Alert archive / Tennessee / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 22, NWS Memphis, TN

January 22, 20124 counties in Tennessee

NWS Memphis, TN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jan 22, 2012, 9:33 PM CST for 4 counties in Tennessee. It was in force for 27 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Jan 22, 2012, 9:33 PM CST (03:33 UTC)
Expired: Jan 22, 2012, 10:00 PM CST
In force: 27 min
Issued by: NWS Memphis, TN
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Crockett County, TN, Dyer County, TN, Haywood County, TN, Lauderdale County, TN

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 56 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:35 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jan 22, 5:16 PM CST	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 00:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 106 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: 998 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 455 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 69 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 475 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 474 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 10.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

071 
WUUS54 KMEG 230333
SVRMEG
TNC033-045-075-097-230400-
/O.NEW.KMEG.SV.W.0022.120123T0333Z-120123T0400Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
933 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN CROCKETT COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE...
  SOUTH CENTRAL DYER COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE...
  NORTHWESTERN HAYWOOD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
  EASTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...

* UNTIL 1000 PM CST

* AT 933 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DESTRUCTIVE
  WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR NUTBUSH...
  OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF RIPLEY...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ALAMO...
  BELLE EAGLE...CHESTNUT BLUFF...FORKED DEER...HALLS...NUTBUSH AND
  RIPLEY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

.A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. IF A TORNADO
IS SPOTTED... ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A STURDY
STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A STORM SHELTER OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.

&&

LAT...LON 3576 8905 3556 8947 3557 8949 3558 8949
      3560 8954 3561 8954 3561 8955 3564 8961
      3606 8931
TIME...MOT...LOC 0333Z 221DEG 43KT 3568 8944

$$


WRB/RRH

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 Jan 22, 8:41 PM CST, 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 22, 8:41 PM CST, 52 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
841 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

.UPDATE...

MESOANALYSIS UPDATE CONCERNING ENHANCED SEVERE WEATHER THREAT
ACROSS EAST ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...AND NORTHWEST
MISSISSIPPI.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

...LOCALIZED SIGNIFICANT TORNADO OUTBREAK UNFOLDING ACROSS EASTERN
ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI THIS EVENING...

...THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...

LOCALIZED TORNADO OUTBREAK EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST
TENNESSEE INCLUDING THE MEMPHIS METROPOLITAN AREA...AND NORTHWEST
MISSISSIPPI BETWEEN 8 PM CST AND 12 AM CST. SEVERAL DISCRETE
SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG TO INTENSE ROTATIONS AND A
HISTORY OF DAMAGING TORNADOES WILL MOVE INTO THE AFOREMENTIONED
AREA OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE INTO A
VERY FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY SURFACE BASED CAPES
APPROACHING 1300J/KG...-4C LI/S...AND LOW LEVEL (0-1KM) SRH IN
EXCESS OF 600M2/S2. THIS ENVIRONMENT WILL FAVOR THE POTENTIAL FOR
STRONG TORNADOES...POTENTIALLY LONG TRACKED...AS WELL AS VERY
LARGE HAIL BETWEEN GOLFBALL TO BASEBALL SIZE...AND DAMAGING WINDS
IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH. THERE HAS BEEN A HISTORY OF DAMAGE WITH THESE
SUPERCELLS AND THIS IS BECOMING A SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY
LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. RESIDENCE ARE STRONGLY URGED TO
PREPARE NOW TO TAKE COVER IF A TORNADO WARNING/TORNADO EMERGENCY
IS ISSUED.

JLH

&&

.AVIATION...

02Z TAF UPDATE

SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WILL APPROACH THE KMEM TAF SITE BETWEEN
03Z AND 05Z. THERE COULD BE THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES...DAMAGING
WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS. THERE HAS BEEN
CONFIRMED REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING ALL HAZARDS WITH THE
DISCRETE SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF KMEM. THERE
WILL BE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT KMEM IF A
SUPERCELL MOVES OVER THE TAF SITE. WILL ISSUE AN AIRPORT WEATHER
WARNING IF THE SEVERE THREAT APPEARS IMMINENT.

JLH

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM  47  58  40  60 / 100   0   0   0
MKL  47  56  34  58 / 100  10   0   0
JBR  40  56  34  57 / 100   0   0   0
TUP  50  61  40  61 / 100  10   0   0

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM CST MONDAY FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD-
     CRITTENDEN-CROSS-GREENE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-
     PHILLIPS-POINSETT-RANDOLPH-ST. FRANCIS.

MO...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM CST MONDAY FOR DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT.

MS...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM CST MONDAY FOR ALCORN-BENTON MS-CALHOUN-
     CHICKASAW-COAHOMA-DESOTO-ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LEE MS-MARSHALL-
     MONROE-PANOLA-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN-TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-
     TIPPAH-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-UNION-YALOBUSHA.

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

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 22, 2:35 PM CST, 6 hours 58 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
235 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-
MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-232245-
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-
235 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR ALL OF THE MIDSOUTH.

A POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENT WILL UNFOLD LATE
THIS AFTERNOON OVER EASTERN ARKANSAS. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
THREAT WILL SPREAD NORTHEAST THIS EVENING INTO THE REMAINDER OF
THE MIDSOUTH...REACHING THE TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY DURING THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS.

DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE
WEATHER THREATS.

THE GREATEST TORNADO RISK AREA INCLUDES THE AREA ALONG AND SOUTH
OF INTERSTATE FORTY.

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THIS EVENING AND FOR MOST OF THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS FOR SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 40MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NECESSARY FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER DELTA...TO THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS NEAR THE TN RIVER VALLEY.

JAB

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 22, 7:51 PM CST, 1 hour 42 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
751 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

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

0738 PM     HAIL             SEDGWICK                35.98N 90.86W
01/22/2012  E0.75 INCH       LAWRENCE           AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME TO PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY SPOTTER.

&&

JLH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 8:33 PM CST, 1 hour before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
833 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

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

0829 PM     TSTM WND DMG     JONESBORO               35.82N 90.69W
01/22/2012                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE DOWN BLOCKING HIGHWAY 226 SPUR IN SOUTHWEST
            JONESBORO

&&

ARS

Local storm report, Jan 22, 8:43 PM CST, 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
843 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

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

0726 PM     HAIL             BLACK ROCK              36.11N 91.11W
01/22/2012  E1.00 INCH       LAWRENCE           AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY LAWRENCE COUNTY SHERIFFS
            OFFICE IN BLACK ROCK.

0738 PM     HAIL             CASH                    35.80N 90.93W
01/22/2012  E1.00 INCH       CRAIGHEAD          AR   EMERGENCY MNGR

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY CRAIGHEAD COUNTY EMERGENCY
            MANAGEMENT NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTES 226 AND 67
            NEAR CASH.

0738 PM     HAIL             SEDGWICK                35.98N 90.86W
01/22/2012  E0.75 INCH       LAWRENCE           AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME TO PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY SPOTTER.

0829 PM     TSTM WND DMG     JONESBORO               35.82N 90.69W
01/22/2012                   CRAIGHEAD          AR   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE DOWN BLOCKING HIGHWAY 226 SPUR IN SOUTHWEST
            JONESBORO

0829 PM     HAIL             MARMADUKE               36.19N 90.39W
01/22/2012  E0.75 INCH       GREENE             AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

JLH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 8:54 PM CST, 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
854 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

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

0852 PM     HAIL             3 W COLT                35.13N 90.87W
01/22/2012  E1.00 INCH       ST. FRANCIS        AR   EMERGENCY MNGR

            ST. FRANCIS COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS
            QUARTER SIZE HAIL WEST OF COLT NEAR AR 306 AND AR 193.

&&

JLH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 8:57 PM CST, 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
857 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

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

0855 PM     HAIL             2 N COLT                35.16N 90.81W
01/22/2012  E1.25 INCH       CROSS              AR   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL 2 MILES
            NORTH OF COLT ALONG THE CROSS AND ST. FRANCIS COUNTY
            LINE.

&&

JLH

Local storm report, Jan 22, 9:24 PM CST, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
924 PM CST SUN JAN 22 2012

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

0916 PM     TSTM WND GST     CAMPBELL                36.49N 90.07W
01/22/2012  E0 MPH           DUNKLIN            MO   PUBLIC

            60 MPH WINDS AND PEA SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN CAMPBELL.

&&

JLH

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 22, 9:20 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Dyer, Lauderdale, Shelby, Tipton	55 min
Jan 22, 9:23 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Dyer, Lake, Obion	52 min
Jan 22, 9:42 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Dyer, Gibson, Obion, Weakley	33 min
Jan 22, 9:47 PM CST	Tornado Warning	MEG	Crockett, Gibson, Haywood	43 min
Jan 22, 9:55 PM CST	Tornado Warning	MEG	Shelby	22 min
Jan 22, 10:08 PM CST	Tornado Warning	MEG	Gibson, Obion, Weakley	37 min
Jan 22, 10:10 PM CST	Tornado Warning	MEG	Shelby	35 min
Jan 22, 10:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Crockett, Haywood, Lauderdale, Shelby, Tipton	46 min
Jan 22, 10:27 PM CST	Tornado Warning	MEG	Fayette, Shelby	48 min
Jan 22, 10:39 PM CST	Tornado Warning	MEG	Henry, Weakley	36 min
Jan 22, 10:47 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Crockett, Gibson, Haywood, Madison, Tipton	43 min
Jan 22, 11:10 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Chester, Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, McNairy, Madison	45 min
Jan 22, 11:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Hardeman	46 min
Jan 22, 11:22 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Gibson, Haywood and 2 more	53 min
Jan 22, 11:27 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Decatur, Hardin, McNairy	48 min
Jan 22, 11:40 PM CST	Tornado Warning	MEG	Hardin, McNairy	33 min
Jan 22, 11:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Chester, Decatur, Hardin, Henderson, McNairy	44 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Tennessee, 2012 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2012

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.