Strong Thunderstorms Sweep Through Middle Tennessee Friday Night
Multiple thunderstorms with 40 mph winds and nickel-size hail moved across Middle Tennessee Friday night, affecting dozens of communities from Livingston to Winchester.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — Multiple strong thunderstorms moved across Tennessee Friday night, leading the National Weather Service to issue special weather statements for communities from Livingston to Winchester as Doppler radar detected wind gusts up to 40 mph and hail up to nickel size.
The most recent storm system was spotted near Livingston at 11:50 p.m. CDT, moving northeast at 35 mph with wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea-size hail, according to NWS Nashville. The system impacted Livingston, Byrdstown, Dale Hollow Lake, and Standing Stone State Park.
Storm Progression Across Middle Tennessee
Earlier Friday evening, thunderstorms moved through multiple counties in a northeasterly pattern. At 10:03 p.m. CDT, NWS Morristown tracked a strong storm near Jasper moving north at 30 mph, affecting Jasper, South Pittsburg, Whitwell, Kimball, Monteagle, Powells Crossroads, Orme, Martin Springs, Fiery Gizzard State Park, and Griffith Creek.
The storm system that began in northern Alabama continued its path into Tennessee throughout the evening. At 9:35 p.m. CDT, NWS Huntsville detected a thunderstorm 9 miles west of South Pittsburg moving northeast at 35 mph, impacting Sewanee, Anderson, Bass, St. Andrews, and Sherwood with pea to dime-size hail.
Multiple Communities Affected
The Winchester area experienced significant storm activity when radar tracked a system near Huntland at 9:01 p.m. CDT moving northeast at 55 mph. This storm brought dime to nickel-size hail to Winchester, Lynchburg, Decherd, Estill Springs, Huntland, Tims Ford Lake, Lexie Crossroads, Mulberry, Harmony, and Elora, according to NWS Huntsville.
Earlier in the evening at 8:16 p.m. CDT, Lynchburg was directly in the path of a thunderstorm moving northeast at 30 mph. The system produced wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea to dime-size hail across Lynchburg, Tims Ford Lake, Mulberry, Lois, Mimosa, and Booneville.
Impact and Safety Concerns
Weather service officials warned that the gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation was possible across all affected areas, according to the multiple weather statements issued throughout the evening.
Storm activity was tracked near Skyline at 8:09 p.m. CDT, affecting Cowan, Anderson, Hytop, Jericho, Sherwood, and Bass. In eastern Tennessee, a storm northwest of Helenwood at 8:56 p.m. EDT brought winds exceeding 30 mph to Oneida, Helenwood, Winfield, Honey Creek State Park, and Big South Fork National Park.
The weather service also tracked isolated storm activity northeast of Pikeville at 7:00 p.m. CDT, impacting the Melvine area with 40 mph wind gusts and pea-size hail.
