During the afternoon and evening of April 9th and overnight hours of the 10th, an outbreak of severe storms and tornadoes occurred across the ArkLaMiss region and pushed east through northern Louisiana and into northern Mississippi. While the majority of the severe weather occurred out of the NWS Jackson, MS service area, several reports of large hail and wind damage were reported along with a…
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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 JAN wrote it up.
During the afternoon and evening of April 9th and overnight hours of the 10th, an outbreak of severe storms and tornadoes occurred across the ArkLaMiss region and pushed east through northern Louisiana and into northern Mississippi. While the majority of the severe weather occurred out of the NWS Jackson, MS service area, several reports of large hail and wind damage were reported along with a few tornadoes. One of the strongest storms moved east across Ashley County Arkansas. This storm produced an EF2 tornado over the southwest and southern sections, and contained a swath of quarter to golf ball sized hail which occurred across the entire length of the county.
In looking at this event, which occurred over two days (April 9-10), in a regional view, this was likely the biggest severe weather and tornado outbreak during the spring of 2009. This event contained numerous strong tornadoes along with hundreds of large hail reports which stretched from the Southern Plains to several other southern States.
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 Jackson, MS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 9, 8:21 PM CST, 2 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
921 PM CDT THU APR 9 2009
.UPDATE...MADE SOME SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE HOURLY VALUES THROUGH
TONIGHT. DEWPOINTS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO INCREASE AND VALUES TO THE WEST
ARE NOT AS HIGH AS THE MODELS SUGGEST. KEPT VALUES IN THE LOWER 60S
TO THE SOUTH. A CAP REMAINS OVER JAN AND SHV FOR NOW...BUT WITH LINE
OF STORMS QUICKLY TRACKING EAST WILL CONTINUE ISOLATED SEVERE WORDING
IN THE FORECAST. GUSTY WINDS CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA AND LAKE WIND
ADVISORY WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE EXTENDED OR REISSUED FOR THE ENTIRE
AREA FRIDAY AFTERNOON. THE GRADIENT ACROSS THE AREA MAY RELAX BRIEFLY
IN THE MORNING...BUT SHOULD QUICKLY TIGHTEN AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES
TOWARD THE REGION. CLOUDS AND WINDS WILL LIKELY KEEP TEMPERATURES
NEAR 70 THROUGH THE EVENING...SO TWEAKED HOURLY VALUES. THE FORECAST
WAS GOOD. WILL UPDATE TO REMOVE THE LKY.
&&
.AVIATION...THERE MAY BE A FEW LOW CLOUDS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA
WITH THUNDERSTORMS...BUT AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS WINDS WILL REMAIN
ABOVE 3KFT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH WESTERN
ARKANSAS AND SHOULD BE MOVING INTO NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI AROUND
MIDNIGHT...BUT SHOULD MOVE THROUGH QUICKLY. LOOK FOR THUNDERSTORMS
FROM 6-8Z AT GLH...7-10Z AT JAN/GWO...8-11Z AT GTR AND 10-13Z FOR
MEI AND MAYBE HBG. GUSTY WINDS WILL BE AN ISSUE THROUGH FRIDAY
AFTERNOON FOR GLH/GWO AND GTR. SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 18KTS WITH GUSTS
TO 30KTS WILL BE LIKELY FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS IN THOSE AREAS. WINDS
WILL INCREASE AFTER 18Z AT ALL OTHER SITES AND CONTINUE THROUGH AT
LEAST 3Z. SIMILAR WIND SPEEDS CAN BE EXPECTED.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
JACKSON 63 81 51 72 / 26 20 10 2
MERIDIAN 62 81 50 72 / 28 24 13 2
VICKSBURG 63 80 52 73 / 22 13 8 3
HATTIESBURG 64 83 59 77 / 24 24 13 7
NATCHEZ 64 82 53 73 / 17 11 7 7
GREENVILLE 61 74 46 69 / 32 18 10 0
GREENWOOD 61 76 47 69 / 32 24 11 0
&&
.JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MS...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR MSZ018-019-025>027-
034>036-040>042-047.
LA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR LAZ007>009-015-016-
023>026.
AR...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR ARZ074-075.
&&
7HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 241 PM CDT THU APR 9 2009 ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025-034-035-040- 041-047-101945- ASHLEY-CHICOT-MOREHOUSE-WEST CARROLL-EAST CARROLL-RICHLAND- MADISON LA-FRANKLIN LA-CATAHOULA-TENSAS-CONCORDIA-BOLIVAR- SUNFLOWER-LEFLORE-WASHINGTON-HUMPHREYS-ISSAQUENA-SHARKEY-WARREN- 241 PM CDT THU APR 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST LOUISIANA...EXTREME SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND FRIDAY SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 30 MPH WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT BEFORE SHIFTING WEST ON FRIDAY. THESE WINDS WILL CREATE CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS FOR BOATERS ON OPEN WATER. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT MAINLY WEST OF A GRENADA TO NATCHEZ LINE THROUGH TONIGHT. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND A TORNADO OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TONIGHT AND SWING A FRONT INTO THE ARKLAMISS DELTA REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT. STORMS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING SEVERE...MAINLY WEST OF A GRENADA TO NATCHEZ LINE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY ANOTHER STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL LIKELY CROSS THE REGION FROM LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY BRINGING A CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE TWENTY CORRIDOR. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. RESIDENTS WILL NEED TO MONITOR LATER FORECAST DEVELOPMENTS WITH THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS...MAY BE NEEDED LATER TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...AND POSSIBLY AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT. MSZ026>029-032-036-037-042>044-048>050-053>055-059>062-101945- GRENADA-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-WEBSTER-CHOCTAW-HOLMES-ATTALA-YAZOO- MADISON MS-LEAKE-HINDS-RANKIN-SCOTT-CLAIBORNE-COPIAH-SIMPSON- JEFFERSON-ADAMS-FRANKLIN MS-LINCOLN- 241 PM CDT THU APR 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI GENERALLY ALONG THE INTERSTATE 55 CORRIDOR. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND FRIDAY SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS TO 25 MPH WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT BEFORE SHIFTING WEST WITH STRONGER GUSTS ON FRIDAY. THESE WINDS COULD CREATE CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS FOR BOATERS ON OPEN WATER AGAIN ON FRIDAY AND A LAKE WIND ADVISORY MAY AGAIN BE NEEDED. ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TONIGHT AND SWING A FRONT INTO THE ARKLAMISS DELTA REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT. ANY STORMS...IF THEY DEVELOP...AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING SEVERE...MAINLY WEST OF A GRENADA TO NATCHEZ LINE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY ANOTHER STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL LIKELY CROSS THE REGION FROM LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY BRINGING A CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE TWENTY CORRIDOR. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. RESIDENTS WILL NEED TO MONITOR LATER FORECAST DEVELOPMENTS WITH THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS...MAY BE NEEDED LATER TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING...AND POSSIBLY AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT. MSZ030-031-033-038-039-045-046-051-052-056>058-063>066-072>074- 101945- CLAY-LOWNDES-OKTIBBEHA-WINSTON-NOXUBEE-NESHOBA-KEMPER-NEWTON- LAUDERDALE-SMITH-JASPER-CLARKE-LAWRENCE-JEFFERSON DAVIS-COVINGTON- JONES-MARION-LAMAR-FORREST- 241 PM CDT THU APR 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND FRIDAY SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL HIGHER GUSTS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT BEFORE SHIFTING WEST WITH STRONGER GUSTS ON FRIDAY. THESE WINDS COULD CREATE CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS FOR BOATERS ON OPEN WATER AGAIN ON FRIDAY AND A LAKE WIND ADVISORY MAY AGAIN BE NEEDED. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL... DAMAGING WINDS AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO MAY OCCUR ON FRIDAY. A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY LATE TONIGHT AND SWING A FRONT INTO THE ARKLAMISS DELTA REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT. STORMS DEVELOPING AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING SEVERE...MAINLY EAST OF A BROOKHAVEN TO WEST POINT LINE DURING FRIDAY AFTERNOON WHEN INSTABILITY AND MOISTURE WILL BE AT A PEAK. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY ANOTHER STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL LIKELY CROSS THE REGION FROM LATE SUNDAY INTO EARLY MONDAY BRINGING A CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE TWENTY CORRIDOR. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. RESIDENTS WILL NEED TO MONITOR LATER FORECAST DEVELOPMENTS WITH THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS...MAY BE NEEDED ON FRIDAY...AND POSSIBLY AGAIN SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN. THIS INCLUDES THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. 40/50
The Shreveport radar (KSHV), 180 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:23 UTC.
3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A swath of nickel to golf ball sized hail fell across a large portion of central Ashley County. Golf ball sized hail occurred around Crossett as this supercell storm, the one which produced the EF2 tornado in the southern portion of the county, tracked east.
The tornado tracked across rural southern Ashley County and snapped and uprooted hundreds of large hardwood and softwood trees. Forty two homes were damaged with approximately 15 homes that were heavily damaged or destroyed. The most intense damage was along Meridian Church Road in southwest Ashley County. Here, intense tree damage resulted in several cross roads being blocked by dozens of trees, and several mobile homes and houses were destroyed by the winds and fallen trees. This was the area rated EF2 with 130 mph winds. Over the last several miles of the track, the tornado was narrower and damage was primarily in the EF1 category.
Penny size hail fell in Wilmot with some possibly larger stones.
A few downed trees damaged some roofs around Wilmot.
A swath of quarter to hen egg sized hail occurred across all of southern Chicot County as a supercell storm tracked east.
A few trees were blown down around Eudora.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 2009Warnings in Arkansas, April 2009
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: 164024, 164022, 164025, 164026, 164028, 164027.