Flash flood watch for the eastern half of Middle Tennessee

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
1000 PM CDT MON AUG 25 2008

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT OVER THE EAST HALF OF THE MID STATE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...

...YOU CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...

TROPICAL DEPRESSION FAY WAS LOCATED OVER EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI THIS EVENING. COMPUTER FORECAST MODELS GENERALLY FORECAST FAY TO MOVE SLOWLY NORTH NORTHEAST TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY ...AND INTO THE MID STATE TUESDAY EVENING BEFORE IT MOVES OUT OF THE STATE ON WEDNESDAY.

EVEN THOUGH DRY WEATHER HAS PREVAILED ACROSS THE MID STATE THE LAST FEW WEEKS UNTIL THE RECENT RAINS ARRIVED...DUE TO THE TROPICAL NATURE OF THIS SYSTEM...THE AIR MASS IS VERY MOIST AND WILL HAVE A HIGH POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING.

THE FOCUS OF ANY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE MOSTLY ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE STORM TRACK...OR OVER CENTRAL AND EAST PARTS OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE...AND PARTICULARLY SOUTHEAST SECTIONS OF THE MID STATE.

GENERAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT COULD TOTAL FROM LESS THAN AN INCH IN THE FAR NORTHWEST...TO AS MUCH AS 4 TO 5 INCHES OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU. SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY RECEIVE THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL INCLUDE CROSSVILLE...SPENCER AND ALTAMONT. ALREADY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ISOLATED AREAS IN MAURY...SMITH AND MACON COUNTIES HAVE REPORTED 3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAINFALL.

THE RAINFALL WILL PROVIDE SOME WELCOME RELIEF TO DROUGHT CONDITIONS THAT HAVE IMPACTED MUCH OF THE AREA. HOWEVER...HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME CAN CAUSE FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS AND ALONG SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS.

PEOPLE ARE URGED TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE LATEST FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS...WHICH WILL CONTAIN MORE DETAILS ON WHERE AND WHEN THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WILL OCCUR...ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING.