Irma In Tennessee: Wind Threat Fizzles, Rain To Persist

NASHVILLE, TN — The arrival of the former Hurricane Irma's outer edges in Middle Tennessee did not bring the high winds forecast, but nevertheless, steady, though light, rains will persist through midweek.

The National Weather Service put Middle Tennessee under a wind advisory from late Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning with predicted winds of 25-35 miles per hour and gusts as high as 50 mph. There were periods of steady 25 mph winds at Nashville International Airport and at the NWS office in Old Hickory, but the highest recorded gust was 27 mph. Still, there were scattered power outages, but the Nashville Electric Service said just nine customers were without electricity by 9 a.m. Tuesday.

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READ MORE: Hurricane Irma: Keys Residents Allowed To Return, Millions In Florida Still Without Power, Navy Deploys Ships

The National Hurricane Center downgraded Irma first to a tropical depression overnight and then declared the storm a post-tropical cyclone as its center — calling it an eye would be an oversell — crossed Alabama Tuesday morning.

The storm will continue to drop rain on the Volunteer State until early Thursday, the NWS says, but precipitation totals will be far below what Harvey dropped a few weeks ago.

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"The models continue to show Irma drifting into West Tennessee Tuesday night, then turning northeastward on Wednesday and bringing another swath of moisture back through Middle Tennessee," the weather service said.

About two inches of rain total is expected by the time its all said and done Thursday.

After that, warm air returns and the taste of fall will give way to a return of more seasonal temperatures, with highs back in the mid- to upper 80s for the weekend and early next week.

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