossville's 101° sets a record high for July. This is the 1st time the temperature has ever reached triple digits at Crossville. |
| 1984: Neapolis records its greatest one-day rainfall ever with 8.14". | |
| 17 | 1980: Linden sets a new high temperature record of 105°. |
| 18 | 1980: An oppressive heat wave produces the 5th of 6 consecutive daily record highs at Crossville. The high today hits 96°. |
| 19 | 1921: Nashville records greatest one-day rainfall for July with 4.02". |
| 20 | 2000: Severe thunderstorm winds down numerous trees and power lines across Lincoln County, especially between Fayetteville and Coldwater. Some trees fall on cars. One man is killed flying a gyrocopter in the southern Vanntown area, just off Holster Creek Road. |
| 21 | 1994: Two people are injured by lightning while hanging gutters on a house in Crossville. |
| 22 | 1901: Dover sets an all-time record highs with a reading of 110°. |
| 1995: Six people attending an outdoor carnival in Murfreesboro are injured when lightning strikes a nearby power pole. A large tree is destroyed by a separate lightning strike. | |
| 1996: Flash flooding hits Auburntown (Cannon County) after an estimated 6" of rain falls in 3 hours. Sanders Fork and Marshall Creek, which join in the center of Auburntown, rise out of their banks. As a result, nearly every building in the downtown business district is flooded. Some homes are also damaged. Losses are estimated at $200,000. | |
| 23 | 1947: Temperature at Nashville drops to 51°, setting a record low for the month. |
| 24 | 1957: Sparta records its greatest one-day rainfall ever with 6.10". |
| 1999: A Livingston farmer is injured as lightning strikes the fence he was touching, leaving him unconscious. A neighbor performs CPR. The farmer is taken to the hospital and recovers. | |
| 25 | 1986: Golfball size hail is reported in Grundy County. |
| 26 | 1952: One of the most notorious heat waves assaults Nashville with its first of four consecutive daily record high temperatures. Today, the mercury rises to 103°. The air mass is unusually dry, though, with a temperature range of 40°, following a pleasant morning low of 63°. |
| 27 | 1952: Temperature at Nashville reaches 107°, setting a record high for July. |
| 28 | 1930: The mean temperature of 95° measured at Nashville sets an all-time record. |
| 1952: Temperature at Nashville reaches 107° for the 2nd consecutive day. | |
| 29 | 1930: A record high temperature occurs at Hohenwald with 108°. |
| 1952: Waynesboro reaches 108°, setting a record high temperature. | |
| 2024: A brief EF-0 tornado impacts areas around the MTSU campus. | |
| 30 | 1999: The thermometer hits 101° at Nashville. It is the hottest temperature observed in the city in nearly nine years. |
| 31 | 2021: A small but severe 1.4 mile long by 0.6-mile-wide microburst struck the Oak Hill area from the northeast side of Radnor Lake State Park eastward to I-65. The worst damage occurred in neighborhoods along Franklin Pike between Tyne Blvd and Hogan Road, where dozens of trees were uprooted and two homes were destroyed by fallen trees crushing them. |
| 1 | 1916: Nashville measures 2.58" of rain, a record the date. |
| 2 | 1988: Oppressive heat wave stretches into August. Thermometer at Nashville climbs to 99°. |
| 3 | 1893: Carthage receives its most rainfall ever in one day, measuring 8.35". |
| 4 | 1997: A home near Manchester catches fire after being struck by lightning. |
| 5 | 1954: The temperature at Nashville reaches 97°, the 27th consecutive day with 90°+ readings. This is the 3rd longest such period in Nashville's history. In addition, the high temperature has reached at least 90° on 58 out of the last 59 days. |
| 6 | 1947: Temperature at Nashville reaches 101°, the third straight day with readings above 100°. |
| 7 | 1930: One of the most notorious heat waves is underway in Middle Tennessee. Nashville's 104° is the second of 4 consecutive days with highs greater than 100°. |
| 8 |
1930: The heat wave continues as Carthage and Lebanon set their all-time record highs with readings of 111°. Clarksville COOP station sets a record high for August with 109°. Other readings include:
|
| 2001: A freak ball of lightning peels the bark off a tree and flashes through the crawl space of a nearby house under construction in Fairview. Two workers are injured. | |
| 2013: A localized but major flash flood strikes the northern Nashville metro area early in the morning. Up to 8" of rain falls in a short period of time, resulting in over 200 water rescues. More than 100 homes and business were flooded along with several area interstates. | |
| 9 | 1898: Nashville records greatest one-day rainfall for August with 5.20". |
| 1930: The mercury soars to 110° at Dickson, setting an all-time mark there. | |
| 10 | 1980: Crossville sets its 5th consecutive daily record high temperature with a reading of 95°. |
| 11 | 1998: Lightning strikes and kills a man while working in his tobacco field in the Wirmingham community in northeast Overton County. The lightning bolt injures 2 others nearby. |
| 12 | 1999: A house in Burns (Dickson County) is struck by lightning and burns to the ground. Firefighters claim the size of the home and extent of the fire require a large volume of water. The Dickson Fire Department and Fairview Fire Department are involved in fighting the blaze. |
| 2023: A large complex of severe thunderstorms moved across the state during the morning and afternoon hours of the 12th. These storms produced widespread wind damage across Middle and East Tennessee, numerous funnel clouds, and one EF-0 tornado in Franklin (Williamson County). | |
| 13 | 1881: Temperature at Nashville hits 103° for the second consecutive day. |
| 14 | 1930: Nashville gets 3.98" of rainfall, a record for the date. |
| 15 | 1995: The dewpoint temperature at Nashville tops out at 82°. It's the highest dewpoint ever observed at this station. |
| 16 | 1954: Temperature at Murfreesboro (5 N) reaches 109°, setting an all-time record high. |
| 2007: In the midst of one of the worst droughts in Middle Tennessee's history, the temperature at Nashville climbs to 106°, setting a record high for the month. It is the fifth consecutive day with 100°+ readings - the 9th in the last ten days - and also the twelfth consecutive day of at least 99°. Waverly sets a new all-time record high with a 106° reading, and Linden ties its record high at 105°. | |
| 17 | 2007: All-time record highs are set at Lafayette (105°), Neapolis (109°), and Portland (105°). These records would eventually fall together on June 29, 2012. |
| 18 | 1954: Record heat wave pushes toward late summer as Nashville hits 102°. Morning low was a miserable 79°. |
| 19 | 1997: Baseball-size hail is reported at Elmwood (Smith County). In another incident, lightning strikes the chimney of a house in Portland and sends rocks, weighing as much as 50 pounds, 50 to 75 feet into the yard. The lightning charrs a television antenna, twists several feet of gutters, and pulverizes 2 or 3 television sets inside the home. |
| 20 | 1983: Nashville's high of 101° is the first of four straight 100°+ readings. |
| 21 | 1983: Crossville reports its highest temperature ever in August at 99°. |
| 2021: The deadliest flash flood to ever affect Middle Tennessee, and one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the state, struck the region on Saturday, August 21, 2021. This flash flood left catastrophic damage across several counties in western Middle Tennessee, including parts of Dickson County, Hickman County, Houston County, and especially Humphreys County. The flood waters damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes, businesses, vehicles, and schools, with many buildings washed completely off their foundations. Very sadly, a total of 20 people were determined to have drowned in the flood, 19 of which were in the town of Waverly, TN and 1 in the community of Hurricane Mills. A combination of factors led to the “worst case” scenario as the morning unfolded. Some of the factors included thunderstorms that developed along a surface boundary west of Nashville, Tennessee, continued to train across the same area for several hours, and the persistence of high rainfall rates. This all contributed to the historic rainfall totals. A new state record for 24-hour rainfall amount was set and verified with 20.73" in McEwen. This shattered the previous state record of 13.6" and became the highest 24-hour rainfall amount for any non-coastal state in the country. Rainfall rates were estimated to between 3 to 4.5 inches per hour for 3 hours straight. Peak 1-hour rainfall amount was 4.29 inches, and the peak 3-hour amount was 10.92 inches. | |
| 22 | 1956: Crossville's low of 42° establishes a new record for the month. |
| 23 | 1961: Baseball-size hail is reported in Smith County. |
| 24 | 1876: Nashville gets a rare August downpour of 2.65", setting a new daily record. |
| 25 | 1999: Nashville measures 3.30" of rain, setting a new daily record. |
| 26 | 2007: Temperature hits 94° at Nashville, the 32nd consecutive day with 90°+ readings, a record. The average high temperature during this remarkable stretch is 98.2°. |
| 27 | 1992: Middle Tennessee is hit by 3 F0 tornadoes. Four people are injured near Lewisburg. |
| 28 | 2020: After making landfall in southwest Louisiana on Wednesday, August 26, 2020, Hurricane Laura moved northward into Arkansas and weakened to a tropical storm on Thursday, August 27 then traveled eastward across Tennessee and Kentucky and weakened further to a tropical depression on Friday, August 28. The system brought numerous showers and thunderstorms to Middle Tennessee, some of which became severe and produced several reports of damaging winds along with two weak tornadoes. Rainfall totals across the area ranged from 1 to 3 inches. |
| 29 | 1963: One-day rainfall records are set at Pulaski (7.06") and Shelbyville (6.69"). |
| 1986: A low temperature of 44° breaks Clarksville COOP station's record for August. In addition, Crossville's 44° and Nashville's 49° set new daily record lows. | |
| 1990: In Crossville, a severe thunderstorm produces wind damage and a rare hailstorm that injures 11 people. Hailstones in the shape of bricks crash through windshields and rooftops. The Farm Bureau alone reports 8,000 claims totaling $18,000,000. | |
| 30 | 2005: Remnants of Hurricane Katrina move into Middle Tennessee. Nashville measures 1.97" of rainfall. Clarksville records 2.07" while Crossville receives 0.99". Winds gust as high as 40 miles an hour at all three locations. |
| 31 | 1946: Temperature at Nashville drops to 47°, setting a record low for the month. |
| 1982: Dover records its greatest one-day rainfall ever, measuring 7.60", as well as Gainesboro with 6.16". | |
| 2017: The remnants of Hurricane Harvey move across Middle Tennessee from August 31 through September 2, producing strong winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, and a few tornadoes. Clarksville measures a 49-mph wind gust while Nashville measures a 47-mph gust. Very heavy rainfall causes widespread flash flooding across several counties including the western and northern Nashville metro area. Numerous homes and cars are flooded, many roads are underwater including Interstate 40, and 30 water rescues are conducted. Greenbrier measures a total of 10.96" of rain, Cedar Hill reports 10.67", and 7.87" falls in Goodlettsville. Four tornadoes also touch down across Middle Tennessee, the strongest being an EF-1 that damages several homes in the Bordeaux area of Nashville. |
| 1 | 1979: A home in Centerville is hit by lightning and completely destroyed. It marks the third time the house has been hit by lightning since being built in 1970. |
| 1995: An Estill Springs man sustains minor injuries as he sits outside on his patio. Lightning strikes a nearby tree and runs through the ground then up the legs of the metal chair. He suffers a stiff neck and shoulders and temporary memory loss. | |
| 2 | 1954: An arid air mass produces some rarely observed temperature ranges across the mid-state. At Crossville, the morning low of 44° sets a record for this date. The temperature subsequently rises to 90° during the afternoon - just 2° off the record high. At Nashville, a 40-degree difference between high (95°) and low (55°) is observed. |
| 3 | 1954: Arid weather continues as Nashville hits 101° following a morning low of 60°. At Crossville, the high temperature hits 93° despite a morning low of 50°. |
| 4 | 1986: Murfreesboro (5 N) records its greatest one-day rainfall ever, measuring 8.13". |
| 5 | 1954: Nashville measures its highest September temperature reading with 105° as does Crossville with 99°. |
| 6 | 1925: Temperature at Crossville (Experimental Station) reaches 103°, setting an all-time record high. |
| 7 | 1925: A late-summer heat wave brings the hottest temperature ever recorded in Middle Tennessee to date as Clarksville observes a reading of 112°. Pinewood tops out at 108°. |
| 8 | 1925: Late summer heat wave continues. Temperature at Nashville tops out at a record 100° - the 6th of 7 consecutive days with triple digit readings. The morning low of 80° is a record "warm low" for the date. |
| 9 | 1996: Local law enforcement reports roads impassable around Lawrence County due to major flooding. Cars had water up to windows. As much as 3 inches of rain fell in one hour. |
| 10 | 1895: Nashville measures 4.93" of rainfall, a daily record. |
| 11 | 1983: The temperature at Nashville reaches 100° - the latest date ever for a 100° reading. |
| 12 | 2000: The Rutherford County communications center on Old Salem Road loses all radio and telephone lines and its 911 call board after taking a lightning strike. Dispatchers are forced to move into the EMS director's mobile unit in the parking lot. |
| 13 | 1979: Nashville records 6.60" of rain as the remnants of Hurricane Frederic strike the mid-state. Rainfall intensity record for 3 hours (4.12") is set. It's the greatest one-day rainfall ever recorded in September. |
| 1995: Centerville records its greatest one-day rainfall ever with 6.35". | |
| 2020: Rainfall totals over 6" fall in some locations, resulting in major flash flooding and river flooding along a narrow corridor across Lawrence, Lewis, Maury, Williamson, Davidson, Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, and Macon counties. Numerous water rescues are conducted, and many homes and businesses are flooded with some of the worst flooding occurring in the Mill Creek basin across northeast Williamson County and southeast Davidson County. In fact, Mill Creek at Nolensville reaches 19.53 feet which is the second highest crest ever at that location - only surpassed by the record of 22.53 feet in the May 2010 flood. | |
| 14 | 1979: Orlinda sets a one-day rainfall record with 5.20". |
| 15 | 1881: Nashville measures 4.21" of rainfall, a daily record. |
| 16 | 1927: Very summer-like weather is felt across the mid state. The afternoon temperature hits 98° at Nashville. |
| 17 | 1912: According to one newspaper account, "A terrific windstorm struck Northeastern Montgomery County, Tennessee, and Southeastern Todd County, Kentucky, yesterday afternoon, destroying five residences and six tobacco barns. Total loss in this section, $75,000. A flock of several hundred sparrows was blown again[st] a wall and killed." |
| 18 | 1887: Nashville measures 3.12" of rainfall for a 2-day total of 4.66". |
| 19 | 1954: One of the hottest summers on record continues its strangle-hold on the mid state. Nashville's high hits 97° and Crossville gets to 93°. |
| 20 | 1999: Lightning strikes the upper floor of a Portland home, setting it on fire. One of the rooms sustains heavy damage. Firemen are on the scene for about 3½ hours. The house suffers considerable smoke and water damage. |
| 21 | 1956: Low temperature of 33° sets a new record low for September at Crossville. |
| 22 | 1983: Temperature at Nashville drops to 36°, tying the record low for the month. Crossville's low of 33° ties the record low for the month. |
| 23 | 2006: Nashville measured 2.95" of rain, a daily record. |
| 24 | 1983: Temperature at Nashville drops to 36° for the 2nd time in three days. |
| 25 | 1977: An F0 tornado cuts a 5-mile path across Cumberland County near Homestead and Dorton. No injuries are reported. |
| 26 | 2024: Hurricane Helene makes landfall on September 26th. Across Middle Tennessee, Helene brought widespread heavy rainfall of 2" to 6" over a four-day period from September 26th to September 30th. Many areas received more rainfall in these few days than they typically see in the entire month of September. Due to the ongoing drought across the region, however, this rainfall did not result in any notable flooding across Middle Tennessee. The weakening hurricane also brought gusty winds up to 45 mph at times to the mid-state which resulted in a few downed trees and power lines as well as scattered power outages with up to 10,000 people out of power - mainly in the Nashville metro area. The low pressure associated with Helene also brought record low readings to the area for the month of September with Nashville setting its 9th lowest pressure on record. |
| 27 |
2002: The remnants of Tropical Storm Isidore move across Middle Tennessee during the overnight hours. 24-hour rainfall totals across the area include:
|
| 28 | 1906: Nashville culminates its third-wettest September ever with 2.60" of rainfall. |
| 29 | 1967: Crossville records a high temperature of only 47°, its lowest high temperature for the month of September. |
| 30 | 1949: Temperature at Nashville drops to 36°, setting a record low for the month. |
| 2018: Crossville has their wettest September on record with a total of 10.59" of rain. |
| 1 | 2019: A heat wave that started at the end of September continues into October. The high on October 1st was 98°, the fifth consecutive day of temperatures above 90°. Crossville records a high of 91°, setting a record high for the month. |
| 2 | 1984: Both Nashville and Crossville experience its earliest freeze ever with the temperature at Crossville falling to 31° and 32° at Nashville. |
| 3 | 1974: An early autumn cold snap sends temperatures to record low values. Crossville checks in with 26°. It is the 3rd of 4 consecutive daily record low temperatures. |
| 2019: Crossville hits 91° again, tying the record high for the month. | |
| 4 | 1910: Nashville records a low temperature of 75°, the highest low temperature in the month of October. |
| 5 | 1995: Remnants of Hurricane Opal move across Middle Tennessee. Southern Cumberland County receives as much as 7.80" of rain. Minor river flooding is produced along the Sequatchie Basin. |
| 6 | 1910: Nashville is hit with 2.41" of rain, a daily record. |
| 7 | 1941: Temperature at Nashville climbs to 93° for the second straight day. |
| 8 | 1959: Nashville measures 2.93" of rain for a 3-day total of 4.75". |
| 9 | 1980: An unusually warm spell sees temperatures climb to 91° at Nashville and 83° at Crossville - the highest temperatures ever observed on this date at either location. |
| 10 | 1980: The low temperature at Crossville only falls to 68°, tying the record for warmest low temperature for the month. |
| 11 | 1906: An early freeze occurs at Nashville as the morning temperature bottoms out at 29°. |
| 12 | 1811: A tornado strikes Nashville around 8:00 in the evening. A nearly-finished three-story brick home is destroyed, along with considerable additional structural damage. Losses are estimated at not less than $10,000. This is the first tornado on record in Middle Tennessee. |
| 2000: A cold snap brings several days of unusually cold weather to the mid-state. Morning low at Crossville hits the freezing mark. It is the fourth daily record low temperature there in the last 5 days. | |
| 2022: Severe thunderstorms that produced damaging winds impact Middle TN. The worst of the damage is reported in Williamson and Coffee counties. Sadly, one person is killed when a tree is blown onto their car. | |
| 13 | 2000: Dry weather continues. Despite at start of 38°, the afternoon temperature at Nashville soars to 81°. The high temperature hits 75° at Crossville, despite having dropped to 35° for a morning low. |
| 14 | 1909: An F2 tornado strikes Coffee County, passing south of Wartrace and Manchester and ending near Hillsboro. Six people are injured. Many barns are destroyed. Overall, five tornadoes strike Middle Tennessee. |
| 15 | 1947: Unseasonably warm weather continues across Middle Tennessee. Nashville's high tops out at 89°. |
| 16 | 1932: A wet day for Nashvillians as 2.98" of rain is measured, a daily record. |
| 17 | 1928: Nashville records its greatest one-day rainfall for October with 3.18". |
| 18 | 1972: Crossville measures 2.42" of rain. Nashville is not far behind with 2.33". Both are daily records. |
| 19 | 1948: A cold snap brings the 3rd consecutive day of sub-freezing temperatures to Nashville with a morning low of 29°. Clarksville gets down to 26° for the 2nd day in a row. |
| 20 | 1870: Official weather record-keeping begins at Nashville. Observation site is located in a building at 70½ Cherry Street (between Church & Union Streets). |
| 21 | 1929: Nashville is drenched with 2.14" of rain, a daily record. |
| 22 | 1987: Temperature at Nashville drops to 26°, tying the record low for the month. |
| 23 | 1963: A prolonged warm spell settles over the mid-state. Crossville's 79° represents the 4th consecutive daily record high temperature. |
| 24 | 1981: A winter-like cold snap brings record cold to Middle Tennessee. Crossville's 25° ties the daily record low, and Nashville breaks its daily record with 28°. |
| 2001: An F2 tornado touches down in Manchester at 9:13 PM. There is some damage, but no injuries are reported. | |
| 25 | 1955: Despite a frigid morning low of 21°, Crossville's temperature jumps 42 degrees to top out at a pleasant 63°. |
| 26 | 1920: Nashville gets soaked with 2.08" of rain, a daily record. |
| 27 | 1988: Nashville's temperature rockets 43 degrees from a morning low of 29° to an afternoon high of 72°. |
| 28 | 1957: A cold wave brings record low temperatures to the mid-state. Nashville observes a reading of 28°. Crossville drops to 20°. |
| 29 | 1925: Temperature at Nashville drops to 26°, setting a record low for the month. |
| 30 | 1925: Nashville records earliest measurable snowfall with 1". |
| 1952: Temperature at Nashville drops to 26°, tying the record low for the month. | |
| 31 | 1951: Nashville measures 2.30" of rain, a daily record. |
| 2014: A rare early season snowfall brings over 2" of snow to the Upper Cumberland. The highest reported snowfall is 2.2" south of Crossville. |
| 1 | 1870: New weather office in Nashville transmits its first weather report via telegraph. |
| 2016: Nashville sets a record high temperature for November with 88°. Crossville reports a high temperature of 81°, also a new record for November. | |
| 2 | 1966: A rare, early-season snowstorm strikes the mid-state as Nashville ties its record for greatest one-day snowfall for November, measuring 7.2". |
| 3 | 1966: Cookeville measures 15.2" of snowfall - its greatest one-day snowfall ever - as well as Livingston (5 NE) with 10.5". |
| 2003: An unseasonably warm spell brings record warmth to the mid-state. Nashville's 82° and Crossville's 79° are both daily record high temperatures. | |
| 4 | 1994: A Bethpage man is injured by a lightning strike while working in his back yard. |
| 5 | 1948: An F2 tornado touches down in northwest Giles County and travels for 7 miles, crossing into Maury County before lifting. No injuries are reported. |
| 6 | 1885: An F2 tornado touches down near Estill Springs, resulting in 3 fatalities and 8 injuries. Another tornado kills 1 and injures 2 from Hubbard's Cove in Grundy County to Fult's Cover in Warren County. |
| 2018: An overnight tornado outbreak that begins in the late evening on November 5 spawns at least 9 tornadoes across Middle Tennessee. The strongest tornado causes EF2 damage and kills 1 woman west of Christiana, and another EF2 tornado tracks for 40 miles across Franklin, Coffee, and Grundy counties. | |
| 7 | 1996: An F2 tornado cuts a 25-mile path across Franklin County, touching down west of Huntland. The tornado lifts near Belvidere, then skips to Decherd, Oak Grove, and Alto. There is only 1 reported injury. |
| 8 | 1957: An F2 tornado touches down at Rebel Acres, near Pulaski, during the early morning. The twister travels northeastward for 5 miles before lifting. Amazingly, no one is injured. |
| 9 | 1990: Nashville measures 2.58" of rainfall, a daily record. |
| 10 | 2002: Middle Tennessee suffers one of its worst autumn severe weather outbreaks ever. Four tornadoes strike the Highland Rim during the early morning with 2 fatalities in Port Royal. Then, following record high temperatures at Nashville (81°) and Crossville (75°), severe weather re-ignites during the late afternoon with widespread wind damage, hail, and 8 additional tornadoes. Lake Tansi, south of Crossville, is hardest hit as a supercell produces baseball-size hail and an F3 tornado, killing 4. Two additional fatalities occur at New Union (Coffee County) as the result of two F2 tornadoes there. In addition to the 8 fatalities, 51 injuries are reported across the area. |
| 11 | 1960: An unusually strong cold outbreak produces a low of 19° at Crossville and 20° at Nashville. |
| 12 | 1911: An early-morning twister strikes Joelton, causing significant damage and injuring 3 people. Following an early high temperature of 73°, a strong cold front brings 48 mile per hour winds to Nashville followed by a 40-degree drop in temperature in just 6 hours. |
| 13 | 1933: The first dust storm of the great dust bowl era of the 1930's occurs. The dust storm, which spread eastward, reduces the visibility to ½ mile in Tennessee. |
| 14 | 1951: An F2 tornado touches down briefly between the Elkton and Prospect communities in Giles County. There are no reported injuries. |
| 15 | 2005: A rare cool-season tornado outbreak produces 13 twisters across the mid state. One person is injured in Collinwood (Wayne County). Fortunately, no fatalities are reported. |
| 16 | 1955: A strong cold front produces a 44-degree temperature drop at Crossville, from a daytime high of 69° to 25°. A 43-degree drop occurs at Nashville as the temperature falls to 30° by midnight following a daytime high of 73°. |
| 17 | 1906: Nashville measures 3.17" of rainfall, a daily record. |
| 18 | 1957: An F2 tornado cuts a 15-mile path across Fentress County, including the Armathwaite community. There is only 1 reported injury. |
| 19 | 1906: An F2 tornado strikes the Mulberry community in Lincoln County, resulting in 8 injuries. |
| 20 | 1900: F4 tornado cuts a devastating swath 300 yards wide and 8 miles long along the northwest edge of Columbia. Hardin, Wayne, and Lewis counties may have had related tornado activity before the storm reached Columbia. Most deaths are in the Macedonia community, 2 miles west of Columbia, where the homes and cabins are "turned into kindling wood." The funnel was moving northeastward, heading for the center of Columbia, but turns suddenly to the north. Damage is estimated at $40,000. The tornado kills 27 and injures 75. It is the 4th deadliest tornado to ever strike Middle Tennessee. An F3 tornado kills 9 and injures 40 along a 25-mile path across Williamson, Davidson, and Rutherford counties. |
| 21 | 1942: A spring-like day is enjoyed at Nashville with a high of 77° and a low of 63°. |
| 22 | 1929: Five inches of snow fall at Nashville, the most ever measured on this date. |
| 23 | 1983: An F1 tornado touches down near Hurricane Mills (Humphreys County). No one is injured. |
| 24 | 1950: Nashville records greatest one-day snowfall for November, measuring 7.2". |
| 25 | 1950: The temperature at Nashville falls to -1°, setting a record low temperature for the month. |
| 26 | 1925: F3 tornado touches down near Charlotte (Dickson County). Two farms, six miles apart, lost buildings. Timber is downed between the two farms. On the first farm, a two story log home is blown apart. Logs were driven into the ground 100 yards away. Damage is estimated at $10,000. |
| 27 | 1994: An F0 tornado cuts a 2-mile path through Bumpus Mills (Stewart County). No injuries are reported. |
| 28 | 1931: An unusual late-season warm spell produces an 88° reading at Clarksville. |
| 29 | 1955: Low temperature of 5 degrees sets a monthly record at Crossville. |
| 2001: Nashville measures 3.46" of rain, a daily record. | |
| 2016: An EF-1 tornado tracks across Tullahoma late in the evening. Hundreds of trees were snapped and uprooted across the north side of the city, and numerous homes were damaged especially around Lake Tullahoma. One person was injured when a tree fell onto their car. | |
| 30 | 1997: Nashville records greatest one-day rainfall for November with 4.20". High water covers Highways 41 and 31A in the southeast part of town. A number of motorists are stranded in their vehicles and have to be rescued. |
| 2001: Heavy rainfall event spanning 2 days ends with significant localized and river flooding across much of western Middle Tennessee. Some stations report large precipitation totals spanning the 2 days, including Clifton (8.44"), Dover (7.02"), Waverly (5.90"), Linden (5.77"), Lobelville (5.35"), Pinewood (5.10"), and Centerville (5.06"). The Stewart County Highway Department reports 14.6" of rainfall in 24 hours and 24" over ten days. |
| 1 | 1982: A mild air mass brings record warmth to Middle Tennessee. Nashville records a high of 70° with a low of 62°. |
| 2 | 1991: Nashville measures 3.07" of rainfall for a 3-day total of 5.96". Crossville receives 3.57" for a remarkable 3-day total of 8.16". |
| 3 | 1982: Temperature at Nashville reaches 79°, setting a record high for the month. |
| 4 | 1977: Baseball-size hail is reported in Maury County. |
| 5 | 1977: Baseball-size hail is reported in Putnam County. |
| 6 | 1937: A chilly day brings record cold to the mid-state. Nashville's low temperature is 11° with the high reaching just 17°. |
| 7 | 1989: A winter storm leaves 40,000 homes around Nashville without electricity for several hours. |
| 8 | 1917: Dover sets a station record with an even foot of snow. |
| 1978: Nashville records greatest one-day rainfall for December with 4.46". | |
| 9 | 1917: It's a cold day in Middle Tennessee. Clarksville sees the mercury plunge to -12°. Other readings include Crossville Experiment Station with -11°, McMinnville with -1°, and Nashville with 0°. |
| 2023: Three primary supercell tracks affected portions of the mid-state that eventually spawned 7 tornadoes. Both the Clarksville and Nashville metro areas were hard-hit. The strongest of these tornadoes was an EF-3 that touched down near Clarksville and stayed on the ground for more than an hour, eventually crossing into Kentucky. This tornado resulted in 62 injuries and 4 fatalities, and damaged or destroyed many homes. Later in the afternoon, an EF-2 touched down in north Nashville and stayed on the ground through Madison, Hendersonville and Gallatin. This tornado resulted in another 22 injuries and 3 fatalities as well as widespread structural damage. | |
| 10 | 1917: A record cold air mass penetrates Middle Tennessee. Nashville's low temperature is 1° with a high reaching just 15°, both daily records. |
| 2021: One of the worst tornado outbreaks ever recorded in the United States struck the Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Tennessee Valley from the evening hours on December 10th into the morning hours on December 11th. Across Middle Tennessee, a total of 16 tornadoes were determined to have touched down - four EF-2 tornadoes, five EF-1 tornadoes, and seven EF-0 tornadoes - making this the 5th largest tornado outbreak on record in Middle Tennessee. These tornadoes injured 8 people across Middle Tennessee and caused millions of dollars in property and tree damage in many counties. In addition to the tornadoes, widespread damaging straight-line winds also affected much of Middle Tennessee. Particularly hard hit were the southeastern sections of the Nashville Metro area, including Brentwood, Crieve Hall, Antioch, La Vergne, and the Nashville International Airport Area where numerous buildings suffered roof damage and dozens of trees were blown down. A wind gust of 78 mph was measured at the Nashville International Airport which is the 3rd highest wind gust ever recorded at the airport. | |
| 11 | 1962: It's the beginning of a record cold outbreak in Middle Tennessee. Nashville's temperature drops to 3° after a snowfall of 2.8". Crossville's low sinks to -2°. |
| 12 | 1935: Crossville (Experimental Station) records its greatest one-day snowfall ever with 12". |
| 13 | 1962: Temperature drops to -17° at Crossville, a record low for December. |
| 14 | 1951: Nashville gets soaked with 2.91" of rainfall, a daily record. |
| 15 | 1901: A strong cold front ushers in a blast of arctic air. Nashville's temperature sinks to -2° following the previous day's high of 42°. |
| 16 | 2000: An F1 tornado touches down north of Cash Point (Lincoln County), cutting a 2-mile path. No injuries are reported. |
| 17 | 1915: Nashville records 2.72" of rainfall, a daily record. |
| 18 | 1916: Nashville records greatest one-day snowfall for December, measuring 6". |
| 19 | 1924: A pleasant late autumn warm spell comes to an abrupt halt as a strong cold front sweeps through the mid-state. The temperature at Nashville drops from a high of 67° to 17° by midnight. |
| 20 | 1926: Nashville gets 2.03" of rain. This marks the beginning of a 2-day stretch that will see 5.52" fall on the city. |
| 21 | 1989: The beginning of perhaps the worst December cold wave ever sees Nashville's temperature drop to -2°. Crossville bottoms out at 0°. |
| 22 | 1989: Nashville breaks its monthly temperature record with a reading of -10°. Crossville's -8° sets a new daily mark. |
| 2022: An abnormally strong and cold upper-level low pressure system plunged southward through much of the central and eastern United States, bringing a blast of Arctic air. These historically cold temperatures impacted all of Middle Tennessee beginning late on December 22nd. As the Arctic front swept eastward through the area, temperatures plummeted with low temperatures on the morning of December 23rd in the single digits and even below zero. This front also brought strong winds, and the combination of very cold air and strong winds resulted in brutal wind chills with values of -15° to -30° common areawide through December 24th. While snow was observed with this system, it did not last long and snow accumulations of only 1 to 2 inches was found approximately in areas north of Interstate 40. However, this snow resulted in significant impacts by early December 23rd with numerous traffic accidents and road closures reported. | |
| 23 | 1963: Tullahoma receives 10" of snowfall - its greatest one-day snow ever. |
| 1998: Ice storm strikes much of northern Middle Tennessee and the Cumberland Plateau. Damage in some areas eclipses that from the 1994 ice storm. Warren and Coffee counties are the hardest hit. Eighty percent of Coffee County residents are without electricity. | |
| 2015: A rare late December tornado outbreak strikes the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys. Four strong tornadoes hit Middle Tennessee, including an EF2 tornado that kills 2 people in Perry County and an EF3 tornado that tracks nearly 50 miles across Wayne, Lawrence, Lewis, and Maury counties. | |
| 24 | 1963: The high temperature at Nashville reaches just 32°. This is the 7th consecutive day in which temperatures have remained below freezing, tying a record. During this stretch, the temperature has never risen above 32° nor fallen below 5°. |
| 1988: F4 tornado tears a path from the Rebel Meadows area of Franklin to the Brenthaven area of Brentwood. The tornado destroys 54 homes, 13 apartment units, 31 businesses, and 6 parked airplanes. A man is killed when a roof caves in. The tornado travels 6 miles with a path width of 150 yards. There are $50 million in damages and 7 injuries. | |
| 25 | 1969: Nashville records its greatest Christmas Day snowfall ever, measuring 2.4". |
| 26 | 1911: Nashville measures 4.06" of rainfall, a daily record. |
| 27 | 2015: Middle Tennessee experiences record warmth as Nashville's high reaches 76°. Crossville gets up to 73°. |
| 28 | 1894: A cold snap brings record low temperatures to the mid-state. Nashville's high struggles to just 10° after a low temperature of 3°. Both are daily records. |
| 29 | 1969: Nashville measures 2.18" of rainfall during the 2nd day of a 3-day wet spell that produces 4.86". Crossville's 3.46" contributes to a 3-day total of 7.60". |
| 30 | 1926: The Cumberland River at Carthage reaches its highest stage ever recorded - 59.8 feet which is 19.8 which above flood stage. |
| 31 | 1927: A cold front drops the temperature at Nashville a remarkable 56 degrees - from a high of 58° to 2° the following day. |
| 2020: Crossville ends the year with a total of 75.32" of precipitation - its wettest year ever recorded. |
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