Alert archive / Tennessee / Flash Flood Warnings in 2009

Flash Flood Warning 107, NWS Memphis, TN

July 16, 2009Shelby County, Tennessee

NWS Memphis, TN issued this flash flood warning at Jul 16, 2009, 5:19 AM CDT for Shelby County, Tennessee. It was in force for 5 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 16, 2009, 5:19 AM CDT (10:19 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 2009, 10:15 AM CDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Shelby County, TN

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 18 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:20 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 nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 00:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 40 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 00:00Z on 2009-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 4202 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, Little Rock, AR at 00:00Z on 2009-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 48 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
4202 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1288 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
48 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
60 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 flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Jul 16, 4:03 AM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 4:03 AM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
403 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009

.DISCUSSION...
THE SEVERE WEATHER AND HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT AS WELL AS HIGH HEAT
INDEX VALUES ARE THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS THIS MORNING.

CURRENTLY...SEVERAL COMPLEXES OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO SLOWLY
MAKE THEIR WAY EAST-SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHERN ARKANSAS...THE
MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...AND WEST TENNESSEE EARLY THIS MORNING. THESE
STORMS HAVE PRODUCED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING SO FAR. HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY SEVERE WIND
REPORTS...HOWEVER THINK THIS IS PROBABLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT ITS
OCCURRING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THESE COMPLEXES OF
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS NORTHEASTERN
ARKANSAS...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...AND WEST TENNESSEE THIS MORNING
WHICH CORRESPONDS WELL WITH THE HIGHEST POPS TODAY. STRONG TO
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY WITH THE MAIN THREATS
BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND FLASH FLOODING.

NOT VERY CONFIDENT ON WHAT EFFECT THESE COMPLEXES WILL HAVE ON
TEMPERATURES ACROSS EASTERN ARKANSAS AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. IF
THESE AREAS REMAIN RAINFREE THIS MORNING...HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL
EASILY REACH ABOVE 105 DEGREES AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON. DECIDED TO GO
AHEAD AND PLAY IT SAFE AND ISSUE A HEAT ADVISORY FOR AREAS SOUTH
OF A LINE FROM MARIANNA ARKANSAS TO PONTOTOC MISSISSIPPI. THIS
ADVISORY CAN EASILY BE CANCELLED LATER TODAY IF IT LOOKS LIKE
CONVECTION AND CLOUD COVER PUTS A LID ON TEMPERATURES.

ANOTHER COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE DAY AS AN UPPER TROUGH MOVES
INTO THE REGION. ONCE AGAIN STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
BRINGING DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED ACROSS
THE MIDSOUTH ON FRIDAY. HEAT ADVISORIES WILL NOT BE NEEDED ON
FRIDAY AS RELATIVELY COOLER TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED WITH AMPLE
CLOUD COVER AND CONVECTION AROUND.

COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH FRIDAY NIGHT BRINGING
MUCH COOLER AND DRIER AIR TO THE REGION. MODELS CONTINUE TO
ADVERTISE A VERY PLEASANT WEEKEND FOR THE MIDDLE OF JULY AS
TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE LOW TO MID 80S FOR HIGHS AND IN THE
50S FOR LOWS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE OVER THE FORECAST AREA
ON MONDAY AS TEMPERATURES SLOWLY MODERATE BUT STILL BELOW NORMAL.
THE GFS AND ECMWF SOMEWHAT DISAGREE DURING THE TUESDAY THROUGH
THURSDAY TIME FRAME AS THE ECMWF BRINGS RAIN BACK INTO THE
FORECAST. FOR NOW...KEPT THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST DRY
WITH TEMPERATURES RETURNING TO SEASONAL NORMALS BY MID WEEK.

KNS

&&

.AVIATION...
06Z TAFS

GENERALLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

NOT SURE WHEN NEXT DEVELOPMENT OF TSRA/SHRA OVER THE AREA. FOR
NOW...PLAN ON VCTS RETURNING TO KJBR BY 09Z...KMEM AND KMKL 15-16Z
AND KTUP BY 18Z. ONCE TSRA/SHRA DEVELOPS...WILL AMEND AS BRIEF
GUSTY WINDS AND MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH ANY
TSRA/SHRA.

WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE FOR THE MOST PART WITH BRIEF
GUSTY WINDS NEAR TSRA.

MBS

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM  92  75  88  65 /  70  50  70  10
MKL  89  70  87  58 /  70  40  60  10
JBR  89  71  87  62 /  70  50  50  10
TUP  93  72  88  64 /  70  40  80  20

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR LEE AR-PHILLIPS.

MO...NONE.
MS...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR CALHOUN-CHICKASAW-
     COAHOMA-LAFAYETTE-PANOLA-PONTOTOC-QUITMAN-TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-
     TUNICA-YALOBUSHA.

TN...NONE.
&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 16, 4:14 AM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
414 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-
MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-171115-
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-
414 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY FOR THE
ENTIRE MIDSOUTH. DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 60 MPH ARE THE MAIN HAZARD.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF
NICKELS...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 3 INCHES CAUSING
FLASH FLOODING ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL.

HEAT INDEX READINGS WILL CLIMB TO BETWEEN 105 AND 108 DEGREES
ACROSS AREAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MARIANNA ARKANSAS TO
PONTOTOC MISSISSIPPI. A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS
IN EASTERN ARKANSAS AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI THROUGH 700 PM CDT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY AS
SEVERAL COMPLEXES OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVE ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH. THE
MAIN HAZARDS WILL BE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED TODAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE
MIDSOUTH. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY ALSO BE NEEDED AGAIN ON FRIDAY.

KNS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 16, 3:44 AM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
344 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009

ARZ009-018-028-MOZ113-160915-
MISSISSIPPI AR-CLAY AR-GREENE AR-DUNKLIN MO-
344 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009

...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR...

  SOUTHEASTERN CLAY COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  NORTHEASTERN GREENE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  NORTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  SOUTHERN DUNKLIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50
MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED OVER MARMADUKE AT 344 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT
20 MPH.

VERY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

THIS STORM IS INTENSIFYING AND COULD BECOME SEVERE RAPIDLY.

PEOPLE IN CLAY...DUNKLIN...GREENE AND MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES...
INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR KENNETT...MARMADUKE...RECTOR AND SENATH...
SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS
IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 AM CDT.
Special weather statement, Jul 16, 4:26 AM CDT, 53 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 16, 4:43 AM CDT, 36 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 16, 4:50 AM CDT, 29 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 16, 5:01 AM CDT, 18 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 16, 5:15 AM CDT, 4 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
515 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2009

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

0220 AM     TSTM WND DMG     5 SE RIPLEY             35.69N 89.47W
07/16/2009                   LAUDERDALE         TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            2 LARGE TREES DOWN

0514 AM     FLASH FLOOD      OSCEOLA                 35.70N 89.99W
07/16/2009                   MISSISSIPPI        AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            BACK ROADS IN THE VICINTY OF OSCEOLA BECOMING
            IMPASSABLE...SLOW TRANSITION THROUGH THE MAJOR CORRIDORS

&&

DSV

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 15, 10:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGAlcorn, Tippah50 min
Jul 16, 3:32 AM CDTHeat AdvisoryMEGCalhoun, Chickasaw, Coahoma, Lafayette, Panola, Pontotoc and 5 more6 hr
Jul 16, 7:40 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGDeSoto, Marshall, Tate3 hr
Jul 16, 8:14 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGCoahoma, Lafayette, Panola, Quitman, Tunica2 hr
Jul 16, 8:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGBenton, Lafayette, Marshall, Panola, Pontotoc, Tate and 2 more39 min
Jul 16, 8:35 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGAlcorn, Benton, Prentiss, Tippah, Union108 min
Jul 16, 8:39 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGTishomingo99 min
Jul 16, 9:03 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLafayette, Lee, Marshall, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Union42 min
Jul 15, 7:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCarroll, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Obion, Weakley45 min
Jul 15, 7:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCrockett, Dyer, Gibson, Haywood, Lauderdale58 min
Jul 15, 7:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGDyer, Haywood, Lauderdale23 min
Jul 15, 7:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGHaywood, Lauderdale, Tipton34 min
Jul 15, 7:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLauderdale, Tipton33 min
Jul 15, 7:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCarroll15 min
Jul 15, 7:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGChester, Hardeman, Henderson, McNairy, Madison55 min
Jul 15, 7:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCarroll, Gibson, Henry, Weakley51 min
Jul 15, 7:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCarroll, Crockett, Gibson, Haywood, Henderson, Madison43 min
Jul 15, 7:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGDecatur48 min
Jul 15, 8:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGFayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Madison59 min
Jul 15, 8:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGDecatur51 min
Jul 15, 8:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGCarroll, Chester, Decatur, Hardin, Henderson, McNairy23 min
Jul 15, 8:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGDecatur, Hardin, Henderson, McNairy65 min
Jul 15, 8:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGChester, Hardeman, McNairy45 min
Jul 16, 1:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGHaywood, Lauderdale, Tipton62 min
Jul 16, 2:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGLauderdale39 min
Jul 16, 4:06 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGLauderdale6 hr
Jul 16, 4:32 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGLauderdale5 hr
Jul 16, 4:56 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGTipton5 hr
Jul 16, 6:41 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGShelby4 hr
Jul 16, 7:52 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGChester, Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, Henderson, McNairy and 1 more2 hr
Jul 16, 8:04 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGFayette, Hardeman2 hr
Jul 16, 8:48 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGCrockett, Haywood93 min
Jul 16, 1:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGMississippi31 min
Jul 16, 3:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGMississippi19 min
Jul 16, 4:10 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGClay, Greene, Mississippi3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Tennessee, 2009Every flash flood warning in 2009

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.