Tornado moves through Springfield, Tennessee, on Saturday
Multiple unconfirmed tornadoes were reported in Middle Tennessee on Saturday, Dec. 9.
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At least six people are dead and more than 150,000 are without power after tornadoes ripped through Middle Tennessee on Saturday. The severe weather left heavily damaged structures and homes, downed trees and snapped power lines in its wake.
Three fatalities were confirmed in Clarksville by the Montgomery County Mayor’s Office Saturday evening. Three additional deaths were reported in Madison by the Nashville Office of Emergency Management. Montgomery County officials also said 23 people are being treated at hospitals for injuries.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for multiple areas across Middle Tennessee on Saturday afternoon and evening, including Clarksville, parts of Nashville, Madison, Hendersonville and Gallatin. NWS Nashville also issued a “tornado emergency” alert for parts of Middle Tennessee for the first time in over a decade as the storms swept through, according to meteorologist Sam Shamburger.
“Maria and I are praying for all Tennesseans who have been impacted by the tornadoes that swept through the state this evening,” Gov. Bill Lee said in a social media post just before 8:30 p.m. “We mourn the lives lost and ask that everyone continue to follow guidance from local and state officials.”
The Tennessean team will be provide live updates here as more information becomes available. This story is being offered free as a service to the public.
TRACKING DAMAGE: Possible tornadoes kill 6 in Middle Tennessee
Madison resident describes damage
Lyanne Garay was at her mother’s home with her four children when they heard the tornado sirens blare in Madison. Next door, her mother’s neighbors screamed and abandoned their outside gathering as the wind yanked a tarp away. Garay’s husband was at work.
Less than five minutes away on Nesbitt Lane, what is believed to be a tornado ripped through her neighbors’ homes, tearing through roofs and leaving second floor rooms exposed. When Garay returned home around 5 p.m. she found her fence toppled and part of her roof blown off, leaving water damage in her daughter’s upstairs bedroom.
“Compared to everybody, we’re fine, but it’s still a shock that we don’t have any place to go or anything to do and our house has been water damaged,” she said.
Further down the street, the storm decimated homes and left branches and power lines strewn across the road. Officials confirmed three people died.
Garay is from Costa Rica, and her husband is from El Salvador. They’ve lived here since 2004 and never experienced a tornado — until Saturday night.
“We always hear the alarms and everything but never experienced something like that,” she said.
Council member Jennifer Gamble stood clad in a raincoat on Nesbitt Lane and spoke with Garay. Other neighbors whose home was spared stood alongside her, offering support. Gamble asked her constituents to stay inside in a safe place.
“There are a lot of power lines and trees down, and it’s hard to see in the dark with the power outages,” she said.”(Nashville Electric Service) and (the Office of Emergency Management) are working as hard as they can to get power restored, but it’s probably going to be a long night, and we’ll make a good assessment in the morning.”
Clarksville leader: ‘A sad day for our community’
Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden released a statement Saturday evening as news of the fatalities and scores of injuries spread.
“This is a sad day for our community,” Golden said. We are praying for those who are injured, lost loved ones, and lost their homes. This community pulls together like no other and we will be here until the end.”
Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts also released a statement.
“This is devastating news and our hearts are broken for the families of those who lost loved ones,” Pitts said. “The city stands ready to help them in their time of grief.”
A shelter is set up at Northeast High School at 3701 Trenton Road in Clarksville by the Red Cross for anyone who has been displaced or needs assistance.
FROM CLARKSVILLE: Three dead, several injured in Clarksville after tornado
More than 150,000 power outages across Middle Tennessee
Just before 9 p.m. more than 150,000 customers across Middle Tennessee were without power, down from around 160,000 earlier in the evening, according to outage maps from Middle Tennessee Electric, Cumberland Electric Membership Corporation, Dickson Electric and Nashville Electric Service.
Overnight lows will dip into the 30s across the region, with highs only reaching the 40s on Sunday, the latest NWS forecast shows.
Officials urge caution amid widespread damage, power outages
A joint statement issued by Sumner County Mayor John Isbell, Hendersonville Mayor Jamie Clary and Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown went out around 7:30 p.m. as crews continued to respond to calls across the area.
“It is of paramount importance that citizens stay off of the roads and allow first responders and utility crews to respond,” the statement read.
The Nashville Department of Transportation urged people to stay off roads if possible and steer clear of downed lines. Nashville Electric Service is working to restore power and Nashville Department of Transportation crews are working to make roads passable as soon as possible.
“Please be extremely careful in Nashville right now, especially in areas where the tornado passed through,” Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a social media post around 6:30 p.m. “It’s dark and raining, and down power lines can be a risk … If you’re concerned about something, call it in; don’t risk DIY.”
Residents report ‘major damage’ across Middle Tennessee
The streets of Hendersonville were pitch black Saturday evening, with rows of demolished business and downed power lines on Main Street. Traffic remained backed up for miles as workers cleared power lines from the streets.
Michael Henderson, an employee at The Outpost Armory on Main Street, was working when he heard the warning siren.
“We swept as many people as we could inside and the took cover in the basement,” he said. “It was quiet and then it hit. It sounded just like a freight train coming through.”
The impact blew out the gun shop’s front windows and shattered the glass display cases. Parts of the roof had caved in.
“It’s major damage,” Henderson said.
In Springfield, visibility was near zero Saturday night in most of the city, except where police and emergency crews cordoned off areas damaged by the earlier storms.
An officer directing traffic said he believed a tornado had touched down in the area of Kroger on the south side of the city. Damage to the Valvoline at the corner of Memorial Boulevard and Blackpatch Drive was visible from the road, but only because of the emergency lights.
Further back, Kroger was shrouded in darkness, and authorities weren’t letting anyone get close enough to see the extent of the damages.
Clarksville resident: ‘Sounded like a train’
Vincent Welshman was driving home to his wife and kids in Clarksville when he heard the tornado sirens sound off near his mom’s house just a few blocks away.
A low howl quickly turned into what “sounded like a train going down some train tracks,” he wrote in a message to The Tennessean.
The sky rapidly grew dark — so dark he could not see the tornado.
When the storm lifted, the Garrettsburg Estates neighborhood was shattered.
“My home was not damaged, thank God, but my neighbors and friends were not so lucky,” he wrote. “…The message I want to send is to just never take these emergency bulletins lightly that pop up on our phones.”
Mosaic Church is offering food and shelter. Sunday services are canceled and the doors are open to anyone who needs a place to go.
Officials report ‘significant’ storm damage across Middle Tennessee
Emergency crews reported heavy damage across parts of Davidson, Sumner and Montgomery counties throughout Saturday evening.
“Significant storm damage reported in Sumner County,” the Sumner County Emergency Management Agency said in a Facebook post around 6:20 p.m. “Lots of emergency crews out assessing damage and responding to active emergencies including lines down, gas leaks, structural collapses and vehicle crashes.”
Nashville Metro Council member Jennifer Gamble reported power outages in Whites Creek, Bellshire and Madison with heavy damage in the area in a social media post around 6:30 p.m.
The Nashville Office of Emergency Management reported it partially activated its emergency operation center as response to the severe weather continued. “The partial activation will remain in place until the Severe Weather Event and its impact on Metro Nashville Davidson County has stabilized,” OEM spokesman Joseph Pleasant said in a news release.
Lawmaker: ‘I’m praying for Clarksville’
Tennessee Rep. Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville, said his heart is heavy with the news from Clarksville.
“I’m praying for Clarksville deeply and urgently this evening,” Glynn said. “We will work together to buildour community back.”
Glynn encouraged people to stay off the roads and let first responders do their jobs. Anyone who has been displaced from their homes are encouraged to go to Northeast High School for shelter.
Ground stop issued at Nashville airport
As of 5:54 p.m. the Nashville International Airport issued a ground stop, effective until 6:30 p.m. as high winds and storms continue to move through the area.
Damage impacts Clarksville, Springfield, Hendersonville
Damage reports to the Nashville Weather Service indicate that some of the most impacted areas by the tornado activity on Saturday include Clarksville in Montgomery County, Cumberland Furnace in Stewart County, Springfield in Robertson County, Madison in Davidson County, and Hendersonville and Gallatin in Sumner County.
More: Nashville, Middle TN ravaged by high winds, possible tornadoes
As of 5:05 p.m. wind gusts blow through Nashville area
After an apparent tornado touched down in Montgomery County earlier Saturday afternoon at the northern border of the state, the storm continued to blow through west Nashville, north Nashville and was heading east toward Hendersonville ahead of 5 p.m.
High winds move toward Middle Tennessee
Areas are under a tornado warning until 4:45 p.m. CT are Nashville, Goodlettsville, and Greenbrier.
Areas under a tornado warning until 4:30 p.m. CT are Dickson, Fairview, Pleasant View, Ashland City, White Bluff, and Kingston Springs all west of Nashville.
High winds and gusts have affected many areas north of Nashville as high winds move across Middle Tennessee and through Nashville.
1:35 p.m. apparent tornadic winds touch down in Montgomery Co.
Thousands are without power after a possible tornado touched down north of Clarksville near Tennessee’s border with Kentucky at about 1:35 p.m. on Saturday, according to the Clarksville Police Department.
Multiple people have been injured, and multiple structures have been destroyed, according to Montgomery County Government spokesperson Michelle Newell. Officials are actively searching homes for people who may be trapped or injured.
More: Injuries, structure damage and power outages in Clarksville after possible tornado
Clarksville Police, Clarksville Fire Rescue, and Montgomery County EMS are responding to numerous locations in north Clarksville due to extensive damage.
A shelter has been set up at Northeast High School in Clarksville, at 3701 Trenton Road, Settle said.
A tornado watch means that conditions are such that tornado formations are possible. A tornado warning means that a tornado is happening or imminent.
Tornadoes are likely within the watch area, with isolated hail up to quarter size possible, and gusts of up to 70 miles per hour, NWS said.
According to severe weather reports, high wind gusts reached Dickson and Cheatham counties, sending debris into the air.
NWS has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 4:45 p.m. CT for:
- Dickson, TN
- Ashland City, TN
- Waverly, TN
Severe storms are possible Saturday afternoon and evening across Middle Tennessee and in the Nashville area, bringing large hail and damaging winds, according to NWS.
Nashville Electric Service crews are stocking trucks with equipment to prepare for anticipated outages caused by strong winds, the agency shared in a social media post Saturday afternoon.
Weather today is expected to be mostly cloudy through the morning, with showers and a chance of thunderstorms beginning at noon and moving into the evening. The high is 67 degrees, with a low of 38 degrees.
Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across Middle Tennessee between 1 p.m. and 11 p.m., according to the National Weather Service, bringing strong to damaging winds and a possibility of large hail. Storms have the potential of becoming “prolific damaging wind producers,” causing tree damage and power outages, according to NWS. Large hail could cause minor roof damage and car damage.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is expected. Storms are expected to bring between 1 and 2 inches of rainfall in Middle Tennessee.
There is a very low chance of tornado formation, primarily south of the I-40 corridor.
Severe weather is expected in Davidson, Williamson and Rutherford Counties between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., according to NWS.
Weather officials advise to keep multiple ways to receive warnings, and have a plan in place for where to go in case severe weather develops.
Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean. Reach her at [email protected].
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
