Surface heating combined with old outflow boundaries to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms southern parts of the Mid South during the late afternoon and early evening hours on May 25th, 2010. The storms dissipated a couple hours after sunset.
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.
Surface heating combined with old outflow boundaries to produce scattered showers and thunderstorms southern parts of the Mid South during the late afternoon and early evening hours on May 25th, 2010. The storms dissipated a couple hours after sunset. A storm over Coahoma County produced isolated 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 May 25, 8:29 PM CST, 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 929 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 .UPDATE... ADJUSTED RAIN CHANCES THIS EVENING FOR ONGOING CONVECTION. ALSO...TWEAKED SKY COVER AND TEMPERATURES TONIGHT. && .DISCUSSION... CONVECTION SHOULD DIMINISH BY MIDNIGHT. WILL MONITOR FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT LATER TONIGHT. LATEST RADARS INDICATED ISOLATED SHOWERS/STORMS NEAR CLARKSDALE... NEW ALBANY...AND ROBINSONVILLE MISSISSIPPI. OTHERWISE...RAINFREE AND MUGGY CONDITIONS WERE OCCURRING. THINK ONGOING CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE TO DIMINISH WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. MOST...IF NOT ALL...ACTIVITY SHOULD BE GONE BY MIDNIGHT. UNTIL MIDNIGHT...KEPT 20 TO 40 PERCENT FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS SOUTHWEST OF A CORNING ARKANSAS TO FULTON MISSISSIPPI LINE. NOT EXPECTING ANY SEVERE STORMS...THOUGH ONE OR TWO MAY BE STRONG...MAINLY WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WHICH MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. WILL MONITOR FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT LATER TONIGHT. SURFACE DEWPOINTS APPEAR TO BE HIGHER THAN THIS TIME LAST NIGHT...SO THINKING FOG POTENTIAL MAY BE BETTER LATE TONIGHT AS TEMPERATURES DROP NEAR OR JUST BELOW CURRENT SURFACE DEWPOINTS. WIDESPREAD DENSE FOG APPEARS UNLIKELY...BUT THINK LOCALLY DENSE FOG WITH VISIBILITIES 1/4 MILE OR LESS IN A FEW LOCATIONS MAY OCCUR AFTER MIDNIGHT...ESPECIALLY WHERE RAIN FELL EARLIER THIS EVENING. CURRENT FORECAST AND HWO HANDLE THIS WELL. UPDATE HAS BEEN SENT AND WILL LIKELY UPDATE AGAIN BEFORE MIDNIGHT. MBS && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010/ DISCUSSION... CURRENTLY...A MUCH QUIETER DAY ACROSS THE MID SOUTH AS YESTERDAYS CONVECTION HAS INFLUENCED THE AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY TODAY. THE MAIN INSTABILITY AXIS STRETCHES FROM CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI THROUGH ARKANSAS INTO SW MISSOURI. OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES FROM YESTERDAYS CONVECTION HAVE ALSO MADE THEIR WAY INTO THESE AREAS HELPING TO TRIGGER STORMS. MEANWHILE ACROSS THE MID SOUTH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN LIMITED MAINLY TO PARTS OF NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI SO HAVE DROPPED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH. SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY ACROSS THE MID SOUTH IS MUCH LESS THAN YESTERDAY THANKS TO DEWPOINTS IN THE 60S INSTEAD OF THE LOWER 70S. SBCAPES RANGE FROM 1500 TO 2500 J/KG SO EVEN THOUGH THERE IS ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR THUNDERSTORMS THERE IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE KIND OF EXPLOSIVE ACTIVITY THAT CAN MAINTAIN ITSELF THROUGH CONTINUOUS OUTFLOW BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS. ALSO...A TRIGGER SEEMS TO BE MISSING FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED COVERAGE AT MOST THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. AREAS SOUTH OF OF FORREST CITY ARKANSAS TO TUPELO MISSISSIPPI MAY HAVE THE BEST SHOT AT SCATTERED COVERAGE THROUGH THIS EVENING. STILL CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW SEVERE STORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS OR SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING. TONIGHT...ANY THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD WIND DOWN BY 9 PM OR SO. AFTER THAT EXPECT CLEAR SKIES AND PERHAPS SOME PATCHY FOG WITH LOW TEMPS FROM THE MID 60S IN THE COOLER SPOTS EAST TO LOWER 70S AT MEMPHIS. WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT...NOT MUCH CHANGE IN THE UPPER PATTERN WITH A RIDGE JUST TO THE WEST AND THE UPPER LOW OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST. THE BEST MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY SEEMS TO BE LOCATED ACROSS WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE MID SOUTH OVER ARKANSAS SO WENT WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS WEST OF THE RIVER WITH SLIGHTLY LOWER POPS TOWARD THE TENNESSEE RIVER. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO RUN ABOVE NORMAL WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90. LOWS WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 60S TO LOWER 70S. A FEW STORMS COULD BE SEVERE EACH AFTERNOON WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AS WELL. FRIDAY...AT THIS POINT THE UPPER RIDGE AXIS WILL STRETCH FROM TEXAS INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS WHILE THE UPPER LOW OVER THE SOUTHEAST COAST IS ABSORBED INTO A SYSTEM OFF THE EAST COAST. A MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVING DOWN THE EAST SIDE OF THE UPPER RIDGE WILL PUSH INTO THE AREA ON FRIDAY ALONG WITH A WEAK BACK DOOR COLD FRONT. THESE FEATURES COULD RESULT IN MORE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE OVER THE AREA FOR FRIDAY WITH A FEW SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. TEMPS WILL STILL BE ABOVE NORMAL. WEEKEND...MODELS ARE IN SOME DISAGREEMENT WILL TRACK AND EVOLUTION OF THE MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH THE MID SOUTH FRIDAY NIGHT. THE GFS PUSHES THIS SYSTEM THROUGH AND DEVELOPS A CUT OFF LOW OVER THE SOUTHEAST STATES BY SUNDAY MORNING. THIS SOLUTION PUSHES THE MOST UNSTABLE AIR SOUTH OF THE REGION ALONG WITH THE PRECIP CHANCES. MEANWHILE THE ECMWF CUTS OFF THE LOW A LITTLE FURTHER WEST WHICH COULD RESULT IN SLIGHTLY HIGHER PRECIP CHANCES DUE TO MORE INSTABILITY. FOR NOW WILL PRETTY MUCH FOLLOW THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WHICH LEANS A LITTLE TOWARD THE GFS AND KEEP SMALL CHANCES ACROSS NORTH MISSISSIPPI ON SATURDAY AND DRY SUNDAY. TEMPS WILL CONTINUE TO RUN ABOVE NORMAL WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90. MEMORIAL DAY AND TUESDAY...BOTH MODELS CONTINUE WITH AN UPPER LOW SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY. THE ECMWF WOULD PROBABLY A LITTLE COOLER WITH BETTER CHANCES OF RAIN. THE GFS DRIER AND WARMER. FOR NOW WENT WITH 20 POPS AND ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS. SJM && .AVIATION... 00Z TAF CYCLE VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT TAF SITES FOR A MAJORITY OF THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH PERHAPS A BRIEF PERIOD OF MVFR CONDITIONS AT MKL/JBR/TUP BETWEEN 26/08-12Z. LIGHT WINDS WILL BECOME NORTH AROUND 4-5 KTS BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. CJC && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 71 89 71 90 / 20 30 20 30 MKL 64 88 64 88 / 10 20 20 20 JBR 67 88 66 89 / 20 40 20 30 TUP 66 90 66 91 / 20 20 20 20 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 919 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-270430- 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- 919 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH 11 PM MAINLY WEST OF A CORNING ARKANSAS TO SOMERVILLE TENNESSEE TO HOUSTON MISSISSIPPI LINE. A FEW STORMS MAY BE STRONG WITH GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. SINCE THE STORMS WILL BE NEARLY STATIONARY...HEAVY RAINFALL AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. PATCHY DENSE FOG MAY DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT AS SKIES CLEAR AND WINDS BECOME CALM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR EACH DAY THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY...THEN DISSIPATE EACH EVENING. A FEW SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE EACH DAY WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. PATCHY FOG IS POSSIBLE EACH NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. MBS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 623 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ARZ058-252345- PHILLIPS AR- 623 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR... CENTRAL PHILLIPS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 4 MILES EAST OF WATKINS CORNER AT 623 PM CDT...MOVING WEST AT 15 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN PHILLIPS COUNTY...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR ELAINE...MARVELL AND WHITE RIVER NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES OLD TOWN LAKE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 707 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ARZ026>028-260030- CRAIGHEAD AR-MISSISSIPPI AR-POINSETT AR- 707 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 730 PM CDT FOR... SOUTHEASTERN CRAIGHEAD COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... WEST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... NORTHEASTERN POINSETT COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED OVER LEPANTO AT 707 PM CDT...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN CRAIGHEAD...MISSISSIPPI AND POINSETT COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR LEPANTO AND TRUMANN...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 731 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ARZ049-058-MSZ007-010-260100- PHILLIPS AR-LEE AR-TUNICA MS-COAHOMA MS- 731 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR... SOUTH CENTRAL LEE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... NORTHEASTERN PHILLIPS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS... EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL COAHOMA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... WEST CENTRAL TUNICA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED OVER ST FRANCIS NATIONAL PARK AT 732 PM CDT...MOVING WEST AT 5 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN COAHOMA...LEE...PHILLIPS AND TUNICA COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR HELENA...ST FRANCIS NATIONAL PARK AND WEST HELENA... SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES FLOWER LAKE.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
751 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0710 PM HAIL 8 NE MARKED TREE 35.61N 90.32W
05/25/2010 E0.75 INCH POINSETT AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
PENNY SIZED HAIL AND LIGHTNING. LIGHTNING DOWNED A
UTILITY POLE.
&&
TLSJRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 807 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 MSZ014>016-260130- UNION MS-LEE MS-PONTOTOC MS- 807 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR... WESTERN LEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHEASTERN PONTOTOC COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... SOUTHEASTERN UNION COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTH OF TUPELO AT 807 PM CDT. THE STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN LEE...PONTOTOC AND UNION COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR TRACE STATE PARK...TUPELO AND VERONA...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
848 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0710 PM HAIL 8 NE MARKED TREE 35.61N 90.32W
05/25/2010 E0.75 INCH POINSETT AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
PENNY SIZED HAIL AND LIGHTNING. LIGHTNING DOWNED A
UTILITY POLE.
0815 PM LIGHTNING 1 W TUPELO 34.26N 88.75W
05/25/2010 LEE MS LAW ENFORCEMENT
HOUSE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
&&
TLSJRThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 143 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:33 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Clarksdale. Several roads were flooded on the west side of town.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, May 2010
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: 231942.