Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 25, NWS Memphis, TN

June 26, 1994Lauderdale County, Tennessee

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Jun 26, 1994, 5:37 PM CDT for Lauderdale County, Tennessee. It was in force for 38 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 26, 1994, 5:37 PM CDT (22:37 UTC)
Expired
Jun 26, 1994, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Whole counties

County Lauderdale County, TN

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 107 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Little Rock, AR at 12:00Z on 1994-06-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1525 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Little Rock, AR at 12:00Z on 1994-06-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 338 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1525 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-276 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1275 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
338 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
492 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KMEM 262242
TORMEM
TNC097-262315-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
537 PM CDT SUN JUN 26 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 PM CDT
FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS......
 
IN WEST TENNESSEE
 
   ...LAUDERDALE COUNTY
 
AT 535 PM DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO WAS PROBABLY
DEVELOPING BETWEEN RIPLEY AND ASHPORT - NORTH OF FORT PILLOW IN WESTERN
LAUDERDALE COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORM WITHIN WHICH THE TORNADO WAS FORMING
HAS BEEN MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THAT MOVEMENT WILL TAKE
THE TORNADIC STORM TOWARD THE PLEASANT HILL AND HENNING AREAS OF SOUTH
LAUDERDALE COUNTY BETWEEN 535 PM AND 6PM THIS EVENING.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

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, Jun 26, 1:04 PM CDT, 4 hours 33 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-261900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
104 PM CDT SUN JUN 26 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 474 RE3MAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CDT FOR A
LARGE PART OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI...

AT 1255 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED PATCHY
RAINSHOWERS 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF KOSCIUSKO...OVER NORTHERN KEMPER
COUNTY IN MISSSISSIPPIAND OVER LIVINGSTON AND BIRMINGHAM IN CENTRAL
ALABAMA.

THE RAINSHOWERS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND HAVE BEEN
RAPIDLY DECREASING IN THE PAST HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND THE CHANGING OF THE STATUS OF WEATHER WATCH AREAS.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Jun 26, 1:04 PM CDT, 4 hours 33 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-261900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
104 PM CDT SUN JUN 26 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 474 RE3MAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CDT FOR A
LARGE PART OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI...

AT 1255 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED PATCHY
RAINSHOWERS 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF KOSCIUSKO...OVER NORTHERN KEMPER
COUNTY IN MISSSISSIPPIAND OVER LIVINGSTON AND BIRMINGHAM IN CENTRAL
ALABAMA.

THE RAINSHOWERS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND HAVE BEEN
RAPIDLY DECREASING IN THE PAST HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND THE CHANGING OF THE STATUS OF WEATHER WATCH AREAS.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Jun 26, 1:12 PM CDT, 4 hours 25 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-261915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
112 PM CDT SUN JUN 26 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 474 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL OF NORTH
MISSISSIPPI...

AT 1255 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED SOME
PATCHY RAINSHOWERS 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF KOSCIUSKO AND OVER NORTHERN
KEMPER COUNTY IN MISSISSIPPI. OTHER SHOWERS WERE ALSO NOTED OVER
LIVINGSTON AND BIRMINGHAM IN ALABAMA.

THE RAINSHOWERS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AND HAVE BEEN RAPIDLY
DECREASING IN THE PAST HOUR.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Jun 26, 1:12 PM CDT, 4 hours 25 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-261915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
112 PM CDT SUN JUN 26 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 474 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL OF NORTH
MISSISSIPPI...

AT 1255 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO INDICATED SOME
PATCHY RAINSHOWERS 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF KOSCIUSKO AND OVER NORTHERN
KEMPER COUNTY IN MISSISSIPPI. OTHER SHOWERS WERE ALSO NOTED OVER
LIVINGSTON AND BIRMINGHAM IN ALABAMA.

THE RAINSHOWERS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AND HAVE BEEN RAPIDLY
DECREASING IN THE PAST HOUR.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Jun 26, 3:32 PM CDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
TNZ001-002-003-004-019-020-021-022-048-049-050-052-088-262130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
332 PM CDT SUN JUN 26 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHWEST TENNESSEE...

THUNDERSTORMS STARTED BUILDING OVER THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
TENNESSEE AGAIN AROUND 315 PM AND THREATEN TO BECOME BOTH
WIDESPREAD AND INTENSE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON.

AT 325 PM DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR IN MEMPHIS WAS INDICATING THUNDERSTORMS
GROWING RAPIDLY OVER THE AREA FROM NEAR PARIS TENNESSEE WESTWARD THROUGH
THE DYERSBURG AREA TO NEAR TIPTONVILLE AND RIDGELY IN EXTREME NORTHWEST
TENNESSEE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BRING
STRONG WIND GUSTS TO NORTHWEST TENNESSEE AS THEY MOVE THROUGH.  THE
STRONGER STORMS MAY BRING HAIL AS WELL.

VERY UNSTABLE AIR COVERS WEST TENNESSEE AND EAST ARKASAS THIS AFTERNOON.
AND, WINDS THROUGH A DEEP LAYER OF THE ATMOSPHERE ARE FAVORABLE FOR
EXPLOSIVE THUNDERSTORM GROWTH.  THE STRONGER STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING MAY BECOME ESPECIALLY SEVERE WITH DESTRUCTIVE WIND AND LARGE
DAMAGING HAIL.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR UPDATES ON THE DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS.
Special weather statement, Jun 26, 3:34 PM CDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before
TNZ001-002-003-004-019-020-021-022-048-049-050-052-088-262130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
332 PM CDT SUN JUN 26 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHWEST TENNESSEE...

THUNDERSTORMS STARTED BUILDING OVER THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
TENNESSEE AGAIN AROUND 315 PM AND THREATEN TO BECOME BOTH
WIDESPREAD AND INTENSE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON.

AT 325 PM DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR IN MEMPHIS WAS INDICATING THUNDERSTORMS
GROWING RAPIDLY OVER THE AREA FROM NEAR PARIS TENNESSEE WESTWARD THROUGH
THE DYERSBURG AREA TO NEAR TIPTONVILLE AND RIDGELY IN EXTREME NORTHWEST
TENNESSEE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BRING
STRONG WIND GUSTS TO NORTHWEST TENNESSEE AS THEY MOVE THROUGH.  THE
STRONGER STORMS MAY BRING HAIL AS WELL.

VERY UNSTABLE AIR COVERS WEST TENNESSEE AND EAST ARKASAS THIS AFTERNOON.
AND, WINDS THROUGH A DEEP LAYER OF THE ATMOSPHERE ARE FAVORABLE FOR
E'XPLOSIVE THUNDERSTORM GROWTH.  THE STRONGER STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING MAY BECOME ESPECIALLY SEVERE WITH DESTRUCTIVE WIND AND LARGE
DAMAGING HAIL.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR UPDATES ON THE DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Memphis, TN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 26, 7:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGTipton51 min
Jun 26, 8:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGFayette, Shelby44 min
Jun 26, 9:03 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGFayette42 min
Jun 26, 3:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGObion, Weakley50 min
Jun 26, 3:50 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGWeakley25 min
Jun 26, 3:55 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGObion35 min
Jun 26, 4:18 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGGibson27 min
Jun 26, 4:28 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGGibson, Obion32 min
Jun 26, 4:55 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGGibson35 min
Jun 26, 5:24 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGGibson66 min
Jun 26, 5:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCarroll44 min
Jun 26, 5:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGHaywood52 min
Jun 26, 6:02 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGHaywood, Tipton28 min
Jun 26, 6:28 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGHaywood32 min
Jun 26, 6:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGChester, Madison41 min
Jun 26, 6:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGHenderson50 min
Jun 26, 6:52 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGFayette, Hardeman68 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.