Nashville, Tenn. – Powerful thunderstorms are sweeping across Tennessee Friday, with severe weather expected to impact cities from Memphis to Nashville through 5 p.m.
According to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for 52 counties, including Davidson, Shelby, Madison, Rutherford, and Sumner. The primary threats include wind gusts up to 70 mph, frequent lightning, and hail up to the size of quarters.
In Middle Tennessee, Nashville and surrounding areas like Franklin, Murfreesboro, and Lebanon could see sudden downpours, falling branches, and scattered outages as storms develop through the afternoon. West Tennessee, including Jackson and Dyersburg, faces the earliest impacts, with cells already forming by mid-morning along I-40 and U.S. 45.
Emergency managers urge residents to secure outdoor items, stay indoors during lightning, and avoid driving through flooded roads. Power companies are on alert for potential outages, especially in rural counties with older infrastructure.
This is the first widespread severe weather watch of May for Tennessee, arriving just days after unseasonably warm temperatures statewide.
Storms may linger into early evening in eastern areas. Additional watches or warnings could follow as the system progresses eastward.
