A cold front moved through the Mid-South during the early morning hours of July 26th, 2009. Showers and thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front.
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 moved through the Mid-South during the early morning hours of July 26th, 2009. Showers and thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front. The showers and storms continued into the morning hours before dying out. Some of the 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 Jul 26, 1:58 AM CST, 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 258 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009 .DISCUSSION... ACTIVE WEATHER OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE MIDSOUTH EARLY THIS MORNING. GOES WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWED A STREAMWISE SHORTWAVE EMBEDDED IN NORTHWEST FLOW DIVING SOUTHEAST THROUGH MO. THE UPPER FLOW BECOME STRONGLY DIFFLUENT DOWNSTREAM ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH. STORMS ERUPTED AROUND 05Z OVER NORTHEAST AR IN THE NOSE OF IN INSTABILITY AXIS EXTENDING UP THE AR DELTA. LOWER TO MID 70S SURFACE DEWPOINTS PREVAILED IN THIS REGION. ELEVATED INSTABILITY WAS LIKELY IN EXCESS OF 2500 J/KG... PER SPC MESOANALYSIS. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY...EXPECT A COLD FRONT OVER SOUTHERN MO TO GRADUALLY SETTLE INTO THE MIDSOUTH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OUT AHEAD OF FRONT... ALONG AN ELEVATED PREFRONTAL TROF. BY MID EVENING...EXPECT POST SHORTWAVE SUBSIDENCE AND SLIGHTLY DRIER LOW LEVEL AIR TO LIMIT RAIN CHANCES NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40. MONDAY SHOULD SEE LOW LEVEL RETURN FLOW GRADUALLY STRENGTHEN OVERTAKING WHAT/S LEFT OF THE STALLED FRONT. EXPECT MONDAY/S CONVECTION TO BE RELATIVELY UNORGANIZED...GIVEN THE LACK OF ANY SIGNIFICANT FORCING. UPPER LEVEL FLOW BECOMES WEST/SOUTHWESTERLY ACROSS THE LOWER MS RIVER VALLEY TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY. A SERIES OF EJECTING SHORTWAVES WILL TAP INTO DEEP MOISTURE OVER THE MIDSOUTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. EXPECT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CLOUDS EACH DAY... WHICH WILL LIKELY LIMIT LOW LEVEL INSTABILITY. WILL CONTINUE WITH 40 TO 50 POPS IN THE MIDWEEK PERIODS. UPPER HEIGHTS WILL LIKELY BUILD LATE IN THE WEEK...BUT THE MIDSOUTH SHOULD STILL REMAIN NEAR THE PERIPHERY OF FASTER NORTHWESTERLY FLOW. CONVECTIVE INHIBITION WILL REMAIN LIMITED...WITH SURFACE DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER 70S...TEMPS NEAR 90...AND THE LIKELY PASSAGE OF SHORTWAVES ALONG THE PERIPHERY OF THE UPPER RIDGE. PWB && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD. HOWEVER... LOWER CEILINGS/VISIBILITIES ARE POSSIBLE IN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH KJBR AROUND 14Z...THEN STALL NEAR KMEM AND KMKL. CONFIDENCE IN TIMING SHRA / TSRA IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO ALLOW MENTIONING ANYMORE THAN VCSH / VCTS IN THE TAFS FOR NOW. SW 5-10 KTS WINDS WILL TURN TO THE WNW-NW WITH FRONTAL PASSAGE. JCL/KRM && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 90 71 90 73 / 50 20 20 10 MKL 86 66 89 66 / 50 20 20 10 JBR 88 68 89 70 / 20 10 20 10 TUP 88 69 90 69 / 50 30 20 20 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 313 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 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>092-271100- 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- 313 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 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 CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EARLY THIS MORNING... OVER NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND WEST TENNESSEE. BY MIDMORNING... THE SLIGHT RISK WILL SHIFT TO AREAS TO THE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREATS TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THIS WEEK. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE...AND A FEW STORMS MAY REACH SEVERE LIMITS. THERE WILL BE A POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...ESPECIALLY DURING THE MIDWEEK PERIODS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY TODAY...SOUTH OF A WALNUT RIDGE ARKANSAS TO PARIS TENNESSEE LINE. PWB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1216 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009 ARZ009-018-MOZ113-260600- CLAY AR-GREENE AR-DUNKLIN MO- 1216 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... CLAY COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... NORTHERN GREENE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... CENTRAL DUNKLIN COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI... A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED FROM 5 MILES WEST OF MCDOUGAL TO 4 MILES NORTH OF DELAPLAINE AT 1216 AM 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 CLAY...DUNKLIN AND GREENE COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR CAMPBELL...CHALK BLUFF NATURAL AREA...CORNING...MARMADUKE... PIGGOTT AND RECTOR...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 101 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009 ARZ009-MOZ113-115-260645- CLAY AR-DUNKLIN MO-PEMISCOT MO- 101 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... EASTERN CLAY COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... CENTRAL 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 4 MILES EAST OF PIGGOTT AT 101 AM 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 CLAY...DUNKLIN AND PEMISCOT COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR CAMPBELL...HAYTI...KENNETT AND PIGGOTT...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 141 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009 ARZ018-026-028-260730- CRAIGHEAD AR-MISSISSIPPI AR-GREENE AR- 141 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... NORTHEASTERN CRAIGHEAD COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL GREENE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... NORTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED OVER BROOKLAND AT 141 AM 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 CRAIGHEAD...GREENE AND MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR BROOKLAND...LAKE CITY...LEACHVILLE AND MONETTE... SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
224 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0215 AM FLASH FLOOD CARUTHERSVILLE 36.18N 89.67W
07/26/2009 PEMISCOT MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
MINOR ROAD FLOODING
&&
RJOPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
259 AM CDT SUN JUL 26 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0215 AM FLASH FLOOD CARUTHERSVILLE 36.18N 89.67W
07/26/2009 PEMISCOT MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
MINOR ROAD FLOODING
0255 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 S CARUTHERSVILLE 36.15N 89.67W
07/26/2009 PEMISCOT MO LAW ENFORCEMENT
POWER LINES DOWN AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO RESIDENCES.
&&
RJOThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:21 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind, 3 lightning, 2 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds knocked a tree down onto a house in Dyersburg. In addition, a tree fell down on Fort Hudson Road.
Straight line winds knocked several trees down in Huntingdon.
Straight line winds knocked several trees and tree limbs down across Bruceton including two in the city park.
Heavy rain washed out portions of Carter Drive in Huntingdon including a large culvert.
Straight line winds knocked down several trees along Fayne Road outside of Brighton.
Straight line winds knocked several trees down in Midtown and East Memphis. Several streets were blocked as a result including the intersection of Holmes and Malone, the intersection of Madison and Cox, Oakley Avenue, the intersection of Orchid and National and the intersection of Greer and Southern Avenue.
A lightning strike caught a house on fire south of Germantown. The house sustained damage from the fire.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in portions of Memphis. Interstate 240 at Walnut Grove Road had the inside lane flooded as a result. In addition, Interstate 40 at Sycamore View had over 3 feet of water covering one of the off ramps.
A lightning strike caused a garage to catch fire. The garage sustained damage from the fire.
A lightning strike produced a fire in a garage. The garage sustained damage from the fire.
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, July 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: 190352, 190364, 190367, 190368, 190370, 190371, 190381, 191238, 190393, 191239, 191240.