The remnants of Tropical Storm Fay brought heavy rain to much of West Tennessee during the late afternoon of August 25th, 2008. The heavy rain produced flash flooding over the area.
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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.
The remnants of Tropical Storm Fay brought heavy rain to much of West Tennessee during the late afternoon of August 25th, 2008. The heavy rain produced flash flooding over the area.
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 Aug 25, 10:07 AM CST, 4 hours 38 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1107 AM CDT MON AUG 25 2008 .UPDATE... WILL INCREASE TODAY/S TEMPERATURES IN MOST LOCATIONS. WILL MAKE SLIGHT ADJUSTMENTS TO RAIN CHANCES AND OTHER WEATHER ELEMENTS. && .DISCUSSION... NUMEROUS SHOWERS WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 AROUND THE NORTHERN EDGE OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION FAY. CLOSELY MONITORING FOR THE LOW POTENTIAL OF MINI-SUPERCELLS AND POSSIBLE TORNADOES EAST OF A LEXINGTON TN TO HOUSTON MS LINE THIS AFTERNOON. AT 11 AM CDT ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH AND FORECAST AREA...MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS WERE OCCURRING WITH TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 73 AND 83 DEGREES. SKIES WERE VARIABLE OVER THE AREA AND NORTHEAST WINDS WERE AROUND 10 MPH. FAY WAS NEAR STATIONARY BETWEEN MERIDIAN AND JACKSON MS. HEAVY RAIN WAS OCCURRING OVER ALABAMA ON THE EASTERN EDGE OF FAY. REST OF TODAY...HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40...PARTICULARLY OVER NE MS...CAN BE EXPECTED. THINK NUMEROUS SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP OVER THESE AREAS BY 2 PM CDT AS DEEP MOISTURE SURGES NORTHWEST AND CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW TO MID 80S ARE REACHED. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE AND MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING. THE SHOWERS WILL MOVE WEST AND LIKELY AFFECT THE MEMPHIS...TUNICA MS...AND JACKSON TN AREAS MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. MOST OF THE SHOWERS WILL BE BRIEF IN DURATION...LESS THAN ONE HOUR IN MOST LOCATIONS. THUNDER WILL BE LIMITED WITH WEAK MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND LACK OF SIGNIFICANT ICE IN CLOUDS. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE OF MINI-SUPERCELLS AND TORNADOES OVER NE MS AND NEAR THE TN RIVER SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 THIS AFTERNOON WITH LIFTED INDICES -3 TO -5 AND 0-3 KM HELICITIES AROUND OR JUST ABOVE 150 M2/S2 ON THE NORTHEAST QUADRANT OF FAY. CONFIDENCE THAT TORNADOES DEVELOP REMAINS LOW. APPEARS THE BETTER TORNADO POTENTIAL WILL STAY EAST OF FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON OVER ALABAMA WHERE MOISTURE...LIFT...INSTABILITY...AND LOW LEVEL SHEAR WILL BE BETTER. AT THIS TIME...WILL LEAVE TORNADO MENTION OUT OF HWO AS CONFIDENCE OF OCCURRENCE REMAINS LOW...BUT WILL CLOSELY MONITOR THROUGH THE DAY AND UPDATE PRODUCTS AS NECESSARY. AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40 WILL MAINLY STAY DRY AS SOME LOW LEVEL DRY AIR WRAPS INTO THESE AREAS FROM THE NORTHEAST. WILL RAISE HIGH TEMPERATURES IN MOST LOCATIONS WITH A GOOD AMOUNT OF MORNING SUN NEAR AND JUST SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. HIGHS WILL MAINLY BE IN THE 80S. UPDATE WILL BE OUT SHORTLY. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 341 AM CDT MON AUG 25 2008/ DISCUSSION... CURRENTLY...THE REMNANTS OF FAY ARE CENTERED OVER SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI EARLY THIS MORNING. A COUPLE OF RAIN BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM ARE IMPACTING THE MID SOUTH. THE OUTERMOST BAND IS ROTATING ACROSS NORTHWEST TENNESSEE...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS WHILE ANOTHER BAND IS SKIRTING PARTS OF NORTH MISSISSIPPI. ELSEWHERE MOST LOCATIONS ARE RAIN FREE WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 70S. TODAY...MODELS CONTINUE TO BE ERRATIC IN THEIR TREATMENT OF THE REMNANTS OF FAY. THE 00Z GFS IS BACK TO A MORE AGGRESSIVE NORTHEAST MOVEMENT OF THE SYSTEM WHILE THE 00Z NAM IS MUCH SLOWER. SEVERAL OF THE ENSEMBLES MEMBERS ARE SLOWER THAN THE OPERATIONAL GFS AS WELL. HAVE TRENDED TOWARD THE SLOWER NAM FOR THIS FORECAST. FOR TODAY EXPECT THE SYSTEM TO MEANDER AROUND SOUTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI AND BE LOCATED AROUND MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI BY THE END OF THE DAY. RAIN BANDS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND WRAP AROUND THE SYSTEM INTO THE MID SOUTH. NORTH MISSISSIPPI WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR RAIN ALONG WITH SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. RAIN CHANCES WILL DROP OFF THE TO THE NORTH AND WEST AWAY FROM THE SYSTEM. COOLEST HIGH TEMPS WILL ALSO OCCUR ACROSS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI DUE TO CLOUDS AND RAIN WITH WARMER...THOUGH STILL BELOW NORMAL READINGS...TO THE NORTH AND WEST. TONIGHT...THE REMNANTS OF FAY WILL MOVE SLOWLY NORTH ROUGHLY ALONG THE ALABAMA/MISSISSIPPI STATE LINE. IF THIS TRACK IS ACCURATE THEN IT LOOKS LIKE THE GREATEST THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING WILL REMAIN TO THE EAST OF THE MID SOUTH WITH A LESSER THREAT ACROSS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. ONCE AGAIN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST POPS. LOW TEMPS WILL REMAIN MILD WITH TROPICAL AIRMASS IN PLACE. TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THE SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE ITS SLOW TREK NORTH ALONG THE ALABAMA/MISSISSIPPI BORDER ON TUESDAY AND INTO MIDDLE TENNESSEE ON WEDNESDAY. BEST CHANCES OF RAIN WILL BE ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS. COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS EASTERN SECTIONS. EXTENDED...BY THURSDAY THE SYSTEM BEGINS TO MOVE EAST OF THE REGION AS AN UPPER TROF BEGINS TO MOVE INTO THE MIDDLE PART OF THE COUNTRY. THIS SYSTEM WILL DRIVE A COLD FRONT INTO THE MID SOUTH LATE IN THE WEEK INTO THE EARLY PART OF THE WEEKEND. TIMING IS STILL UNCERTAIN AND ONGOING FORECAST LOOKS FINE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 87 72 85 71 / 60 40 40 30 MKL 87 70 83 68 / 70 40 40 30 JBR 86 69 87 68 / 30 20 20 20 TUP 83 70 83 70 / 100 60 60 40 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. && MBS/SJM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 339 PM CDT MON AUG 25 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>092-262245- 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- 339 PM CDT MON AUG 25 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 LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 3 INCHES...FLASH FLOODING...AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ALONG AND SOUTH OF A FORREST CITY ARKANSAS TO HUNTINGDON TENNESSEE LINE THROUGH 8 PM CDT. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AFTER 8 PM CDT NEAR THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION FAY... MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF A HOUSTON TO CORINTH LINE. THIS MAY CAUSE ADDITIONAL LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH POSSIBLE FLOODING MAY OCCUR ACROSS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI ON TUESDAY...MAINLY DURING THE MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE RELAY ANY REPORTS OF FLOODING TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MBS
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:46 UTC.
7 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding across Eastern Fayette County. Many roads were impassable from excessive water.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding across Decatur County. Many roads were covered with water as well as many yards.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding south of Jackson. Highland Avenue was flooded as a result.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Bartlett. Appling Road near Bellvue Baptist Church was flooded as well as Whitten Road.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Midtown Memphis. The underpass at East Parkway and Union Avenue was flooded. Water covered a few vehicles and drivers had to be rescued from the flood waters.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Northeast Memphis. The intersection of Jackson Avenue and Macon Road was flooded as a result.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding south of Brownsville. As a result, Interstate 40 was covered with excessive water. Two accidents occurred as a result of the excessive water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, August 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: 130634, 130633, 130635, 130636, 130637, 130638, 130639.