NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky always get slammed with severe weather, but it is getting more extreme as time goes on.
Krissy Hurley, the meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Services (NWS) in Nashville, said severe weather can happen any time of year.
The key factors for fueling these storms are unseasonably warm temperatures and warm moist air from the Gulf.
This was proven recently with the Middle Tennessee's deadly tornado outbreak on Dec. 9.
Maritza Pearl, a survivor of the Clarksville tornado, said she was cooking dinner one minute and then her house was getting ripped apart the next.
According to Hurley, when she grew up, tornado season was April, but now you need stay on your toes for all weather events because tornadoes can happen any time of year.
In Middle Tennessee, the farther east you move, the higher the elevation. This usually means less chance for tornadoes, but a few tornadoes touched down on the Cumberland Plateau this past spring.
Hurley said the best way to be prepared is to download a weather app so you can receive weather watches and warnings.
Don’t forget to take the power and reliability of the WKRN Weather Authority with you at all times by downloading the News 2 Storm Tracker app.