Daytime heating on May 9, 2007 helped to develop scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Some of the storms produced damaging winds.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS MEG wrote it up.
Daytime heating on May 9, 2007 helped to develop scattered showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Some of the storms produced damaging winds.
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 May 9, 2:10 PM CST, 3 hours 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 310 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 .DISCUSSION... A LITTLE MORE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER THE MIDSOUTH THIS AFTERNOON. UPPER AIR ANALYSIS SHOWED A HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ALOFT... WITH THE AXIS ROUGHLY ALONG THE LOWER MS RIVER VALLEY. CONVECTIVE INHIBITION WAS NONETHELESS EASILY OVERCOME OVER NORTHERN MS...AS TEMPS QUICKLY WARMED INTO THE 80S BY MIDMORNING. THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE LOWER MS RIVER VALLEY WERE SHOWING AN OVERALL ANTICYCLONIC CIRCULATION ON GOES VISIBLE IMAGERY. GIVEN THE MEMPHIS...JONESBORO... DYERSBURG PROXIMITY TO THE RIDGE AXIS AND WEAK WINDS ALOFT...THIS AREA MAY BE RELATIVELY DRIER THIS EVENING. BEYOND TONIGHT...AN UPPER LEVEL LOW THAT HAD BEEN PARKED OVER THE DESERT SOUTHWEST WILL FINALLY LIFT EAST...REACHING SOUTHEAST TX BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THIS WILL BRING COOLER TEMPS ALOFT...FURTHER LOWERING CONVECTIVE INHIBITION OVER THE MIDSOUTH. NAM12 FORECAST SOUNDINGS ESTIMATE PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES NEAR 1.5 INCHES AT MEMPHIS. WIND PROFILES / WIND SHEAR WILL LIKELY BE VERY WEAK... LEADING TO SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS. NAM12 FORECAST SOUNDING FOR MEMPHIS THURSDAY EVENING SUGGEST WINDS OF 5 KTS OR LESS FROM THE SURFACE UP THROUGH THE TROPOPAUSE. EXPECT THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTINUE A DIURNAL TREND...REACHING MAXIMUM COVERAGE AND INTENSITY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. GFS AND ECMWF MODELS BRING A WEAK COLD FRONT THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH FRIDAY INTO EARLY SATURDAY...AS NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT DEVELOPS OVER THE OHIO VALLEY. THE FRONT WILL PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT FRIDAY...AS THE WEAKENING UPPER LOW DRIFTS SOUTH INTO THE GULF. BETTER RAIN CHANCES BEGIN TO DROP SOUTH OF OUR REGION AS WELL. FOR NEXT WEEK...BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF DEVELOP DEEPER ONSHORE FLOW NORTHWARD THROUGH THE LOWER MS RIVER VALLEY. BOTH MODELS DROP A FRONT NEAR OR JUST NORTH OF THE MIDSOUTH. GIVEN THE DEEPENING MOISTURE...AND WEAK TO NIL RIDGING...EXPECT ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF ISOLATED/SCATTERED DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORMS EARLY NEXT WEEK. PWB && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 71 88 70 86 / 10 50 30 50 MKL 62 86 62 85 / 10 50 30 50 JBR 65 86 66 84 / 20 50 30 50 TUP 64 88 66 86 / 10 30 30 40 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 327 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-101100- 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- 327 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG...PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DECREASE TOWARD SUNSET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. PWB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 332 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 MSZ014-092100- UNION MS- 332 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR...UNION COUNTY. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL WAS LOCATED 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF NEW ALBANY AT 330 PM CDT...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN UNION COUNTY...INCLUDING THE CITY OF NEW ALBANY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 402 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 MSZ013-092130- LAFAYETTE MS- 402 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR...LAFAYETTE COUNTY. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TULA AT 402 PM CDT... MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN LAFAYETTE COUNTY SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 420 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 MSZ016-092145- LEE MS- 420 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR...LEE COUNTY. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED OVER PLANTERSVILLE AT 420 PM CDT...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN LEE COUNTY...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF TUPELO AND VERONA... SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
456 PM CDT WED MAY 09 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0422 PM HAIL 2 N PARIS 34.21N 89.47W
05/09/2007 E1.00 INCH LAFAYETTE MS PUBLIC
0424 PM TSTM WND DMG TUPELO 34.26N 88.73W
05/09/2007 LEE MS FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
MINOR ROOF DAMAGE AND SOME TREES DOWN NEAR NORTH
MISSISSIPPI HOSPITAL.
0435 PM TSTM WND DMG TUPELO 34.26N 88.73W
05/09/2007 LEE MS FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
POWER POLE AND POWER LINES DOWN IN SOUTH CENTRAL PART OF
TUPELO.
0435 PM HAIL VERONA 34.19N 88.72W
05/09/2007 E0.75 INCH LEE MS FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
0440 PM TSTM WND DMG VERONA 34.19N 88.72W
05/09/2007 LEE MS FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
SEVERAL TREES UPROOTED OR BLOWN DOWN IN VERONA. REPORTED
BY LEE COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS.
&&
ARSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
508 PM CDT WED MAY 09 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0422 PM HAIL 2 N PARIS 34.21N 89.47W
05/09/2007 E1.00 INCH LAFAYETTE MS PUBLIC
0424 PM TSTM WND DMG TUPELO 34.26N 88.73W
05/09/2007 LEE MS FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
MINOR ROOF DAMAGE AND SOME TREES DOWN NEAR NORTH
MISSISSIPPI HOSPITAL.
0433 PM HAIL 6 E WATER VALLEY 34.16N 89.53W
05/09/2007 E0.88 INCH YALOBUSHA MS TRAINED SPOTTER
0435 PM TSTM WND DMG TUPELO 34.26N 88.73W
05/09/2007 LEE MS FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
POWER POLE AND POWER LINES DOWN IN SOUTH CENTRAL PART OF
TUPELO.
0435 PM HAIL VERONA 34.19N 88.72W
05/09/2007 E0.75 INCH LEE MS FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
0440 PM TSTM WND DMG VERONA 34.19N 88.72W
05/09/2007 LEE MS FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
SEVERAL TREES UPROOTED OR BLOWN DOWN IN VERONA. REPORTED
BY LEE COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS.
&&
ARSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 553 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 ARZ036-TNZ088-092330- CRITTENDEN AR-SHELBY TN- 553 PM CDT WED MAY 9 2007 THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR...CRITTENDEN AND SHELBY COUNTIES. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 3 MILES EAST OF JERICHO AT 553 PM CDT...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN CRITTENDEN AND SHELBY COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF MARION AND TURRELL...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 33 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:28 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds knocked down trees near the Jericho area to 4 miles north of Marion on Highway 77.
Straight line winds knocked down large limbs and blew shingles off a roof of a home near Clarkedale.
Lightning struck a local public housing complex on Rice Street in Forrest City. A fire started and spread to other apartments. No injuries were reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, May 2007
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: 32957, 32959, 33010.