Severe high precipitation supercells developed across north central |Texas the evening of May 8th and moved slowly eastward just south of the Red River during the pre dawn hours of May 9th. These storms |encountered a strong capping inversion as they moved east which resulted in these storms collapsing before they moved into northeast Texas.
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 SHV wrote it up.
Severe high precipitation supercells developed across north central |Texas the evening of May 8th and moved slowly eastward just south of the Red River during the pre dawn hours of May 9th. These storms |encountered a strong capping inversion as they moved east which resulted in these storms collapsing before they moved into northeast Texas. However, one storm collapsed and produced a heat burst in Red River County Texas. As the storm collapsed, it produced damaging wind gusts across the western portions of the county. The temperature at |Clarksville, Texas jumped nearly 8 degrees when the winds began |increasing from the west with the collapse of the storm.
By the afternoon of May 9th, the atmosphere became very unstable across |the region and storms produced large hail and damaging thunderstorm wind|gusts across northeast Texas, southeast Oklahoma and southwest Arkansas. Locally heavy rainfall also produced flash flooding across much of the region as well.
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 Shreveport, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 9, 12:53 AM CST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 153 AM CDT SAT MAY 9 2009 .DISCUSSION... PER DISCUSSION WITH SPC...WE HAVE ADDED MCCURTAIN CNTY TO TOR #278 WHICH IS VALID UNTIL 10Z. PLAN ON HAVING MORNING PACKAGE OUT AT 5AM AND WILL RE ACCESS TOR #278 AT THAT TIME. UPDATED WCN AND ZFP ALREADY SENT. 13 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... SHV 86 65 83 64 76 / 40 50 40 40 50 MLU 86 66 83 64 75 / 30 50 40 40 50 DEQ 74 60 71 59 72 / 60 70 70 60 60 TXK 79 61 75 61 71 / 50 60 60 50 60 ELD 83 62 76 60 71 / 50 60 60 50 60 TYR 84 66 82 64 78 / 50 50 40 40 50 GGG 85 65 82 64 77 / 50 50 40 40 50 LFK 91 71 87 67 84 / 20 20 30 20 40 && .SHV WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. LA...NONE. OK...NONE. TX...NONE. && 13
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA 800 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 ARZ050-051-059>061-OKZ077-TXZ096-091100- SEVIER-HOWARD-LITTLE RIVER-HEMPSTEAD-NEVADA-MCCURTAIN-RED RIVER- 800 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS...SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE...WILL LIKELY AFFECT AREAS NORTH AND WEST OF A DE KALB TEXAS...TO NASHVILLE ARKANSAS LINE AFTER 9 PM. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER RISKS WILL BE LARGE HAIL...POSSIBLY BIGGER THAN QUARTERS...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES AN HOUR. AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. THESE INITIAL STORMS WERE DEVELOPING NEAR A STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS EARLY THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 30 CORRIDOR AFTER MIDNIGHT...AS A COLD FRONT STARTS TO MOVE INTO THE REGION. THE RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS...PRODUCING MAINLY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT AS WELL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS...SOME PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL...WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AFTER 9 PM. ACTIVATION MAY ALSO BE NEEDED THIS WEEKEND. ARZ070>073-TXZ097-108>112-091100- MILLER-LAFAYETTE-COLUMBIA-UNION AR-BOWIE-FRANKLIN-TITUS-CAMP- MORRIS-CASS- 800 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... THUNDERSTORMS...SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE...WILL LIKELY AFFECT NORTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHERN ARKANSAS...MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE PRIMARY RISKS FROM ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL...POSSIBLY BIGGER THAN QUARTERS...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES AN HOUR. AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. THESE INITIAL STORMS WERE DEVELOPING NEAR A STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND NORTH TEXAS EARLY THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS THE REGION AFTER MIDNIGHT...AS A COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTH TOWARD THE AREA. THE RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS...PRODUCING MAINLY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT AS WELL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS...SOME PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL...WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AFTER MIDNIGHT. ACTIVATION MAY ALSO BE NEEDED THIS WEEKEND. LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-TXZ124>126-136>138-149>153-165>167- 091100- CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN-UNION LA-DE SOTO- RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-OUACHITA-SABINE LA-NATCHITOCHES-WINN- GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE-WOOD-UPSHUR-MARION-SMITH-GREGG-HARRISON- CHEROKEE-RUSK-PANOLA-NACOGDOCHES-SHELBY-ANGELINA-SAN AUGUSTINE- SABINE TX- 800 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA...NORTHWEST LOUISIANA...EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY APPROACH THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE RATHER STRONG...PRODUCING HAIL SMALLER THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH AND WINDS AROUND 50 MILES AN HOUR. A FEW SEVERE STORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE NORTH NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20...BUT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY SINK SOUTHWARD TOWARD THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR SATURDAY. THIS BOUNDARY WILL SERVE AS A FOCUS FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS...SOME OF WHICH WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE A POSSIBILITY THROUGH AT LEAST SUNDAY ACROSS THE REGION...BUT MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTER GROUPS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED TONIGHT. HOWEVER...ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS WEEKEND. BUTTS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
152 AM CDT SAT MAY 9 2009
OKZ077-090745-
MCCURTAIN-
152 AM CDT SAT MAY 9 2009
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ALERT...EFFECTIVE UNTIL 245 AM CDT...FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTY...
IN SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA...
NORTHERN MCCURTAIN...
INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
BATTIEST...BEACHTON...BETHEL...MOUNT HERMAN...PICKENS...
PLUNKETVILLE...RINGOLD...SHERWOOD...SMITHVILLE AND WATSON...
AT 148 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 18 MILES NORTHWEST
OF MENA TO STANLEY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THIS LINE OF
STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO NORTHERN MCCURTAIN COUNTY AROUND 230 AM.
HAIL SMALLER THAN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH...AND WINDS AROUND 50
MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES FROM YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
SHREVEPORT. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MCCURTAIN COUNTY
UNTIL 5 AM.
BUTTSThe Shreveport radar (KSHV), 189 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:40 UTC.
22 flash flood, 6 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Clarksville Police Department reported electrical poles and lines downed across the west side of the county.
Hail was reported in the Manchester community.
A few trees were downed in the northeast portion of the county.
Trees were downed on MLK and Browning Street with powerlines downed in Oak Grove.
Winds were estimated to be near 60 TO 70 mph from local Emergency Manager.
Trees were downed in Douglassville, Texas.
Stream flooding was reported east of New Boston that led to some road closures.
High water resulted in the closure of FM 911.
Street flooding was reported in the west side of town.
High water was reported across Tri State Road.
Hwy. 4215 southwest of Annona, Texas was closed from extensive flash flooding.
FM 911 near and north of Avery remains closed from flash flooding.
Hwy. 82 east from New Boston to Texarkana, Texas had to be closed due to excessive heavy rainfall and flash flooding. Several other roads were closed throughout Bowie County as well.
A tree was downed partially blocking Hwy. 59 near Kings Highway.
College Drive underpass was flooded. Another driver was stranded in flood waters at the 7th street underpass.
Heavy rainfall resulted in the closure of Elm Street along the Swampoodle Creek.
Meadowbrook Lane in Texarkana, Texas was flooded and closed.
FM 1487 near the Cuthand community was closed from flash flooding.
FM 1699 was closed from excessive heavy rainfall near the community of White Rock.
FM 44 was closed 1 mile west of the community of Lydia due to excessive heavy rainfall.
CR 992 northeast of Dekalb was flooded and closed.
Numerous city streets were flooded and closed. Floodwaters from the city's water system backed up which resulted in the local Scout Hutt at Tapp Park in New Boston being innundated by three feet of water.
FM 909 east of town was flooded and closed.
CR 3117 was flooded and closed.
FM 1159 AT CR 3240 was closed from excessive heavy rainfall.
CR 3117 was closed near the Hopewell community.
Numerous city and county roads in and around New Boston, Texas were flooded from excessive heavy rainfall. Two homes were flooded by three to four feet of water on Lacy Street in Hooks, Texas.
A car was stalled in high water on Cooper Lane in the extreme northern portion of Texarkana, Texas.
High water reported on Tristate Road in Redwater, Texas. The road had to be closed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Texas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, May 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: 171875, 169536, 169709, 171876, 169710, 169713, 169721, 169724, 169725, 169729, 169743, 169745, 169746, 169766, 169750, 169765, 169753, 169769, 169772, 169774, 169778, 169779, 169780, 169781, 169791, 169792, 169957, 169965, 169969.