Middle TN weather: Storms bring tornado warnings, damage across region Thursday

Craig Shoup, Kirsten Fiscus and Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read
Severe storms are possible Thursday across Middle Tennessee.
Severe storms are possible Thursday across Middle Tennessee.

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The National Weather Service Nashville said a possible tornado touched down Thursday afternoon in Lawrence County. A team will be out surveying damage there today, along with Marshall County, according to meteorologist Brittney Whitehead.

A tornado watch that covered all of Middle Tennessee lifted Thursday evening as storms moved out.

Reports of damaged homes, snapped power poles, downed trees, high water, flooding and large hail peppered the region. Flash flooding was also reported in Stewart County.

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Nashville officials: Three tornado sirens are offline, awaiting repairs

Three Nashville tornado siren warning systems are inoperable and waiting repairs, a news release from the city's Office of Emergency Management said Wednesday afternoon. Repairs are scheduled for next week.

The sites include:

  • Siren 084 (8146 Coley Davis Rd.)

  • Siren 087 (5141 John Hagar Rd.)

  • Siren 093 (2749 Smith Springs Rd.)

"While these sites are inoperable the other tornado siren sites are working properly," the release said. "Please note you may not hear the sirens indoors if they activate, as the sirens are not meant to be heard inside of homes or buildings."

Follow-up testing will be conducted once the repairs are done, and a public announcement will be made ahead of those tests, the release said. The release reminded residents it's important to have multiple ways to get weather alerts — especially if one method is not available or fails.

National Weather Service urges weather awareness

The National Weather Service recommends having multiple ways to get weather updates.
The National Weather Service recommends having multiple ways to get weather updates.

Though sirens can be helpful, there are multiple ways to get weather alerts, including cell phone push alerts from local media and weather apps; social media updates; local news coverage; and NOAA weather radios.

NWS recommends having an emergency kit you can quickly grab in case of an emergency. It should include essential supplies like food, water, flashlights, batteries, medicine, extra clothing and shoes, toiletries and solar-powered chargers for electronic devices.

Learn more about how to prepare for severe weather and make an emergency plan at ready.gov/plan.

Nashville-area weather radar

Nashville forecast

Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms possible throughout the day. Chance of precipitation is 100%. High: 69; Low: 34

Friday: Mostly cloudy. High: 42; Low: 23

Saturday: Sunny. High: 51; Low: 37

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville weather: Storms bring tornado warnings, damage in Middle TN