A stationary front remained over the Midsouth during the evening hours of May 24, 2008. Showers and thunderstorms developed along the front.
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 stationary front remained over the Midsouth during the evening hours of May 24, 2008. Showers and thunderstorms developed along the front. Some storms became severe with large hail and 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 24, 1:59 PM CST, 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 259 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 .DISCUSSION... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOP OVER PORTIONS OF ARKANSAS AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. IN ADDITION...THE REMNANTS OF THE MCS WHICH MOVED THROUGH NORTHERN ARKANSAS THIS MORNING IS CROSSING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND MOVING INTO NORTHWEST TENNESSEE. SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY HAS GOTTEN STRONG AND CANT COMPLETELY RULE OUT A SEVERE STORM OR TWO. ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY SHOULD WEAKEN BY SUNSET. ADDED 20 POPS TO THE FORECAST FOR THE EVENING HOURS. SUNDAY SHOULD BE A REPEAT OF TODAY WITH SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE OVER MAINLY THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA AS ANOTHER MCS WILL LIKELY FORM OUT IN THE PLAINS TONIGHT AND APPROACH THE FORECAST AREA DURING THE DAY ON SUNDAY. HAVE KEPT SUNDAY NIGHT DRY FOR NOW BUT WOULDNT RULE OUT A THUNDERSTORM OR TWO DURING THE EVENING HOURS. BY MONDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION FROM THE NORTH WHICH WILL ENHANCE THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE REGION. THE FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA BY TUESDAY WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR RAIN OCCURRING TUESDAY...TUESDAY NIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY. THE FRONT SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE REGION AND DIE OUT BY WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE SHOULD MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA BY THURSDAY KEEPING THINGS DRY FOR THE END OF NEXT WEEK WHILE TEMPERATURES REMAIN A LITTLE ABOVE NORMAL. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 71 90 73 91 / 20 20 10 30 MKL 64 88 69 91 / 20 10 10 30 JBR 68 89 70 92 / 20 20 10 30 TUP 66 89 70 89 / 20 10 10 30 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 500 AM CDT SAT MAY 24 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>092-251200- 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- 500 AM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS COULD APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS THIS AFTERNOON GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF A KENNETT TO SOMERVILLE TO FULTON MISSISSIPPI LINE. SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 45 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1133 AM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ARZ008-017-241715- RANDOLPH AR-LAWRENCE AR- 1133 AM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHERN LAWRENCE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... RANDOLPH COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED FROM 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF DALTON TO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF RAVENDEN AT 1133 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN LAWRENCE AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF BLACK ROCK AND POCAHONTAS...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 210 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 MSZ010-020-242000- COAHOMA MS-TALLAHATCHIE MS- 210 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... SOUTHEASTERN COAHOMA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... WESTERN TALLAHATCHIE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTH OF DUBLIN AT 210 PM CDT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN COAHOMA AND TALLAHATCHIE COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 219 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ARZ058-MSZ010-241945- PHILLIPS AR-COAHOMA MS- 219 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... SOUTHWESTERN PHILLIPS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... WEST CENTRAL COAHOMA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF ELAINE AT 219 PM CDT... MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 11 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM IS NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE ANTICIPATED. PEOPLE IN COAHOMA AND PHILLIPS COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITY OF ELAINE...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 226 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ARZ036-242000- CRITTENDEN AR- 226 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... CENTRAL CRITTENDEN COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 4 MILES EAST OF EARLE AT 226 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM IS INTENSIFYING AND COULD BECOME SEVERE RAPIDLY. PEOPLE IN CRITTENDEN COUNTY...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF EARLE...MARION AND WEST MEMPHIS...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 244 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ARZ028-TNZ049-242030- MISSISSIPPI AR-TIPTON TN- 244 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... SOUTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... TIPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 4 MILES SOUTHEAST OF JOINER AT 244 PM CDT... MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM IS INTENSIFYING AND COULD BECOME SEVERE RAPIDLY. PEOPLE IN MISSISSIPPI AND TIPTON COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITY OF WILSON...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 327 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 TNZ049-089-242100- FAYETTE TN-TIPTON TN- 327 PM CDT SAT MAY 24 2008 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... SOUTHEASTERN TIPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 8 MILES EAST OF DIXONVILLE AT 327 PM CDT... MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM IS NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE ANTICIPATED. PEOPLE IN FAYETTE AND TIPTON COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY..
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:41 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds knocked down trees at the intersection of Poplar Avenue and Cleveland Street.
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, May 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: 110830.