A small mesoscale convective system developed over Central Arkansas during the afternoon hours of August 7th, 2011. The system moved east into North Mississippi during the early evening hours and interacted with a warm unstable air mass to produce severe thunderstorms.
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 small mesoscale convective system developed over Central Arkansas during the afternoon hours of August 7th, 2011. The system moved east into North Mississippi during the early evening hours and interacted with a warm unstable air mass to produce severe thunderstorms. Damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding occurred as a result.
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 Aug 7, 2:28 PM CST, 2 hours 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
328 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011
.DISCUSSION...
.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.
SMALL MCV OVER CENTRAL ARKANSAS HAS BEEN PRODUCING POTENT
THUNDERSTORMS WITH MICROBURSTS BEING REPORTED NEAR LITTLE ROCK
THIS AFTERNOON. THIS FEATURE WILL CONTINUE TO HEAD EAST INTO
NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI EARLY THIS EVENING. SOME SEVERE STORMS ARE
POSSIBLE THROUGH ABOUT 9 OR 10 PM BEFORE INSTABILITY DIMINISHES
SUFFICIENTLY. ADDED AN ENHANCED AREA OF POPS TO COVER THIS FEATURE
OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN AREAS...WITH SCHC ELSEWHERE.
SHOULD SEE ONE MORE DAY OF VERY HOT TEMPERATURES ON MONDAY BEFORE
BIG CHANGES FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK. THERMAL RIDGE REMAINS IN
PLACE BUT INTENSITY BEGINS TO WANE CONSIDERABLY BY MONDAY EVENING
AS THE RIDGE BEGINS RETROGRADING WESTWARD. NAM12 INDICATES HIGHS
IN THE UPPER 90S/LOW 100S AGAIN...WITH THE ECMWF ON THE COOLER
SIDE OF GUIDANCE DUE TO EXCESSIVE CLOUDS/STORMS. MET/MAV NUMBERS
ARE CLOSE WITH TEMPERATURES/POPS SO WENT WITH THOSE. AFTER ADDING
IN DEW POINT GRIDS AND CALCULATING HEAT INDICES...LOOKS LIKE THE
CURRENT HEADLINE CONFIGURATION IS IN GOOD SHAPE.
CLUSTER OF STORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER EASTERN KS/SWRN MO
MONDAY AFTERNOON ON THE READING EDGE OF THE RIDGE. AS THE RIDGE
BUILDING WESTWARD...THIS CLUSTER SHOULD DEVELOP INTO A FORWARD
PROPAGATING MCS AND TRACK EAST SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN CWA
MONDAY NIGHT. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE...PARTICULARLY
ACROSS NERN AR/MO/NWRN TN. BUMPED UP POPS TO LIKELY MAINLY AFTER
MIDNIGHT OVER THE NORTH WITH CHC ELSEWHERE.
CLOUDS AND LINGERING SHOWERS/STORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MCS MAY
STILL BE ONGOING TUESDAY ACROSS THE NORTH AND EAST. THIS SHOULD
KEEP TEMPERATURES CONSIDERABLY COOLER THROUGH THE DAY...WITH HIGHS
ONLY IN THE MID 80S. FARTHER WEST THE RIDGE WILL STILL HAVE SOME
INFLUENCE AND WITH WEST WINDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECOVER BACK TO
THE LOW OR MID 90S ACROSS NORTHWEST MS.
BRIEF BREAK EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT WITH CLEARING SKIES. LIGHT
NORTHEASTERLY FLOW WILL BRING REFRESHINGLY COOLER AIR NOT SEEN
AROUND HERE IN SOME TIME.
.LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
THE RIDGE TRIES TO BUILD BACK A BIT WEDNESDAY...BUT WONT QUITE
MAKE IT THIS FAR EAST. INSTEAD IT WILL TIGHTEN THE THICKNESS
PATTERN AND BRINGING A HIGH PROBABILITY OF ADDITIONAL MCS
DEVELOPMENT OVER SOUTHEAST KS/SRN MO THAT WILL TRACK EAST
SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH LATE WED...ESPECIALLY WED
NITE...AND THEN AGAIN FRIDAY NIGHT. ANY OF THESE MAY BRING
DAMAGING WINDS. TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO HOVER NEAR OR
SLIGHTLY BELOW AVERAGE DEPENDING ON TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF EACH
MCS.
FRESH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING SOUTH INTO THE PLAINS WILL BRING A
POSSIBLE COLD FRONT THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH IN THE SATURDAY TIME
FRAME. SOME STORMS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH IT.
FOR LATE NEXT WEEKEND A NORTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE THE FEED OF
COOLER AND LESS HUMID AIR...ALONG WITH SUNNY SKIES.
BORGHOFF
&&
.AVIATION...
18Z TAFS
THE ATMOSPHERE HAD BECOME VERY UNSTABLE ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH AT
17Z. THUS FAR... TS THREAT HAS BEEN SUPPRESSED BY WARM TEMPERATURES
ALOFT. THE MAIN FEATURE OF CONCERN IS A MIDLEVEL CIRCULATION
EVIDENT ON GOES VISIBLE IMAGERY AND KLZK RADAR MOVING
EAST/SOUTHEAST THROUGH NORTHWEST AR. OF THE FORECAST MODELS... THE
12Z NAM APPEARS TO HAVE THE BEST HANDLE ON THIS FEATURE...BRINGING
IT INTO CENTRAL AR THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT TSRA TO DEVELOP ALONG
THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST FLANKS OF THE MIDLEVEL CIRCULATION... WITH
BEST TSRA COVERAGE OVER NORTH MS.
HAVE BUMPED UP TO A LATE AFTERNOON VCTS AT MEM...GIVEN THE
PROXIMITY OF EXPECTED SCATTERED CONVECTION OVER NORTHWEST MS.
PWB
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM 81 99 79 91 / 30 10 50 40
MKL 75 97 75 87 / 20 30 70 50
JBR 77 100 75 90 / 20 20 60 40
TUP 76 98 78 91 / 20 20 30 50
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM CDT MONDAY FOR CLAY-GREENE-LAWRENCE-
RANDOLPH.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 11 PM CDT MONDAY FOR CRAIGHEAD-
CRITTENDEN-CROSS-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-PHILLIPS-POINSETT-ST.
FRANCIS.
MO...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM CDT MONDAY FOR DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT.
MS...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM CDT MONDAY FOR ALCORN-PRENTISS-TIPPAH-
TISHOMINGO.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 11 PM CDT MONDAY FOR BENTON MS-
CALHOUN-CHICKASAW-COAHOMA-DESOTO-ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LEE MS-
MARSHALL-MONROE-PANOLA-PONTOTOC-QUITMAN-TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-
TUNICA-UNION-YALOBUSHA.
TN...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM CDT MONDAY FOR CARROLL-CHESTER-
CROCKETT-DECATUR-DYER-GIBSON-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-HENDERSON-
HENRY-LAKE-MADISON-MCNAIRY-OBION-WEAKLEY.
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 11 PM CDT MONDAY FOR FAYETTE-
HAYWOOD-LAUDERDALE-SHELBY-TIPTON.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 545 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 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>092-090045- 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- 545 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING OR HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE ENTIRE MIDSOUTH. HEAT INDICES WILL RANGE FROM 105 DEGREES TO 115 DEGREES. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...AND NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI. DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN ARE THE MAIN THREATS. A SECONDARY THREAT OF LARGE HAIL IS ALSO PRESENT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING OR HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE ENTIRE MIDSOUTH MONDAY. HEAT INDICES WILL RANGE FROM 105 DEGREES TO 115 DEGREES. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A LINE FROM CHERRY VALLEY ARKANSAS TO MEMPHIS TO CORINTH MISSISSIPPI MONDAY NIGHT. DAMAGING WIND IS THE MAIN THREAT...BUT HEAVY RAIN AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AT TIMES FROM TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING. JAB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 503 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011 MSZ005-006-009-072230- TISHOMINGO MS-PRENTISS MS-ALCORN MS- 503 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR... SOUTHEASTERN ALCORN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHEASTERN PRENTISS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... CENTRAL TISHOMINGO COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF LEEDY AT 503 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 ALCORN...PRENTISS AND TISHOMINGO COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR IUKA...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3490 8815 3464 8816 3469 8858 3490 8853 TIME...MOT...LOC 2203Z 265DEG 16KT 3485 8838
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
507 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011
MSZ004-072230-
TIPPAH MS-
507 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR...
TIPPAH COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 3
MILES NORTHEAST OF RIPLEY AT 507 PM CDT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN TIPPAH COUNTY...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR RIPLEY...SHOULD
MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3460 8872 3459 8880 3474 8906 3488 8893
3479 8875 3476 8875 3476 8872
TIME...MOT...LOC 2207Z 306DEG 13KT 3475 8891SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
529 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011
ARZ035-048-072300-
CROSS AR-ST. FRANCIS AR-
529 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR...
SOUTHWESTERN CROSS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
WESTERN ST. FRANCIS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 15
MILES WEST OF CALDWELL AT 530 PM CDT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN CROSS AND ST. FRANCIS COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM
CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3507 9105 3521 9105 3522 9104 3506 9078
3493 9099 3503 9106 3506 9105
TIME...MOT...LOC 2230Z 316DEG 12KT 3514 9106SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
535 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011
MSZ006-009-072300-
TISHOMINGO MS-PRENTISS MS-
535 PM CDT SUN AUG 7 2011
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR...
NORTHEASTERN PRENTISS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
CENTRAL TISHOMINGO COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS
LOCATED FROM IUKA TO THRASHERS AT 536 PM CDT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10
MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN PRENTISS AND TISHOMINGO COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR
IUKA AND TISHOMINGO STATE PARK...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3485 8810 3473 8811 3472 8812 3456 8814
3457 8841 3475 8854 3475 8837 3476 8837
3490 8813 3487 8809
TIME...MOT...LOC 2236Z 308DEG 8KT 3480 8815 3470 8829
3471 8851The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:46 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds produced a swath of damage between Altitude and Burton. Several trees and power lines were knocked down. Some minor structural damage occurred as well.
Straight line winds knocked down several trees and power lines in the Blackland area. A roof was blown off a house on County Road 7481, southwest of Blackland.
Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines between Dumas and the Prentiss County line.
Straight line winds produced a swath of damage from the southwest corner of Prentiss County near Geeville northeastward to Frankstown. Multiple trees and power lines were knocked down on County Road 6100. A few of the trees fell onto homes. Trees were also reported down on County Road 6061. In Frankstown, several trees were knocked down on Highway 30 West. Several homes on Highway 30 West were damaged as well.
Two thunderstorms brought a long period of damaging winds to the Baldwyn area. Widespread trees and power lines were knocked down in Baldwyn. A roof was blown off a house in North Baldwyn. Several homes, businesses and vehicles were damaged in Downtown Baldwyn, some of which were damaged from fallen trees. A Red Cross shelter was opened for displaced families. Another house on Community Drive had the roof blown off. A barn and camper were blown over as well.
Nickel to quarter size hail fell along County Road 6061 south of Geeville.
Two thunderstorms moved over the city of Baldwyn and produced very heavy rain. Numerous streets were flooded resulting in emergency responders having difficulty maneuvering around the city.
Straight line winds knocked down large trees in the Fulton area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, August 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: 341591, 341595, 341598, 341599, 341602, 341607, 341604, 341608, 341609, 341610.