3,273
Recorded events
95
Counties affected
82
Direct deaths
$847.8M
Property damage
Tennessee flash flood history: 3,273 recorded events across 95 counties between 1996 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Tennessee flash flood history by decade
The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 1,088 reported flash flood events across Tennessee. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most flash flood events in Tennessee
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Shelby County | 195 | 4 | $86.3M | 1996–2026 |
| #2 | Davidson County | 141 | 6 | $99.4M | 1996–2025 |
| #3 | Lawrence County | 118 | 3 | $6.3M | 1996–2025 |
| #4 | Wilson County | 82 | 1 | $34.1M | 1996–2025 |
| #5 | Williamson County | 73 | 1 | $2.4M | 1996–2025 |
| #6 | Sumner County | 72 | 1 | $13.3M | 1996–2025 |
| #7 | Maury County | 68 | 4 | $2.9M | 1997–2025 |
| #8 | Knox County | 68 | 0 | $3.1M | 1997–2025 |
| #9 | Madison County | 67 | 0 | $11.9M | 1996–2025 |
| #10 | Putnam County | 59 | 0 | $1.6M | 1996–2024 |
| #11 | Hamilton County | 59 | 2 | $52.0M | 1996–2025 |
| #12 | Lincoln County | 59 | 0 | $162K | 1996–2021 |
| #13 | Montgomery County | 58 | 0 | $6.0M | 1996–2025 |
| #14 | Dickson County | 57 | 1 | $2.1M | 1996–2025 |
| #15 | Gibson County | 51 | 1 | $9.3M | 1996–2025 |
| #16 | Rutherford County | 50 | 0 | $149K | 1996–2024 |
| #17 | Franklin County | 49 | 0 | $2K | 1998–2025 |
| #18 | Benton County | 48 | 0 | $360K | 1996–2025 |
| #19 | Tipton County | 46 | 2 | $25.7M | 1997–2025 |
| #20 | Cheatham County | 44 | 1 | $1.7M | 1996–2025 |
| #21 | Wayne County | 44 | 1 | $9.4M | 1996–2025 |
| #22 | Giles County | 43 | 0 | $305K | 1996–2025 |
| #23 | Decatur County | 43 | 0 | $5.1M | 1997–2025 |
| #24 | Stewart County | 40 | 0 | $13.2M | 1996–2025 |
| #25 | Sevier County | 40 | 0 | $286K | 1996–2025 |
Significant events
Deadliest flash flood events in Tennessee
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2021 | Humphreys County | — | 19 | 0 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Unicoi County | — | 9 | 0 |
| Jan 8, 1998 | Carter County | — | 7 | 0 |
| Mar 28, 2021 | Davidson County | — | 5 | 0 |
| Dec 24, 2015 | Maury County | — | 3 | 0 |
| May 5, 2003 | Cannon County | — | 3 | 0 |
| Sep 27, 2024 | Washington County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Jul 13, 1998 | Lawrence County | — | 2 | 20 |
| Feb 7, 2019 | Cheatham County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 12, 2025 | Hamilton County | — | 1 | 0 |