Central Tennessee’s major infrastructure systems appear to have sustained minimal damage from flash floods following an intense localized storm that inundated the area Aug. 20 with record amounts of rain in a matter of hours.
A National Weather Service gauge in McEwan, west of Nashville, recorded a 24-hour rainfall total of 17.02 inches, while radar data at other locations indicated amounts of 21 inches or more. Nearly half of the precipitation fell during a six-hour midday window, sending waterways surging beyond their banks. NWS also reported that the Piney River near Vernon reached 31.8 ft, nearly 12 ft above the previous record set two years ago.