A strong low pressure system moved over the Missouri Bootheel during the late afternoon and evening hours of January 29th, 2008. Very strong gradient winds with speeds up to 70 mph occurred over the area as a result numerous reports of damage occurred.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 strong low pressure system moved over the Missouri Bootheel during the late afternoon and evening hours of January 29th, 2008. Very strong gradient winds with speeds up to 70 mph occurred over the area as a result numerous reports of damage occurred.
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 Jan 29, 2:34 PM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
234 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
.DISCUSSION...
DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...WITHIN AND OUTSIDE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...THROUGH MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT IS THE MAIN CONCERN.
LATEST MODELS WERE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH SATURDAY. USED A
BLEND OF THEM.
DID NOT MAKE MANY CHANGES TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST TO FOCUS ON
THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING/S WEATHER.
AT 230 PM CST ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH...SHOWERS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL
WERE OCCURRING EAST OF THE MS RIVER...WHILE A NARROW LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WAS OVER EAST AR AND MO BOOTHEEL ALONG A DEVELOPING
DRY LINE. A COLD FRONT STRETCHED FROM NEAR CHICAGO ILLINOIS TO HOT
SPRINGS ARKANSAS. TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH RANGED FROM THE
UPPER 50S EAST OF JACKSON TN TO NEAR 70 WEST OF WALNUT RIDGE AR. A
TORNADO WATCH WAS IN EFFECT NORTH OF A HELENA AR TO HOLLY SPRINGS
MS TO DRESDEN TN LINE.
FIRST...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS STILL REMAINS POSSIBLE OVER ALL
THE MIDSOUTH ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT EXCEPT FOR AREAS
WEST OF A JONESBORO AR TO POCAHONTAS LINE WHERE DRY AIR MOVING
IN...SURFACE DEWPOINTS RAPIDLY FALLING INTO THE 30S. ONCE THE
FRONT CATCHES UP TO THE LINE OF STORMS CURRENTLY OVER EAST
AR...THINK THE STORMS WILL INTENSIFY AND SPEED UP. WEAK TO
MODERATE INSTABILITY...SURFACE LIFTED INDICES -2 TO -5...
COMBINED WITH EXCESSIVE ATMOSPHERIC WINDS SUPPORT SUPERCELLS.
APPEARS NEARLY ALL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ALONG THE LINE
MENTIONED ABOVE WITH DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH THE MAIN HAZARD.
THERE REMAINS A POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES AS LONG AS THE LINE STAYS
AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT...MAINLY BEFORE 6 PM CST. THINK ANOTHER
WATCH WILL BE NEEDED TO COVER PARTS OF THE MIDSOUTH THAT ARE NOT
UNDER THE CURRENT WATCH. ALL SEVERE WEATHER WILL END BY 9 PM CST
AS THE COLD FRONT EXITS THE FORECAST AREA.
SECOND...STRAIGHT LINE DAMAGING WINDS MAY CAUSE WIDESPREAD
DAMAGE...EVEN AWAY FROM THUNDERSTORMS AND UNDER CLEAR SKIES THE
REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AM CONSIDERING A HIGH WIND
WARNING FOR THE AREA BASED ON UPSTREAM OBSERVATIONS...51 KT GUST
AT RUSSELLVILLE ARKANSAS AT 2 PM CST. LATEST PRESSURE RISES OF
OVER 10 MB/3 HR HAVE BEEN OBSERVED BEHIND THE FRONT. WILL MAKE
DECISION BY 330 PM CST.
REGARDLESS...VERY STRONG WINDS 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 50 MPH
CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH MIDNIGHT CST...AHEAD...ALONG...AND BEHIND
THE FRONT. THE STRONG WINDS MAY RESULT IN DOWNED TREES AND POWER
LINES ALONG WITH SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS
IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST.
AFTER MIDNIGHT CST...QUIETER...DRY...MOSTLY CLEAR...AND MUCH
COLDER CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL. PREFERRED THE COLD SIDE OF
GUIDANCE WITH LOWS IN THE 20S...AS MUCH AS 50 DEGREES COLDER
THAN THIS AFTERNOON.
BEYOND TONIGHT...THE NEXT BIG WEATHER MAKER APPEAR TO BE
THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT AS ANOTHER STRONG LOW PRESSURE
SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. BASED ON THE LATEST MODELS...WINTRY WEATHER
WITH POSSIBLE ACCUMULATIONS MAY OCCUR NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40...
PARTICULARLY NORTH OF A JONESBORO AR TO PARIS TN LINE. THE LATEST
MODEL TRACKS OF THE 700 MB LOW SUGGEST THE HEAVIEST WINTRY
PRECIPITATION WILL PROBABLY BE NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...
BUT STILL NORTHERN AREAS WILL NEED TO BE CLOSELY MONITORED. ACROSS
THE REST OF THE MIDSOUTH...MAINLY RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL OCCUR. THIS MAY
CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPEAR UNLIKELY AT
THIS TIME WITH THE BEST INSTABILITY STAYING WELL SOUTH AND EAST OF
THE AREA.
THE UPCOMING WEEKEND APPEARS TO BE DRY AND COOL BEFORE DEEP MOISTURE
AND WARMER TEMPERATURES RETURN BY THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM 26 44 34 45 / 20 0 10 100
MKL 22 41 27 45 / 30 0 10 100
JBR 22 42 30 38 / 10 0 10 100
TUP 28 45 28 50 / 50 0 10 100
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD-
CRITTENDEN-CROSS-GREENE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-
PHILLIPS-POINSETT-RANDOLPH-ST. FRANCIS.
MO...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT.
MS...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR ALCORN-BENTON MS-
CALHOUN-CHICKASAW-COAHOMA-DESOTO-ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LEE MS-
MARSHALL-MONROE-PANOLA-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN-
TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-UNION-YALOBUSHA.
TN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR CARROLL-CHESTER-
CROCKETT-DECATUR-DYER-FAYETTE-GIBSON-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-
HAYWOOD-HENDERSON-HENRY-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-MADISON-MCNAIRY-
OBION-SHELBY-TIPTON-WEAKLEY.
&&
MBSHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 330 PM CST TUE JAN 29 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>092-302330- 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- 330 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT DAMAGING WINDS OVER 40 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 58 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH 8 PM CST ALONG AND WEST OF A PARIS TENNESSEE TO OXFORD MISSISSIPPI LINE. THESE WINDS MAY BE STRONG ENOUGH TO DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES...AND LEAD TO SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN POSSIBLE EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER THROUGH 8 PM CST. DAMAGING WINDS ARE THE MAIN HAZARD. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT EAST OF A PARIS TENNESSEE TO OXFORD MISSISSIPPI LINE WHERE 20 TO 30 MPH WINDS WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH MIDNIGHT CST. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS PARTS OF THE MIDSOUTH THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. DEPENDING UPON THE EXACT TRACK OF THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM...THERE MAY BE ENOUGH COLD AIR DRAWN INTO THE SYSTEM TO ALLOW RAIN TO CHANGE TO A PERIOD OF SNOW. THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL WILL BE ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...AND NORTHWEST TENNESSEE THURSDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED OVER MUCH OF THE MIDSOUTH AND WILL BE NEEDED THROUGH 8 PM CST. SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO REPORT ANY WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MEMPHIS. MBS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
321 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0227 PM NON-TSTM WND GST KENNETT 36.24N 90.05W
01/29/2008 M53.00 MPH DUNKLIN MO EMERGENCY MNGR
0315 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WALNUT RIDGE 36.07N 90.96W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR PUBLIC
ESTIMATED GUSTS TO 70 MPH...DAMAGE TO FARM BUILDING
&&
DSVPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
327 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0227 PM NON-TSTM WND GST KENNETT 36.24N 90.05W
01/29/2008 M53.00 MPH DUNKLIN MO EMERGENCY MNGR
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CORNING 36.41N 90.59W
01/29/2008 CLAY AR UTILITY COMPANY
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT CLAY COUNTY
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG POCAHONTAS 36.26N 90.97W
01/29/2008 RANDOLPH AR BROADCAST MEDIA
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT RANDOLPH COUNTY
0315 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WALNUT RIDGE 36.07N 90.96W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR PUBLIC
ESTIMATED GUSTS TO 70 MPH...DAMAGE TO FARM BUILDING
&&
DSVPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
340 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0227 PM NON-TSTM WND GST KENNETT 36.24N 90.05W
01/29/2008 M53.00 MPH DUNKLIN MO EMERGENCY MNGR
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CORNING 36.41N 90.59W
01/29/2008 CLAY AR UTILITY COMPANY
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT CLAY COUNTY
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG POCAHONTAS 36.26N 90.97W
01/29/2008 RANDOLPH AR BROADCAST MEDIA
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT RANDOLPH COUNTY...SPARKED A
GRASS FIRE
0315 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WALNUT RIDGE 36.07N 90.96W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR PUBLIC
ESTIMATED GUSTS TO 70 MPH...DAMAGE TO FARM BUILDING
0328 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG IMBODEN 36.20N 91.18W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR BROADCAST MEDIA
TIN RIPPED OFF A BARN
&&
DSVPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
342 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0227 PM NON-TSTM WND GST KENNETT 36.24N 90.05W
01/29/2008 M53.00 MPH DUNKLIN MO EMERGENCY MNGR
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CORNING 36.41N 90.59W
01/29/2008 CLAY AR UTILITY COMPANY
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT CLAY COUNTY
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG POCAHONTAS 36.26N 90.97W
01/29/2008 RANDOLPH AR BROADCAST MEDIA
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT RANDOLPH COUNTY...SPARKED A
GRASS FIRE
0315 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WALNUT RIDGE 36.07N 90.96W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR PUBLIC
ESTIMATED GUSTS TO 70 MPH...DAMAGE TO FARM BUILDING
0328 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG IMBODEN 36.20N 91.18W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR BROADCAST MEDIA
TIN RIPPED OFF A BARN
0342 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG PARAGOULD 36.06N 90.51W
01/29/2008 GREENE AR CO-OP OBSERVER
SMALL BRANCHES BREAKING OFF OF TREES
&&
DSVPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
346 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0227 PM NON-TSTM WND GST KENNETT 36.24N 90.05W
01/29/2008 M53.00 MPH DUNKLIN MO EMERGENCY MNGR
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CORNING 36.41N 90.59W
01/29/2008 CLAY AR UTILITY COMPANY
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT CLAY COUNTY
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG POCAHONTAS 36.26N 90.97W
01/29/2008 RANDOLPH AR BROADCAST MEDIA
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT RANDOLPH COUNTY...SPARKED A
GRASS FIRE
0315 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WALNUT RIDGE 36.07N 90.96W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR PUBLIC
ESTIMATED GUSTS TO 70 MPH...DAMAGE TO FARM BUILDING
0328 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG IMBODEN 36.20N 91.18W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR BROADCAST MEDIA
TIN RIPPED OFF A BARN
0342 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG PARAGOULD 36.06N 90.51W
01/29/2008 GREENE AR CO-OP OBSERVER
SMALL BRANCHES BREAKING OFF OF TREES...WND ESTIMATED
SUSTAINED AT 35 MPH
&&
DSVPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
352 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0227 PM NON-TSTM WND GST KENNETT 36.24N 90.05W
01/29/2008 M53.00 MPH DUNKLIN MO EMERGENCY MNGR
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG CORNING 36.41N 90.59W
01/29/2008 CLAY AR UTILITY COMPANY
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT CLAY COUNTY
0311 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG POCAHONTAS 36.26N 90.97W
01/29/2008 RANDOLPH AR BROADCAST MEDIA
POWER OUTAGES THROUGHOUT RANDOLPH COUNTY...SPARKED A
GRASS FIRE
0315 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WALNUT RIDGE 36.07N 90.96W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR PUBLIC
ESTIMATED GUSTS TO 70 MPH...DAMAGE TO FARM BUILDING
0315 PM NON-TSTM WND GST WALNUT RIDGE 36.07N 90.96W
01/29/2008 M58.00 MPH LAWRENCE AR AWOS
SUSTAINED AT 44 MPH
0328 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG IMBODEN 36.20N 91.18W
01/29/2008 LAWRENCE AR BROADCAST MEDIA
TIN RIPPED OFF A BARN
0342 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG PARAGOULD 36.06N 90.51W
01/29/2008 GREENE AR CO-OP OBSERVER
SMALL BRANCHES BREAKING OFF OF TREES...WND ESTIMATED
SUSTAINED AT 35 MPH
&&
DSVThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds were sustained at 46 mph with a gust of 63 mph at the Malden AWOS. In addition, the high winds blew down sheds and tin roofs near Kennett.
High winds blew down numerous trees near Caruthersville. In addition, a roof and garage door was damaged by the winds. Near Steele, a power pole was knocked down by the wind.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, January 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: 72466, 72468.