Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Memphis, TN

April 15, 1994Lowndes County, Mississippi

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 1994, 3:39 PM CDT for Lowndes County, Mississippi. It was in force for 36 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 15, 1994, 3:39 PM CDT (20:39 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 1994, 4:15 PM CDT
In force
36 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Whole counties

County Lowndes County, MS

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 132 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, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1994-04-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1524 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, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1994-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 234 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1524 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
573 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
27 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
234 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
378 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.3
Supercell composite
8.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTUP 152039
TORTUP
MSC087-152115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
339 PM CDT FRI APR 15 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TUPELO HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  415 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
 
   ...NORTHERN LOWNDES COUNTY
 
AT 235 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECIEVED A REPORT FROM MSU
CLIMATE LAB OF A FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR GOLDEN TRIANGLE AIRPORT. THIS
STORM...WHICH HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER...WAS MOVING
EAST AT NEARLY 50 MILES AN HOUR.
 
 
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERXT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
 
IF YOU SIGHTED A TORNADO OR EXPERIENCED DAMAGING WINDS OR HAIL,
NOTIFY YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, LOCAL OFFICIAL OR THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
 
 
 
&
NNNN

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, Apr 15, 10:06 AM CDT, 5 hours 33 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-151615-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
1006 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

.....TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 91 IN EFFECT UNTIL 3PM CDT FOR PARTS OF
NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.....

AT 955 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT TUPELO CONTINUED TO
SHOW SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN ALABAMA AND
EASTCENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTCENTRAL
MISSISSIPPI WERE LOCATED IN NOXUBEE AND KEMPER COUNTIES.

DURING THE PAST HOUR...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE STARTING TO
DEVELOP OVER NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI..WESTERN TENNESSEE AND NORTHEAST
ARKANSAS.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI WERE LOCATED
OVER CALHOUN..CHICKASAW AND WEBSTER COUNTIES.

ALL THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN
HOUR.

RESIDENTS OVER NORTH MISSISSIPPI SHOULD KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY A0ND
LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.  THE WEATHER
CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN AS THE DAY GOES ON.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 11:03 AM CDT, 4 hours 36 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-151700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
1103 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

.....TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 91 REMAINS IN EFFECT TIL 3 PM CDT FOR PARTS OF
NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.....

AT 1055 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO SHOWED
SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR..WHILE THE AREA WAS SLIDING
TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER
DESOTO..MARSHALL..LAFAYETTE..MONROE AND ITAWAMBA COUNTIES.

RESIDENTS OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI CAN EXPECT GUSTY SURFACE WINDS...SMALL
HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTENING WITH THE PASSAGE OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS.

CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA IS EXPECTED TO WORSEN AS THE DAY GOES ON WITH
THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT FROM THE WEST.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 12:04 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-151800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
1204 PM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

.....TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 91 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM CDT FOR PARTS
OF EASTERN MISSISSIPPI.....

.....SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH NUMBER 94 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM
CDT FOR MOST OF NORTH AND CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.....

AT 1155 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO SHOWED
SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN ALABAMA..WESTERN TENNESSEE
AND NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI.  THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR WHILE THE SYSTEM WAS SLIDING TO THE
SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED NORTHWEST
OF A LINE FROM CORINTH TO OXFORD TO CLARKSDALE.

RESIDENTS OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND LISTEN
FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 1:04 PM CDT, 2 hours 35 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-151900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
104 PM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

.....TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 91 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 M CDT FOR PARTS
OF EASTERN MISSISSIPPI.....

.....SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 94 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM
CDT FOR MOST OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI.....

AT 1255 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN TUPELO CONTINUED TO
SHOW SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN TENNESSEE...NORTHERN
ALABAMA AND NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN
HOUR.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN PRENTISS..TIPPAH..UNION..
MARSHALL..0PANOLA AND SUNFLOWER COUNTIES.

RESIDENTS OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND TAKE NECESSARY
ACTIONS IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR LOCATION.

NNNN
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 3:07 PM CDT, 32 minutes before
TNZ001-002-003-004-019-020-021-022-048-049-050-051-052-053-054-
055-088-089-090-091-092-MSZ001-002-003-007-008-010-012-ARZ009-018-
026-027-028-035-036-048-049-058-152115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
307 PM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WEST
TENNESSEE...EAST ARKANSAS AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 7 PM TONIGHT...

AT 300 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORM FROM
NEAR NASHVILLE SOUTHWEST TO JACKSON TO HELENA ARKANSAS. ANOTHER LINE OF
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHWEST ALABAMA THROUGH THE TUPELO
AREA TO NEAR GREENWOOD.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. THE
THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

PERSONS IN THE MID-SOUTH SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS.
MOVE INDOORS WHEN THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO THIS
STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 15, 7:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGClay, Lowndes38 min
Apr 15, 11:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGDeSoto35 min
Apr 15, 2:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGChickasaw, Monroe37 min
Apr 15, 3:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGClay, Oktibbeha28 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 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.