Severe weather threatens Nashville
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Severe storms are threatening the Nashville area throughout the day Wednesday, with damaging winds, hail, tornadoes and flooding all possible late into the evening, according to the National Weather Service.
Threat level: The Middle Tennessee area is designated as a three out of five — an enhanced risk for severe weather, according to the NWS.
- Nashville Severe Weather reports Wednesday will have a 10% chance of a tornado, including a low probability of a strong tornado, within 25 miles of you no matter where you are in Middle Tennessee.
The big picture: Gnarly weather has much of the country on edge, with the possibility for severe storms stretching from Texas to the Great Lakes.
What to expect: Weather experts say it will be important to track the weather all day, as this is not the kind of storm system that passes through and then leaves us in the clear.
- Instead, forecasters predict several waves of potentially dangerous storms.
- The severe threat begins late Wednesday morning, according to a synopsis of the forecast by Nashville Severe Weather.
The "main event," when we are most likely to see especially strong storms, is Wednesday evening.
- Nighttime storms can be especially treacherous, as people have fewer ways to see threatening weather and receive warnings that wake them up.
The NWS suggests having your safe weather plan in place now in advance of the storms. It is important to identify a safe spot to seek shelter in case of a tornado warning.
- The weather service suggests making sure your phone is charged and the ringer is on.
What we're watching: Experts say the timeline and intensity of the threat could change. Nashville Severe Weather, the NWS' Nashville branch, and local meteorologists like Lelan Statom are worth following for the latest information.
- Nashville Severe Weather broadcasts livestreams on YouTube when dangerous weather reaches Davidson or Williamson counties.
Go deeper: Axios' Andrew Freedman wrote about the difference between tornado watches and warnings.