Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 53, NWS Memphis, TN

November 27, 1994Henry County, Weakley County, Tennessee

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Nov 27, 1994, 3:31 PM CST for Henry County, Weakley County, Tennessee. It was in force for 44 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 27, 1994, 3:31 PM CST (21:31 UTC)
Expired
Nov 27, 1994, 4:15 PM CST
In force
44 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Henry County, TN, Weakley County, TN

The nearest sounding before it

Paducah/Barkley, KY (KPAH), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 86 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, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 12:00Z on 1994-11-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Paducah/Barkley, KY at 12:00Z on 1994-11-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 262 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
594 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
262 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
766 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMEM 272130
TORMEM
TNC053-079-183-272215-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
331 PM CST SUN NOV 27 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  415 PM CST
FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...S...
 
IN WEST TENNESSEE
 
   ...NORTHERN GIBSON COUNTY...WESTERN HENRY COUNTY
   ...WEAKLEY COUNTY
 
AT 328 PM..DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED TWO POTENTIALLY TORNADIC
THUNDERSTORMS. ONE WAS OVER NORTHWEST GIBSON COUNTY BETWEEN TRENTON AND
NEWBERN. THE OTHER WAS OVER SOUTHERN WEAKLEY COUNTY JUST SOUTHEAST OF
SHARON.
 
BOTH STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.. AND WILL AFFECT
SHARON..DRESDEN..GLEASON..COMO AND PARIS BY 4 PM.
 
 
DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO.  CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS.  IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF
A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING.  IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.

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, Nov 27, 1:37 PM CST, 1 hour 54 minutes before
TNZ001-002-003-004-019-020-021-022-048-049-050-051-052-053-054-
055-088-089-090-091-092-MSZ001-002-003-007-008-010-011-012-ARZ009-
018-026-027-028-035-036-048-049-058-272045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
138 PM CST SUN NOV 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM FOR ALL OF EAST
ARKANSAS...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM FOR EXTREME EAST ARKANSAS..
WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS PARTS OF THE MID-SOUTH THIS
AFTERNOON. AT 130 PM..DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTH OF BLYTHEVILLE ARKANSAS TO NEAR
TURRELL..EARLE AND HUGHES. THE STORMS THEN EXTENDED FURTHER SOUTHWEST TO
NEAR DEWITT.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.

AT THEIR PRESENT MOVMENT..THE STORMS WILL CROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
INTO THE MEMPHIS METROPOLITAN AREA BETWEEN 230 AND 330 PM.

THE POTENTIAL REMAINS HIGH FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S THUNDERSTORMS TO
BECOME SEVERE. LARGE HAIL..DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE AND
ALL MID-SOUTH RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN WEATHER-ALERT THROUGHOUT THE
AFTERNOON. KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MOVE TO A
SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY IF SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS OR A WARNING IS
ISSUED.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Nov 27, 1:38 PM CST, 1 hour 53 minutes before
TNZ001-002-003-004-019-020-021-022-048-049-050-051-052-053-054-
055-088-089-090-091-092-MSZ001-002-003-007-008-010-011-012-ARZ009-
018-026-027-028-035-036-048-049-058-272045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
138 PM CST SUN NOV 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM FOR ALL OF EAST
ARKANSAS...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM FOR EXTREME EAST ARKANSAS..
WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS PARTS OF THE MID-SOUTH THIS
AFTERNOON. AT 130 PM..DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTH OF BLYTHEVILLE ARKANSAS TO NEAR
TURRELL..EARLE AND HUGHES. THE STORMS THEN EXTENDED FURTHER SOUTHWEST TO
NEAR DEWITT.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.

AT THEIR PRESENT MOVMENT..THE STORMS WILL CROSS THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
INTO THE MEMPHIS METROPOLITAN AREA BETWEEN 230 AND 330 PM.

THE POTENTIAL REMAINS HIGH FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S THUNDERSTORMS TO
BECOME SEVERE. LARGE HAIL..DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE AND
ALL MID-SOUTH RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN WEATHER-ALERT THROUGHOUT THE
AFTERNOON. KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON LOCAL WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MOVE TO A
SAFE PLACE IMMEDIATELY IF SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS OR A WARNING IS
ISSUED.

STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Nov 27, 2:30 PM CST, 1 hour 1 minute before
ARZ009-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MSZ001>003-007-008-010>012-
TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-272135-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
231 PM CST SUN NOV 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM FOR EAST ARKANSAS..WEST
TENNESSEE AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO RUMBLE ACROSS EAST ARKANSAS..AND AT
225 PM HAD BEGUN TO MOVE INTO WEST TENNESSEE. DOPPLER RADAR AT THAT
TIME SHOWED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST NORTH OF
DYERSBURG TENNESSEE THROUGH RIPLEY AND THEN INTO EAST ARKANSAS NEAR
HUGHES. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.

STRONG WINDS..HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS AS
THEY MOVE THROUGH EAST ARKANSAS AND WEST TENNESSEE. THE STORMS WILL
ALSO AFFECT NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGSF CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS
WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Nov 27, 2:31 PM CST, 1 hour before
ARZ009-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MSZ001>003-007-008-010>012-
TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-272135-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
231 PM CST SUN NOV 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM FOR EAST ARKANSAS..WEST
TENNESSEE AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO RUMBLE ACROSS EAST ARKANSAS..AND AT
225 PM HAD BEGUN TO MOVE INTO WEST TENNESSEE. DOPPLER RADAR AT THAT
TIME SHOWED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST NORTH OF
DYERSBURG TENNESSEE THROUGH RIPLEY AND THEN INTO EAST ARKANSAS NEAR
HUGHES. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.

STRONG WINDS..HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS AS
THEY MOVE THROUGH EAST ARKANSAS AND WEST TENNESSEE. THE STORMS WILL
ALSO AFFECT NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS
WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Nov 27, 2:52 PM CST, 39 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-272200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
252 PM CST SUN NOV 27 1994

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 907 CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM THIS EVENING FOR
A LARGE PART OF NORTH NISSISSIPPI...

AT 240 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS INDICATING A VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF RIPLEY TENNESSEE IN EXTREME WEST
CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

THIS STORM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

RADAR WAS ALSO INDICATING SCTTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND RAINSHOWERS OVER A
LARGE PART OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM OXFORD MISSISSIPPI AND
EXTENDED TO THE NORTHEAST TO NORTHERN BENTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL
MISSISSIPPI. THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND OTHER SHOWER ACTIVITY WAS MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

ANYONE LIVING IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS
SHOULD REMAIN WEATHER ALERT AND TAKE PRECAUTIONS SHOULD THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACH.

MORE STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

NNNN

:
C.o:FF?Nvz=W~zmb2&QG
Special weather statement, Nov 27, 2:52 PM CST, 39 minutes before
MSZ005-006-009-017-016-002-003-004-013-014-015-023-024-030-031-
033-272200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TUPELO MS
252 PM CST SUN NOV 27 1994

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 907 CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM THIS EVENING FOR
A LARGE PART OF NORTH NISSISSIPPI...

AT 240 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS INDICATING A VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTH OF RIPLEY TENNESSEE IN EXTREME WEST
CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

THIS STORM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

RADAR WAS ALSO INDICATING SCTTERED THUNDERSTORMS AND RAINSHOWERS OVER A
LARGE PART OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM OXFORD MISSISSIPPI AND
EXTENDED TO THE NORTHEAST TO NORTHERN BENTON COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL
MISSISSIPPI. THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND OTHER SHOWER ACTIVITY WAS MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

ANYONE LIVING IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS
SHOULD REMAIN WEATHER ALERT AND TAKE PRECAUTIONS SHOULD THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACH.

MORE STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS CONDITIONS WARRANT.

NNNN

:
C.o:FF?Nvz=W~zmb2&QG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 27, 2:48 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGCrockett, Dyer, Gibson27 min
Nov 27, 2:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGObion, Weakley40 min
Nov 27, 3:03 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGShelby42 min
Nov 27, 3:24 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGFayette, Shelby36 min
Nov 27, 3:31 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGGibson44 min
Nov 27, 3:58 PM CSTTornado WarningMEGFayette, Hardeman, Haywood47 min
Nov 27, 4:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGFayette, Hardeman40 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.