Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 1991
Tornado Warning 3, NWS Memphis, TN
NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Mar 22, 1991, 5:17 PM CST for Hardin County, Tennessee. It was in force for 28 min. 1 report 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
- Mar 22, 1991, 5:17 PM CST (23:17 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 22, 1991, 5:45 PM CST
- In force
- 28 min
- Issued by
- NWS Memphis, TN
- Area
- Whole counties
County Hardin County, TN
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 5:25 PM CST | Tornado F1 | Hardin, TN |
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
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 177 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 728 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 77 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -233 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 126 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KMEM 222318 TORMEM TNC071-222345- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 517 PM CST FRI MAR 22 1991 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 545 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN WEST TENNESSEE ...HARDIN COUNTY AT 515 PM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN WEST-CENTRAL HARDIN COUNTY. ADDITIONALLY A TORNADO IS REPORTED TO HAVE CAUSED DAMAGE AND INJURIES IN SELMER - MCNAIRY COUNTY SOMETIME AROUND 5 PM. THIS IS AN ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PfIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST 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, Mar 22, 2:06 PM CST, 3 hours 11 minutes before
TNZ012-013-014-015-MSZ001-004-ARZ012-013-014-222100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 205 PM CST FRI MAR 22 1991 ... TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 55 HAS BEEN POSTED UNTIL 9 PM CST FOR MUCH OF WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS .. ALONG WITH ADJACENT PARTS OF MISSOURI .. KENTUCKY .. AND MIDDLE TENNESSEE .... AT 200 PM THUNDERSTORMS WERE GAINING STRENGTH IN A NEARLY NORTH - SOUTH BAND ALONG THE MISSISSIPI RIVER FROM THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL SOUTH TO JUST EAST OF PINE BLUFF ARKANSAS. THE DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS WERE RACING NORTHEAST AT MORE THAN 60 MPH. THE STRONGER OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS AND THERE WILL BE A CONTINUING POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES THROUGH THIS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT. WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THE MORE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS TO BE MOVING INTO SOUTHERN TUNICA COUNTY MISSISSIPPI .. MOVING ACROSS THE WEST MEMPHIS AREA OF CRITTENDEN COUNTY ARKANSAS . AND INTO SOUTHWEST DESOTO COUNTY MISSISSIPPI. YOU SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON WEATHER IN YOUR AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING - BE PREPARED TO MOVE QUICKLY TO A SAFE PLACE IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES OR IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YO1UR AREA. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER BULLETINS ON TODAY'S EXPLOSIVE AND DANGEROUS WEATHER.
Special weather statement, Mar 22, 2:51 PM CST, 2 hours 26 minutes before
MSZ004-005-222200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS 251 PM CST FRI MAR 22 1991 ...TORNADO WATCH 56 IN EFFECT FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 900 PM CST... AT 345 PM CST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. THIS LINE EXTENDED FROM 10 MILES WEST OF CLEVELAND TO 20 MILES EAST OF MEMPHIS TENNESSEE. THIS LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO LAFAYETTE COUNTY AROUND 530 PM CST. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES...LARGE HAIL AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO. IF YOU ARE IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING YOU ARE URGED TO KEEP WEATHER ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK A SAFE SHELTER IF A WARNING SHOULD BE ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. NNNN
Special weather statement, Mar 22, 2:52 PM CST, 2 hours 25 minutes before
MSZ004-005-222200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS 251 PM CST FRI MAR 22 1991 ...TORNADO WATCH 56 IN EFFECT FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 900 PM CST... AT 245 PM CST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. THIS LINE EXTENDED FROM 10 MILES WEST OF CLEVELAND TO 20 MILES EAST OF MEMPHIS TENNESSEE. THIS LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO LAFAYETTE COUNTY AROUND 430 PM CST. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES...LARGE HAIL AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO. IF YOU ARE IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING YOU ARE URGED TO KEEP WEATHER ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK A SAFE SHELTER IF A WARNING SHOULD BE ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. NNNN
Special weather statement, Mar 22, 3:32 PM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
TNZ012-013-014-015-MSZ001-004-ARZ012-013-014-222230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 332 PM CST FRI MAR 22 1991 AT 330 PM WEATHER RADAR LOCATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN A 30-MILE WIND BAND THAT STRETCHED NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ACROSS WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI - FROM NEAR DRESDEN IN WEAKLEY COUNTY TENNESSEE TO NEAR JACKSON TENNESSEE TO NEAR MOSCOW TENNESSEE TO NEAR HERNANDO AND SENATOBT MARSHALL COUNTY MISSISSIPPI .. NEAR BYHALIA - OVER NORTH-CENTRAL FAYETTE COUNTY TENNESSEE .. NEAR SOMERVILLE - AND OVER QUITMAN COUNTY MISSISSIPPI .. NEAR MARKS. OTHER THAN VERY HEAVY RAIN .. DEADLY LIGHTNING .. AND STRONG WINDS .. ONLY SMALLIA MISSISSIPPI AND TO NEAR MARKS MISSISSIPPI. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE RACING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 60 MPH WHILE THE ELONGATED AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS PRESSING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST ABOUT 15 MPH. STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS NORTHWES - GENERALLY PEA-SIZED - HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE THROUGH. THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES .. HOWEVER. TORNADO WATCHES CONTINUE IN EFFECT OVER EAST ARKANSAS .. WEST TENNESSEE .. AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT. BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH OR A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER BULLETINS.
Special weather statement, Mar 22, 3:35 PM CST, 1 hour 42 minutes before
TNZ012-013-014-015-MSZ001-004-ARZ012-013-014-222230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 332 PM CST FRI MAR 22 1991 AT 330 PM WEATHER RADAR LOCATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN A 30-MILE WIND BAND THAT STRETCHED NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST ACROSS WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI - FROM NEAR DRESDEN IN WEAKLEY COUNTY TENNESSEE TO NEAR JACKSON TENNESSEE TO NEAR MOSCOW TENNESSEE TO NEAR HERNANDO AND SENATOBIA MISSISSIPPI AND TO NEAR MARKS MISSISSIPPI. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE RACING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 60 MPH WHILE THE ELONGATED AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS PRESSING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST ABOUT 15 MPH. STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST MARSHALL COUNTY MISSISSIPPI .. NEAR BYHALIA - OVER NORTH-CENTRAL FAYETTE COUNTY TENNESSEE .. NEAR SOMERVILLE - AND OVER QUITMAN COUNTY MISSISSIPPI .. NEAR MARKS. OTHER THAN VERY HEAVY RAIN .. DEADLY LIGHTNING .. AND STRONG WINDS .. ONLY SMALL - GENERALLY PEA-SIZED - HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE THROUGH. THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES .. HOWEVER. TORNADO WATCHES CONTINUE IN EFFECT OVER EAST ARKANSAS .. WEST TENNESSEE .. AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT. BE READY FOR QUICK ACTION SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH OR A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER BULLETINS.
Special weather statement, Mar 22, 3:37 PM CST, 1 hour 40 minutes before
MSZ004-005-222245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS 337 PM CST FRI MAR 22 1991 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 56 IN EFFECT FOR NORTH MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 900 PM CST THIS FRIDAY EVENING... AT 330 PM CST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HAIL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. THIS LINE EXTENDED FROM 5 MILES SOUTH OF CLEVELAND TO SARDIS TO 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF MEMPHIS TENNESSEE. THIS LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR WHILE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN LAFAYETTE COUNTY BY 400 PM CST. THIS IS A DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. IF YOU ARE IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING YOU SHOULD STAY WEATHER ALERT AND HAVE PLANS TO GO TO A SAFE SHELTER IF A WARNING SHOULD BE ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FO"R THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. NNNN
The office that day
Everything else NWS Memphis, TN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 4:03 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Carroll, Gibson, Weakley | 27 min |
| Mar 22, 4:11 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Chester, Henderson, Madison | 34 min |
| Mar 22, 4:34 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Hardeman, McNairy | 26 min |
| Mar 22, 5:02 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Decatur, Hardin, McNairy | 28 min |
| Mar 22, 5:48 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Hardin, McNairy | 27 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991
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.