An upper level disturbance combined with a subtropical airmass to produce numerous showers and thunderstorms across North Mississippi. Some of these storms produced heavy rain that resulted in 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.
An upper level disturbance combined with a subtropical airmass to produce numerous showers and thunderstorms across North Mississippi. Some of these storms produced heavy rain that resulted in 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 24, 2:29 PM CST, 4 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 329 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009 .DISCUSSION... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO SWIRL AROUND A TROPICAL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER EAST CENTRAL ARKANSAS. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AS THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM VERY SLOWLY MOVES OFF TO THE WEST. CONTINUED WITH HIGH POPS FOR THIS EVENING AS THE SURFACE LOW WILL BE NEARBY ALONG WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE REMAINING OVER THE AREA. SURFACE LOW WILL BE SITUATED ACROSS CENTRAL ARKANSAS ON MONDAY AS THE MIDSOUTH REMAINS IN A MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE BEST CHANCES ACROSS NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA. CONVECTION SHOULD DIE OFF MONDAY NIGHT ESPECIALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. AN UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN WILL REMAIN OVER THE MIDSOUTH TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS MAINLY DIURNAL CONVECTION CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE AREA. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR SEASONAL NORMALS WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 80S. NIGHTS WILL GENERALLY BE WARM AND MUGGY WITH LOWS NEAR 70 DEGREES. THE ABOVE MENTIONED SURFACE LOW WILL FINALLY CLEAR THE REGION AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE MIDSOUTH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL ACCOMPANY THIS COLD FRONT HELPING TO PUSH THIS FRONT THROUGH MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY THURSDAY. THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON THURSDAY ALONG THE FRONT BEFORE HIGH PRESSURE IS ABLE TO MOVE INTO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT/FRIDAY. BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT IN KEEPING NEXT WEEKEND DRY AS HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE OHIO VALLEY AND GREAT LAKES AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SEASONABLE WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 80S AND LOWS IN THE 60S DURING THIS TIME FRAME. KNS && .AVIATION... 18Z TAFS TROPICAL SURFACE LOW WAS CENTERED ABOUT 90NM SOUTHWEST OF KMEM AT 17Z...DRIVING NORTHWEST AROUND 10KTS. THE POSITION OF THE LOW PUTS THE MIDSOUTH IN THE WARM SECTOR THIS AFTERNOON. 12Z NAM MODEL CONTINUES TO PLACE LOW TO MODERATE INSTABILITY OVER NORTH MS... THROUGH SOUTHWEST TN... INTO NORTHEAST AR THROUGH 00Z. TAFS WERE UPDATED EARLIER FOR ADDITION OF THUNDER AND ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE FOR THE 18Z SCHEDULED ISSUANCE. LOW MVFR AND IFR CIGS APPEAR IN STORE FOR LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT PERIODS...THROUGH THE GFS LAMP GUIDANCE MAY BE OVERDONE JUST A BIT. CIGS SHOULD IMPROVE TO SOLID MVFR BY AROUND 15Z MONDAY. PWB && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 69 81 69 84 / 70 80 50 60 MKL 68 80 68 83 / 70 80 40 60 JBR 67 80 67 83 / 90 90 60 60 TUP 68 82 68 84 / 50 70 30 60 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 510 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 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>092-260015- 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- 510 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A FEW ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING OVER THE MID SOUTH. HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...AND PEA SIZE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN HAZARDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY STORM DAMAGE OR FLASH FLOODING TO THE MEMPHIS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. JLH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 604 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009 TNZ048-050-242330- LAUDERDALE TN-HAYWOOD TN- 604 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHWESTERN HAYWOOD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... CENTRAL LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED OVER NUTBUSH AT 604 PM CDT...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 10 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS SHOWING INCREASED ROTATION AND WILL BE MONITORED FOR A POSSIBLE TORNADO WARNING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MINUTES IF THE ROTATION INCREASES IN STRENGTH. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM IS INTENSIFYING AND COULD BECOME SEVERE RAPIDLY. PEOPLE IN HAYWOOD AND LAUDERDALE COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR RIPLEY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
614 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0436 PM FLASH FLOOD JONESBORO 35.82N 90.69W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
STREET FLOODING WIDESPREAD ACROSS CITY. NO HOMES
IMPACTED.
0510 PM FLASH FLOOD LAKE CITY 35.82N 90.45W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 63 FLOODING. NO HOMES
IMPACTED AT THIS TIME.
0514 PM TORNADO 1 S HELOISE 36.04N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO ALONG HWY 104 AND GREAT RIVER ROAD MOVING
NORTHWEST ALONG OPEN FARM LAND. NO DAMAGE REPORTED.
0535 PM TORNADO 1 SE STEELE 36.07N 89.83W
05/24/2009 PEMISCOT MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
SIGHTING OF TORNADO AT COTTONWOOD POINT ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN PEMISCOTT COUNTY. NO DAMAGE REPORTED
AS MOST OF THIS AREA IS OPEN FARMLAND.
&&
MRMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
644 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0436 PM FLASH FLOOD JONESBORO 35.82N 90.69W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
STREET FLOODING WIDESPREAD ACROSS CITY. NO HOMES
IMPACTED.
0510 PM FLASH FLOOD LAKE CITY 35.82N 90.45W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 63 FLOODING. NO HOMES
IMPACTED AT THIS TIME.
0514 PM TORNADO 1 S HELOISE 36.04N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO ALONG HWY 104 AND GREAT RIVER ROAD MOVING
NORTHWEST ALONG OPEN FARM LAND. NO DAMAGE REPORTED.
0525 PM TORNADO 7 S HELOISE 35.95N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO SPOTTED ON FARM LAND AROUND BRADLEY ROAD AND
OBION RIVER BRIDGE. NO DAMAGE REPORTED.
0535 PM TORNADO 1 SE STEELE 36.07N 89.83W
05/24/2009 PEMISCOT MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
SIGHTING OF TORNADO AT COTTONWOOD POINT ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN PEMISCOTT COUNTY. NO DAMAGE REPORTED
AS MOST OF THIS AREA IS OPEN FARMLAND.
0625 PM TORNADO 7 S HELOISE 35.95N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO NEAR BRADLEY ROAD AND OBION RIVER NEAR COMMUNITY
OF CHIC
&&
MRMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 644 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009 ARZ027-035-250015- CROSS AR-POINSETT AR- 644 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTH CENTRAL CROSS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... WESTERN POINSETT COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 3 MILES WEST OF CHERRY VALLEY AT 644 PM CDT...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM IS INDICATING STRENGTHENING ROTATION AND A TORNADO WARNING MAY BECOME NECESSARY IF THE ROTATION STRENGTHENS FURTHER. VERY HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM IS INTENSIFYING AND COULD BECOME SEVERE RAPIDLY. PEOPLE IN CROSS AND POINSETT COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
703 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0436 PM FLASH FLOOD JONESBORO 35.82N 90.69W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
STREET FLOODING WIDESPREAD ACROSS CITY. NO HOMES
IMPACTED.
0510 PM FLASH FLOOD LAKE CITY 35.82N 90.45W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 63 FLOODING. NO HOMES
IMPACTED AT THIS TIME.
0514 PM TORNADO 1 S HELOISE 36.04N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO ALONG HWY 104 AND GREAT RIVER ROAD MOVING
NORTHWEST ALONG OPEN FARM LAND. NO DAMAGE REPORTED.
0525 PM TORNADO 7 S HELOISE 35.95N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO SPOTTED ON FARM LAND AROUND BRADLEY ROAD AND
OBION RIVER BRIDGE. NO DAMAGE REPORTED.
0535 PM TORNADO 1 SE STEELE 36.07N 89.83W
05/24/2009 PEMISCOT MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
SIGHTING OF TORNADO AT COTTONWOOD POINT ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN PEMISCOTT COUNTY. NO DAMAGE REPORTED
AS MOST OF THIS AREA IS OPEN FARMLAND.
0625 PM TORNADO 7 S HELOISE 35.95N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO NEAR BRADLEY ROAD AND OBION RIVER NEAR COMMUNITY
OF CHIC
0657 PM FLASH FLOOD 3 N BROOKLAND 35.94N 90.58W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR TRAINED SPOTTER
FLOODING ALONG COUNTY ROAD 792. SEVERAL OTHER ROADS
FLOODED BETWEEN JONESBORO AND BROOKLAND
&&
MRMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
720 PM CDT SUN MAY 24 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0436 PM FLASH FLOOD JONESBORO 35.82N 90.69W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
STREET FLOODING WIDESPREAD ACROSS CITY. NO HOMES
IMPACTED.
0510 PM FLASH FLOOD LAKE CITY 35.82N 90.45W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 63 FLOODING. NO HOMES
IMPACTED AT THIS TIME.
0514 PM TORNADO 1 S HELOISE 36.04N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO ALONG HWY 104 AND GREAT RIVER ROAD MOVING
NORTHWEST ALONG OPEN FARM LAND. NO DAMAGE REPORTED.
0525 PM TORNADO 7 S HELOISE 35.95N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO SPOTTED ON FARM LAND AROUND BRADLEY ROAD AND
OBION RIVER BRIDGE. NO DAMAGE REPORTED.
0535 PM TORNADO 1 SE STEELE 36.07N 89.83W
05/24/2009 PEMISCOT MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
SIGHTING OF TORNADO AT COTTONWOOD POINT ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN PEMISCOTT COUNTY. NO DAMAGE REPORTED
AS MOST OF THIS AREA IS OPEN FARMLAND.
0625 PM TORNADO 7 S HELOISE 35.95N 89.67W
05/24/2009 DYER TN EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO NEAR BRADLEY ROAD AND OBION RIVER NEAR COMMUNITY
OF CHIC
0657 PM FLASH FLOOD 3 N BROOKLAND 35.94N 90.58W
05/24/2009 CRAIGHEAD AR TRAINED SPOTTER
FLOODING ALONG COUNTY ROAD 792. SEVERAL OTHER ROADS
FLOODED BETWEEN JONESBORO AND BROOKLAND
0710 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 6 SE WALDENBURG 35.50N 90.86W
05/24/2009 POINSETT AR FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
LARGE FUNNEL CLOUD SPOTTED 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
WALDENBURG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 14
&&
MRMThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 143 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:44 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain flooded several streets in the city of Clarksdale.
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: 175301.