A stalled cold front stretched from near Clarksdale, Mississippi to near Tupelo, Mississippi during the early morning hours of March 26th, 2011. The front gradually started lifting northward throughout the day.
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 stalled cold front stretched from near Clarksdale, Mississippi to near Tupelo, Mississippi during the early morning hours of March 26th, 2011. The front gradually started lifting northward throughout the day. Temperatures south of the front were near 80 degrees where as temperatures north of the front were in the 50s. Showers and thunderstorms developed along the front. Some storms became severe producing large hail and damaging winds.
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 Mar 26, 5:39 AM CST, 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 639 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011 .UPDATE... UPDATED FOR 12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 321 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011/ DISCUSSION... CURRENTLY...ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO FORM ACROSS THE MID SOUTH TO THE NORTH OF A WARM FRONT THAT IS LOCATED FROM THE ARKLATEX EAST INTO NORTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. A 30 KT 850 MB JET IS IMPINGING UPON THE FRONT HELPING TO CREATE THE LIFT AND TRANSPORT THE MOISTURE NECESSARY FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. MEANWHILE STEEP MID LEVEL RATES ARE HELPING A FEW STORMS BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AS THE MAIN THREAT. TEMPERATURES THIS MORNING RANGE FROM AROUND 40 NEAR THE KENTUCKY/MISSOURI BORDER TO AROUND 60 ACROSS SOUTHERNMOST PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA NEAR THE FRONT. WINDS ARE GENERALLY NORTHEAST AT 10-15 MPH. TODAY AND TONIGHT...THE WARM FRONT WILL REMAIN ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI THIS MORNING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE NORTH OF THE FRONT EARLY THIS MORNING THOUGH ACTIVITY MAY TAPER OFF SOME LATER THIS MORNING AS THE LOW LEVEL JET VEERS AND WEAKENS. THIS EARLY MORNING ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A ISOLATED LARGE HAIL THREAT. AS THE DAY PROGRESSES LOW PRESSURE CURRENTLY OVER THE RED RIVER VALLEY WILL TRACK EAST TO THE ARKLATEX BY NOON AND THEN INTO SOUTHEAST AR LATE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE TRACKING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MS THIS EVENING. THERE WILL BE A LARGE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON WITH MID 40S IN RANDOLPH COUNTY AR TO LOWER TO MID 70S ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER OF COUNTIES. BY AFTERNOON THE AIRMASS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE FRONT WILL DESTABILIZE WITH SBCAPES APPROACHING 2000 J/KG ACROSS THE SOUTHERNMOST PART OF THE FORECAST AREA INVOF THE FRONT. MEANWHILE AS THE LOW APPROACHES AND LOW LEVEL WINDS VEER 0-1KM HELICITY VALUES WILL CLIMB ABOVE 300 M2/S2 INVOF THE FRONT. MEANWHILE 0-6KM BULK SHEAR IS IMPRESSIVE AT OVER 50 KTS AND MID LEVEL WINDS WILL TOP 60 KTS OVER THE FRONTAL ZONE. AS THE LOW APPROACHES EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS COVERAGE TO INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA WITH SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE INVOF THE WARM FRONT. THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW FAR NORTH THE FRONT WILL GET WHICH WILL DEPEND ON THE AMOUNT OF RAIN/THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING AND THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF THE SURFACE LOW. BEST GUESS RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE FRONT WILL MAKE IT INTO THE VERY SOUTHERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA WHICH IS WHERE THE SURFACE LOW WILL TRACK LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS SOUTH OF MEMPHIS TO SAVANNAH TN LINE. HAIL WILL BE A THREAT IN THE ENTIRE RISK AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING WHILE DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF A HELENA-WEST HELENA ARKANSAS TO BOONEVILLE MS LINE. THE SURFACE LOW WILL TRACK EAST INTO ALABAMA AROUND MIDNIGHT AND PRECIP CHANCES WILL TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST. MEANWHILE MUCH COOLER AIR WILL FILTER IN WITH TEMPS DROPPING INTO THE 30S AND 40S BY MORNING. SUNDAY...HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE GREAT LAKES WILL OOZE INTO THE AREA. EXPECT COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES THANKS TO COOL NORTHEAST WINDS. THERE SHOULD BE PLENTY OF LOW CLOUDS AROUND SO KEPT CLOUDS IN ALL DAY. SUNDAY NIGHT...LOW CONFIDENCE IN THIS PERIOD. THE GFS IS STILL DRY. HOWEVER THE NAM AND ESPECIALLY THE ECMWF DEVELOP PRECIP ACROSS THE AREA THANKS TO A DECENT MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE THAT GFS SEEMS TO MISS. GIVEN THIS INFO DECIDED TO REINTRODUCE POPS FOR THE PERIOD. MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...COOL HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS OVER THE AREA AND SOME SUNSHINE IS POSSIBLE ON MONDAY WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES. CLOUDS WILL INCREASE ONCE AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT AS THE NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES. TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...A POTENT MID LEVEL TROF WILL MOVE ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WHILE A COLD FRONT PUSHES ACROSS THE MID SOUTH. WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WATCH THE SEVERE THREAT WITH THIS SYSTEM WHICH WILL DEPEND OF THE TRACK OF THE SURFACE LOW. MODELS ARE NOT IN THE BEST AGREEMENT WITH THE TRACK OF THE LOW SO WILL CONTINUE TO LEAVE OUT OF THE HWO FOR NOW. WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT...COOL HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK IN WITH COOLER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND SOME SUNSHINE. THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...THE EXCELLENT AGREEMENT FOUND IN THE MODELS 24 HOURS AGO IS HISTORY. THE GFS STILL HAS A SOLUTION THAT IS SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO PREVIOUS RUNS WITH A DEEP TROF MOVING INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING ALONG THE GULF COAST AND RAIN POSSIBLE FOR THE MID SOUTH. THE ECMWF HAS THE TROF AXIS FURTHER EAST WITH HIGH PRESSURE FOR THE MID SOUTH. WILL KEEP THE ONGOING CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE FORECAST BUT CONFIDENCE IS PRETTY LOW. FRIDAY...SHOULD BE DRY AND COOL BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW. SJM && .AVIATION... 12Z TAFS SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DOT THE REGION THIS MORNING WITH CONDITIONS VARYING FROM LIFR TO VFR. THIS STORM ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY WITH THE WORST THUNDERSTORM CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT KTUP AND KMEM LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. KJBR WILL SEE THE LOWEST CIGS FOR THE LONGEST DURATION THIS PERIOD WITH LIFR AND IFR CONDITIONS. EXPECTING KMEM...KMKL...AND KTUP TO SEE A MIX OF IFR AND MVFR CONDITIONS...WITH HEAVIER STORMS BRIEFLY PRODUCING LIFR VIS. THERE IS A SOME CONFIDENCE THAT KTUP MAY BECOME VFR FOR A FEW HOURS LATE THIS AFTERNOON. LATER IN THE PERIOD CIGS WILL BE PREDOMINATELY BE IFR WITH LIGHT RAIN PERSISTING THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. WINDS WILL REMAIN NORTHEAST TO EAST...VEERING MORE SOUTH AT KTUP AS A WARM FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE SITE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL EVENTUALLY BACK TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST AND NORTH AND BECOME GUSTY AS THE STORM SYSTEM PUSHES INTO ALABAMA LATE IN THE PERIOD. JAB && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 56 40 53 39 / 90 70 10 20 MKL 54 37 52 34 / 90 80 10 20 JBR 49 36 48 36 / 90 60 10 20 TUP 69 47 59 42 / 80 90 10 20 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 336 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-271045- 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- 336 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011 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 RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS SOUTH OF A FORREST CITY ARKANSAS TO MEMPHIS TO SAVANNAH TENNESSEE LINE. LOW PRESSURE WILL TRACK ALONG A WARM FRONT STALLED ACROSS NORTH MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND SEVERE STORMS COULD DEVELOP IN THE RISK AREA. LARGE HAIL IS POSSIBLE OVER THE ENTIRE RISK AREA. DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF A HELENA-WEST HELENA TO BOONEVILE MISSISSIPPI LINE. THOUGH ISOLATED LARGE HAIL IS POSSIBLE EARLY THIS MORNING THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE RISK AREA IS FROM 3 PM CDT TO 10 PM CDT. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING FROM THUNDERSTORMS IS ALSO POSSIBLE TODAY INTO THIS EVENING. RIVER FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WITH MAJOR FLOODING AT OSCEOLA ARKANSAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY RIVER FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WITH MAJOR FLOODING AT OSCEOLA ARKANSAS. OTHERWISE...THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY AND THIS EVENING. SJM
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
550 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0546 AM HAIL 3 S FINGER 35.31N 88.62W
03/26/2011 M0.75 INCH MCNAIRY TN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
558 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011
TNZ053>055-091-092-261130-
DECATUR TN-HENDERSON TN-CHESTER TN-HARDIN TN-MCNAIRY TN-
558 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 630 AM CDT FOR...
SOUTHERN DECATUR COUNTY IN TENNESSEE...
EAST CENTRAL CHESTER COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
NORTHERN HARDIN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN HENDERSON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
NORTHEASTERN MCNAIRY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT
LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 3 MILES WEST OF MORRIS CHAPEL AT 558 AM
CDT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN CHESTER...DECATUR...HARDIN...HENDERSON AND MCNAIRY COUNTIES
SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3539 8798 3538 8802 3535 8800 3531 8801
3530 8798 3522 8798 3523 8847 3542 8847
3551 8797 3549 8797 3547 8802 3544 8804
3541 8796
TIME...MOT...LOC 1058Z 263DEG 41KT 3532 8836PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
610 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0546 AM HAIL 3 S FINGER 35.31N 88.62W
03/26/2011 M0.50 INCH MCNAIRY TN TRAINED SPOTTER
PEA TO DIME SIZE
&&
JABSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 614 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011 MSZ009-014>017-261200- PRENTISS MS-UNION MS-LEE MS-ITAWAMBA MS-PONTOTOC MS- 614 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 700 AM CDT FOR... NORTHWESTERN ITAWAMBA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHERN LEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHEASTERN PONTOTOC COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... SOUTHERN PRENTISS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... EASTERN UNION COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED OVER NEW HARMONY AT 614 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN ITAWAMBA...LEE...PONTOTOC...PRENTISS AND UNION COUNTIES... INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR BALDWYN AND NEW ALBANY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3464 8840 3437 8833 3430 8904 3453 8908 TIME...MOT...LOC 1114Z 262DEG 41KT 3442 8886
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
642 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011
MSZ006-009-017-261215-
TISHOMINGO MS-PRENTISS MS-ITAWAMBA MS-
642 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 715 AM CDT FOR...
NORTHERN ITAWAMBA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
SOUTHEASTERN PRENTISS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
SOUTHERN TISHOMINGO COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT
LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF SANDY SPRINGS AT 642 AM
CDT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN ITAWAMBA...PRENTISS AND TISHOMINGO COUNTIES...INCLUDING
LOCATIONS NEAR TISHOMINGO STATE PARK...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM
CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES BAY SPRINGS
LAKE.
&&
LAT...LON 3465 8812 3454 8813 3439 8816 3436 8851
3447 8854 3452 8853 3452 8855 3461 8857
3468 8812 3466 8812
TIME...MOT...LOC 1142Z 263DEG 41KT 3449 8843SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
651 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011
ARZ035-048-261215-
CROSS AR-ST. FRANCIS AR-
651 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2011
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 715 AM CDT FOR...
SOUTHERN CROSS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
NORTHERN ST. FRANCIS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT
LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 7 MILES WEST OF COLT AT 651 AM CDT...MOVING
EAST AT 45 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN CROSS AND ST. FRANCIS COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR
FORREST CITY...PARKIN...VILLAGE CREEK STATE PARK AND WYNNE...SHOULD
MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3500 9115 3501 9114 3501 9105 3524 9104
3536 9053 3509 9050 3491 9115 3492 9116
TIME...MOT...LOC 1151Z 254DEG 41KT 3514 9091The Little Rock radar (KLZK), 114 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:59 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds blew numerous trees down across St. Francis County. A few sheds were damaged as well.
Winds were measured at 62 mph at the Blytheville Airport ASOS. The straight line winds damaged a camper and knocked down large tree limbs in East Blytheville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, March 2011
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: 291052, 291053.