A cold front moved through the Midsouth during the morning hours of May 15th, 2009. Showers and thunderstorms developed ahead of the front.
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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.
A cold front moved through the Midsouth during the morning hours of May 15th, 2009. Showers and thunderstorms developed ahead of the front. Some of the thunderstorms produced heavy rain which caused 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 May 15, 5:00 AM CST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 600 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 324 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009/ DISCUSSION... RELATIVELY STRONG LATE SPRING COLD FRONT STILL APPEARS ON TRACK FOR A SATURDAY PASSAGE THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH. IN THE INTERIM... WILL FOLLOW A NEAR PERSISTENCE FORECAST. AT DISCUSSION TIME...RADAR SHOWED A CLUSTER OF ELEVATED STORMS OVER NORTH MS...WITH ISOLATED STORMS PERSISTING NORTH INTO TN. LOW LEVEL JET WAS CONSIDERABLY WEAKER OVER THE MIDSOUTH THIS MORNING...BUT MODIFIED 00Z JAN SOUNDING AND NAM12 SOUNDINGS SUGGEST ELEVATED CAPES OF 1000 TO 1500 J/KG...LIKELY POOLED ALONG AN ELEVATED FRONTAL SURFACE. MARGINAL MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES SHOULD KEEP THIS ACTIVITY PREDOMINATELY BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. WITH DIFFERENTIAL SURFACE HEATING...WEAK CONVECTIVE INHIBITION AND NUMEROUS CONVECTIVE BOUNDARIES... WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS THROUGH THE DAY. AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT SHOULD DROP THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH DURING MAXIMUM SURFACE HEATING ON SATURDAY. NAM12 MODEL POOLS 500 TO 100 J/KG MIXED LAYER CAPE AHEAD OF THE FRONT...LIKELY NOT ANY HIGHER DUE TO CLOUD COVER. EXPECT SUFFICIENT FRONTAL FORCING TO MORE THAN OVERCOME THE WEAK CONVECTIVE INHIBITION. BY EARLY SATURDAY EVENING...THE COLD FRONT WILL HAVE DROPPED INTO SOUTHERN MS. THIS SHOULD SIGNIFICANTLY LIMIT RAIN CHANCE SATURDAY NIGHT IF NOT FOR THE PASSAGE OF A MIDLEVEL SHORTWAVE SHOWN ON THE GFS MODEL. GIVEN THE LIMITED TO NIL POST FRONTAL INSTABILITY...THUNDER POTENTIAL AND QPF SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT. SUNDAY THROUGH MIDWEEK WILL SEE FEW CLOUDS...DRY CANADIAN AIR AND GREATER THAN NORMAL DIURNAL TEMPERATURE RANGES. GFS AND ECMWF MODELS CONTINUE TO DIFFER RATHER SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE UPPER PATTERN BEYOND MIDWEEK. THESE DIFFERENCES IMPACT THE TRACK OF A TROPICAL SYSTEM THAT BOTH MODELS DEVELOP OVER THE CARIBBEAN. 00Z GFS BRINGS THIS SYSTEM ONSHORE OVER THE CENTRAL GULF COAST...WHILE THE ECMWF KEEPS THE SYSTEM EAST...IN THE FACE WEAK NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. FOR NOW...WILL TEND CLOSER TO CLIMATOLOGY AND THE ECMWF...KEEPING LATE WEAK RAIN CHANCE LOW AND PRIMARILY DIURNAL. PWB && .AVIATION... 12Z TAF SET MORNING CONVECTION MAINLY OVER N MS SHOULD BEGIN TO DISSIPATE OVER NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE REGENERATING AFTER 18Z DUE TO DAYTIME HEATING. DO NOT EXPECT ANY TAF SITES TO BE AFFECTED THIS MORNING...ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE CLOSE AT KMKL. HAVE PUT VCTS IN FOR KMKL AND KTUP FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND FOR KMEM/KJBR WILL JUST MENTION CB. AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING ACTIVITY SHOULD DIE AROUND 1-2Z. CONVECTION AHEAD OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT MAY AFFECT KJBR AFTER 8Z. OTHERWISE...EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS OVER NEXT 24 HOURS. S WINDS WILL RANGE BTWN 8-12KTS DURING THE DAY WITH POSSIBLE GUSTS. SPDS WILL DIMINISH AFTER 00Z FOR EASTERN AREAS INCLUDING KMKL AND KTUP. KRM && && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 85 69 79 56 / 40 30 70 40 MKL 85 67 79 52 / 40 30 70 30 JBR 85 67 76 52 / 30 50 60 20 TUP 84 68 81 57 / 50 30 80 70 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 334 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 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>092-161100- 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- 334 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE MIDSOUTH TODAY...BUT THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT DROPPING THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH ON SATURDAY. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY BRIEFLY REACH SEVERE LIMITS... PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. PWB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 205 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009 MSZ012-013-021-150730- LAFAYETTE MS-PANOLA MS-YALOBUSHA MS- 205 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... WESTERN LAFAYETTE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... EASTERN PANOLA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHERN YALOBUSHA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WATER VALLEY AT 205 AM CDT...MOVING NORTH AT 15 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 LAFAYETTE...PANOLA AND YALOBUSHA COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR HOLLY SPRINGS NATIONAL FOREST...OXFORD AND WATER VALLEY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES ENID LAKE AND SARDIS LAKE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 206 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009 MSZ002-003-013-150730- BENTON MS-MARSHALL MS-LAFAYETTE MS- 206 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... SOUTHWESTERN BENTON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... EASTERN LAFAYETTE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... SOUTHEASTERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CAMBRIDGE AT 207 AM CDT... MOVING NORTH AT 15 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 BENTON...LAFAYETTE AND MARSHALL COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR OXFORD AND WALL DOXEY STATE PARK...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 526 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009 MSZ002-TNZ089-151100- MARSHALL MS-FAYETTE TN- 526 AM CDT FRI MAY 15 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... SOUTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BYHALIA AT 526 AM CDT... MOVING NORTHEAST 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 FAYETTE AND MARSHALL COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 92 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:31 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding from Potts Camp to Hickory Flat. Highway 178 and Old Highway 78 was flooded as a result.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding from Macedonia, to Etta, and to Pinedale. Highways 355 and 349 were flooded as a result.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, May 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: 173399, 173400.