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.

WFO Nashville is managed by the Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC), Larry Vannozzi, who is, in turn, responsible to the Director of the Southern Region. Other management personnel at Nashville include a Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM), Jerry Orchanian, Science and Operations Officer (SOO), Henry Steigerwaldt, and an Observation Program Leader (OPL), Ralph Troutman.

Operational personnel include ten forecasters, whose responsibilities include issuing of severe weather warnings and statements, public (zone) forecasts and discussions, aviation forecasts (called "terminal aerodrome forecasts"), short term forecasts (called "nowcasts"), and fire weather forecasts. The Service Hydrologist (vacant) manages the river program for Middle Tennessee and north Alabama.

The staff at WFO Nashville is supported by Electronics Systems Analyst Steve Clark, Information Technology Officer Michael Davis, and two Electronics Technicians. One of the most important people in the office, yet also one of the least recognized, is the Administrative Assistant.

The forecasters are supported by three hydrometeorological technicians (HMT's). Their responsibilities include maintaining NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts, launching weather balloons (twice daily), issuing various meteorological and hydrological products, measuring ozone, and assisting the forecaster with general duties. The HMT's also manage the cooperative program for Middle Tennessee.

WFO Nashville has warning responsibility for thirty-nine 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 Nashville county warning area comprises 16,833 square miles with a population of 2,114,592 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2002).

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."

There is also an outreach team which frequently visits communities across the mid state and gives weather talks at schools and civic organizations.

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) 754-4633 during normal business hours.