Tornado and Flash Flood in Arkansas, June 2, 2004

Name: Tornado and Flash Flood in Arkansas, June 2, 2004
Start: 2004-06-02T16:06
End: 2004-06-02T21:00
Location: Arkansas

June 2, 2004 · NWS MEG · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

2 hail, 1 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $7,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Events: 5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Jun 2, 1:12 PM CST, 2 hours 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 2, 1:12 PM CST, 2 hours 54 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
212 PM CDT WED JUN 2 2004

.DISCUSSION...
SEVERAL FACTORS COMING TOGETHER FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. A FEW
STORMS COULD BE SEVERE...PULSE TYPE STORMS WITH MICROBURST POTENTIAL
BEING FAVORED WITH 12Z LZK SOUNDING SHOWING DRY AIR ALOFT. LATEST
VISIBLE SATELLITE SHOWS INCREASING CUMULUS ALONG BOUNDARY FROM
WESTERN KY ACROSS THE MO BOOTHEEL INTO NORTHERN AR. THIS BOUNDARY
IS MORE ALONG THE DEWPOINT GRADIENT WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MID AND
UPPER 60S AHEAD OF IT...DROPPING INTO THE MID 50S TO LOWER 60S
NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY. LATEST LAPS DATA SHOWS CAPES OF 2800 TO 4000
J/KG ACROSS MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH WITH THE CAP ERODED. AS A RESULT...
THINK THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AND INCREASE ALONG THE BOUNDARY
THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. ALSO...KEEPING AN EYE ON THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING EAST-SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS NORTHWEST AR. THINK THESE STORMS
WILL MOVE TOWARD EAST-CENTRAL AR/SOUTHWEST TN. ANOTHER FACTOR FOR
TONIGHT...AN UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH THE
MIDSOUTH FROM THE NORTH TONIGHT. MESOETA INDICATES SOME SHOWERS
OCCURRING WITH THIS FEATURE AFTER MIDNIGHT.

WILL LEAN TOWARD THE MESOETA IN THE COMING FORECAST AS THE GFS SEEMS
TO HAVE SOME CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK PROBLEMS. FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL
MOVE INTO CENTRAL MS THURSDAY. THERE WILL BE A LINGERING CHANCE OF
MORNING SHOWERS MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH THURSDAY AS THE UPPER LEVEL
TROUGH CONTINUES TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER INTO PARTS OF NORTH MS THURSDAY AFTERNOON
DUE TO NEARNESS OF THE FRONT.

BY THURSDAY NIGHT...NORTHEAST WINDS WILL FEED LOWER DEWPOINTS
INTO ALL THE MIDSOUTH. WITH SKIES BECOMING CLEAR...WE CAN EXPECT
SOME REFRESHINGLY COOL TEMPERATURES. WILL KEEP THE FORECAST DRY
THROUGH SATURDAY AS MEAN LAYER RH VALUES REMAIN LOW.

MOIST UNSTABLE AIR WILL PUSH BACK INTO THE AREA SUNDAY CAUSING A
CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE
WILL BUILD ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...WILL
FORECAST DRY WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY.

&&

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

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 2, 11:20 AM CST, 4 hours 46 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1220 PM CDT WED JUN 2 2004

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017-
020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-031100-
ALCORN-BENTON-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CHESTER-CHICKASAW-CLAY-COAHOMA-
CRAIGHEAD-CRITTENDEN-CROCKETT-CROSS-DECATUR-DESOTO-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-
1220 PM CDT WED JUN 2 2004

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

.DAY ONE...

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF THE
MIDSOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL
ARE THE MAIN THREATS. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO THE MIDSOUTH
FROM THE NORTH TODAY AND TONIGHT. THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH
WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON ALONG AND AHEAD OF
THE FRONT WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING. SOME STORMS MAY
BE SEVERE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
DETAILS OR UPDATES. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK OUR
WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MEG.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 2, 12:22 PM CST, 3 hours 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
122 PM CDT WED JUN 02 2004

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

1217 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ABERDEEN                33.83N 88.55W
06/02/2004                   MONROE             MS   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN.

&&

VALLE

Local storm report, Jun 2, 1:57 PM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
257 PM CDT WED JUN 02 2004

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

0238 PM     HAIL             COTTAGE GROVE           36.38N 88.48W
06/02/2004  1.00 INCH        HENRY              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER IN
            COTTAGE GROVE.

&&

JLH

Local storm report, Jun 2, 2:35 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
335 PM CDT WED JUN 02 2004

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

0238 PM     HAIL             COTTAGE GROVE           36.38N 88.48W
06/02/2004  1.00 INCH        HENRY              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER IN
            COTTAGE GROVE.

0312 PM     HAIL             1 N PARIS               36.31N 88.31W
06/02/2004  0.88 INCH        HENRY              TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NICKEL-SIZE HAIL ALONG NORTHERN PARIS CITY LIMITS

0315 PM     HAIL             1 E PARIS               36.30N 88.29W
06/02/2004  1.75 INCH        HENRY              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER AND GOLFBALL-SIZED HAIL REPORTED ALONG HWY. 79
            NEAR THE HENRY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS. REPORT FROM SKYWARN
            COORDINATOR

0320 PM     HAIL             1 E PARIS               36.30N 88.29W
06/02/2004  0.75 INCH        HENRY              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PENNY-SIZED HAIL REPORTED BY A SPOTTER ALONG CEMETARY
            ROAD IN EAST PARIS.

&&

JLH

Local storm report, Jun 2, 2:54 PM CST, 1 hour 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT ... CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
354 PM CDT WED JUN 02 2004

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

0238 PM     HAIL             COTTAGE GROVE           36.38N 88.48W
06/02/2004  1.00 INCH        HENRY              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS REPORTED BY STORM SPOTTER IN
            COTTAGE GROVE.

0312 PM     HAIL             1 N PARIS               36.31N 88.31W
06/02/2004  0.88 INCH        HENRY              TN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NICKEL-SIZE HAIL ALONG NORTHERN PARIS CITY LIMITS

0315 PM     HAIL             1 E PARIS               36.30N 88.29W
06/02/2004  1.75 INCH        HENRY              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER AND GOLFBALL-SIZED HAIL REPORTED ALONG HWY. 79
            NEAR THE HENRY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS. REPORT FROM SKYWARN
            COORDINATOR

0320 PM     HAIL             1 E PARIS               36.30N 88.29W
06/02/2004  0.75 INCH        HENRY              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PENNY-SIZED HAIL REPORTED BY A SPOTTER ALONG CEMETARY
            ROAD IN EAST PARIS.

0348 PM     HAIL             SPRINGVILLE             36.25N 88.15W
06/02/2004  1.00 INCH        HENRY              TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER-SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY A STORM SPOTTER IN
            SPRINGVILLE.

&&

JLH

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hail, 1 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Craighead

When: June 2, 4:06 PM CST to 4:10 PM CST
Where: Craighead County, Egypt
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $50
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 35.867, -90.950

Tornado, Mississippi

When: June 2, 4:50 PM CST to 4:55 PM CST
Where: Mississippi County, 3 mi NE of Manila
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 35.917, -90.133

A tornado briefly touched down near Manila. A portion of a cotton field was destroyed. A couple of trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mississippi

When: June 2, 4:55 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Mississippi County, Manila
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.883, -90.167

Some trees were blown down.

Hail, Crittenden

When: June 2, 5:13 PM CST to 5:30 PM CST
Where: Crittenden County, West Memphis
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 35.150, -90.183

Flash Flood, Crittenden

When: June 2, 7:00 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Crittenden County, West Memphis
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 35.208, -90.309 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A few roads were flooded.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Arkansas, 2004 Warnings in Arkansas, June 2004

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5406041, 5406045, 5406044, 5406042, 5406043.