Alert archive / Mississippi / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 402, NWS Memphis, TN

September 14, 2008Calhoun County, Chickasaw County, Pontotoc County, Mississippi

NWS Memphis, TN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 14, 2008, 8:10 AM CDT for Calhoun County, Chickasaw County, Pontotoc County, Mississippi. It was in force for 50 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
Sep 14, 2008, 8:10 AM CDT (13:10 UTC)
Expired
Sep 14, 2008, 9:00 AM CDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Calhoun County, MS, Chickasaw County, MS, Pontotoc County, MS

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 73 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:12 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
Sep 14, 1:57 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 118 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 2008-09-14Temperature 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 2008-09-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -84 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
759 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-84 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
47 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 Sep 14, 7:47 AM CDT, 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 14, 7:47 AM CDT, 23 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
747 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008

.UPDATE...
THE EASTERN EDGE OF IKE/S CENTRAL CIRCULATION WOBBLED TO JUST WEST
OF RANDOLPH RANDOLPH AND LAWRENCE COUNTIES EARLIER THIS MORNING. WIND
GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH WERE MEASURED AT JONESBORO AND WALNUT
RIDGE OBSERVING STATIONS...AND WIDESPREAD TREE DAMAGE HAS BEEN
REPORTED IN THOSE AREAS. WINDS OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE
MIDSOUTH...WHILE BRISK...WERE NOT NEAR AS STRONG.

AT DISCUSSION UPDATE TIME...THE CENTER OF IKE HAS LIFTED INTO
SOUTHEAST MO. WALNUT RIDGE WAS REPORTING GUSTS OF 34 KTS AT 738
AM...DOWN FROM THEIR EARLIER 50 TO 54 KT REPORTS. MALDEN MO WAS
REPORTING 47 KT GUSTS AT 655 AM. EXPECT SOME OUTWARD EXPANSION OF
IKE/S WINDS WITH DAYTIME HEATING...BUT IKE WILL BE PULLING FURTHER
AWAY FROM THE MIDSOUTH. WIND ADVISORY SCHEDULED TO EXPIRE AT 4 PM
MAY NEED TO BE CANCELLED EARLY.

TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL COUNTIES WEST OF THE MS
RIVER...WITH A SURFACE WIND SWITCH TO THE SOUTHWEST.

PWB

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 345 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008/

DISCUSSION...
TROPICAL DEPRESSION IKE WAS CENTERED OVER NORTH CENTRAL AR AT
DISCUSSION TIME... SLIGHTLY FARTHER ALONG IN ITS NORTHEASTWARD TRACK
THAN EARLIER FORECAST. KLZK/KNQA RADARS SHOWED A CONVECTIVE BAND
LIFTING NORTH THROUGH THE EASTERN AR/WESTERN MS DELTA...INTO THE
MEMPHIS METRO. LIGHTNING DETECTION HAD THUS FAR NOT PICKED UP ANY
GROUND STRIKES WITH THIS ACTIVITY DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...
INDICATIVE OF THE WEAK TO MARGINAL INSTABILITY. HOWEVER... 0 TO
3KM HELICITY VALUES WERE IMPRESSIVE...NEAR 500 M2/S2.

LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY SHOULD INCREASE FOLLOWING SUNRISE. BY THIS
TIME...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION IKE WILL BE CENTERED OVER
WEST CENTRAL IL. OVER THE MIDSOUTH...SURFACE WINDS OVER THE DELTA
REGION WILL VEER BEHIND A TROF AXIS BY 10 AM...LOWERING HELICITY
VALUES SIGNIFICANTLY. THERE WILL LIKELY BE A NARROW WINDOW OF HIGH
HELICITY AND WEAK TO MODERATE INSTABILITY OVER WEST TN...WELL EAST
OF MEMPHIS...IN THE MID TO LATE LATE MORNING. THIS AREA HAS BEEN
INCLUDED IN THE UPDATED SPC DAY1 OUTLOOK.

THIS AFTERNOON...THE BEST AREA OF LIFT WILL MOVE QUICKLY OFF TO
THE EAST...WITH SUBSIDENCE SWEEPING THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH BEHIND A
COLD FRONT. LOW END ADVISORY WIND SPEEDS MAY BE OBSERVED BEHIND
THE FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE OPTED TO KEEP THE WIND ADVISORY
THROUGH 4 PM CDT AND HAVE EXPANDED IT INTO THE TN RIVER VALLEY.
THIS ADVISORY MAY NEED EARLY CANCELLATION WEST OF THE MS RIVER.

WINDS WILL DECREASE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER ALL OF THE MIDSOUTH THIS
EVENING... ACCOMPANIED BY CLEARING SKIES AND NOTICEABLY LESS HUMID
AIR.

THE UPCOMING WORKWEEK PROMISES TRANQUIL...AUTUMN LIKE WEATHER FOR
THE MIDSOUTH. WITH LOW DEWPOINTS...WEAK WINDS AND LIMITED CLOUDS...
EXPECT FAIRLY LARGE DIURNAL TEMPERATURE RANGES.

PWB

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM  82  60  76  56 /  30  10  10   0
MKL  80  56  76  53 /  70  10  10   0
JBR  80  58  75  55 /  30   0  10   0
TUP  84  62  77  55 /  60  10  10   0

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD-
     GREENE-LAWRENCE-RANDOLPH.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD-
     GREENE-LAWRENCE-RANDOLPH.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR CRITTENDEN-CROSS-
     LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-PHILLIPS-POINSETT-ST. FRANCIS.

MO...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING FOR DUNKLIN.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR DUNKLIN.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR PEMISCOT.

MS...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR ALCORN-BENTON MS-
     COAHOMA-DESOTO-LAFAYETTE-MARSHALL-PANOLA-PRENTISS-QUITMAN-
     TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-UNION-YALOBUSHA.

TN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR CARROLL-CHESTER-
     CROCKETT-DECATUR-DYER-FAYETTE-GIBSON-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-
     HAYWOOD-HENDERSON-HENRY-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-MADISON-MCNAIRY-
     OBION-SHELBY-TIPTON-WEAKLEY.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 14, 5:45 AM CDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
545 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 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>092-151115-
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-
545 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

VERY STRONG WINDS OF 40 MPH...WITH GUSTS TO 55 MPH WILL OCCUR OVER
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...IN THE WALNUT RIDGE AND NEARBY AREAS THIS
MORNING. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS THROUGH 9
AM.

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH THROUGH 4 PM.
WIND GUSTS MAY REACH AS HIGH AS 45 MPH OVER NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...THE
MISSOURI BOOTHEEL AND WEST TENNESSEE THIS MORNING. THE STRONG WINDS
WILL LIKELY CAUSE TREE LIMB DAMAGE AND MAY RESULT IN ISOLATED POWER
OUTAGES. WINDS WILL DECREASE SIGNIFICANTLY OVER ALL OF THE MIDSOUTH
BY SUNSET.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF TORNADOES OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA
EARLY THIS MORNING. LATER THIS MORNING...THIS RISK AREA WILL LIFT
INTO TO WEST TENNESSEE...WITH A MID TO LATE MORNING TORNADO RISK
OCCURRING EAST OF A BOLIVAR TO TIPTONVILLE LINE. THE ISOLATED
TORNADO THREAT SHOULD END OVER ALL OF THE MIDSOUTH BY EARLY
AFTERNOON...AS WINDS SHIFT TO THE WEST...BRINGING IN DRIER AND MORE
STABLE AIR.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED THIS MORNING OVER THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA REGION...AND OVER WEST TENNESSEE THIS
MORNING...THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON.

PWB

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 14, 7:07 AM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
707 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008

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

0545 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG E BIGGERS               36.33N 90.81W
09/14/2008                   RANDOLPH           AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NUMEROUS LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN. A FEW LARGE TREES BLOWN
            OVER. POWER LINES DOWN COUNTY WIDE. WINDS ESTIMATED 45 TO
            60 MPH.

&&

MRM
Local storm report, Sep 14, 7:27 AM CDT, 43 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
727 AM CDT SUN SEP 14 2008

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

0545 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG E BIGGERS               36.33N 90.81W
09/14/2008                   RANDOLPH           AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NUMEROUS LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN. A FEW LARGE TREES BLOWN
            OVER. POWER LINES DOWN COUNTY WIDE. WINDS ESTIMATED 45 TO
            60 MPH.

0630 AM     NON-TSTM WND DMG MARMADUKE               36.19N 90.39W
09/14/2008                   GREENE             AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SEVERAL LARGE TREES DOWN AROUND MARMADUKE

&&

MRM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 14, 9:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGItawamba, Lee, Prentiss30 min
Sep 14, 5:21 AM CDTHigh Wind WarningMEGCarroll, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Lake, Obion and 1 more7 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Mississippi, 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.