Alert archive / Tennessee / Flash Flood Warnings in 2009

Flash Flood Warning 24, NWS Memphis, TN

May 1, 20094 counties in Tennessee

NWS Memphis, TN issued this flash flood warning at May 1, 2009, 8:36 PM CDT for 4 counties in Tennessee. It was in force for 3 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
May 1, 2009, 8:36 PM CDT (01:36 UTC)
Expired
May 1, 2009, 11:30 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Memphis, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Chester County, TN, Hardeman County, TN, Hardin County, TN, McNairy County, TN

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 117 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:37 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, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 132 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 2009-05-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2140 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 2009-05-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 79 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2140 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
973 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
79 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
8.3

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 May 1, 7:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 1, 7:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 1, 4:05 PM CDT, 4 hours 31 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
405 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 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>092-022315-
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-
405 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE
MID-SOUTH. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE
HAIL...MAINLY BETWEEN THIS AFTERNOON AND MIDNIGHT.

THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS THE MID-SOUTH HAS BECOME MOIST AND UNSTABLE THIS
AFTERNOON. MEANWHILE...A COLD FRONT IS APPROACHING FROM THE
NORTHWEST. THE FRONT WILL BE NEAR NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...THE
MISSOURI BOOTHEEL AND NORTHWEST TENNESSEE BY SUNSET...MOVING TO
NEAR INTERSTATE 40 BY LATE TONIGHT. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS
IS CURRENTLY DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE FRONT ACROSS NORTHEAST
ARKANSAS INTO NORTHWEST TENNESSEE. SOME STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. IN
ADDITION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING ACROSS THE REST
OF THE MID-SOUTH AND WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING DUE TO DAYTIME
HEATING. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD ALSO BECOME SEVERE.

IN ADDITION...SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING ACROSS
NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...AND NORTHWEST
TENNESSEE TONIGHT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE
MID-SOUTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. IN ADDITION...RAINFALL IS EXPECTED
TO BECOME HEAVY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY...EXPANDING
SOUTHEASTWARD SUNDAY NIGHT TO INCLUDE NORTH MISSISSIPPI.

A STATIONARY FRONT WILL REMAIN SITUATED NEAR INTERSTATE 40 SATURDAY.
LOW PRESSURE WILL FORM ALONG THE FRONT SUNDAY AND MOVE
EAST-NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE MID-SOUTH SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT.

THE MAIN THREATS OF SEVERE WEATHER SATURDAY WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40...AND LARGE HAIL
TO THE NORTH. THE THREATS FROM THE SEVERE WEATHER WILL EXPAND
SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT TO INCLUDE THE THREAT OF A FEW TORNADOES
ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40.

BETWEEN 3 AND 5 INCHES OF RAIN...LOCALLY MORE...MAY OCCUR FROM
PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...INTO
NORTHWEST TENNESSEE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. FLASH FLOOD WATCHES HAVE
BEEN ISSUED AND MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED FURTHER SOUTH LATER IN THE
WEEKEND.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...AND AGAIN OVER THE WEEKEND.

KRM

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 1, 8:01 PM CDT, 35 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 1, 8:07 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 1, 8:17 PM CDT, 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
817 PM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009

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

0724 PM     FLASH FLOOD      12 NNE PARSONS          35.81N 88.04W
05/01/2009                   DECATUR            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            FLOODING ON HOG CREEK DRIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OF SUGAR
            TREE

&&

MRM
Local storm report, May 1, 8:20 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
820 PM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009

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

0510 PM     FLASH FLOOD      12 NNE PARSONS          35.81N 88.04W
05/01/2009                   DECATUR            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            FLOODING ON HOG CREEK DRIVE IN COMMUNITY OF SUGAR TREE

&&

MRM
Local storm report, May 1, 8:21 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
821 PM CDT FRI MAY 01 2009

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

1141 AM     FLASH FLOOD      DRESDEN                 36.28N 88.69W
05/01/2009                   WEAKLEY            TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            FLASH FLOODING IN DRESDEN AND GREENFIELD. AREAS OF
            GREENFIELD HAVE 3 FEET OF WATER. SOME HOUSES
            INACCESSIBLE.

1207 PM     FLASH FLOOD      12 S MARTIN             36.17N 88.86W
05/01/2009                   WEAKLEY            TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            FLOODING ON HIGHWAY 45 WITHIN THE CITY OF GREENFIELD.

1209 PM     FLASH FLOOD      DRESDEN                 36.28N 88.69W
05/01/2009                   WEAKLEY            TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            WEAKLEY COUNTY HAS MULTIPLE ROADWAYS UNDERWATER AT THIS
            TIME. LOCAL RESOURCES BEING TAXED HEAVILY TO RE-ROUTE
            TRAFFIC.

1245 PM     FLASH FLOOD      MARTIN                  36.34N 88.86W
05/01/2009                   WEAKLEY            TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            AT LEAST 6 INCHES OF RAIN COVERING ROADS IN MARTIN.

0152 PM     FLASH FLOOD      HUNTINGDON              36.01N 88.41W
05/01/2009                   CARROLL            TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            MULTIPLE ROADWAYS IN HUNGTINGDON UNDERWATER.

0310 PM     FLASH FLOOD      PARSONS                 35.65N 88.12W
05/01/2009                   DECATUR            TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            MCILLWAINE ROAD IN NORTHERN DECATUR COUNTY AS WELL AS
            MAXWELL STREET IN PARSONS ARE FLOODED.

0430 PM     FLASH FLOOD      UNION CITY              36.42N 89.05W
05/01/2009                   OBION              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            1 AND 1/2 TO 2 FEET DEEP ON NORTH SUNSWEPT DRIVE THE ROAD
            IS IMPASSIBLE

0510 PM     FLASH FLOOD      12 NNE PARSONS          35.81N 88.04W
05/01/2009                   DECATUR            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            FLOODING ON HOG CREEK DRIVE IN COMMUNITY OF SUGAR TREE

0620 PM     FLASH FLOOD      TRENTON                 35.97N 88.94W
05/01/2009                   GIBSON             TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            WATER OVER SEVERAL ROADS SOME AREAS IMPASSABLE

0724 PM     FLASH FLOOD      12 NNE PARSONS          35.81N 88.04W
05/01/2009                   DECATUR            TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            FLOODING ON HOG CREEK DRIVE IN THE COMMUNITY OF SUGAR
            TREE

&&

MRM
Special weather statement, May 1, 8:31 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
831 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

TNZ049-020200-
TIPTON TN-
831 PM CDT FRI MAY 1 2009

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

  TIPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL WAS LOCATED 5
MILES SOUTHWEST OF MUNFORD AT 831 PM CDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25
MPH.

VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

THIS STORM IS NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE
ANTICIPATED.

PEOPLE IN TIPTON COUNTY...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR COVINGTON...SHOULD
MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT.

.A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALERT
AREA.

TLSJR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 1, 8:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGAlcorn, Tishomingo46 min
May 2, 3:16 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGDeSoto, Tunica3 hr
May 2, 4:00 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGBenton, Marshall, Tate, Tippah2 hr
May 2, 9:22 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGCoahoma, Tunica3 hr
May 2, 12:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGCoahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tate, Tunica3 hr
May 2, 2:08 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGItawamba37 min
May 2, 2:30 PM CDTTornado WarningMEGItawamba19 min
May 2, 3:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGCoahoma, Quitman, Tunica3 hr
May 2, 4:57 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGCoahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tunica and 1 more6 hr
May 1, 7:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMEGHardin, McNairy64 min
May 1, 7:51 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGChester, Fayette, Hardeman, Hardin, McNairy54 min
May 1, 8:30 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMEGObion, Weakley11 hr
May 1, 8:30 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMEGDyer, Gibson, Obion12 days
May 2, 1:42 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGHenry, Obion, Weakley3 hr
May 2, 1:44 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMEGCarroll, Decatur, Henderson3 hr
May 2, 2:04 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGShelby4 hr
May 2, 2:49 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGCarroll, Decatur, Henderson3 hr
May 2, 11:23 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningMEGFayette, Shelby9 hr
May 2, 11:38 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningMEGDyer, Lake, Lauderdale25 days
May 1, 11:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMEGPoinsett3 hr
May 2, 11:23 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningMEGMississippi, Poinsett47 hr
May 2, 11:23 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningMEGLee, St. Francis10 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.