About the Nashville National Weather Service Office

The National Weather Service (NWS) is a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under the United States Department of Commerce.  The Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Nashville, Tennessee is part of the Southern Region of the NWS.

View our office storymap to learn more about our office, the meteorologist and staff behind the scenes, and more!

STAFF:

WFO Nashville is managed by our Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC) Krissy Hurley, who is responsible for all office operations. Our previous longtime Meteorologist-in-Charge Larry Vannozzi retired in March 2022. Other management personnel at Nashville includes the Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM) who runs the local outreach program and the Science and Operations Officer (SOO) who runs the local training program.

Operational personnel include thirteen forecasters, whose responsibilities include issuing hazardous weather watches, warnings and statements, public forecasts and discussions, aviation forecasts (called "terminal aerodrome forecasts"), fire weather forecasts, maintaining NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts, launching weather balloons (twice daily), and issuing various meteorological and hydrological products. Other personnel include our Service Hydrologist James LaRosa, who manages the rivers and lakes program for Middle Tennessee, and the Observing Program Leader, who runs the cooperative program for Middle Tennessee.

The staff at WFO Nashville is supported by our Electronics Systems Analyst, Information Technology Officer, two Electronics Technicians, and an Administrative Assistant.

If interested in volunteering or becoming a meteorologist with the NWS, view our volunteer page.

COUNTY WARNING AREA:



WFO Nashville has warning responsibility for thirty-eight counties across Middle Tennessee. The county warning area generally extends from the Tennessee River in the west to the Cumberland Plateau in the east, and from the Kentucky state line in the north to the Alabama state line in the south. The WFO Nashville county warning area comprises 38 counties covering 16,438 square miles with a population of 2,736,179 (U.S. Census Bureau, July 1, 2018 Estimate).

AWARDS:

In August 2015, WFO Nashville was awarded the National Weather Service 2013 Isaac M. Cline Award for Hydrometeorology for superior federal service during the April 27, 2013 Flash Flood event.

In August 2011, WFO Nashville was awarded the National Weather Service 2011 Southern Region Director's Award for Emergency Response Decision Support "for demonstrating responsiveness and innovation in serving key decision makers".

In April 2010, WFO Nashville was awarded the United States Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award for superior federal service "for providing proactive and life-saving service during the record-breaking February 5th, 2008, "Super Tuesday" killer tornado outbreak in Middle Tennessee.

In May 2007, WFO Nashville was awarded the United States Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award for superior federal service "for exceeding tornado lead times and providing life-saving warning services during the April 7, 2006 tornado outbreak in Middle Tennessee.

In December 1998, WFO Nashville was awarded the United States Department of Commerce Bronze Medal Award for superior federal service "for providing timely and accurate severe weather warning services during the April 16, 1998 tornado outbreak in Middle Tennessee."

LOCATION:

The office is located at Langford's Cove on Old Hickory Lake in northwest Wilson County. The mailing address is: National Weather Service, 500 Weather Station Rd., Old Hickory, TN 37138. You can also telephone the office at (615) 754-8500 during normal business hours.