Alert archive / Arkansas / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 11, NWS Memphis, TN
NWS Memphis, TN issued this tornado warning at Apr 27, 2026, 9:41 PM CDT for Clay County, Arkansas; Dunklin County, Missouri. It was in force for 28 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
- Apr 27, 2026, 9:41 PM CDT (02:41 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 27, 2026, 10:09 PM CDT
- In force
- 28 min
- Issued by
- NWS Memphis, TN
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.0 in
Counties Clay County, AR, Dunklin County, MO
The radar
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 135 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:44 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 tornado 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2:46 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 292 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 597 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -43 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1578 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 66 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -47 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 102 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- -0.1
- Supercell composite
- -1.1
The text
As transmitted.
388
WFUS54 KMEG 280241
TORMEG
ARC021-MOC069-280330-
/O.NEW.KMEG.TO.W.0011.260428T0241Z-260428T0330Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Memphis TN
941 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
The National Weather Service in Memphis has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Clay County in eastern Arkansas...
North central Dunklin County in southeastern Missouri...
* Until 1030 PM CDT.
* At 940 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Maynard, or 11 miles north of Pocahontas, moving
east at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed.
Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree
damage is likely.
* Locations impacted include...
Piggott, Corning, Rector, Chalk Bluff Natural Area, Reyno, Knobel,
St. Francis, Pollard, Greenway, McDougal, Success, Peach Orchard,
Datto, Saint Francis, Crockett, Tipperary, Hickoria, Brookings,
Twin Oaks, and Palatka.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a storm shelter or an interior room on the
lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are
outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest
substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 3656 9013 3625 9015 3627 9081 3629 9081
3630 9079 3628 9078 3628 9075 3641 9075
3641 9077 3642 9076 3643 9078 3643 9077
3644 9078 3649 9077 3650 9078 3650 9022
3653 9022 3656 9018
TIME...MOT...LOC 0240Z 269DEG 44KT 3643 9092
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
$$
Schlessiger1 follow-up statement
646
WWUS54 KMEG 280309
SVSMEG
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1009 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
ARC021-MOC069-280319-
/O.CAN.KMEG.TO.W.0011.000000T0000Z-260428T0330Z/
Clay AR-Dunklin MO-
1009 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CLAY AND NORTH CENTRAL DUNKLIN COUNTIES IS
CANCELLED...
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 500 AM CDT for eastern
Arkansas...and southeastern Missouri.
&&
LAT...LON 3656 9013 3625 9015 3627 9081 3629 9081
3630 9079 3628 9078 3628 9075 3641 9075
3641 9077 3642 9076 3643 9078 3643 9077
3644 9078 3649 9077 3650 9078 3650 9022
3653 9022 3656 9018
TIME...MOT...LOC 0307Z 269DEG 44KT 3644 9047
$$
SchlessigerWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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 tornado warning went out at Apr 27, 6:44 PM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Issued at 643 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
- A Slight (level 2/5) Risk to Enhanced (level 3/5) Risk for damaging winds, large hail, and strong tornadoes covers the Mid-South this evening through early Tuesday morning.
- Another round of severe weather is expected Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday morning with a Slight (2/5) Risk in effect across the entire Mid-South. Primary threats will be damaging and large hail with a secondary threat for a few tornadoes.
- Another chance for showers and thunderstorms arrives on Friday. Otherwise, generally dry weather is expected on Thursday and over the weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 27, 6:44 PM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 644 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 643 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 - A Slight (level 2/5) Risk to Enhanced (level 3/5) Risk for damaging winds, large hail, and strong tornadoes covers the Mid-South this evening through early Tuesday morning. - Another round of severe weather is expected Tuesday afternoon into early Wednesday morning with a Slight (2/5) Risk in effect across the entire Mid-South. Primary threats will be damaging and large hail with a secondary threat for a few tornadoes. - Another chance for showers and thunderstorms arrives on Friday. Otherwise, generally dry weather is expected on Thursday and over the weekend. && .DISCUSSION... (This afternoon through next Sunday) Issued at 1146 AM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 A relatively calm and warm start to our day here in the Mid-South so far with gusty south winds at the surface. However, this "calm" will soon change as the latest 15Z surface analysis indicates a stationary boundary bisecting the Mid-South and several pretty stout shortwaves to our west and north. A slightly negatively tilted trough is currently fixated over Kansas and Nebraska with a pretty stout shortwave extending over Iowa and central Missouri. At the surface, a low pressure system is co- located with the shortwave over Iowa and central Missouri with an attendant cold front. Ahead of these systems, a line convection is moving over St. Louis Missouri's area. Warm air advection will continue to overspread our forecast area throughout the day with current surface dewpoints in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Looking at our parameter space, forecast soundings have upwards of 2500 J/kg of SBCAPE, around 40 kts of effective shear, mid-level lapse rates 7.5+ C/km, and STP around 2-3 for the afternoon to mid-afternoon hours. Forecast hodographs also have pretty decent curvature to them indicative of potential strong, up to EF- 3 tornadoes. However, given the aforementioned parameters, we will have a volatile environment for damaging winds (70+ mph) and large hail (up to 2 inch diameter). Note: a Wind Advisory is in effect for portions of northeast Arkansas and the Missouri Bootheel for sustained winds around 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph with a tight pressure gradient. Blowing dust in these areas ahead of storms can not be ruled out due to dry soils from a recent lack of rainfall. A large question remains supercell potential with a pre-frontal boundary currently indicated by satellite imagery over central Arkansas. A few light showers have begun to form along this boundary in Little Rock's area thus far. As this boundary moves closer and over our area, the last several runs of CAMs indicate supercells beginning to form as early as 1PM over northeast Arkansas and continuing across the Mid-South through around sunset. If these supercells do form, they will be moving over the aforementioned environment capable of producing strong tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds. Uncertainty does still exist, however, regarding afternoon supercells as CAMs have been consistently struggling with the exact evolution of storms. Bottom line, be prepared for this evolution as 700mb winds begin to increase pretty rapidly around 3PM, indicative of a rapidly increasing strong to severe storm environment. Moving past sunset, severe thunderstorm potential increases as the aforementioned cold front edges closer to our area. Forecast hodographs have an even better curvature with STP values increasing to near 5 and 0-6 km bulk wind shear increasing to around 50 kts. The question with evening into the overnight hour's severe weather remains the overall storm structure. We could be looking at supercells eventually forming into a squall line or a messy cluster over supercells continuing into the overnight hours. Areas along the Missouri and Kentucky borders have the highest potential to see up to EF-3 tornadoes as SPC has highlighted this area in a level 2 hatched. Reason being, this is the area where severe parameters will be the most robust and where a potent shortwave looks to set up overnight. Severe weather looks to finally exit the Mid-South by around 4/5AM. The aforementioned cold front will stall over our area Tuesday bringing another round of severe weather by mid-afternoon Tuesday and into the early morning hours Wednesday. We will have another pretty volatile environment with 2500+ J/kg of SBCAPE, around 40 kts of effective shear, mid-level lapse rates around 7 C/km, and SHIP values around 1.3, in accordance with forecast soundings. Forecast hodographs do have less curvature to them, indicating less of a tornado threat tomorrow. The overall storm structure looks to have several bowing segments, especially over north Mississippi. A few embedded discreet cells also look to move across our area tomorrow. These discreet cells will have more of a hail and tornado threat within them where the bowing segments will have more of a damaging wind threat. Through Wednesday morning, storm total rainfall amounts will be around 2-3 inches across much of the area with locally higher amounts. Luckily, we're not looking at much of a flooding threat due to a recent lack of rainfall. By sunrise Wednesday, the cold front will finally clear the Mid-South, bringing much calmer and cooler weather. A few post-frontal showers can not be ruled out, though nothing to write home about. Cooler temperatures in the low 70s to low 80s are expected Wednesday with even cooler temperatures by Thursday. Another shortwave will eject in front the west late Thursday increasing rain chances once again, though thunderstorms are not anticipated as our environment will be pretty stable. Behind this next system, we're looking cool and dry for the weekend as high pressure falls over the region. AEH && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 643 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 Convection has been slow to develop this afternoon due to a mid- level cap. This cap is finally eroding, allowing convection to increase in coverage. While this activity will be more scattered/discrete, more organized storms are expected to move southeast into the CWA late this evening into the early morning hours. This activity will have the potential for hail, damaging wind, and even a few tornadoes, winding down late tonight with a lull in precipitation chances Tuesday morning. MVFR ceilings are expected across much of the area between 12-18z. The NBM is even indicating ~25% chance of IFR, but the HREF is much lower at ~10% (more likely). Another round of TSRA is expected on Tuesday afternoon. This round of storms will also be potentially severe, especially along and south of I-40. The MKL and JBR ASOS continue to report -RA despite no radar echoes in the area. This is likely due to spider webs causing erroneous readings at these sites. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1146 AM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026 Upcoming showers and thunderstorms through Wednesday will keep minimum relative humidity values above 40% through the forecast period. In conjunction with weak 20 ft winds, fire danger is expected to be low through the period. && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. && PUBLIC FORECAST...AEH AVIATION...MJ
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 6:33 PM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
633 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
MSZ007-008-010>012-280000-
Tunica MS-Coahoma MS-Tate MS-Panola MS-Quitman MS-
633 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN COAHOMA...
SOUTHEASTERN TUNICA...SOUTHWESTERN TATE...NORTHERN QUITMAN AND
NORTHWESTERN PANOLA COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM CDT...
At 633 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Jonestown, or 13 miles southeast of Helena-West Helena, moving
northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Jonestown, Crenshaw, Sledge, Phillipp, Strayhorn, Dubbs, Dundee,
Little Texas, Lula, Falcon, Askew, Gerlach Mill, Moon, Buxton,
Savage, Prichard, Sarah, Matagorda, Rich, and Cypress Corner.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3476 9020 3473 9020 3474 9018 3451 8996
3428 9044 3443 9057
TIME...MOT...LOC 2333Z 234DEG 34KT 3440 9044
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
AEHSpecial weather statement, Apr 27, 6:55 PM CDT, 2 hours 46 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
655 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
MSZ007-008-011-012-280030-
Tunica MS-Tate MS-Panola MS-Quitman MS-
655 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN TUNICA...
SOUTHEASTERN TATE...NORTHEASTERN QUITMAN AND NORTHERN PANOLA COUNTIES
THROUGH 730 PM CDT...
At 655 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Crenshaw, or 16 miles southwest of Senatobia, moving northeast at 40
mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 mph and nickel 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...
Senatobia, Sardis, Coldwater, Como, Crenshaw, Sledge, Pleasant Grove,
Falcon, Askew, Gerlach Mill, Looxahoma, Buxton, Crossroad, McGhee,
Longtown, Tibbs, Ballentine, Sarah, Poagville, and Hayes Crossing.
This includes Interstate 55 in Mississippi between mile markers 252
and 270.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3474 8985 3447 8972 3446 8972 3435 9025
3453 9035
TIME...MOT...LOC 2355Z 247DEG 34KT 3447 9022
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
AEHSpecial weather statement, Apr 27, 7:39 PM CDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
739 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
MSZ011-012-020-021-280115-
Tallahatchie MS-Panola MS-Yalobusha MS-Quitman MS-
739 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL YALOBUSHA...
NORTHERN TALLAHATCHIE...SOUTHEASTERN QUITMAN AND SOUTHWESTERN PANOLA
COUNTIES THROUGH 815 PM CDT...
At 739 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Sumner, or 15 miles west of Charleston, moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 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...
Batesville, Charleston, George Payne State Park, Tutwiler, Crowder,
Webb, Sumner, Pope, Enid, Vance, Oakland, Courtland, Mims, Denton,
Mikoma, Stover, Longstreet, Asa, Tillatoba, and Waverly.
This includes Interstate 55 in Mississippi between mile markers 221
and 237.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3390 9039 3408 9044 3432 8998 3399 8980
TIME...MOT...LOC 0039Z 255DEG 36KT 3402 9033
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
AEHSpecial weather statement, Apr 27, 8:57 PM CDT, 44 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
857 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
MSZ002-003-280230-
Marshall MS-Benton MS-
857 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN MARSHALL AND
SOUTHWESTERN BENTON COUNTIES THROUGH 930 PM CDT...
At 856 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Wall Doxey State Park, moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch 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...
Wall Doxey State Park, Hickory Flat, Potts Camp, Malone, Winborn,
Waterford, Galena, Waites, and Lake Center.
This includes Interstate 22 in Mississipppi between mile markers 34
and 50.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3465 8959 3480 8926 3460 8916 3460 8924
3458 8925 3456 8955
TIME...MOT...LOC 0156Z 254DEG 30KT 3462 8952
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
CJCLocal storm report, Apr 27, 9:27 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
927 PM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0923 PM Hail Hickory Flat 34.62N 89.19W
04/27/2026 E1.00 Inch Benton MS Broadcast Media
1 inch hail falling in Hickory Flat.
&&
TABThe office that day
Everything else NWS Memphis, TN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 10:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Clay, Greene | 51 min |
| Apr 27, 10:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Clay, Craighead, Greene, Mississippi | 66 min |
| Apr 27, 11:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Craighead, Greene, Mississippi | 66 min |
| Apr 28, 12:13 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Craighead, Poinsett | 47 min |
| Apr 28, 12:25 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | MEG | Craighead, Poinsett | 10 min |
| Apr 28, 12:49 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | MEG | Craighead, Poinsett | 26 min |
| Apr 28, 12:53 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Craighead, Mississippi | 52 min |
| Apr 28, 1:13 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Craighead, Mississippi, Poinsett | 47 min |
| Apr 28, 1:56 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Mississippi | 49 min |
| Apr 28, 2:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Crittenden, Cross, St. Francis | 20 min |
| Apr 28, 3:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Craighead, Cross, Mississippi, Poinsett | 48 min |
| Apr 28, 3:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Crittenden, Cross, Mississippi, Poinsett, St. Francis | 46 min |
| Apr 28, 3:31 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MEG | Crittenden, Cross | 12 min |
| Apr 28, 3:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Lee, Phillips | 52 min |
| Apr 28, 3:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Crittenden, Mississippi | 49 min |
| Apr 28, 4:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Mississippi | 40 min |
| Apr 28, 4:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Clay | 51 min |
| Apr 28, 5:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Clay | 18 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Arkansas, 2026Tornado Warnings in Missouri, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026
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.