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Thousands Without Power as Heavy Rain and High Winds Sweep Through Middle Tennessee

Issue #400

April 06, 2025

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🌧️ Columbia’s Weather - Rainy w/ high of 63 & low of 44

📰 Thousands Without Power as Heavy Rain and High Winds Sweep Through Middle Tennessee 

📰 City Launches ‘Clean Up Columbia’ to Tackle Litter and Educate the Next Generation

📌 April 11: Cruisin’ The Co-op is Back!

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Sunday, April 6th

Monday, April 7th

Tuesday, April 8th

Wednesday, April 9th

Thursday, April 10th

Friday, April 11th

Saturday, April 12th

Sunday, April 13th

*More Events Coming Soon!

📌 Mark Your Calendars…

April 1-6: Check Out Our List of Mule Days Garage Sales!
April 19: Columbia Cars & Coffee 

Thousands Without Power as Heavy Rain and High Winds Sweep Through Middle Tennessee

An amazing cloud shot in Franklin from Annabelle Leddy

After a brief pause, severe weather returned to Middle Tennessee on Saturday, bringing tornado warnings, heavy rain, and strong winds. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed that a likely tornado touched down near Cross Plains as sirens sounded across the region. Power outages quickly followed, with nearly 62,000 customers affected—49,000 in Nashville alone.

This new round of storms follows a deadly system earlier in the week that resulted in 10 fatalities across Tennessee, with the most deaths occurring in McNairy County. The NWS has warned that the primary concerns moving through the weekend include heavy rainfall and life-threatening flooding, especially in areas west of Nashville like Clarksville and Waverly, where 6–8 additional inches of rain are possible.

As of Saturday evening, tornado watches had been lifted in some counties, including Robertson, Cheatham, and Dickson. However, other counties such as Davidson, Maury, and Williamson remained under watch, and the threat of flooding persisted.

Utility companies reported significant outages across the region. Mt. Juliet experienced downed trees and power lines, while Lebanon saw a tree fall on Maple Hill Road. Despite the damage, no major road blockages were reported in those areas.

Weather warnings extended throughout Saturday evening. Davidson County and surrounding areas were under both a severe thunderstorm warning and a flash flood warning, with the potential for damaging winds up to 70 mph, hail as large as golf balls, and more tornado activity. The NWS indicated that heavy rain would continue to fall quickly, contributing to flash flooding and river flooding.

The NWS has been operating at full capacity to monitor the storms, with extra staff brought in to help manage the extended severe weather period. Meteorologists noted that the Cumberland River in Clarksville and the Red River in Port Royal are likely to reach flood stage, with similar concerns for the Duck, Harpeth, and Buffalo Rivers in other areas.

Rain and storm activity are expected to persist through Sunday, with additional rainfall predicted across Middle Tennessee. The northwest portion of the region has already received up to 8 inches of rain, and more is expected.

After this weekend’s storm systems pass, forecasters predict a shift to unseasonably cool weather, with temperatures potentially dropping to near freezing by Wednesday morning.

Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant, monitor local alerts, and prepare for continued weather disruptions, particularly related to flooding. Stay up to date with the latest watches, warnings, advisories, and weather updates from NWS Nashville here. You can also view a river flood map with forecasted river levels for your area here.

City Launches ‘Clean Up Columbia’ to Tackle Litter and Educate the Next Generation

The City of Columbia is pleased to announce the launch of its Clean Up Columbia campaign in recognition of Litter Awareness Month this April. This initiative highlights the critical importance of community collaboration, education, and proactive efforts to create a cleaner, more sustainable environment for all residents.

“We are thrilled to bring the community together to participate in Litter Awareness Month,” said Mayor Chaz Molder. “The Clean Up Columbia campaign reflects the importance of teamwork and education in fostering a cleaner Columbia. We encourage everyone to join us in these efforts to reduce litter and help protect our local environment.”

As part of the campaign, the City is partnering with local litter mitigation organizations, Keep Maury Beautiful and the Triple C’s (Columbia Community Clean-Up Team), to host two community clean-up events in Columbia:

East Columbia Clean-Up
Date: April 12, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Meet-Up Location: County parking lot - corner of E 7th St. and Woodland St.

Columbia Arts District Clean-Up
Date: April 26, 2025
Time: 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Meet-Up Location: Maury County Public Library - 211 W 8th St.

All necessary litter clean-up supplies will be provided at both events. In addition to these efforts, the City will host two Litter Awareness Education events for young children at the Maury County Public Library. These events will take place on April 15th and April 26th from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. During the events, city officials will read Catch That Litter Bug, a children’s book by local author Michael Fulbright, to teach kids about the importance of managing litter in their community.

The City’s Public Works Department will also conduct recycling truck demonstrations and discuss waste management practices in Columbia. Keep Maury Beautiful and the Triple C’s will lead interactive, hands-on activities that help families and children understand their role in maintaining a clean environment.

By uniting as a community, the Clean Up Columbia campaign presents a powerful opportunity to create a lasting impact on the environment. Through active participation in clean-up events and educational programs, residents can foster a greater sense of responsibility for their shared spaces and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future for the city.

April 11: Cruisin’ The Co-op is Back!

Cruisin' the Co-op is back with our monthly car show series, running from April through October! 

Check out a stunning lineup of classic cars, savor delicious food from local food trucks, and enjoy a fun, family-friendly vibe. And the best part? It's completely free! 

Bring your friends and family for an afternoon filled with cars, food, and great times!

When: April 11th, 5-8 PM
Where: United Farm & Home Co-op - 975 Riverview Lane

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🎵 Today’s Live Music

Sunday, April 6th

Jay Hoppus, Puckett’s, 6-7:30 PM

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

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