Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 98, NWS Memphis, TN

May 2, 20085 counties in Mississippi

NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at May 2, 2008, 4:48 PM CDT for 5 counties in Mississippi. It was in force for 42 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
May 2, 2008, 4:48 PM CDT (21:48 UTC)
Expired
May 2, 2008, 5:30 PM CDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Benton County, MS, Lafayette County, MS, Marshall County, MS, Panola County, MS, Union County, MS

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:47 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 2, 5:33 PM CDTHAIL 1.751 W Etta, MSGOLFBALL SIZE HAIL JUST WEST OF ETTA.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 2, 1:54 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 43 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 2008-05-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1314 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Little Rock, AR at 12:00Z on 2008-05-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 532 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
1314 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-56 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
609 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
532 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
505 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.8
Supercell composite
15.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KMEG 022148
TORMEG
MSC009-071-093-107-145-022230-
/O.NEW.KMEG.TO.W.0098.080502T2148Z-080502T2230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
448 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN BENTON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
  NORTHWESTERN UNION COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
  NORTHERN LAFAYETTE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...
  SOUTHEASTERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...
  NORTHEASTERN PANOLA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 448 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF
  BURGESS...OR 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF BATESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
  50 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  HARMONTOWN...LAWS HILL...CAMBRIDGE...BETHLEHEM AND HOLLY SPRINGS.

.THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS A STORM SHELTER. IF NO
STORM SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE
BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE
BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS.

.IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

.STAY TUNED TO THIS BROADCAST FOR THE LATEST UPDATES AND INFORMATION.
TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER ONLY...CALL 1 800 4 3 2 0 8 7 5.

LAT...LON 3446 8984 3457 8974 3456 8967 3457 8966
      3465 8966 3494 8939 3453 8902 3430 8973
TIME...MOT...LOC 2148Z 239DEG 45KT 3443 8968

$$
1 follow-up statement
000 
WWUS54 KMEG 022211
SVSMEG

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
511 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008

MSC009-071-093-107-145-022230-
/O.CON.KMEG.TO.W.0098.000000T0000Z-080502T2230Z/
BENTON MS-MARSHALL MS-UNION MS-LAFAYETTE MS-PANOLA MS-
511 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN PANOLA...NORTHERN LAFAYETTE...NORTHWESTERN UNION...
SOUTHEASTERN MARSHALL AND SOUTHWESTERN BENTON COUNTIES...

AT 511 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ABBEVILLE...OR 9
MILES NORTH OF OXFORD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
CAMBRIDGE...BETHLEHEM...HOLLY SPRINGS...ETTA...POTTS CAMP...MYRTLE
AND HICKORY FLAT.

.THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS A STORM SHELTER. IF NO
STORM SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE
BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE
BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS.

.IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3446 8984 3457 8974 3456 8967 3457 8966
      3465 8966 3494 8939 3453 8902 3430 8973
TIME...MOT...LOC 2211Z 239DEG 45KT 3452 8949

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 2, 3:29 AM CDTWind AdvisoryMEGBenton, Coahoma, DeSoto, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola and 5 more17 hr
May 2, 2:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGBenton, Lafayette, Marshall39 min
May 2, 3:03 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGTunica57 min
May 2, 3:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLafayette, Marshall, Panola, Tate48 min
May 2, 3:30 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGCoahoma, Tate, Tunica45 min
May 2, 4:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGPanola, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha45 min
May 2, 4:03 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGDeSoto, Tunica29 min
May 2, 4:08 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGDeSoto, Marshall, Tate42 min
May 2, 4:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCoahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tallahatchie46 min
May 2, 4:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGBenton, Marshall, Tate50 min
May 2, 4:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLafayette, Panola30 min
May 2, 4:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLafayette, Panola, Yalobusha23 min
May 2, 5:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGPanola, Quitman44 min
May 2, 5:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGBenton, Lafayette, Tippah, Union42 min
May 2, 5:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCoahoma39 min
May 2, 5:10 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGLafayette, Marshall, Panola, Tate95 min
May 2, 5:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLafayette, Panola, Tate42 min
May 2, 5:24 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGLafayette, Union51 min
May 2, 5:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCoahoma, Quitman46 min
May 2, 5:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGAlcorn, Benton, Lafayette, Marshall, Prentiss, Tippah and 1 more90 min
May 2, 5:33 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGLafayette, Marshall, Panola, Union42 min
May 2, 5:56 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGTippah, Union49 min
May 2, 6:14 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGPrentiss, Union31 min
May 2, 6:16 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGLafayette, Union44 min
May 2, 6:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCoahoma, Quitman41 min
May 2, 6:27 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGAlcorn, Prentiss33 min
May 2, 6:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGPanola, Tate30 min
May 2, 6:37 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGTishomingo83 min
May 2, 6:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGBenton, Tippah, Union44 min
May 2, 6:52 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGLee, Prentiss, Tippah, Union38 min
May 2, 6:53 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGCoahoma, DeSoto, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Quitman and 2 more6 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 2008Every tornado warning in 2008Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.