An upper level low pressure system moved slowly through the Mid-South during the time period of September 14th-September 16th, 2009. Deep moisture associated with the upper low produced several rounds of heavy rain causing flash flooding over much of the Mid-South.
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 low pressure system moved slowly through the Mid-South during the time period of September 14th-September 16th, 2009. Deep moisture associated with the upper low produced several rounds of heavy rain causing flash flooding over much of the Mid-South.
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 Sep 16, 1:48 AM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
248 AM CDT WED SEP 16 2009
.DISCUSSION...
UPPER LEVEL LOW WAS CENTERED OVER SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS EARLY THIS
MORNING AND CONTINUES TO PUMP MOISTURE INTO THE FORECAST AREA. A
LARGE BAND OF RAIN EXTENDS ACROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE FORECAST AREA
THIS MORNING WITH SOME AREAS OF NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND NORTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI PICKING UP ABOUT 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE PAST 3
HOURS. WITH THE UPPER LOW EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE ARK-LA-TEX
REGION FOR 36 HOURS OR SO THERE WILL BE RAIN OVER MUCH OF THE
FORECAST AREA. HAVE DECIDED TO EXTEND THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH
THROUGH TONIGHT AND HAVE IT EXPIRE AT 7 AM THURSDAY MORNING. BY
THURSDAY NIGHT...THE UPPER LOW WILL TRACK MORE OF A EASTERLY TRACK
AND MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. THIS MAY KEEP THE HEAVIEST
RAIN AWAY FROM EXTREME NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA SO
DO NOT WANT TO EXTEND FLASH FLOOD WATCH PAST THURSDAY MORNING FOR
NOW. BY FRIDAY...THE UPPER LOW BEGINS TO LIFT OUT OF THE REGION
AND WEAKEN SO THERE WILL BE A GRADUAL DECREASE IN THE CHANCE OF
RAIN BY THE WEEKEND BUT THERE WILL STILL BE A CHANCE OF RAIN. A
COLD FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS SUNDAY NIGHT AND
BEGINS TO APPROACH THE FORECAST AREA ON MONDAY AND MOVES INTO THE
FORECAST AREA ON TUESDAY. AS A RESULT...WET WEATHER WILL BE
POSSIBLE THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEKEND INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT
WEEK. TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN BELOW NORMAL FOR MUCH OF THE NEXT 7
DAYS.
&&
AVIATION...
06Z TAF SET
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE
ACROSS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND NORTHEAST ARKANSAS THROUGH
09Z...SO KEPT VCTS AT KTUP AND KJBR. NEXT BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDER
WILL BE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...HOWEVER STORMS WILL BE ISOLATED
ENOUGH TO KEEP A CB LAYER IN THE TAFS. CEILINGS WILL BE PREDOMINATE
MVFR...WITH OCCASIONAL IFR DURING HEAVIER SHOWERS EXPECTED THROUGH
THE MORNING HOURS AFTER 11Z. SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT THAT CEILINGS
WILL BECOME VFR BRIEFLY AGAIN BETWEEN 20-24Z AT ALL SITES. WINDS
WILL REMAIN EAST AT 7-12 KTS...SHIFTING MORE NORTHEAST LATE IN THE
TAF PERIOD AT KMEM...KMKL...AND KJBR.
JAB
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM 79 69 80 68 / 90 70 70 50
MKL 78 66 80 65 / 80 70 70 50
JBR 78 66 79 64 / 80 60 60 40
TUP 79 69 82 68 / 80 60 70 60
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD-
CRITTENDEN-CROSS-GREENE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-
PHILLIPS-POINSETT-RANDOLPH-ST. FRANCIS.
MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT.
MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR ALCORN-BENTON MS-
CALHOUN-CHICKASAW-COAHOMA-DESOTO-ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LEE MS-
MARSHALL-MONROE-PANOLA-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN-
TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-UNION-YALOBUSHA.
TN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR CARROLL-CHESTER-
CROCKETT-DECATUR-DYER-FAYETTE-GIBSON-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-
HAYWOOD-HENDERSON-HENRY-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-MADISON-MCNAIRY-
OBION-SHELBY-TIPTON-WEAKLEY.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 330 AM CDT WED SEP 16 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>092-171030- 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- 330 AM CDT WED SEP 16 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE MIDSOUTH. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REPEATEDLY MOVE OVER THE WATCH AREA WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES. SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THESE AREAS WHICH MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. SOME STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS MAY CONTAIN BRIEF GUSTY WINDS TODAY AND TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY A THREAT FOR HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING WILL CONTINUE OVER THE MID SOUTH THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE MIDSOUTH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING. LATER FORECASTS MAY NEED TO EXTEND THE WATCH PAST THURSDAY MORNING. PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY FLOODING THIS WEEK TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MEMPHIS.
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:21 UTC.
3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Midtown Memphis. Several streets were flooded as a result including Central Avenue at Fenwick.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Mercer. Several roads were flooded as a result.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding near Hornsby. A ball field along Highway 64 east of town had at least one foot of standing water as a result.
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, September 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: 196064, 196066, 196078.