A cold front approached the Mid-South during the afternoon hours of July 30th, 2009. A low pressure center developed along the front as the front moved into the area.
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 approached the Mid-South during the afternoon hours of July 30th, 2009. A low pressure center developed along the front as the front moved into the area. The low pressure helped to spawn several tornadoes across the Mid-South. In addition, other storms produced damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding into the evening hours.
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 30, 2:39 PM CST, 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
339 PM CDT THU JUL 30 2009
.DISCUSSION...
COMPLEX OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS
THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING BRINGING HEAVY RAINFALL CAUSING
FLASH FLOODING AND POSSIBLE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE
MAIN HAZARDS WITH ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS ACROSS
NORTH MISSISSIPPI AND WEST TENNESSEE WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL...ALTHOUGH CANNOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO. FEEL
PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT MOST AREAS WILL SEE RAINFALL AFTER 00Z SO
HAVE CONTINUED WITH CATEGORICAL POPS FOR TONIGHT. SURFACE LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY SITUATED ACROSS SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS WILL
MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT AND MOVE NORTHEAST OF THE
AREA BY MORNING ENDING THE HEAVY RAINFALL CHANCES. A FEW SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE PRESENT ACROSS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND
WEST TENNESSEE EARLY FRIDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL STILL BE BELOW
NORMAL ON FRIDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 80S EXPECTED.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRIEFLY BUILD ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT
GIVING WAY TO DRY CONDITIONS. BUT ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL IMPULSE
WILL MOVE THROUGH THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH STILL OVER THE REGION.
AS A RESULT...ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE
EXPECTED ON SATURDAY...SATURDAY NIGHT...AND SUNDAY. ONCE
AGAIN...BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE
ADDITIONAL CLOUD COVER AND RAINFALL ACROSS THE AREA.
SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO MONDAY WILL BE BRIEFLY DRY WITH HIGH
PRESSURE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. HOWEVER...ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE WILL GLANCE THE AREA MONDAY NIGHT BRINGING AN INCREASE
IN RAIN CHANCES FOR THE AREA. HOWEVER THIS TIME...RAINFALL
AMOUNTS WILL BE LIGHT WITH LESS THAN A HALF OF AN INCH EXPECTED.
BY MIDWEEK...THE GFS ADVERTISES THAT THE UPPER RIDGE OVER THE
CENTRAL PLAINS WILL FINALLY BEGIN TO BUILD OVER THE AREA BRINGING
MUCH DRIER AND WARMER CONDITIONS TO THE MIDSOUTH. IF THIS PANS
OUT...DRY WEATHER WILL CONTINUE WEDNESDAY THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY
WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES AROUND NORMAL IN THE LOWER 90S. HOWEVER...THE
ECMWF CONTINUES AN ACTIVE AND WET PATTERN NEXT WEEK SO WILL NEED
TO SEE FUTURE MODEL RUNS TO SEE HOW THIS TIME PERIOD WILL PLAY
OUT.
KNS
&&
.AVIATION...
18Z TAFS
LARGE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX WAS MAKING ITS WAY EASTWARD THROUGH AR
AT 18Z. LIGHTNING COVERAGE HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT LIMITED... AND HAVE
KEPT PREVAILING THUNDER TO A MINIMUM. BEST LIKELIHOOD FOR THUNDER
AND VSBY RESTRICTIONS LIKELY TO OCCUR IN THE 21Z TO 00Z TIME
FRAME... SLIGHTLY EARLIER AT KJBR.
IFR CIGS LIKELY BY 06Z...BEHIND THE EXITING UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE
TROF. THESE CIGS SHOULD KEEP VSBY FROM FALLING TOO LOW...BUT WILL
HAVE TO WATCH FOR BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS LATE THIS EVENING.
PWB
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM 70 86 72 86 / 100 10 10 50
MKL 69 85 64 87 / 100 10 10 40
JBR 67 85 65 86 / 100 10 10 50
TUP 72 84 70 86 / 100 20 10 50
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD-
CRITTENDEN-CROSS-GREENE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-
PHILLIPS-POINSETT-RANDOLPH-ST. FRANCIS.
MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT.
MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR COAHOMA-DESOTO-
QUITMAN-TATE-TUNICA.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR ALCORN-BENTON MS-
CALHOUN-CHICKASAW-ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LEE MS-MARSHALL-MONROE-
PANOLA-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-TALLAHATCHIE-TIPPAH-TISHOMINGO-
UNION-YALOBUSHA.
TN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR DYER-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-
OBION-SHELBY-TIPTON.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING FOR CARROLL-CHESTER-
CROCKETT-DECATUR-FAYETTE-GIBSON-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-HAYWOOD-
HENDERSON-HENRY-MADISON-MCNAIRY-WEAKLEY.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 355 PM CDT THU JUL 30 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>092-312300- 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- 355 PM CDT THU JUL 30 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE MIDSOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM JONESBORO ARKANSAS TO PARIS TENNESSEE. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN HAZARDS...HOWEVER...AND ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE MIDSOUTH THROUGH TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL ON THE ORDER OF 2 TO 4 INCHES CAUSING FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY CONTINUE TO CREATE AN ELEVATED RISK OF FLASH FLOODING. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...BUT ORGANIZED WIDESPREAD SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED FOR AREAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM JONESBORO ARKANSAS TO PARIS TENNESSEE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. KNS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 353 PM CDT THU JUL 30 2009 ARZ028-TNZ048-049-302130- MISSISSIPPI AR-LAUDERDALE TN-TIPTON TN- 353 PM CDT THU JUL 30 2009 ...THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IS FOR... SOUTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... SOUTHWESTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... WESTERN TIPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS WAS LOCATED 4 MILES SOUTH OF WILSON AT 353 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN LAUDERDALE...MISSISSIPPI AND TIPTON COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR FORT PILLOW STATE PARK AND WILSON...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES THE CHUTE.
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:02 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 6 flash flood, 4 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds blew a tractor-trailer over on Riverport Drive and Paul Lowery Drive in Memphis.
Straight line winds knocked down tree limbs on Interstate 240 at South Parkway in Midtown Memphis.
A tornado touched down just east of the intersection of Interstate 40 and Appling Road. The tornado damaged a couple of baseball fields and proceeded northeast. A Kohl's department store and a Toyota dealership sustained damage. Several vehicles had windows blown out. A tractor-trailer was also overturned in the Kohl's parking lot. The tornado then crossed Germantown Parkway and damaged a Shogun Japanese Restaurant, a gas station and several other businesses. The tornado then proceeded northeast into a residential neighborhood where 97 homes sustained minor damage. Four apartment complexes and a total of 25 businesses received at least minor damage. Trees were also uprooted and snapped in the area. The tornado then moved into a golf course where at least 50 trees, fences and one small building was damaged. The tornado lifted near the center of the golf course. An off-duty firefighter was killed a few days later cleaning up storm debris when a tree fell on him.
A tornado briefly touched down southeast of Henning, just northwest of the intersection of Queens Crossing Road and John Moorer Road. The tornado lifted shortly after crossing Queens Crossing Road. A corn field was damaged. Several trees were damaged in the area as well.
A mesonet site near Henning, measured an 86 mph wind gust.
Straight line winds knocked down trees on Warren Road east of Oakland.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Collierville. Several roads were flooded as a result including Collierville-Arlington Road, Shelton Road, Powell Road, Rowlett Road and Center Road. Water was up to a foot deep or more in a few places. Creeks overfilled their banks as well. A couple of homes, at least one business and one church was flooded as well. A total of 55 structures received at least minor water damage. Vehicles also became stalled in the flood water.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Arlington. Hayes Road had eight inches of water covering the road.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding around Oakland. Several homes in the North Woods Subdivision were flooded as a result.
Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines in Bolivar and through out the rest of Western Hardeman County. Winds were estimated at 80 mph when the storm passed through Bolivar. One tree fell into a roof of a home in Bolivar causing damage while another landed on a vehicle.
Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines over Eastern Hardeman County.
Heavy rain washed out a culvert on Pierce Road between Jewell Store Road and Wesley Chapel Road near Dresden.
Straight line winds knocked down a couple of trees and one light pole in Bells.
A Coop Observer reported seven inches of rain in a three hour period in Alamo. A ten apartment unit complex on West Church Street had four inches of water inside. A Church of Christ was also flooded. Downtown streets has 12-14 inches of water over them. One car was stalled as a result.
A tornado touched down near Mills Darden Road. The tornado moved northeast and lifted near Old Jackson Road. A few outbuildings were damaged or destroyed along the path. Multiple trees and power lines were knocked down as well. A mobile home was moved from the foundation into a power pole.
Straight line winds knocked down numerous trees and power lines down between Lexington and Natchez Trace Parkway.
A tornado briefly touched down near Webb Road in Wildersville. Shingles were blown off a church roof. Significant structural damage occurred to a shed on the church property. Several tree limbs in the area were knocked down and one power pole was broken.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding across Central and Southern Gibson County. Several roads were flooded as a result.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado, Shelby | 2009-08-03 | 34 | Male | Under Tree | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Tennessee, 2009Warnings 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: 190651, 190652, 190659, 190800, 190801, 190805, 190806, 190815, 193918, 190808, 190809, 193914, 190810, 190811, 190835, 190838, 190848, 190814.