A storm system and its associated cold front racing across the Great Plains combined with moist southerly flow at the surface resulted in a line of thunderstorms that impacted Middle Tennessee on February 16, 2023. As this line moved into the area that provided abundant wind shear and sufficient instability, they strengthened and quickly turned severe. Several reports of large hail and damaging winds were received, and three tornadoes were confirmed across southern Middle Tennessee. While these three tornadoes were weak with 2 EF0s and 1 EF1, they were the first tornadoes in Middle Tennessee since January 1, 2022.

Hail in WILLIAMSON, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 16:30:00 to 16-FEB-23 16:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: TRIUNE
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

Ping pong size hail was reported near Triune via Twitter.

Thunderstorm Wind in WHITE, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 18:17:00 to 16-FEB-23 18:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: YANKEETOWN
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Severe thunderstorm winds downed a tree along Monterey Highway near Yankeetown Church in Sparta. Damages are estimated.

Hail in WHITE, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 18:17:00 to 16-FEB-23 18:17:00 (CST-6)
Location: BON AIR
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Quarter size hail was reported near Bon Air.

Thunderstorm Wind in WHITE, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 18:19:00 to 16-FEB-23 18:19:00 (CST-6)
Location: SPRING HILL
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Severe thunderstorm winds downed trees along Mack Floyd Road near Sparta. Damages are estimated.

Flash Flood in STEWART, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 11:55:00 to 16-FEB-23 14:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: NEW HAVEN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Heavy rain in the Dover area forced the evacuation of a daycare along Robertson Hill Road due to flood waters approaching the building. Damages are not known.

Flash Flood in STEWART, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 12:16:00 to 16-FEB-23 14:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: FT HENRY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Heavy rain in the Dover area forced the closure of Upper Standing Rock Road due to flooding. Damages are not known.

Flash Flood in MAURY, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 14:00:00 to 16-FEB-23 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: COLUMBIA
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue

Heavy rain in the Columbia area caused flash flooding. The Columbia Fire and Rescue shared photos of a flooded parking lot at the Brookwood Apartments near 7th Street and Academy. Damages are not known.

Hail in HUMPHREYS, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 13:40:00 to 16-FEB-23 13:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: HURRICANE MILLS
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

A tornado-warned thunderstorm produced ping pong size hail near Hurricane Mills.

Hail in HUMPHREYS, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 13:40:00 to 16-FEB-23 13:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: HURRICANE MILLS
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A tornado-warned thunderstorm produced quarter size hail just south of Waverly.

Hail in HUMPHREYS, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 13:53:00 to 16-FEB-23 13:53:00 (CST-6)
Location: FEW CHAPEL
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A tornado-warned thunderstorm produced ping pong size hail along Hurricane Creek Road southeast of McEwen.

Lightning in DAVIDSON, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 15:30:00 to 16-FEB-23 15:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: BERRYVILLE
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

A home on Highland Place Way in Hermitage was struck by lightning during the afternoon. Firefighters quickly responded after reports were received of fire coming out of the roof. The lightning strike set the attic on fire. Fortunately, firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading beyond the attic, but the homeowner's second floor was also badly damaged by water. Damages are a rough estimate for the damaged roof, destroyed attic, and water damage to the second floor. Nobody was hurt in the fire.

Thunderstorm Wind in BEDFORD, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 17:00:00 to 16-FEB-23 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BEDFORD
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Three power poles were broken and downed along Highway 64 near Shelbyville due to severe thunderstorm winds. Damages are estimated.

Hail in BEDFORD, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 17:15:00 to 16-FEB-23 17:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: SHELBYVILLE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Numerous reports of quarter size hail was received in Shelbyville.

Tornado in LAWRENCE, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 15:38:00 to 16-FEB-23 15:44:00 (CST-6)
Location: MT LEBANON
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF0 tornado touched down on South Hood Road and moved northeast blowing down numerous trees. More trees were blown down with minor damage to outbuildings on North Bradley Road and Mount Lebanon Road. The worst damage occurred along Granddaddy Road at Gore Road, where numerous large trees were snapped and uprooted and outbuildings damaged. One large tree fell onto a home crushing much of the structure. The tornado apparently lifted south of Robertson Road. Damages are estimated.

Tornado in LAWRENCE, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 15:57:00 to 16-FEB-23 16:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: WEBBER CITY
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF0 tornado touched down in Ethridge north of Brewer Road and moved northeast, blowing the storefront off a building on Highway 43. Continuing northeast, the tornado snapped and uprooted numerous trees along Rushing Road and caused minor damage to a few homes and outbuildings. More barns and farm outbuildings were damaged and trees blown down on East Edan Road, Morgan Drive, Tom Lane, and Marcell Falls Road before the tornado lifted west of Cross Road. Damages are estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind in WAYNE, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 15:05:00 to 16-FEB-23 15:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: WAYNESBORO
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A narrow swath of wind damage affected western and central Waynesboro. A home on Highway 64 West to the west of Longvue Drive was heavily damaged from the roof of a nearby barn blowing into it with wood beams puncturing through the walls of the home and breaking windows. Several trees were also blown down near the home. Further to the east, more trees were blown down along Highway 64 West and South High Street, and a detached carport was turned upside down on Woodtown Street. More trees, power lines, and fences were knocked down on South Main Street with one large tree falling onto a small business and shifting it off its foundation. Damages are estimated.

Flood in LAWRENCE, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 18:30:00 to 16-FEB-23 18:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: CENTER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Heavy rain across Lawrence County flooded nearly all low water crossings and forced their closure. Any damages are not known.

Flood in MARSHALL, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 19:00:00 to 16-FEB-23 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: PETERSBURG
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Heavy rain across Marshall County flooded and closed several roads in the county. Any damages are not known.

Flood in WHITE, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 23:20:00 to 16-FEB-23 23:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: BAKERS XRDS
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Heavy rain across White County flooded several roads, rendering them impassable. Any damages are not known.

Tornado in MARSHALL, TENNESSEE
From 16-FEB-23 16:38:00 to 16-FEB-23 16:42:00 (CST-6)
Location: VERONA
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A low end EF-1 tornado touched down near Big Rock Creek northwest of Farmington and moved northeast, damaging a barn and blowing down dozens of trees west of Bethbirei Road. A home on Bethbirei Road was damaged by a large uprooted tree falling on it, and several nearby outbuildings were also damaged. Further northeast, dozens more trees were snapped and uprooted south of Wade Brown Road, and an RV was blown over with a horse trailed partially
blown on top of it. A home further east of Wade Brown Road suffered minor exterior damage, while several nearby barns were damaged or destroyed. Other trees and a nearby barn on Stegall Road were heavily damage, with tree limbs and debris from the barn blown up to 600 yards away across adjacent farm fields before the tornado lifted. Damages are estimated.