Alert archive / Tennessee / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 313, NWS Memphis, TN

July 15, 2009Decatur County, Tennessee

NWS Memphis, TN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 15, 2009, 6:55 PM CDT for Decatur County, Tennessee. It was in force for 35 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: Jul 15, 2009, 6:55 PM CDT (23:55 UTC)
Expired: Jul 15, 2009, 7:30 PM CDT
In force: 35 min
Issued by: NWS Memphis, TN
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Decatur County, TN

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 15, 6:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 148 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 93 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -144 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1280 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 127 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 Jul 15, 6:23 PM CDT, 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 15, 6:23 PM CDT, 32 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
623 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 343 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009/

STRONG UPPER RIDGING ENTRENCHED OVER THE MIDSOUTH HAS KEPT
CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT TO A MINIMUM ACROSS THE AREA. THIS HAS ALLOWED
HEAT INDICES TO EXCEED 105 DEGREES ACROSS MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH.
AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES HAVE NOT DEVIATED MUCH FROM THIS POINT
YESTERDAY BUT A MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER HAS KEPT DEWPOINTS IN THE MID
TO UPPER 70S AREA WIDE...THUS EXTENDING THE HEAT ADVISORY ACROSS A
GOOD PORTION OF THE MIDSOUTH. THE PROBABILITY OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AND POSSIBLE RECORD LOW
TEMPERATURES ACROSS RURAL MIDSOUTH AREAS SUNDAY INTO MONDAY ARE
THE MAIN CONCERNS OF THIS FORECAST PACKAGE.

TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...STRONG H5 RIDGE ACROSS THE AREA WILL
SLOWLY BREAK DOWN THROUGH THE EVENING PLACING THE MIDSOUTH UNDER
NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT THROUGH FRIDAY. A FEW UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES
WILL BECOME EMBEDDED IN THE FLOW ALOFT AND AFFECT THE MIDSOUTH
THROUGH THURSDAY. LATEST WRF DEPICTS A COMPLEX OF STORMS PUSHING
INTO THE AREA BY THIS EVENING. WITH A CONTINUED MOIST AND UNSTABLE
BOUNDARY LAYER...A FEW STORMS COULD BE STRONG WITH DAMAGING STRAIGHT
LINE WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS AS THE MAIN THREATS. A COLD
FRONT WILL THEN APPROACH THE AREA FRIDAY BRINGING ADDITIONAL
CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE PUSHING ITS WAY SOUTH
OF THE REGION.

SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...FRONT SHOULD CLEAR THE AREA BY SATURDAY
MORNING AS A STRONG UPPER TROF TRANSLATES INTO THE DEEP SOUTH
POOLING IN A MUCH COOLER AIR MASS INTO THE MIDSOUTH. THIS DRY AND
UNSEASONABLY COOL AIR MASS SHOULD STAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND
BRINGING POSSIBLE RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES ACROSS RURAL PORTIONS OF
THE MIDSOUTH. HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD NOT GET OUT OF THE MID 80S
AREA WIDE ALL WEEKEND.

MONDAY THROUGH MIDWEEK...TEMPERATURES WILL SLOWLY MODERATE BACK TO
NEAR SEASONAL NORMS BY MIDWEEK AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SLOWLY
SLIDES EAST ALLOWING A MORE SOUTHWESTERLY SURFACE FLOW. THE
MIDSOUTH SHOULD STILL REMAIN DRY THROUGH THIS PERIOD. THE 12Z
ECMWF TRIES TO DEVELOP A STRONG MID/UPPER SHORTWAVE AND ASSOCIATED
SURFACE LOW IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS TUESDAY EVENING AND PUSHES THE
SYSTEM ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY MORNING. THE GFS WAS NOT AS
BULLISH WITH THIS SYSTEM SO DECIDED TO LEAVE MENTION OUT AT THIS
TIME. SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUNS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY.

CCD

&&

.AVIATION...

00Z TAF CYCLE

LINE OF TSRA MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA ATTM. COULD
AFFECT KJBR AND KMKL OVER NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. LINE IS EXPECTED
TO DIMINSH AFTER SUNSET. HAVE THROWN IN A TEMPO FOR KJBR BTWN
01-03Z. EXPECT A BREAK IN CONVECTION DURING OVERNIGHT HOURS. AN
MCS IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER SW MO AND SHOULD MOVE INTO CWA
AFTER 12Z. BEST TIMING FOR KJBR WILL BE BTWN 14-18Z...FOR KMEM AND
KMKL 16-20Z...AND FOR KTUP 19-23Z. TEMPORARILY LOW CIGS AROUND
1500 FT AND LOW VSBYS AROUND 3SM ARE EXPECTED WITH THE TSRA. WINDS
WILL GENERALLY BE LESS THAN 6 KTS OVER NEXT 24 HOURS. DIRECTION
WILL BE FROM THE SSW OR SW SWITCHING TO THE NW AFTER 18Z.

KRM

&&

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM  78  90  75  88 /  50  60  40  40
MKL  74  87  70  87 /  70  70  40  40
JBR  73  89  71  88 /  70  60  50  20
TUP  75  90  74  87 /  20  50  40  50

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR CRAIGHEAD-
     CRITTENDEN-CROSS-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-PHILLIPS-POINSETT-ST.
     FRANCIS.

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

TN...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR CROCKETT-DYER-
     FAYETTE-GIBSON-HARDEMAN-HAYWOOD-LAUDERDALE-MADISON-SHELBY-
     TIPTON.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 15, 4:29 PM CDT, 2 hours 26 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
429 PM CDT WED JUL 15 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>092-162330-
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-
429 PM CDT WED JUL 15 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 FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT ALONG AND
NORTH OF A JONESBORO ARKANSAS TO JACKSON TENNESSEE TO PARSONS
TENNESSEE LINE...MAINLY BETWEEN 5 PM AND MIDNIGHT CDT.

DAMAGING WINDS OF 60 MPH WILL BE THE MAIN HAZARD. FREQUENT CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS...AND VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 3 INCHES POSSIBLY CAUSING LOCALIZED
FLOODING ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL.

A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF THE
SLIGHT RISK AREA AND NORTH OF A MARIANNA ARKANSAS TO BOONEVILLE
MISSISSIPPI LINE...INCLUDING THE MEMPHIS...WYNNE...BOLIVAR...AND
CORINTH AREAS...AFTER MIDNIGHT CDT. GUSTY WINDS UP TO
60 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL OF
1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.

HEAT INDEX READINGS WILL BE BETWEEN 105 AND 108 DEGREES ACROSS
MUCH OF SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...AND NORTHWEST
MISSISSIPPI THROUGH 7 PM CDT. A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR
THESE AREAS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON THURSDAY AND
AGAIN 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 MAY BE NEEDED IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA TONIGHT.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY ALSO BE NEEDED THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

MBS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 15, 5:57 PM CDT, 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
557 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

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

0525 PM     TSTM WND GST     MAYNARD                 36.42N 90.90W
07/15/2009  E60.00 MPH       RANDOLPH           AR   PUBLIC

0550 PM     TSTM WND DMG     OAK GROVE HEIGHTS       36.13N 90.52W
07/15/2009                   GREENE             AR   PUBLIC

            TOPS OF TREES GETTING SNAPPED OFF

&&

JAB

Local storm report, Jul 15, 6:21 PM CDT, 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
621 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

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

0525 PM     TSTM WND GST     MAYNARD                 36.42N 90.90W
07/15/2009  E60.00 MPH       RANDOLPH           AR   PUBLIC

0550 PM     TSTM WND DMG     OAK GROVE HEIGHTS       36.13N 90.52W
07/15/2009                   GREENE             AR   PUBLIC

            TOPS OF TREES GETTING SNAPPED OFF

0608 PM     HAIL             6 N POCAHONTAS          36.35N 90.97W
07/15/2009  E0.88 INCH       RANDOLPH           AR   PUBLIC

&&

TLSJR

Local storm report, Jul 15, 6:44 PM CDT, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
644 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2009

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

0525 PM     TSTM WND GST     MAYNARD                 36.42N 90.90W
07/15/2009  E60.00 MPH       RANDOLPH           AR   PUBLIC

0550 PM     TSTM WND DMG     OAK GROVE HEIGHTS       36.13N 90.52W
07/15/2009                   GREENE             AR   PUBLIC

            TOPS OF TREES GETTING SNAPPED OFF

0600 PM     TSTM WND GST     KENNETT                 36.24N 90.05W
07/15/2009  E60.00 MPH       DUNKLIN            MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

0608 PM     HAIL             6 N POCAHONTAS          36.35N 90.97W
07/15/2009  E0.88 INCH       RANDOLPH           AR   PUBLIC

0638 PM     TSTM WND GST     10 SW TROY              36.24N 89.29W
07/15/2009  E60.00 MPH       OBION              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

JAB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 15, 3:40 AM CDT	Heat Advisory	MEG	Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Coahoma, DeSoto, Lafayette and 10 more	15 hr
Jul 15, 6:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Lake	43 min
Jul 15, 6:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Decatur, Henderson	46 min
Jul 15, 6:19 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	MEG	Decatur, Henderson	6 hr
Jul 15, 6:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Dyer, Lake, Obion	52 min
Jul 15, 6:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Dyer, Lauderdale, Tipton	45 min
Jul 15, 6:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Chester, Hardeman, Haywood, Madison	48 min
Jul 15, 5:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Clay, Randolph	43 min
Jul 15, 5:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Clay	53 min
Jul 15, 5:29 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	MEG	Clay, Greene, Randolph	2 hr
Jul 15, 5:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Clay, Greene, Randolph	50 min
Jul 15, 5:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Clay, Greene	53 min
Jul 15, 5:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Clay	51 min
Jul 15, 6:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Craighead, Greene, Mississippi	40 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Tennessee, 2009 Every severe thunderstorm 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.