Alert archive / Mississippi / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 301, NWS Memphis, TN

May 20, 2025Alcorn County, Prentiss County, Tishomingo County, Mississippi

NWS Memphis, TN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 2025, 3:49 PM CDT for Alcorn County, Prentiss County, Tishomingo County, Mississippi. It was in force for 41 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: May 20, 2025, 3:49 PM CDT (20:49 UTC)
Expired: May 20, 2025, 4:30 PM CDT
In force: 41 min
Issued by: NWS Memphis, TN
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 1.0 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Alcorn County, MS, Prentiss County, MS, Tishomingo County, MS

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:52 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 watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 20, 1:09 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Little Rock, AR (KLZK), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 138 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 1276 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 94 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 106 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 May 20, 2:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Updated at 205 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025
A Tornado Watch is in effect until 8PM for all of the Mid-South. Large hail, damaging winds, and a strong tornado or two are the main threats.
Cooler and less humid conditions will follow for Wednesday through Friday behind a cold front. A low chance of showers will occur late Wednesday as another cold front moves across the region.
Better Chances for thunderstorms will return to the Mid-South this weekend as an upper level disturbance moves through.

Area forecast discussion, May 20, 2:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
222 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

...New MESOSCALE UPDATE, DISCUSSION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 205 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

- A Tornado Watch is in effect until 8PM for all of the Mid-South.
  Large hail, damaging winds, and a strong tornado or two are the
  main threats.

- Cooler and less humid conditions will follow for Wednesday
  through Friday behind a cold front. A low chance of showers will
  occur late Wednesday as another cold front moves across the
  region.

- Better Chances for thunderstorms will return to the Mid-South
  this weekend as an upper level disturbance moves through.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
(This evening through next Monday)
Issued at 205 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

The airmass has recovered well over the past 3 hours as skies
cleared quickly behind this morning's storms. Hi-res model
guidance has handled the overall radar trends well from this
morning and shows scattered to numerous thunderstorms this
afternoon and evening.

A SW to NE gradient of MLCAPE is currently stretched over the
area. Current values range from 2500 J/kg over SE AR and NW MS to
1500 J/kg near TN/KY border. Deep layer shear remains plentiful
with 50 to 65 knots across the entire area. The current upscale
growth limiting factors are low level shear (<150 effective SRH)
and mid level lapse rates (around 6 C/km). As a 70 knot mid level
jet rounds the base of the main trough, better lapse rates and low
level shear will increase over the next couple of hours over much
of the area. The most favorable location of overlapping shear and
instability will reside along and south of I-40 through this
evening.

The most robust storms are currently moving across south central
Arkansas and will likely move into SW portions of the Mid-South
over hour or so. Storm motion is currently SW to NE, but expected
to become more westerly by late afternoon as the mid level jet
overspreads the area. This will not only accelerate storm motion,
but will most likely shift storm mode from discrete supercellular
to more linear with bowing line segments. All hazards are anticipated
within this regime including damaging winds, large hail, and a
few strong tornadoes (EF-2+).

The threat of severe weather will end just after sunset as the
main shortwave swings through the region. A cold front will
quickly swing in behind the storms and begin to advect in drier
and cooler air through tomorrow morning.

The models continue to hit on a few showers Wednesday night into
early Thursday morning as a shortwave and associated cold front
moves across the area. Much drier air will move in for Thursday
and Friday, with highs in the 70s and lows in the upper 40s and
lower 50s.

Unsettled weather will begin as early as Friday night and continue
through early next week as several upper level disturbances rotate
through the region.

AC3

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1240 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

Main concern this TAF issuance remains convection moving across
the airspace this afternoon into evening. CAMs continue to
struggle with intensity and exact timing of thunderstorms,
though, went ahead and upgraded PROB30s to TEMPOs given the
environment. VFR conditions are expected to prevail, though, a
few brief drops to MVFR can't be ruled out. Behind the boundary
bringing the aforementioned convection, skies will clear pretty
rapidly. Southwest winds will remain gusty, up to 25 kts, through
around sunset when winds begin shifting west/northwest.

AEH

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...None.
MO...None.
MS...None.
TN...None.
&&

PUBLIC FORECAST...AC3
AVIATION...AEH

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 20, 2:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
218 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

MOZ113-115-TNZ001-201945-
Pemiscot MO-Dunklin MO-Lake TN-
218 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT PEMISCOT...EAST CENTRAL DUNKLIN
AND SOUTHWESTERN LAKE COUNTIES THROUGH 245 PM CDT...

At 217 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Deering, or near Kennett, moving northeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Scobeville, New Survey, Denton, Gobler, Covington, Tinkerville,
Stewart, Shade, Caruthersville, Bakerville, Hathaway, Deering, Hayti,
Stanley, Deer Land, West Kennett, Pascola, Rives, Canady, and
Hayward.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT for southeastern
Missouri...and west Tennessee.

&&

LAT...LON 3640 8967 3641 8963 3623 8945 3622 8948
      3621 8949 3619 8956 3619 8962 3618 8963
      3617 8961 3606 8999 3622 9010 3639 8986
      3639 8975 3642 8974 3643 8973
TIME...MOT...LOC 1917Z 240DEG 23KT 3618 8997

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

DNM

Local storm report, May 20, 2:36 PM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
236 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

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

0229 PM     Hail             5 NE Oxford             34.41N 89.47W
05/20/2025  M1.00 Inch       Lafayette          MS   Trained Spotter

            quarter sized hail 5mi ne of oxford on hwy
            30.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 3:03 PM CDT, 46 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
303 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

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

0228 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     4 SSE Bargerton         35.68N 88.46W
05/20/2025                   Henderson          TN   911 Call Center

            Trees down on Sand Ridge Bargerton Rd.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 3:07 PM CDT, 42 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
307 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

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

0222 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 NNW Oxford            34.40N 89.55W
05/20/2025                   Lafayette          MS   Emergency Mngr

            tree through a house on Britton Drive. time
            is radar estimated.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 3:40 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
340 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

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

0319 PM     Hail             5 SE Osceola            35.65N 89.94W
05/20/2025  M1.25 Inch       Mississippi        AR   Public

            half dollar sized hail at Big River Steel.

&&

Local storm report, May 20, 3:47 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
347 PM CDT Tue May 20 2025

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

0317 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     5 W Bemis               35.60N 88.92W
05/20/2025                   Madison            TN   Amateur Radio

            Roof damage noted to the TBI/TN hwy patrol
            building and additional damage noted at the
            Kirklands warehouse just west of MKL off
            Smith Lane. Time is radar estimated.
            Possible tornado.

&&

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 20, 6:22 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	MEG	Shelby	3 hr
May 20, 8:13 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Hardeman	47 min
May 20, 8:29 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	MEG	Fayette, Hardeman, McNairy	46 min
May 20, 9:17 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, McNairy	43 min
May 20, 9:54 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Hardin, McNairy	39 min
May 20, 9:59 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Decatur, Hardin	31 min
May 20, 9:59 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Decatur, Hardin	31 min
May 20, 2:16 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MEG	Henderson, Madison	29 min
May 20, 2:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Lauderdale, Tipton	50 min
May 20, 2:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Henderson	49 min
May 20, 2:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Benton, Decatur, Henderson	35 min
May 20, 3:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Carroll, Crockett, Gibson, Haywood, Henderson, Madison	41 min
May 20, 3:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Lake, Obion, Weakley	40 min
May 20, 3:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MEG	Carroll, Gibson, Henderson, Madison	50 min
May 20, 3:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Lauderdale, Tipton	49 min
May 20, 3:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Shelby, Tipton	47 min
May 20, 3:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Henry, Obion, Weakley	48 min
May 20, 3:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Fayette, Haywood, Shelby, Tipton	38 min
May 20, 3:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Benton, Carroll, Henderson, Henry	47 min
May 20, 4:09 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MEG	Benton, Carroll, Henderson	51 min
May 20, 4:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Benton, Henry, Weakley	50 min
May 20, 4:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Carroll, Crockett, Gibson, Haywood, Henderson, Henry and 2 more	44 min
May 20, 4:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Madison	31 min
May 20, 4:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	MEG	Benton, Carroll, Chester, Decatur, Henderson, Henry and 1 more	52 min
May 20, 11:40 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MEG	Tishomingo	20 min
May 20, 1:39 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MEG	Panola	36 min
May 20, 2:05 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MEG	Lafayette	25 min
May 20, 2:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Benton, Lafayette, Marshall, Union	40 min
May 20, 2:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Benton, Tippah, Union	18 min
May 20, 3:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Coahoma	44 min
May 20, 3:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Coahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tate, Tunica	46 min
May 20, 3:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MEG	Alcorn, Prentiss, Tishomingo	32 min
May 20, 4:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Coahoma, Panola, Quitman, Tate, Tunica	49 min
May 20, 5:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Lafayette, Marshall, Panola	40 min
May 20, 5:34 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MEG	Lafayette, Panola, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha	41 min
May 20, 5:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Lafayette	19 min
May 20, 5:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Lafayette, Pontotoc, Union	53 min
May 20, 5:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Tallahatchie	36 min
May 20, 6:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MEG	Lafayette, Pontotoc, Union	20 min
May 20, 6:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Calhoun, Lafayette, Pontotoc, Yalobusha	50 min
May 20, 6:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MEG	Calhoun, Lafayette, Pontotoc	18 min
May 20, 1:53 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MEG	Clay	22 min
May 20, 1:55 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MEG	Poinsett	35 min
May 20, 2:10 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MEG	Cross	35 min
May 20, 2:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Crittenden, Cross, Poinsett, St. Francis	44 min
May 20, 2:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MEG	Crittenden, Cross, Mississippi, St. Francis	27 min
May 20, 2:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Crittenden, Mississippi, Poinsett	18 min
May 20, 3:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MEG	Lee, Phillips	45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Mississippi, 2025 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2025

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.