Severe weather is making a comeback in Middle Tennessee after a brief reprieve. An active weather system is set to move into the area on May 20, bringing the risk of multiple storm rounds. The National Weather Service has issued an enhanced severe weather risk warning for the region, which includes threats of quarter-sized hail, damaging winds exceeding 65 mph, and potential tornadoes.
The greatest risk for severe weather is expected in the latter part of the day, although the specific timing and locations of the storms remain uncertain. If morning storms materialize, they could affect the intensity of afternoon and evening storms.
Forecasts indicate that storm activity will continue into the following day, with additional storms anticipated on Tuesday afternoon and evening. Heavy rains may lead to localized flooding in areas with poor drainage, but significant flooding events are not expected.
Moreover, the National Weather Service office in Nashville is set to carry out a major upgrade to its Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) from May 19 through May 21. During this upgrade, NOAA weather radio transmitters in Nashville and surrounding areas will be offline, affecting Clarksville, Waverly, and several other localities.
Despite these outages, essential forecast products, warnings, and advisories will still be issued with backup offices covering core services.
Moving forward, Middle Tennessee can expect calmer and drier weather conditions after the storm system passes, with sunny skies predicted for the latter part of the week.
Amid the unfolding weather changes, residents are reminded to stay vigilant and monitor updates from the National Weather Service. Being informed can help ensure safety as the region prepares to navigate through potential severe weather events.