Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1986
Tornado Warning 10, NWS Memphis, TN
NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Jul 31, 1986, 7:37 PM CDT for DeSoto County, Mississippi. It was in force for 68 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 31, 1986, 7:37 PM CDT (00:37 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 31, 1986, 8:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 68 min
- Issued by
- NWS Memphis, TN
- Area
- Whole counties
County DeSoto County, MS
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 7:45 PM CDT | Hail 1.75 | De Soto, MS | |
| Jul 31, 8:02 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | De Soto, MS |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.
The nearest sounding before it
Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 00:00Z, 0.6 hours before the alert went out and 6 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 136 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -10 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 3601 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 16 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 68 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 109 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAAOO KMEM 010037 RRA
TORMEM
MSC033-010145-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
737 PM CDT THU JUL 31 1986
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 845 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI
..DESOTO
AT 740PM SOUTHHAVEN POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND
IN SOUTHHAVEN. PERSONS IN THIS AREA SHOULD TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO, THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE, SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWES%T FLOOR. USE BLANKETS, PILLOWS, OR
CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS.What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 2:25 PM CDT, 5 hours 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS 225PM CDT THU JUL 31 1986 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 439 IN EFFECT UNTIL 800PM CDT FOR A PART OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI... AT 220PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED NO PRECIPITATION IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI. HOWEVER AN AREA OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING OVER NORTH ALABAMA. THE ACTIVITY IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. EVEN THOUGH NO ACTIVITY IS NOTED OVER NORTH MISSISSIPPI..WE EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY AND TO CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. PERSONS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 3:20 PM CDT, 4 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS 320PM CDT THU JUL 31 1986 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 439 IN EFFECT UNTIL 800PM CDT FOR A PART OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI... AT 320PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED NO PRECIPITATION IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE. HOWEVER AN AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IS OCCURRING OVER NORTH ALABAMA. THIS ACTIVITY IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. EVEN THOUGH NO ACTIVITY IS NOTED OVER NORTH MISSISSIPPI..WE EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP RAPIDLY DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY AND TO CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. PERSONS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 5:20 PM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS 520PM CDT THU JUL 31 1986 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 439 IN EFFECT UNTIL 800PM CDT FOR A PART OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI... AT 520PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED NO PRECIPITATION IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI. HOWEVER AN AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS NORTHEAST ARKANSAS. EVEN THOUGH NO ACTIVITY IS NOTED OVER NORTH &MISSISSIPPI..WE EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. PERSONS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Local storm report, Jul 31, 5:53 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
550 PM CDT THU JUL 31 1986
REPORTS FOR PERIOD 4PM CDT TO 530PM CDT THU JUL 31 1986
420 PM POINSETT COUNTY ARKANSAS. SHERIFFS OFFICE 50-55 MPH WINDS.
420 PM CRAIGHEAD COUNTY ARKANSAS. OTWELL (10 SW JBR) VERY HEAVY RAIN
WIND BLOWING LIMBS FROM TREES ESTD 50-55 MPH. SMALL HAIL.
520 PM POINSETT COUNTY ARKANSAS. HARRISBURG TREES DOWN WINDS ESTD 60 MPH.Special weather statement, Jul 31, 6:20 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS 620PM CDT THU JUL 31 1986 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 439 IN EFFECT UNTIL 800PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR A PART OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI... AT 620PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED NO PRECIPITATION IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI. HOWEVER AN AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS NORTHEAST ARKANSAS. EVEN THOUGH NO ACTIVITY IS NOTEND OVER NORTH MISSISSIPPI..WE EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO DEVELOP DURING THE EVENING HOURS. PERSONS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 7:25 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS 720PM CDT THU JUL 31 1986 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 439 REPLACED WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 443... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 443 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1200AM CDT TONIGHT FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI WHICH INCLUDES LAFAYETTE COUNTY... AT 720PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED NO PRECIPITATION IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI. HOWEVER AN AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR ACROSS NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF TENNESSEE. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM IS LOCATED 10 MILES WEST OF MEMPHIS..TENNESSEE. EVEN THOUGH NO ACTIVITY IS NOTED OVER NORTH MISSISSI}PPI..WE EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO MOVE INTO THE AREA LATER TONIGHT. PERSONS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Memphis, TN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 7:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | DeSoto | 63 min |
| Jul 31, 8:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Marshall | 58 min |
| Jul 31, 8:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | DeSoto, Tate | 57 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 1986Every tornado warning in 1986Tornadoes in 1986
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.