What is the weather like in Nashville?

This article is part of our Moving to Nashville guide.

Last updated October 20, 2026

Nashville weather has four real seasons: mild, damp winters, hot and humid summers, and long spring and fall stretches that are pleasant most days. By NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals for Nashville International Airport, July averages a high of 90.9°F and January a low of 30.1°F, with about 50.5 inches of rain a year and under 5 inches of snow. The weather to plan for is the severe kind: tornadoes, flash floods and the occasional ice storm. This guide covers what each month is like, what has happened in past storms, and what to do in an apartment when a warning goes out.

What is Nashville weather like by month?

The table below uses NOAA’s official 30-year climate normals (1991-2020) for Nashville International Airport (BNA), the weather station most forecasts and records use. A normal is an average, not a promise: any given week can run well above or below it.

Month	Average high	Average low	Precipitation
January	49.1°F	30.1°F	4.02 in.
February	53.8°F	33.0°F	4.47 in.
March	62.7°F	40.2°F	4.52 in.
April	72.6°F	48.9°F	4.72 in.
May	80.4°F	58.3°F	5.02 in.
June	87.7°F	66.4°F	4.36 in.
July	90.9°F	70.5°F	4.16 in.
August	90.4°F	69.0°F	3.79 in.
September	84.4°F	61.8°F	3.80 in.
October	73.5°F	49.9°F	3.36 in.
November	61.4°F	39.2°F	3.86 in.
December	52.2°F	33.3°F	4.43 in.
Year	71.6°F	50.0°F	50.51 in.

Precipitation is spread fairly evenly across the year. May is the wettest month (5.02 inches) and October the driest (3.36 inches). On average, Nashville gets 0.10 inch or more of rain or melted snow on about 81 days a year (80.7 days, NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Rain here tends to come in heavy bursts and thunderstorms rather than long gray drizzles.

What are the seasons like in Nashville?

What is winter like in Nashville?

Winter (December through February) averages 41.9°F (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Most days are cool and damp rather than frozen. Lows drop to 32°F or below on about 66 nights a year (66.3), but the high stays at or below freezing on only about 6 days a year (6.2), so cold snaps usually break within a day or two. Snow is light: 4.7 inches a year on average, mostly in January (2.0 inches) and February (1.5 inches), with about 1.4 days a year that bring an inch or more (all NOAA 1991-2020 normals). The bigger winter risk is ice, covered below.

What is spring like in Nashville?

Spring warms quickly. The average high climbs from 62.7°F in March to 80.4°F in May, and spring (March through May) is the wettest season at 14.26 inches (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). It is also the main season for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, and the time when tree pollen is heaviest.

What is summer like in Nashville?

Summer (June through August) averages 79.2°F, with highs near 90°F and lows near 70°F in July and August (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). It is humid, and afternoon thunderstorms are common. See the heat section below.

What is fall like in Nashville?

Fall is the driest season (11.02 inches for September through November, NOAA 1991-2020 normals). September still feels like summer, with an average high of 84.4°F, but October cools to 73.5°F and November to 61.4°F. Severe weather can return in late fall and early winter, as the December 2023 tornadoes showed.

How hot and humid are Nashville summers?

Hot, and the humidity makes it feel hotter. Nashville averages about 54 days a year with a high of 90°F or more (54.1 days), about 45 of them in June, July and August (44.9 days). Days of 100°F or more are rare, about one a year on average (1.1 days). All three figures are NOAA 1991-2020 normals for BNA.

What surprises people from drier places is the night. The average July low is 70.5°F, so it often stays warm and sticky after dark, and the air does not cool off the way it does in Denver or the desert. A few practical points for a summer move:

• Schedule truck loading and unloading for early morning. Afternoon heat and pop-up storms are both common.
• Ask landlords how old the air conditioning is and who fixes it. In July a broken unit is an emergency, not an inconvenience.
• Factor cooling into your power bill. Nashville Electric Service puts an average 1,000 kWh month at about $142 (NES, September 2026 rates); summer use can run higher. Our cost of living guide has the full rate breakdown.
• Watch the heat index, not only the temperature. The National Weather Service uses it to measure how hot humid air feels, and it drives heat advisories.

Does Nashville get snow and ice storms?

Snow is usually light and gone within a day or two. Ice is the real winter hazard, because freezing rain coats trees and power lines and the region is not built for it. Hills, overpasses and side streets become dangerous fast, and a storm that would be routine in Chicago can shut Nashville down for days.

The most recent example is the storm of January 24 and 25, 2026. About 2 inches of snow fell first, then freezing rain left an average of 0.42 inch of ice across the city, with more in some neighborhoods (National Weather Service figures reported by Axios Nashville, January 28, 2026). At the peak, about 230,000 Nashville Electric Service customers were without power across 294 square miles, and 787 utility poles were broken (WSMV, February 6, 2026). It took about 13 days for NES to restore power to 99.9% of customers (same source). An independent review released in June 2026 found NES had been slow to bring in outside crews and to share restoration estimates, and made 58 recommendations (WSMV, June 24, 2026).

What that means for a renter:

• Keep enough supplies to stay home for several days without power, including medicine, batteries and a flashlight. Nashville’s Office of Emergency Management gives this same advice before every winter storm (Metro Nashville OEM, January 2026).
• Never heat your apartment with an oven, and never run a generator indoors (Metro Nashville OEM, January 2026).
• Stay off icy roads if you can. Check road conditions on the TDOT SmartWay map before you drive. If you are deciding whether to keep a car at all, see Do you need a car in Nashville?
• Ask your landlord how the building handles frozen pipes and whether walkways and parking lots get salted.

When is severe weather season in Nashville?

Spring is the main season for severe thunderstorms, large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes in Middle Tennessee. But it is not the only one. Storms can turn severe in late fall and winter, and one of the area’s deadliest recent outbreaks came in December. Treat any month as possible.

Severe weather can also come in long waves. During the storms of April 3 to 6, 2025, Metro’s alert system forwarded 111 National Weather Service warnings to subscribers (WSMV, April 9, 2025). Heavy spring rain also brings flash flooding, which is covered in the 2010 flood section below.

Has Nashville been hit by tornadoes?

Yes, several times, including two deadly events in recent years. One struck after midnight and the other in December, which is why year-round phone alerts matter more than an outdoor siren.

What happened in the March 3, 2020 tornado?

Shortly after midnight on March 3, 2020 (from 12:32 a.m.), an EF-3 tornado with peak winds estimated at 165 mph tracked 60.13 miles across Davidson, Wilson and Smith counties. It passed through North Nashville, Germantown, East Nashville, Donelson, Hermitage and Mt. Juliet, and killed 5 people (National Weather Service Nashville, March 2-3, 2020 Tornadoes). The same storm system produced a separate tornado near Cookeville in Putnam County that killed 19, according to the NWS summary table; its damage survey lists 18 (same source).

What happened in the December 9, 2023 tornadoes?

On December 9, 2023, seven tornadoes touched down in Middle Tennessee. An EF-2 with estimated peak winds of 130 mph tracked 35.23 miles through Madison (part of Metro Nashville), Hendersonville and Gallatin (both in Sumner County), killing 3 people. An EF-3 in Clarksville, with estimated peak winds of 150 mph, killed 4. In total, 7 people died (National Weather Service Nashville, December 9, 2023 Tornado Outbreak; the NWS marks these figures preliminary).

What happened in the May 2010 Nashville flood?

On May 1 and 2, 2010, 13.57 inches of rain fell at Nashville International Airport, roughly double the old two-day record of 6.68 inches from September 1979. May 2 alone brought 7.25 inches, the most for any calendar day in Nashville’s records (National Weather Service Nashville). The Cumberland River crested at 52.55 feet in Nashville on May 3, well above its 40-foot flood stage, though below the 1927 record of 56.20 feet. The flood killed 18 people in Middle Tennessee, and property damage was estimated at more than $2 billion (all NWS Nashville).

Much of the damage came from creeks and smaller rivers rising fast, not only the Cumberland. Lessons for renters:

• Before you sign, ask whether the building or its parking lot has ever flooded, and whether a creek runs nearby. This matters most for ground-floor units. Our neighborhood guide is a good starting point for comparing areas.
• Standard renters insurance often excludes flood damage. The federal National Flood Insurance Program sells contents-only flood coverage for renters that protects your belongings, not the building (FloodSmart, FEMA).
• Never drive or walk into floodwater. You cannot tell how deep it is or whether the road under it is gone.

What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?

The National Weather Service uses two levels, and the difference tells you what to do:

• Tornado watch: be ready. Conditions could produce tornadoes in and near a large area, often several counties. Check your supplies, charge your phone, decide where you will shelter, and keep shoes by the bed if it is overnight.
• Tornado warning: take shelter now. A tornado has been seen or shown on radar, and there is an immediate danger in a much smaller area. Go to your shelter spot right away. Do not go outside to look.

The same pattern applies to other alerts: a flash flood watch means flooding is possible, and a flash flood warning means it is happening or about to.

Where should you shelter from a tornado in an apartment?

Most Nashville apartments have no basement, so the goal is to put as many walls and floors as possible between you and the outside. The National Weather Service advises the lowest floor, an interior room or hallway, and distance from windows and glass. Upper floors are not safe in a tornado.

1. Ask your building now, not during a warning. Find out if there is a designated shelter area, such as a ground-floor interior corridor, stairwell or parking level, and whether it is unlocked at night.
2. If you live on an upper floor, go down. Use the stairs to the lowest floor and get into an interior hallway away from the lobby glass. Do not use the elevator, since the power may fail.
3. If you must stay in your unit, pick the smallest windowless room in the middle of the apartment, usually a bathroom or closet.
4. Protect your head. Cover yourself with blankets, pillows or a mattress, and wear shoes so you can walk over debris afterward. A bike or sports helmet helps.
5. Stay put until the warning expires or officials say it is safe.

If you are in a car or mobile home when a warning is issued, the NWS advises leaving it for the nearest sturdy building. Cars and mobile homes offer little protection.

How do Nashville’s tornado sirens and emergency alerts work?

Metro Nashville has 113 outdoor tornado warning sirens. They are tested at noon on the first Saturday of every month, so if you hear them then on a clear day, it is a test (Nashville Office of Emergency Management, updated October 31, 2025). Outside of tests, they sound only when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for part of Davidson County, and only in the warned area.

The sirens are designed for people outdoors. Do not count on hearing them inside an apartment, especially at night with the air conditioning on. Use at least two of these instead:

• MEANS (Metro Emergency Alert and Notification System). Metro’s alert service sends calls, texts, emails or TTY messages about emergencies such as evacuations, and you can opt in to weather warnings passed along from the National Weather Service. Sign up from Metro’s Be Informed page (Metro Nashville OEM, updated October 12, 2026).
• Wireless Emergency Alerts. Most phones get these automatically for tornado warnings, with no sign-up. Check that emergency alerts are turned on in your phone’s settings.
• A weather app with warning alerts or a NOAA weather radio, set to wake you overnight.

During a major emergency, Metro’s NERVE map shows road closures, evacuation areas and shelters once the Emergency Operations Center is activated (Metro Nashville OEM).

Are allergies bad in Nashville?

Middling, by one national ranking. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ranked the Nashville metro 61st of the 100 largest metros in its 2026 Allergy Capitals report, where 1st is the most challenging. It rated Nashville better than average for pollen and for access to allergists, but worse than average for over-the-counter allergy medicine use (AAFA, 2026). AAFA notes that in the South, trees can start releasing pollen as early as December or January, grasses dominate late spring and summer, and ragweed drives fall symptoms. If you have seasonal allergies, expect a long spring season and plan to find an allergist or primary care doctor soon after you arrive.

How should you prepare for Nashville weather when you move?

Most of this takes an hour, and the best time is your first week. Our step-by-step moving checklist covers the move itself, and your first 30 days in Nashville covers setup after you arrive. For weather, add these:

• Sign up for MEANS and confirm emergency alerts are on in your phone.
• Ask your property manager where the building’s tornado shelter spot is.
• Put together a small kit: flashlight, batteries, phone power bank, water, a few days of food and any medicine.
• Buy renters insurance, and ask whether it covers flood. If not, look at NFIP contents coverage.
• Learn the siren test schedule (noon, first Saturday) so a real warning does not get mistaken for a test.
• Keep a pair of shoes and a helmet or pillow in your shelter spot.

For the bigger picture on the move, start with our Moving to Nashville hub.

Frequently asked questions about weather in Nashville

What is the best month to move to Nashville?

For weather, October is hard to beat: an average high of 73.5°F and the lowest rainfall of any month, 3.36 inches (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). April and May are also mild but stormier. July and August are the hardest months to haul boxes.

How much snow does Nashville get?

About 4.7 inches a year on average, with only about 1.4 days a year bringing an inch or more (NOAA 1991-2020 normals). Ice from freezing rain usually causes more trouble than snow.

Why did I hear tornado sirens on a sunny Saturday?

Metro tests all 113 sirens at noon on the first Saturday of each month (Nashville OEM). At any other time, a siren means a tornado warning for your area: take shelter.

Do tornadoes in Nashville happen at night?

They can. The EF-3 tornado that crossed Nashville on March 3, 2020 began at 12:32 a.m. (NWS Nashville). Set your phone so tornado warnings sound even when it is on silent, and sign up for MEANS.

Sources

• Monthly normals: NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly, Nashville Intl Airport (USW00013897) (published 2021)
• Annual and seasonal normals: NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, annual/seasonal, Nashville Intl Airport (USW00013897) (published 2021)
• 2020 tornado: National Weather Service Nashville, March 2-3, 2020 Tornadoes (accessed October 2026)
• 2023 tornadoes: National Weather Service Nashville, December 9, 2023 Tornado Outbreak (accessed October 2026)
• 2010 flood: National Weather Service Nashville, May 2010 Flood (accessed October 2026)
• 2010 flood damage: National Weather Service Nashville, 10th Anniversary of the May 2010 Flood (accessed October 2026)
• 2026 ice totals: Axios Nashville, Nashville ice storm: 0.42 inches recorded (January 2026)
• 2026 outages: WSMV, NES says it has almost fully restored power across Nashville nearly 2 weeks after mass outages began (February 2026)
• NES review: WSMV, Independent review of NES winter storm response (June 2026)
• Winter preparedness: Metro Nashville OEM, Prepare for severe winter weather this weekend (January 2026)
• Road conditions: Tennessee Department of Transportation, SmartWay traffic map (live)
• Electricity cost: Nashville Electric Service, Rates (September 2026 rates)
• Sirens: Metro Nashville OEM, Outdoor Tornado Warning Sirens (October 2025)
• Alerts: Metro Nashville OEM, Be Informed (October 2026)
• MEANS during April 2025 storms: WSMV, Nashville alert system forwarded more than 100 weather alerts during April storms (April 2025)
• Watch vs warning: National Weather Service, Tornado Watch vs. Warning (accessed October 2026)
• Where to shelter: National Weather Service, Tornado safety: during a tornado (accessed October 2026)
• Renters flood coverage: FloodSmart (FEMA), Understanding flood insurance for renters (accessed October 2026)
• Allergies: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2026 Allergy Capitals report (2026)

More Nashville questions

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