Daytime heating combined with abundant tropical moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Claudette produced showers and thunderstorms over the Mid-South in the late afternoon and evening hours of August 18th, 2009. Some of the storms produced locally heavy rainfall which caused 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.
Daytime heating combined with abundant tropical moisture from the remnants of Tropical Storm Claudette produced showers and thunderstorms over the Mid-South in the late afternoon and evening hours of August 18th, 2009. Some of the storms produced locally heavy rainfall 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 Aug 18, 5:47 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 647 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 .UPDATE... UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION FOR 00Z TAFS. && .DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 343 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009/ DISCUSSION... SCATTERED DIURNAL THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE MIDSOUTH... IN A WEAKLY CAPPED TROPICAL AIRMASS. A FEW STRONG STORMS WERE NOTED OVER NORTHEAST AR...IN A LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY AXIS AND IN PROXIMITY TO A MIDLEVEL SHORTWAVE LIFTING INTO SOUTHWEST MO. EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO GRADUALLY DISSIPATE WITH THE LOSS OF SURFACE HEATING THIS EVENING. CANNOT RULE OUT A ISOLATED SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM BEYOND MIDEVENING... BUT WILL HOLD POPS BELOW 20 PERCENT BEYOND MIDEVENING. EXPECT ADDITIONAL ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON WEDNESDAY...PEAKING IN COVERAGE DURING THE AFTERNOON. AN UNSEASONABLY DEEP UPPER LEVEL LONGWAVE TROF WILL DROP INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON THURSDAY... CARVED OUT BY AN UPPER LEVEL JET DIVING FROM SOUTHWEST CANADA INTO THE LOWER/MID MS RIVER VALLEY. THIS WILL HELP DRIVE A STRONG SURFACE COLD FRONT INTO THE MIDSOUTH THURSDAY EVENING. NAM12 MODEL PROGS CAPES AT OR BELOW 1000 J/KG AHEAD OF THE SURFACE FRONT...BUT THERE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FORCING FOR A FEW SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH THURSDAY EVENING. FRIDAY SHOULD SEE STORMS PUSH OFF TO THE SOUTH...REPLACED BY CLEARING SKIES AND MODIFIED CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE. HAVE REFRAINED FROM UNDERCUTTING GFS MEX MOS TEMPS TOO MUCH AT THIS EARLY STAGE... BUT IT APPEARS THAT THE MODEL IS HEDGING ITS BETS A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO CLIMATOLOGY FOR TEMPS AND DEWPOINTS. IN ANY CASE...THE UPCOMING WEEKEND WILL BE COOLER...LESS HUMID AND FREE OF RAIN. PWB && .AVIATION... THROUGH 02Z...TSRA WILL BE NEAR KMEM...THOUGH NOT SURE IF SITE WILL BE DIRECTLY AFFECTED. KEPT TEMPO 00-01Z FOR MVFR -TSRA AND VRB GUSTY WINDS. VCSH AND BRIEF GUSTY WINDS MAY AFFECT KMKL. 02-08Z...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AT ALL TAFS. THINK THAT ALL TSRA/SHRA WILL DISSIPATE BY 02Z. 08-16Z...WILL MONITOR FOR MVFR CONDITIONS AT ALL TAF SITES... AND POSSIBLE IFR CONDITIONS...PARTICULARLY AT KMKL AND KTUP. CONFIDENCE OF MVFR/IFR CONDITIONS ARE LOWEST AT KMEM AND KJBR...SO KEPT VFR CONDITIONS FOR NOW. KTUP HAS THE HIGHEST CHANCE FOR MVFR CONDITIONS...WHICH MAY BE CLOSE TO IFR WITH CEILINGS POSSIBLY AROUND 800 FT AGL. AFTER 16Z...MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH INCREASING SOUTH WINDS...8-12 KTS. EXPECT DEVELOPMENT OF TSRA/SHRA AT ALL TAF SITES BY 20Z...SO INCLUDED VCTS. MBS && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 73 89 75 90 / 20 40 20 40 MKL 70 88 72 89 / 30 50 20 50 JBR 72 90 73 88 / 30 40 20 40 TUP 72 87 72 88 / 20 60 20 50 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 609 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 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>092-200115- 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- 609 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL OCCUR THROUGH 9 PM CDT ROUGHLY WITHIN 50 MILES NORTH OR SOUTH OF A HELENA ARKANSAS TO MEMPHIS TO UNION CITY TENNESSEE LINE. THE MAIN HAZARD IS FLASH FLOODING AS 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL OR LOCALLY MORE CAN BE EXPECTED. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 60 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE AS WELL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH FROM THE NORTHWEST LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED IN A FEW LOCATIONS ROUGHLY WITHIN 50 MILES NORTH OR SOUTH OF A HELENA ARKANSAS TO MEMPHIS TO UNION CITY TENNESSEE LINE THROUGH 9 PM CDT. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY. MBS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 335 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 ARZ018-026-MOZ113-182100- CRAIGHEAD AR-GREENE AR-DUNKLIN MO- 335 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHEASTERN CRAIGHEAD COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... SOUTHERN GREENE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN DUNKLIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF BROOKLAND AT 335 PM CDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 5 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 CRAIGHEAD...DUNKLIN AND GREENE COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR BROOKLAND AND PARAGOULD...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 503 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 MOZ113-115-TNZ001-002-019-182245- DUNKLIN MO-PEMISCOT MO-LAKE TN-OBION TN-DYER TN- 503 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... DYER COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... LAKE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... OBION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... SOUTHEASTERN DUNKLIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI... PEMISCOT COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED FROM 8 MILES WEST OF CLAYTON TO 4 MILES EAST OF HORNERSVILLE AT 503 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 65 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE ANTICIPATED. PEOPLE IN DUNKLIN...DYER...LAKE...OBION AND PEMISCOT COUNTIES... INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR CARUTHERSVILLE...DYERSBURG...HAYTI... REELFOOT LAKE STATE PARK...STEELE AND UNION CITY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES REELFOOT LAKE.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
504 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0503 PM FLASH FLOOD MARMADUKE 36.19N 90.39W
08/18/2009 GREENE AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL ROADS FLOODED IN MARMADUKE.
&&
MBSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 556 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 ARZ028-TNZ001>003-019-020-048-050-051-182330- MISSISSIPPI AR-CROCKETT TN-LAUDERDALE TN-GIBSON TN-WEAKLEY TN-LAKE TN-OBION TN-HAYWOOD TN-DYER TN- 556 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHEASTERN MISSISSIPPI COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... NORTHWESTERN CROCKETT COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... DYER COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTHWESTERN GIBSON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... SOUTH CENTRAL LAKE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... OBION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... WESTERN WEAKLEY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTHWESTERN HAYWOOD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTHERN LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING 40 TO 45 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED FROM 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF CLAYTON TO 3 MILES NORTHWEST OF ASHPORT AT 556 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE ANTICIPATED. PEOPLE IN CROCKETT...DYER...GIBSON...HAYWOOD...LAKE...LAUDERDALE... MISSISSIPPI...OBION AND WEAKLEY COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR DYERSBURG...LUXORA...MARTIN...RIPLEY AND UNION CITY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES CHISHOLM LAKE AND OPEN LAKE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 621 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 TNZ088-182345- SHELBY TN- 621 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTH CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTH OF FRAYSER AT 621 PM CDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 10 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM IS NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE ANTICIPATED. PEOPLE IN SHELBY COUNTY...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR MILLINGTON... SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM CDT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 748 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 TNZ088-190115- SHELBY TN- 748 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... SHELBY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTH OF LAKELAND AT 749 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. THIS STORM IS NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE AND NO WARNINGS ARE ANTICIPATED. PEOPLE IN SHELBY COUNTY...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR BARTLETT... CORDOVA...GERMANTOWN...MEEHAM SHELBY FOREST STATE PARK...MIDTOWN MEMPHIS AND MILLINGTON...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES LAKE MCKELLAR.
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 25 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:18 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in East Memphis. The intersection of Poplar Avenue and Walnut Grove Road had three feet of water covering the road.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding at the intersection of Kirby Parkway and Cottingham Place.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, August 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: 192947, 192948.