A cold front pushed into the Mid-South during the late afternoon into the evening hours of June 3rd, 2009. Some of the thunderstorms became severe and produced damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding.
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 cold front pushed into the Mid-South during the late afternoon into the evening hours of June 3rd, 2009. Some of the thunderstorms became severe and produced damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding.
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 Jun 3, 1:19 PM CST, 4 hours 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 219 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 .DISCUSSION... A BROKEN LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORMED BACK IN EASTERN ARKANSAS HAS TRACKED INTO WEST TENNESSEE THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ACROSS NORTH MISSISSIPPI AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST THROUGH THE DAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS. FARTHER WEST...THE MCV...FIRST EVIDENT ON RADAR AND SATELLITE LATE THIS MORNING WAS LOCATED OVER EASTERN ARKANSAS TRANSLATING EASTWARD. THIS FEATURE HAS HELPED SPARK ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL ARKANSAS. THIS ACTIVITY WILL MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO EARLY EVENING. THIS FEATURE WILL LIKELY INTERACT WITH THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND PRODUCE VERY GOOD CHANCES FOR RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT AND INTO THURSDAY. THE SLOW MOVING FRONT WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA BY THURSDAY EVENING. UNTIL THEN...RAIN CHANCES WILL LINGER ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. BY FRIDAY STABLE AIR WILL BEGIN TO SPREAD OVER THE MIDSOUTH AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL BE PLEASANT...WELL BELOW NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. DRY CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WHICH WILL BE NICE. HOWEVER DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL RISE INTO THE UPPER 80S TO LOWER 90S ALONG WITH RISING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITIES. RAIN CHANCES RETURN TO THE FORECAST EARLY NEXT WEEK. AC && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF SET BKN LINE OF TSRA WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST...MAY IMPACT KMKL OVER NEXT 1-2 HOURS. HAVE THROWN IN AN ADDITIONAL TEMPO GROUP. OTHERWISE...ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR AFTER 19-20Z AHEAD OF COLD FRONT. ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE INTO EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS. HARD TO PINPOINT EXACT TIMING THUS HAVE PICKED OUT BEST 4 HOURS FOR A TEMPO GROUP AND HAVE LEFT VCTS AT OTHER TIMES. VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH 6Z UNLESS THUNDERSTORM MOVES OVER A TAF SITE. LOW CIGS (800-1500FT) AND POSSIBLY SOME FOG(3-5SM BR) WILL DEVELOP OR MOVE INTO THE CWA AFTER 6Z. CIGS AND VSBYS WILL GRADUALLY LIFT BY 15-16Z. HOWEVER MVFR CIGS WILL LKLY PREVAIL THROUGH END OF TAF SET. S-SW WINDS WILL TURN AROUND TO THE N AND EVENTUALLY TO THE NE BEHIND FRONT. SPDS WILL GENERALLY BE 5-7 KTS THROUGH 12Z...INCREASING TO 8-10 KTS BY END OF TAF SET. KRM && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 65 73 60 81 / 90 40 0 0 MKL 63 72 58 80 / 90 50 0 0 JBR 62 71 57 81 / 90 10 0 0 TUP 66 76 60 81 / 70 70 20 10 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 456 AM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-041200- 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- 456 AM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE MID SOUTH TODAY AS A COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVE ACROSS THE AREA AND INTERACTS WITH A MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE. THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER RISK WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...ALTHOUGH SOME LARGE HAIL IS POSSIBLE AS WELL. THE MOST PROBABLE TIME FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A FEW STRONG STORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI ON THURSDAY. OTHERWISE THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER WILL BE LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS. JLH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 335 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ARZ058-032100- PHILLIPS AR- 335 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... WESTERN PHILLIPS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF ELAINE AT 335 PM CDT... MOVING NORTHEAST 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 PHILLIPS COUNTY...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR ELAINE...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES OLD TOWN LAKE.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
349 PM CDT WED JUN 03 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0152 PM TSTM WND DMG SPRING CREEK 35.77N 88.68W
06/03/2009 MADISON TN EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 70 NEAR SPRING CREEK.
TREES DOWN ALSO ON HIGHWAY 152 BETWEEN SPRING CREEK AND
INTERSTATE 40...AND ON DOAK MASON ROAD. ONE TREE WAS ALSO
DOWN ON HIGHWAY 412 EAST.
0321 PM HAIL BOBO 34.13N 90.68W
06/03/2009 E0.88 INCH COAHOMA MS EMERGENCY MNGR
NICKEL HAIL AT THE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT IN BOBO.
&&
CCDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 350 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 MSZ005-006-009-TNZ092-032115- ALCORN MS-TISHOMINGO MS-PRENTISS MS-HARDIN TN- 350 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... EASTERN ALCORN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTH CENTRAL PRENTISS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHERN TISHOMINGO COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... SOUTHWESTERN HARDIN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 3 MILES EAST OF HINKLE AT 350 PM CDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM IS NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE ANTICIPATED. PEOPLE IN ALCORN...HARDIN...PRENTISS AND TISHOMINGO COUNTIES... INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR JCOLEMAN STATE PARK...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 451 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 TNZ001>003-019-020-032245- GIBSON TN-WEAKLEY TN-LAKE TN-OBION TN-DYER TN- 451 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHEASTERN DYER COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTHWESTERN GIBSON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... SOUTHEASTERN LAKE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... OBION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTHWESTERN WEAKLEY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED FROM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF UNION CITY TO 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF COTTONWOOD GROVE AT 451 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THESE STORMS ARE INTENSIFYING AND COULD BECOME SEVERE RAPIDLY. PEOPLE IN DYER...GIBSON...LAKE...OBION AND WEAKLEY COUNTIES... INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR MARTIN...REELFOOT LAKE STATE PARK AND UNION CITY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 459 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ARZ009-018-032130- CLAY AR-GREENE AR- 459 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... CENTRAL CLAY COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... NORTHEASTERN GREENE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF CORNING AT 400 PM CDT... MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM IS NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE ANTICIPATED. PEOPLE IN CLAY AND GREENE COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR CORNING AND RECTOR...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 625 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ARZ028-TNZ048-049-040000- MISSISSIPPI AR-LAUDERDALE TN-TIPTON TN- 625 PM CDT WED JUN 3 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... SOUTHERN LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTH CENTRAL TIPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED FROM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF FT PILLOW TO 4 MILES EAST OF MARIE AT 625 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 10 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THESE STORMS ARE INTENSIFYING AND COULD BECOME SEVERE RAPIDLY. PEOPLE IN LAUDERDALE...MISSISSIPPI AND TIPTON COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR FORT PILLOW STATE PARK AND RIPLEY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES SUNK LAKE AND THE CHUTE.
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:32 UTC.
3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in portions of Craighead County. Highway 63 and Highway 230 near Bono were flooded.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in portions of Craighead County. Numerous streets in Jonesboro were flooded. In addition, a few roads near Bay were under water as well.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding across portions of Poinsett County. Highway 158 near Greenfield was flooded as a result.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, June 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: 177247, 185470, 177250.