A warm front lifted north over the Midsouth during the late evening hours of April 3, 2008. Showers and thunderstorms developed over the region in association with the front during the late evening hours which continued into the early morning hours on April 4, 2008.
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.
A warm front lifted north over the Midsouth during the late evening hours of April 3, 2008. Showers and thunderstorms developed over the region in association with the front during the late evening hours which continued into the early morning hours on April 4, 2008. Some of the storms produced flash flooding, damaging winds, and large hail.
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 Apr 4, 2:37 AM CST, 5 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
337 AM CDT FRI APR 4 2008
.DISCUSSION...
CURRENTLY...A LINE OF STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE STORMS IN
ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM WEST TENNESSEE
THROUGH THE MEMPHIS METRO AREA INTO SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS. THIS
LINE OF STORMS CONTINUES TO PUSH EAST ACROSS THE MID SOUTH.
SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY IN ADVANCE OF THE LINE IS MARGINAL WITH
SBCAPES OF 500-1000 J/KG WHILE WIND FIELDS ARE QUITE STRONG WITH
850 MB WINDS OF 40-50 KTS AND 500 MB WINDS OF 60 KTS. EXPECT A FEW
SEVERE STORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THIS MORNING
ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40.
TODAY...A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE MID SOUTH
DURING THE DAY. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES OF OVER 1.50 INCHES
COMBINED WITH STRONG LIFT CAUSED BY THE APPROACH OF A DECENT 500
MB SHORTWAVE WILL RESULT IN WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WITH HEAVY RAIN. THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT WILL SLOWLY SHIFT TO THE
SOUTH AND EAST DURING THE DAY. MANY AREAS WILL SEE AN ADDITIONAL 1
TO 3 INCHES AND THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF THE AREA WILL
CONTINUE THROUGH 00Z SAT.
TONIGHT...THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF THE REGION WITH ONLY
SOME LEFTOVER SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI DURING THE EVENING.
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST WITH CLEARING
FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE NIGHT. COOLER AIR WILL ALSO FILTER IN
BEHIND THE FRONT WITH SOME LOWER 40S ACROSS NORTHERN SECTIONS OF
THE MID SOUTH.
SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...A RELATIVELY QUIET...DRY PERIOD
IN AN OTHERWISE BUSY WEATHER PATTERN. PLEASANT HIGH PRESSURE WILL
BE CENTERED OVER THE MID SOUTH ON SATURDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE MID
60S ALONG WITH SUNNY SKIES. BY SUNDAY HIGH PRESSURE WILL HAVE
MOVED WELL TO THE NORTHEAST WITH SOUTHERLY FLOW RETURNING TO THE
AREA. TEMPS WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL...CLIMBING INTO THE 70S SUNDAY
AND MONDAY.
TUESDAY TROUGH THURSDAY...THE PATTERN TURNS ACTIVE ONCE AGAIN. A
COLD FRONT PUSHES INTO THE REGION TUESDAY AFTERNOON WITH MORE
CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. 00Z MEDIUM RANGE MODELS
ARE DEPICTING QUITE A BIT OF INSTABILITY TUESDAY AFTERNOON IN
ADVANCE OF THE COLD FRONT SO WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THE SEVERE
THREAT. THIS FRONT WILL STALL OVER NORTH MISSISSIPPI ON WEDNESDAY
BEFORE LIFTING BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT WEDNESDAY NIGHT. ANOTHER
MAJOR UPPER LEVEL TROF IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS TOWARD THE END OF THE WEEK...INTERACTING WITH THIS
FRONT...RESULTING IN CONTINUED RAIN CHANCES.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM 66 45 66 49 / 100 40 10 0
MKL 65 42 64 43 / 100 40 10 0
JBR 60 41 65 44 / 80 20 10 0
TUP 70 49 66 47 / 100 80 10 0
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD-
CRITTENDEN-CROSS-GREENE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-
PHILLIPS-POINSETT-RANDOLPH-ST. FRANCIS.
MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT.
MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR BENTON MS-COAHOMA-
DESOTO-LAFAYETTE-MARSHALL-PANOLA-QUITMAN-TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-
TUNICA-YALOBUSHA.
TN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR CARROLL-CHESTER-
CROCKETT-DECATUR-DYER-FAYETTE-GIBSON-HARDEMAN-HAYWOOD-
HENDERSON-HENRY-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-MADISON-OBION-SHELBY-TIPTON-
WEAKLEY.
&&
SJMHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 335 PM CDT THU APR 3 2008 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-041015- 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- 335 PM CDT THU APR 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT EXCESSIVE RAINFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE MID SOUTH TODAY AND TONIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FROM NORTHEAST ARKANSAS ACROSS THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL INTO NORTHWEST TENNESSEE...WITH BETWEEN 1 AND 3 INCHES OF RAIN ELSEWHERE. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLASH FLOOD WATCHES THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED FOR PARTS OF THE MID SOUTH. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT ACROSS THE ENTIRE MID SOUTH. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY EXCESSIVE RAINFALL IS ALSO EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE MID-SOUTH ON FRIDAY WITH ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN POSSIBLE. THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM HARRISBURG ARKANSAS TO HUNTINGDON TENNESSEE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT AND AGAIN ON FRIDAY. IN ADDITION...SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RELAY REPORTS OF FLASH FLOODING AND NEW RIVER FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MEMPHIS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 241 AM CDT FRI APR 4 2008 TNZ020-050>052-040830- CROCKETT TN-GIBSON TN-HAYWOOD TN-MADISON TN- 241 AM CDT FRI APR 4 2008 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... CROCKETT COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... SOUTHERN GIBSON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTHEASTERN HAYWOOD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTHERN MADISON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED FROM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF ALAMO TO 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BROWNSVILLE AT 241 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN CROCKETT...GIBSON...HAYWOOD AND MADISON COUNTIES... INCLUDING THE CITIES OF BROWNSVILLE...HUMBOLDT...JACKSON...MILAN AND TRENTON...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 AM CDT. .A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALERT AREA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 329 AM CDT FRI APR 4 2008 MSZ002-TNZ089-040915- MARSHALL MS-FAYETTE TN- 329 AM CDT FRI APR 4 2008 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED FROM 18 MILES WEST OF SOMERVILLE TO 12 MILES WEST OF BYHALIA AT 329 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN FAYETTE AND MARSHALL COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 415 AM CDT. .A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALERT AREA.
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:37 UTC.
3 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds knocked down power poles and power lines near Wren.
Heavy rain produced street flooding on Highway 51 in Coldwater.
Heavy rain produced flooded a restaurant in New Albany along Highway 78.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding along Highway 51, 5 miles south of Hernando. Water covered the road. In addition, standing water occurred in many yards as ponds overflowed their banks.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, April 2008
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: 97852, 97853, 97854, 97855.