Alert archive / Arkansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 221, NWS Memphis, TN

May 10, 2008Craighead County, Mississippi County, Arkansas

NWS Memphis, TN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 10, 2008, 6:14 PM CDT for Craighead County, Mississippi County, Arkansas. It was in force for 31 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 10, 2008, 6:14 PM CDT (23:14 UTC)
Expired
May 10, 2008, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Craighead County, AR, Mississippi County, AR

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 66 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:15 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 10, 4:27 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 113 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 2008-05-10Temperature 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 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 2008-05-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 247 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
661 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
247 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
337 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Memphis, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 10, 3:10 PM CDT, 3 hours 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 10, 3:10 PM CDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
310 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY ACROSS THE MID SOUTH TONIGHT...

.DISCUSSION...19Z SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACES A WARM FRONT FROM NEAR
COLUMBUS MISSISSIPPI BACK THROUGH PINE BLUFF ARKANSAS AND EXTENDING
BACK TO A 999 MB SURFACE LOW IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA. REGIONAL WSR-88D
RADAR TRENDS SHOW SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OCCURRING ACROSS
OKLAHOMA AND WESTERN/NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS THUS FAR. CLOUD COVER
HAS DIMINISHED A BIT AND TEMPERATURES HAVE WARMED UP INTO THE
70S...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF I-40 THIS AFTERNOON. MAIN CONCERNS IN THIS
FORECAST PACKAGE WILL FOCUS PRIMARILY ON SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
POTENTIAL TONIGHT AND WIND ADVISORY POTENTIAL FOR WINDS BEHIND THE
COLD FRONT LATER TONIGHT INTO SUNDAY.

TONIGHT...SPECIAL 18Z SOUNDINGS FROM KLZK AND KJAN HAVE INDICATED A
SUBSTANTIAL CAPPING INVERSION LOCATED AROUND 850 MB. AS A
RESULT...THE MID SOUTH HAS BEEN FREE OF ANY CONVECTION THUS FAR.
HOWEVER AS THE WARM FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE EAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON
INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL
DEVELOP RAPIDLY WITH SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS BECOMING SEVERE.
SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT SURFACE BASED CAPE VALUES ARE BETWEEN 2500
TO 3000 J/KG WITH LI/S AROUND -9. IN ADDITION...THE ABOVE MENTIONED
CONVECTIVE PARAMETERS ALONG WITH STEEP 700-500 MB LAYER MID LEVEL
LAPSE RATES AT OR ABOVE 7 C/KM AND FAVORABLE WINDS ALOFT SUGGEST
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE QUITE POSSIBLE FOR ANY
THUNDERSTORMS WHICH BECOME SEVERE. IN ADDITION...0-1 KM STORM
RELATIVE HELICITIES AROUND 350 M2/S2 SUGGEST A TORNADOES MAY BE
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTH MISSISSIPPI. AT THIS POINT THINK
THAT CONVECTION WILL BE MORE DISCRETE AT THE ONSET OF CONVECTION
FROM THE LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS WITH CONVECTION
EVENTUALLY CONGEALING INTO A LINE LATER TONIGHT AS THE COLD FRONT
MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. NAM/GFS INDICATE FRONT SHOULD CLEAR THE
ENTIRE AREA BY 12Z SUNDAY.

ANOTHER AREA OF POTENTIAL CONCERN IS WIND ADVISORY POTENTIAL BEHIND
THE FRONT LATE TONIGHT AND DURING THE DAY SUNDAY. BOUNDARY LAYER
WINDS AROUND 35 TO 40 KTS MAY MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE IN RESPONSE TO
STRONG SUBSIDENCE BEHIND THE FRONT. EVENING SHIFT WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR TRENDS AND ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.

BEYOND SUNDAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN IN PLACE UNTIL ANOTHER COLD
FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA BY LATE TUESDAY AND MOVES THROUGH THE AREA
ON WEDNESDAY. LONG TERM MODELS (ECMWF/GFS) INDICATE THE FRONT MAY
TEMPORARILY GET HUNG UP ACROSS CENTRAL/SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI TOWARDS
THE LATTER HALF OF THE PERIOD. AS A RESULT...EXPECTING CHANCES FOR
PRECIPITATION TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH HIGH PRESSURE
RETURNING FRIDAY.

CJC

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...NONE.
MO...NONE.
MS...NONE.
TN...NONE.
&&
Hazardous weather outlook, May 10, 3:11 PM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
311 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-
MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-111130-
ALCORN-BENTON MS-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CHESTER-CHICKASAW-CLAY-COAHOMA-
CRAIGHEAD-CRITTENDEN-CROCKETT-CROSS-DESOTO-DECATUR-DUNKLIN-DYER-
FAYETTE-GIBSON-GREENE-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-HAYWOOD-HENDERSON-HENRY-
ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-LEE MS-MADISON-
MARSHALL-MCNAIRY-MISSISSIPPI-MONROE-OBION-PANOLA-PEMISCOT-
PHILLIPS-POINSETT-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN-RANDOLPH-SHELBY-
ST. FRANCIS-TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TIPTON-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-
UNION-WEAKLEY-YALOBUSHA-
311 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS...
THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS LIKELY ACROSS THE ENTIRE
MID SOUTH TONIGHT.

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT ACROSS THE ENTIRE MID SOUTH.

A WARM FRONT WILL SURGE NORTHWARD INTO THE MID SOUTH TONIGHT
BRINGING A WARM...MOIST...AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS INTO THE REGION
AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP ACROSS THE MID SOUTH ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT
TONIGHT. ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES. THERE IS
THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW STRONG TORNADOES. AN ADDITIONAL LINE OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ALONG AND IMMEDIATELY IN
ADVANCE OF THE COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA LATER TONIGHT.

THE BEST TIME FRAME FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE BETWEEN 4 PM CDT
THIS AFTERNOON AND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
AND BETWEEN 5 PM CDT AND 4 AM CDT SUNDAY MORNING EAST OF THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

A WIND ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED ON SUNDAY AS NORTHWEST WINDS MAY GUST
UP TO 40 MPH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
OPERATIONS WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ACROSS THE
ENTIRE AREA.

SJM/CJC

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 10, 5:56 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
556 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0543 PM     HAIL             2 NNW CASH              35.83N 90.95W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT HIGHWAY 18 AND COUNTY ROAD 160 JUST
            NORTH OF CASH.

0550 PM     HAIL             JONESBORO               35.82N 90.69W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT DAN AVENUE AND HIGHWAY 63 IN
            JONESBORO.

0553 PM     TORNADO          1 SW JONESBORO          35.81N 90.70W
05/10/2008                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TORNADO AT GIBSON SWITCH JUST SOUTHWEST OF JONESBORO.
            REPORTED BY JONESBORO FIRE CHIEF.

&&

JKT
Local storm report, May 10, 6:03 PM CDT, 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
603 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0542 PM     HAIL             BONO                    35.91N 90.80W
05/10/2008  E0.75 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PENNY SIZE HAIL IN BONO.

0543 PM     HAIL             2 NNW CASH              35.83N 90.95W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT HIGHWAY 18 AND COUNTY ROAD 160 JUST
            NORTH OF CASH.

0550 PM     HAIL             JONESBORO               35.82N 90.69W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT DAN AVENUE AND HIGHWAY 63 IN
            JONESBORO.

0553 PM     TORNADO          1 SW JONESBORO          35.81N 90.70W
05/10/2008                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TORNADO AT GIBSON SWITCH JUST SOUTHWEST OF JONESBORO.
            REPORTED BY JONESBORO FIRE CHIEF. DEBRIS REPORTED AT THE
            SOUTH END OF JONESBORO NEAR LAWSON ROAD AND COUNTY ROAD
            425.

&&

JKT
Local storm report, May 10, 6:09 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
609 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0542 PM     HAIL             BONO                    35.91N 90.80W
05/10/2008  E0.75 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PENNY SIZE HAIL IN BONO.

0543 PM     HAIL             2 NNW CASH              35.83N 90.95W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT HIGHWAY 18 AND COUNTY ROAD 160 JUST
            NORTH OF CASH.

0550 PM     HAIL             JONESBORO               35.82N 90.69W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT DAN AVENUE AND HIGHWAY 63 IN
            JONESBORO.

0553 PM     TORNADO          1 SW JONESBORO          35.81N 90.70W
05/10/2008                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TORNADO AT GIBSON SWITCH JUST SOUTHWEST OF JONESBORO.
            REPORTED BY JONESBORO FIRE CHIEF. DEBRIS REPORTED AT THE
            SOUTH END OF JONESBORO NEAR LAWSON ROAD AND COUNTY ROAD
            425.

0606 PM     TORNADO          2 W BAY                 35.74N 90.59W
05/10/2008                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TORNADO AT HIGHWAY 158 JUST WEST OF COUNTY ROAD 463.

&&

JKT
Local storm report, May 10, 6:11 PM CDT, 3 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 10, 6:11 PM CDT, 3 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 10, 6:14 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
614 PM CDT SAT MAY 10 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0542 PM     HAIL             BONO                    35.91N 90.80W
05/10/2008  E0.75 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PENNY SIZE HAIL IN BONO.

0543 PM     HAIL             2 NNW CASH              35.83N 90.95W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT HIGHWAY 18 AND COUNTY ROAD 160 JUST
            NORTH OF CASH.

0550 PM     HAIL             JONESBORO               35.82N 90.69W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT DAN AVENUE AND HIGHWAY 63 IN
            JONESBORO.

0553 PM     TORNADO          1 SW JONESBORO          35.81N 90.70W
05/10/2008                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TORNADO AT GIBSON SWITCH JUST SOUTHWEST OF JONESBORO.
            REPORTED BY JONESBORO FIRE CHIEF. DEBRIS REPORTED AT THE
            SOUTH END OF JONESBORO NEAR LAWSON ROAD AND COUNTY ROAD
            425.

0606 PM     TORNADO          2 W BAY                 35.74N 90.59W
05/10/2008                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TORNADO AT HIGHWAY 158 JUST WEST OF COUNTY ROAD 463.

0606 PM     HAIL             2 W BAY                 35.74N 90.59W
05/10/2008  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT HIGHWAY 158 JUST WEST OF COUNTY ROAD
            463.

0612 PM     TORNADO          BAY                     35.74N 90.56W
05/10/2008                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TORNADO JUST OUTSIDE OF BAY WITH DEBRIS CLOUD...2 MILES
            EAST OF HIGHWAY 463.

&&

JKT/CCD

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 10, 6:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGTunica42 min
May 10, 6:58 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGTunica47 min
May 10, 6:42 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGLauderdale, Tipton48 min
May 10, 4:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCraighead, Greene, Lawrence56 min
May 10, 5:24 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Poinsett51 min
May 10, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCraighead, Greene, Lawrence48 min
May 10, 6:09 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCraighead, Mississippi, Poinsett36 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Arkansas, 2008Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.