Flash Flood — Davidson, Tennessee

2021-03-27 to 2021-03-28 · near Stone River, Davidson, Tennessee

Event narrative

Major and historic flash flooding affected southern and eastern Davidson County, with the worst flooding affecting areas along and near Sevenmile Creek and Mill Creek in south Nashville. Hundreds of homes and businesses were flooded, numerous roadways were flooded and closed including I-24, I-40, and I-440, and over 130 water rescues were conducted from people stranded in flooded vehicles and homes. Homes and businesses that were flooded included a hotel at 95 Wallace Road near I-24 at Harding Place, the South Brooke Apartments on Linbar Drive, many homes around Edmondson Pike at Blackman Road, the Walmart on Nolensville Pike at Harding Place with vehicles in the parking lot submerged up to their windows, a home on Truxton Court in Donelson, and the Kroger on Old Hickory Blvd in Hermitage which also had cars stalled in flood waters in the parking lot. Residents were trapped and rescued from the second stories of homes on Paragon Mills Road, and the attics of homes on Currey Road and also on Suter Drive near Edmondson Pike. Other people were rescued clinging to trees or in flood waters in the 400 block of Hogan Road, on Milner Drive, and in the 400 block of Harding Place. Interstate 24 near Antioch Pike was submerged with many vehicles stranded and around one dozen drivers rescued, and Interstate 40 and Interstate 440 were also flooded in a few areas. Other roads that were flooded and impassable included Rosa Parks Blvd near the Farmers Market, Highway 70 near White Bridge Road, Dodson Chapel Road, Tulip Grove Road, and Chandler Road. A total of 5 people were killed, 3 of which were swept away from a homeless camp along Sevenmile Creek near Edmondson Pike at Nolensville Pike. Another man drowned when he left his submerged vehicle and was swept away near the Nashboro Village Golf Course at Nashboro Blvd at Flintlock Court, and another man drowned in his vehicle behind the Walmart near Harding Place at Nolensville Pike.

Wider weather episode

An historic flash flooding event affected the central third of Middle Tennessee from the early morning hours on March 27 through the day into the early morning hours on March 28. A warm front moved northward into Middle Tennessee early on March 27 before stalling near the I-40 corridor. Between 300-400 AM CDT, numerous showers and thunderstorms developed along the warm front, many of which became severe and produced large hail up to half dollar size along with frequent lightning and heavy rainfall. Showers and storms continued off and on the rest of the day across Middle Tennessee, particularly near the stalled warm front. In fact, another round of severe thunderstorms including supercells developed during the afternoon and evening hours near and south of the warm front. These storms dropped large hail up to tennis ball size and caused a few reports of wind damage, but the main impact was additional heavy rainfall which began causing flash flooding south of Nashville. Flooding only worsened as showers and storms redeveloped over the same areas through the evening, with numerous Flash Flood Warnings issued and several reports of flooded roads and water rescues.

After midnight, even more heavy rainfall falling along the already waterlogged I-40 corridor prompted a rare Flash Flood Emergency for the southern and eastern Nashville metro area, including southeastern Davidson County, western Wilson County, and northern Williamson County. These areas received between 7 to 9 of rain, causing rapid rises on several Nashville metro creeks and streams, including Sevenmile Creek (which reached its highest level on record), Browns Creek, and Mill Creek, among others. Many of these creeks reached within their 2nd or 3rd highest water levels on record. The rapid water rises flooded hundreds of homes and businesses, with reports of some people trapped in the attics or on the roofs of their houses. Dozens of roadways were flooded and impassable, including both I-24 and I-40, with many cars submerged in the flood waters and people forced to cling onto trees to avoid getting swept away. Although the flood waters receded quickly on Sunday, March 28, many area rivers reached flood stage in the week after the event, including the Cumberland River, Harpeth River, and Duck River.

A total of 7 deaths were reported from the flooding across Middle Tennessee, with 5 in Davidson County, 1 in Cheatham County, and 1 in Maury County. Emergency management reports indicate over 500 homes and businesses were flooded, and a Presidential Disaster Proclamation was declared for many counties in May 2021. This flash flood event was the worst seen in Middle Tennessee since the May 1-2, 2010 flood.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.1830, -86.6027)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 951956. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.