Event narrative (NOAA)
An outbreak of tornadic thunderstorms also produced locally heavy rainfall across middle Tennessee during the early morning hours of May 5, 2003. This series of storms also caused flooding on the Saunders Fork Creek in Cannon County, Tennessee. 3 people were drowned, in 2 separate vehicles, from the flooding waters of Sanders Fork Creek, along treacherous State Route 145. Louis Calhoun, age 71 was in one vehicle and Betty Gipson, age 60 with husband Jackie Gipson age 64 was in the other vehicle. These vehicles entered into the stream of water from different directions. Mr. Calhoun customarily made his 10-mile trip to a Hardee's restaurant around 4 AM CDT each day for breakfast. Jackie and Betty Gipson were attempting to get to a Rutherford county hospital at about 5 AM CDT.
Other notable flash flood events in Tennessee
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.