Tornado and Hail in Arkansas, March 22, 2005

Name: Tornado and Hail in Arkansas, March 22, 2005
Start: 2005-03-22T15:25
End: 2005-03-22T17:55
Location: Arkansas

March 22, 2005 · NWS MEG · 12 events in 5 counties and zones

10 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: None recorded
Events: 12

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 Mar 22, 2:30 PM CST, 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 22, 2:30 PM CST, 55 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
230 PM CST TUE MAR 22 2005

.DISCUSSION...
UPPER LOW SPINNING OVER NE OK/NW AR THIS AFTERNOON. SFC LOW OVER AR
WITH WARM FRONT EXTENDED EAST ACRS ERN AR AND INTO SW TN. A DRYLINE
EXTENDS TO THE SOUTH OF THE SFC LOW FROM CNTRL AR TO NRN LA. AREA
88DS SHOWING CONVECTION STARTING TO INITIATE ALONG THE DRYLINE
OVER ERN AR ARCING NORTHWEST TOWARD THE UPPER LOW. AIRMASS SOUTH OF
THE WARM FRONT...IN ADVANCE OF THE DRYLINE...QUICKLY DESTABILIZING.
CAPES ABOUT 1000 J/KG WITH SFC DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO THE UPPER 50S
ATTM. AS COLD POOL ALOFT...-22C AT 500 MB...MOVES CLOSER AND SFC
TEMPS CONT TO WARM FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS CAPES SHOULD REACH 2000
J/KG. STEEP LAPSE RATES...LOW WET BULB ZERO FAVOR LARGE HAIL WITH
THESE STORMS. EXPECT THE ARC OF DEVELOPING STORMS TO MOVE ACRS THE
CWFA THIS AFTN AND EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 68 IN EFFECT
THROUGH 8 PM. THERE IS SOME LEFTOVER SHEAR INVOF OF WARMFNT...SO
CANNOT RULE OUT AN ISOLD TORNADO ACRS NE AR/MO BOOTHEEL/NW TN.

STORMS WL MOVE INTO MID TN LATE THIS EVENING. EXPECT LINGERING
SHOWERS ACRS NRN AND ERN SXNS AFTER MIDNIGHT INTO EARLY WED AS THE
UPPER LOW MOVES INTO THE OH VALLEY. THE LOW PULLS AWAY ON WED AS
WEAK HIGH PRESSURE BUILD IN DURING THE AFTN.

NEXT SYSTEM STARTS TO APPROACH ON THU AS A DECENT SHORTWAVE MOVES
OUT OF THE PLAINS WITH SFC CYCLOGENESIS KS/MO REGION. GOOD WAA ACRS
THE MID SOUTH SO SFC TEMPS WL CLIMB TOWARD 70 DEGREES. THU NIGHT A
WEAK FRONT MOVES INTO THE CWA. SYSTEM SEEMS MOISTURE STARVED SO A
20 POP WL DO FOR NOW.

FRONT THEN STALLS ACRS THE REGION FRI INTO THE WEEKEND. MODELS
DEPICTING SFC WAVES MOVING ALONG THE FRONT RESULTING IN A
POTENTIALLY WET PERIOD. THIS FRONT EVENTUALLY CLEARS THE AREA BY THE
BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

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

&&

SJM

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 22, 2:45 PM CST, 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
245 PM CST TUE MAR 22 2005

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017-
020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-231200-
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-
245 PM CST TUE MAR 22 2005

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 MID
SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

STRONG SURFACE AND UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE FROM ARKANSAS
INTO KENTUCKY TONIGHT. A WARM FRONT EXTENDING FROM THE LOW ACROSS
EASTERN ARKANSAS AND WESTERN TENNESSEE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH
THROUGH REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA BY THIS EVENING.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD
FRONT WHICH WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT WITH
THESE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL...THOUGH DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW
TORNADOES CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FROM 3 PM UNTIL 6
PM FOR EAST ARKANSAS...NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI AND THE MEMPHIS
METROPOLITAN AREA. THIS AREA INCLUDES JONESBORO...MEMPHIS AND
HELENA. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL BE FROM 6 PM TO 9 PM FOR THE
MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...REMAINDER OF WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI. THIS AREA INCLUDES DYERSBURG...JACKSON AND TUPELO.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

SJM

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 22, 2:48 PM CST, 37 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
248 PM CST TUE MAR 22 2005

ARZ027-035-222110-

CROSS AR-POINSETT AR-
248 PM CST TUE MAR 22 2005

THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY IS FOR...CROSS AND POINSETT
COUNTIES.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 9 MILES WEST OF FAIR OAKS AT 248 PM
CST...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM MAY CONTAIN PENNY TO
NICKEL SIZE HAIL.

PEOPLE IN CROSS AND POINSETT COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM
CLOSELY.

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 96 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Cross

When: March 22, 3:25 PM CST to 3:30 PM CST
Where: Cross County, 4 mi E of Hickory Ridge
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.400, -90.933

Hail, Poinsett

When: March 22, 3:40 PM CST to 3:45 PM CST
Where: Poinsett County, Waldenburg
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $10
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.567, -90.933

Thunderstorm Wind, Poinsett

When: March 22, 3:40 PM CST to 3:45 PM CST
Where: Poinsett County, Waldenburg
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.567, -90.933

Some large tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Cross

When: March 22, 3:57 PM CST to 4:05 PM CST
Where: Cross County, 8 mi W of Wynne
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.233, -90.950

Hail, Craighead

When: March 22, 4:00 PM CST to 4:05 PM CST
Where: Craighead County, Brookland
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $50
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.900, -90.583

Hail, Cross

When: March 22, 4:05 PM CST to 4:20 PM CST
Where: Cross County, Vanndale
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $100
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.317, -90.783

Hail, Craighead

When: March 22, 4:15 PM CST to 4:25 PM CST
Where: Craighead County, Jonesboro
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $120
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.833, -90.700

Hail, Crittenden

When: March 22, 4:29 PM CST to 4:35 PM CST
Where: Crittenden County, 6 mi N of Earle
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $150
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.350, -90.467

Hail, Craighead

When: March 22, 4:30 PM CST to 4:35 PM CST
Where: Craighead County, Jonesboro
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $10
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.833, -90.700

Hail, Poinsett

When: March 22, 4:50 PM CST to 4:55 PM CST
Where: Poinsett County, Marked Tree
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $10
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.533, -90.417

Tornado, Mississippi

When: March 22, 5:38 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Mississippi County, Marie
Rating: F0
Path length: 8 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 35.617, -90.083

The tornado touched down near Marie and moved northeast. The tornado moved mainly over open farm fields and produced only minor damage to a couple of residences.

Hail, Mississippi

When: March 22, 5:47 PM CST to 5:55 PM CST
Where: Mississippi County, Osceola
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $110
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 35.700, -89.967

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Arkansas in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Arkansas, 2005 Warnings in Arkansas, March 2005

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: 5440645, 5440646, 5440647, 5440648, 5440649, 5440650, 5440651, 5440652, 5440653, 5440654, 5440655, 5440656.