Relief from heat could bring strong storms to Middle TN

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — The dangerous heat is winding down and will be replaced by cooler temperatures for Middle Tennessee. This relief will also bring thunderstorms, some of which could be strong on Tuesday and Wednesday. This is a Weather Alert for the dual threat of heat and storms.

Nashville hit 100° for the first time in 2024 on Sunday, July 14. The most intense part of this heat wave has been the feels like temperatures peaking between 98° – 110° the last few afternoons. This trend continues on Tuesday with a Heat Advisory in effect for most of Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky until 8 p.m. Tuesday. These areas could experience feels like temperatures above 105° (even close to 110°.)

The secondary threat will be the risk of strong storms. From Tuesday until Wednesday at 7 a.m., the Storm Prediction Center has a Marginal Risk (level 1 out of 5) for severe weather in Southern Kentucky and far northern Middle Tennessee, with a Slight Risk (level 2 out of 5) for far northern parts of these counties in KY: Christian, Logan, Muhlenberg, Todd, Trigg and Warren.

A few strong thunderstorms are possible near the TN/KY state line in two rounds: one late Tuesday afternoon and evening, and again overnight into early Wednesday morning. Gusty winds, frequent lightning, heavy rain and hail are the main threats.

So, the heat and storm threat will be an issue for Tuesday. Wednesday’s focus is less on the heat and more on the rain/storm coverage.

Tuesday

This morning, a shield of cloud cover moved into Southern Kentucky and Middle Tennessee. There will be additional sunshine Tuesday, allowing for a humid and hot afternoon. Most storms will develop in SE Missouri/Southern Illinois/Western KY and impact our Kentucky counties and perhaps northern Middle Tennessee later Tuesday, but a few more are possible anywhere else in our region.

Wednesday

A potential second round of storms may occur late Tuesday night into early Wednesday (following the low-end severe weather risk) for the far northwestern part of the WKRN viewing area.

During the day Wednesday, with daytime heating, storms will increase in coverage. At this time, our area is not under a severe outlook, but we could see damaging wind gusts as a concern, along with brief heavy rainfall.

Rain chances continue on Thursday with cooler temperatures. Looking at the next 6-10 days, we could remain below average on temperatures and above average on rainfall. This is a welcomed sight as drought conditions have been worsening in the region.

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