A thunderstorm complex developed over Oklahoma during the early morning hours of June 15th, 2009. The complex moved east along a stationary front eventually moving into the Mid-South during the day continuing into the early evening hours on June 15th, 2009.
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 thunderstorm complex developed over Oklahoma during the early morning hours of June 15th, 2009. The complex moved east along a stationary front eventually moving into the Mid-South during the day continuing into the early evening hours on June 15th, 2009. Many storms became severe producing large hail, damaging winds, 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 15, 11:40 AM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1240 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009 .UPDATE... UPDATE FOR 18Z TAF DISCUSSION. && .DISCUSSION... && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1032 AM CDT MON JUN 15 2009/ UPDATE... ACTIVE WEATHER DAY IN STORE FOR THE MID-SOUTH WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. UPDATED TO MAKE A FEW MINOR CHANGES BUT EARLIER FORECAST STILL ON TRACK. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WAS CENTERED ALONG THE NORTHWESTERN GULF THIS MORNING WITH THE MID-SOUTH ON THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THIS RIDGE. UPPER LEVEL HEIGHTS WERE SLOWLY INCREASING WHICH WILL MAY HELP TO SUPPRESS CONVECTION A LITTLE OVER PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL AR AND NORTHWEST MS. LOCATIONS SUCH AS CLARKSDALE MS WILL HAVE THE LEAST CHANCE FOR RAIN. OTHERWISE...A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE WILL COMBINE WITH SEVERAL FEATURES TO CAUSE SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS. SURFACE BASED CAPES ARE FORECAST TO CLIMB TO BETWEEN 4000 AND 5000 J/KG WITH LIFTED INCITES AROUND MINUS 9 ACROSS MUCH OF THE MID-SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON. SATELLITE SHOWS AN MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE VORTEX FROM EARLIER CONVECTION LOCATED OVER EASTERN AR. THIS FEATURE WILL MOVE INTO NORTHEAST AR...THE MO BOOTHEEL...AND WEST TN THIS AFTERNOON. MEANWHILE...A SURFACE BOUNDARY STRETCHED FROM NORTHEAST AR ACROSS SOUTHWEST TN THIS MORNING. THIS BOUNDARY WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD AS A WARM FRONT TODAY. MEANWHILE...CONVECTION HAS ALREADY FIRED ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST TN WHICH IS MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST. THINK THESE FEATURES WILL LEAD TO SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS OVER MUCH OF THE MID-SOUTH...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE MAIN THREATS. JCL PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 346 AM CDT MON JUN 15 2009/ SHORT RANGE...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS WERE MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN ARKANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING...MOVING INTO WEST TENNESSEE AND THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL. A STATIONARY FRONT WAS DRAPED ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN MISSOURI TO SOUTHWESTERN KENTUCKY. SOUTH OF THE FRONT TEMPERATURES RANGED FROM THE UPPER 60S TO MID 70S AND DEWPOINTS FROM THE MID 60S TO LOWER 70S. WINDS WERE GENERALLY LIGHT AND VARIABLE. THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST-CENTRAL MISSOURI SHOWING SIGNS OF INCREASING OVER THE PAST HOUR. A DEVELOPING MCV OVER CENTRAL OKLAHOMA IS TREKKING EASTWARD. THE STORMS/DISTURBANCE MENTIONED ABOVE WILL RIDE ALONG THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST PERIPHERY OF THE MID LEVEL HIGH CENTERED OVER SOUTH TEXAS. THUS STEERING FLOW WOULD BRING THESE FEATURES INTO OUR AREA BY THIS AFTERNOON. MODELS INDICATE BEST INSTABILITY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE AFOREMENTIONED FRONT. BOTH THE NAM AND GFS AGREE THAT CAPES IN EXCESS OF 3500 J/KG AND LI/S OF AT LEAST -6 C WILL OCCUR BY EARLY AFTERNOON OVER THE MID SOUTH. THUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE WITH DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS. BY TONIGHT...THE MID LEVEL HIGH BUILDS A LITTLE FARTHER EAST. THIS SHOULD AID IN PUSHING ACTIVITY FARTHER NORTH. THUS HIGHER RAIN CHANCES WILL OCCUR OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH TUESDAY. SOME SEVERE WEATHER IS ALSO NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF INSTABILITY OVER THIS AREA. BY WEDNESDAY...THE MID LEVEL HIGH SHOULD BUILD A LITTLE FARTHER NORTH HELPING TO SQUASH RAIN CHANCES OVER THE AREA. HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE WEEK. AC LONG RANGE...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 00Z ECMWF/GFS MODEL RUN OVERALL IN DECENT AGREEMENT WITH UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BRINGING VERY HOT TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 90S AND MAINLY DRY WEATHER TO THE MID SOUTH THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. LONG RANGE MODELS INDICATE ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL DROP INTO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY AND CONTINUED SLIGHT TO LOW END CHANCE POPS DURING THIS TIME FRAME. BEHIND THE FRONT...HIGH PRESSURE WILL RE- ESTABLISH ITSELF ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. CJC AVIATION... 18Z TAF CYCLE CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ALONG A BOUNDARY FROM SOUTHERN MO THROUGH NORTHEAST AR INTO WESTERN TN. THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THIS BOUNDARY WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR TOPS TO 50 KFT...HAIL DIAMETERS TO 1.25 INCHES...WIND GUSTS TO 60 KTS AND IFR VSBYS DUE TO LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. JBR AND MKL WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING NEAR THIS BOUNDARY...WHILE MEM COULD SEE CONVECTION DUE TO DAYTIME HEATING. EXPECT CONVECTION TO DIMINISH AFTER 02 UTC DUE TO THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. OKULSKI && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 75 95 75 95 / 30 20 10 10 MKL 72 93 71 95 / 30 30 10 10 JBR 74 91 73 94 / 30 30 10 10 TUP 71 95 72 96 / 20 10 10 10 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1044 AM CDT MON JUN 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- 1044 AM CDT MON JUN 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 THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE MID-SOUTH THROUGH THIS EVENING. THE BEST TIME FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS NOW UNTIL 8 PM. THE MAIN THREATS FROM THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVE ACROSS THE MID-SOUTH WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH... HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY. THE RISK AREA IS IS ALONG AND NORTH OF A HARRISBURG ARKANSAS TO IUKA MISSISSIPPI LINE. THE MAIN THREATS FROM STORMS THAT DEVELOP ON TUESDAY WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION HAS BEEN REQUESTED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA INTO THIS EVENING...AND MAY BECOME NECESSARY OVER MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF THE MID-SOUTH. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TUESDAY. JCL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1106 AM CDT MON JUN 15 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0945 AM HAIL TROY 36.34N 89.16W
06/15/2009 E0.50 INCH OBION TN PUBLIC
HAIL DIME SIZED
1045 AM HAIL HUMBOLDT 35.82N 88.91W
06/15/2009 M1.00 INCH GIBSON TN TRAINED SPOTTER
1105 AM TSTM WND DMG MILAN 35.92N 88.75W
06/15/2009 GIBSON TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN IN TOWN. PEA SIZE HAIL AT POLICE STATION
&&
JABPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1117 AM CDT MON JUN 15 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0945 AM HAIL TROY 36.34N 89.16W
06/15/2009 E0.50 INCH OBION TN PUBLIC
HAIL DIME SIZED
1045 AM HAIL HUMBOLDT 35.82N 88.91W
06/15/2009 M1.00 INCH GIBSON TN TRAINED SPOTTER
1105 AM TSTM WND DMG MILAN 35.92N 88.75W
06/15/2009 GIBSON TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN IN TOWN. PEA SIZE HAIL AT POLICE STATION
1106 AM TSTM WND GST MILAN 35.92N 88.75W
06/15/2009 E60.00 MPH GIBSON TN PUBLIC
TRAFFIC LIGHTS OUT AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 45 AND
70.
&&
JABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1257 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009 TNZ020-021-151845- CARROLL TN-GIBSON TN- 1257 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHWESTERN CARROLL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... EAST CENTRAL GIBSON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTH OF MILAN AT 1258 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 CARROLL AND GIBSON COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR HUNTINGDON AND MILAN...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 145 PM CDT. .A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALERT AREA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 105 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009 ARZ008-009-151845- CLAY AR-RANDOLPH AR- 105 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... WESTERN CLAY COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... EASTERN RANDOLPH COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED OVER POCAHONTAS AT 106 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 CLAY AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR POCAHONTAS...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 145 PM CDT. .A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALERT AREA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 125 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009 MOZ113-115-151915- DUNKLIN MO-PEMISCOT MO- 125 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... SOUTHERN DUNKLIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI... WESTERN PEMISCOT COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTH OF SENATH AT 125 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 20 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 DUNKLIN AND PEMISCOT COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR KENNETT...SENATH AND STEELE...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 215 PM CDT. .A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ALERT AREA.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
126 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0945 AM HAIL TROY 36.34N 89.16W
06/15/2009 E0.50 INCH OBION TN PUBLIC
HAIL DIME SIZED
1045 AM HAIL HUMBOLDT 35.82N 88.91W
06/15/2009 M1.00 INCH GIBSON TN TRAINED SPOTTER
1105 AM TSTM WND DMG MILAN 35.92N 88.75W
06/15/2009 GIBSON TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES DOWN IN TOWN. PEA SIZE HAIL AT POLICE STATION
1106 AM TSTM WND GST MILAN 35.92N 88.75W
06/15/2009 E60.00 MPH GIBSON TN PUBLIC
TRAFFIC LIGHTS OUT AT THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 45 AND
70.
0110 PM HAIL 1 SW TREZEVANT 36.00N 88.63W
06/15/2009 E0.88 INCH CARROLL TN PUBLIC
HAIL RANGED FROM PEA TO NICKEL SIZE AND LASTED TEN
MINUTES.
&&
JABThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused a roadway ditch to overflow and flood a nearby pasture.
Golfball size hail fell across southern portions of Denton.
Winds were estimated at 60 mph in Steele.
Ping pong to golf ball size hail fell around Steele.
Quarter to golf ball size hail fell in Cooter.
Winds were estimated between 60 and 70 mph southwest of Cooter.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, 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: 183037, 183042, 183038, 183044, 183047, 183307.