Evacuation Guide

Nashville, Tennessee Evacuation Routes

Plan your escape with optimized routes and safe zones

Threat Assessment

Tornado

Nashville sits in a tornado corridor. March 2020 EF3 tornado killed 25 people and cut through downtown. Tornadoes can strike year-round but peak March-May. Night tornadoes especially dangerous.

Flood

May 2010 flood was a 1,000-year event that killed 21 and caused $2B in damage. Cumberland River, Mill Creek, and Harpeth River all flood. Flash flooding in urban areas frequent.

Ice Storm

Nashville gets significant ice storms every few years. Tree-heavy neighborhoods lose power for days. Hilly terrain makes roads impassable. January 2026 ice storm affecting the region.

Severe Weather

Frequent severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail. Derecho events possible. Middle Tennessee is in 'Dixie Alley' for severe weather frequency.

Evacuation Routes

I-40 East to Knoxville

primary

Primary eastern evacuation via I-40 through the Cumberland Plateau toward Knoxville. Well-maintained interstate with mountain scenery.

180 miles to Knoxville2.5 hours (normal), 6-8 hours (evacuation)

I-40 through Cumberland Plateau has steep grades and curves

Fog common in mountain valleys - reduce speed

Tornado

Flood

Civil Unrest

I-40 West to Memphis

secondary

Western evacuation via I-40 across Tennessee to Memphis. Flat terrain, consistent services.

212 miles to Memphis3 hours (normal), 6-8 hours (evacuation)

Long flat stretch through West Tennessee

Tornado risk in open farmland

Ice Storm

Severe Weather

Power Grid Failure

I-24 Southeast to Chattanooga

secondary

Southeastern evacuation via I-24 through Murfreesboro and over Monteagle Mountain to Chattanooga.

134 miles to Chattanooga2 hours (normal), 4-6 hours (evacuation)

Monteagle Mountain is treacherous in winter - steep 6% grade

Fog and ice close Monteagle multiple times per winter

Tornado

Flood

Chemical Spill

I-65 North to Bowling Green/Louisville

primary

Northern evacuation via I-65 to Kentucky. Quick escape from Nashville metro toward Louisville.

65 miles to Bowling Green, 175 miles to Louisville1 hour to BG (normal), 3-4 hours (evacuation)

I-65 N through Hendersonville heavy commuter traffic

Kentucky border area has limited services

Flood

Ice Storm

Severe Weather

I-65 South to Huntsville, AL

tertiary

Southern evacuation via I-65 to Huntsville, Alabama. Avoids mountain terrain of I-24.

100 miles to Huntsville1.5 hours (normal), 3-5 hours (evacuation)

Huntsville is in north Alabama tornado corridor

Alabama has different emergency management protocols

Tornado

Flood

Pandemic

Cumberland River Greenway

foot

On-foot evacuation via Nashville's greenway trail system along the Cumberland River. Connects downtown to Shelby Bottoms and east Nashville parks.

7 miles to Shelby Park2.5-3.5 hours on foot

DO NOT use during flood events - greenway follows river and floods

Trail is paved and mostly flat

Vehicle Unavailable

Road Blockage

Grid Down

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Safe Zones & Rally Points

Music City Center (Emergency Shelter)

shelter • Capacity: 8,000

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

hospital • Capacity: 1,059

TriStar Centennial Medical Center

hospital • Capacity: 657

Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital

hospital • Capacity: 541

Nashville Fire Station 9

fire station

Centennial Park Rally Point

rally point

Nissan Stadium Area

rally point

Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park

rally point

Nashville International Airport (Emergency Staging)

resource

Shelby Park

rally point

Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle TN

resource

Lipscomb University

shelter • Capacity: 2,000

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