An upper level disturbance moved through the region and interacted with an old convective outflow boundary across Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. As a result a line of thunderstorms developed and moved across the northern half of the Mid South during the late afternoon and early evening hours of May 23rd.
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 disturbance moved through the region and interacted with an old convective outflow boundary across Southern Missouri and Northern Arkansas. As a result a line of thunderstorms developed and moved across the northern half of the Mid South during the late afternoon and early evening hours of May 23rd. Some storms were severe and produced 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 May 23, 2:51 PM CST, 1 hour 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 351 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011 .DISCUSSION... A COMPLEX WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES TO UNFOLD THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE MID SOUTH WHICH WILL DICTATE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. A CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY/WEAKENING COLD POOL CONTINUES TO PUSH SOUTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON...ADVANCED BY A BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WHICH HAVE BEEN SEVERE AT TIMES. THIS CONVECTIVE LINE MAY CONTINUE SOUTHEASTWARD AND FEED ON THE MODERATE TO STRONGLY UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WHERE SBCAPES ARE NOW APPROACHING 3500 J/KG. THIS BOUNDARY STRETCHES BACK TO THE NORTHWEST INTO NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WHERE ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED AND ARE QUICKLY INTENSIFYING. THESE STORMS MAY TEND TO MOVE BACK ATOP THE CONVECTIVELY COOLED AIRMASS OVER NORTHERN ARKANSAS AND MAY REMAIN ELEVATED. THESE STORMS MAY STILL POSE A SEVERE HAIL AND POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WIND THREAT AS INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE AIRMASS ELEVATED ABOVE THE DECAYING NEAR SURFACE COLD POOL IS ADVECTED INTO THE STORMS BY A 30-40 KT SOUTHWESTERLY LOW LEVEL JET ACROSS THE ARKLATEX INTO NORTHERN ARKANSAS. THESE STORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO WORK INTO NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE MID SOUTH THIS EVENING. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AS ANOTHER SUBTLE MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS LIFTS NORTHEAST AND ACROSS THE MID SOUTH. INSTABILITY AND INCREASING DEEP LAYER SHEAR SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH MAINLY A DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL THREAT. CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO...ESPECIALLY NEAR ANY BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS AND IN THE PRESENCE OF 0-1KM SRH AROUND 150 M2/S2. TORNADOES SHOULD NOT BE THE PRIMARY THREAT AND WILL NOT HIGHLIGHT THIS POTENTIAL IN THE LATEST HWO UPDATE. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER INTO TUESDAY MORNING ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40...BUT SHOULD BE IN A WEAKENING TREND. THERE MAY BE SOME ISOLATED REDEVELOPMENT LATER TUESDAY AFTERNOON ALONG RESIDUAL CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES AND IN THE PRESENCE OF CONTINUED 30-40 KTS OF DEEP LAYER SHEAR AND STRONG INSTABILITY WITH SBCAPES IN EXCESS OF 3000 J/KG. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE SHOULD BE LOWER AS COMPARED TO TODAY...AS MID LEVEL HEIGHTS RISE AND CAPPING STRENGTHENS OVER THE MID SOUTH IN RESPONSE TO DEEPENING UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE OVER THE WESTERN STATES. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE A FEW DEGREES WARMER WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 80S TO AROUND 90 DEGREES WITH CONTINUED HUMID CONDITIONS. THE POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM TO THE WEST WILL MOVE INTO THE MID SOUTH ON WEDNESDAY WITH STRONGER MID LEVEL HEIGHT FALLS. THESE HEIGHT FALLS SHOULD HELP TO FURTHER DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE AND ERODE ANY RESIDUAL MID LEVEL CAPPING BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON ALONG AND WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. IMPRESSIVE STABILITY PARAMETERS DEVELOP WITH SBCAPES BETWEEN 3000-4000 J/KG...LI/S TO -10C...AND MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES GREATER THAN 8 C/KM BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS STRONG INSTABILITY WILL BE COMPLIMENTED BY INCREASING DEEP LAYER SHEAR ASSOCIATED WITH A STRONG 80+ KT MID LEVEL JET STREAK EVOLVING ACROSS THE OZARKS. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE WILL DEEPEN ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WEDNESDAY MORNING BEFORE MOVING NORTHEAST INTO CENTRAL MISSOURI BY WEDNESDAY EVENING. LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL VEER WEST-SOUTHWESTERLY ALOFT AND RESULT IN 0-1KM SRH AROUND 200 M2/S2 BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. AS MID LEVEL TEMPERATURES COOLIN THE PRESENCE OF STRONG THERMODYNAMIC INSTABILITY AND STRENGTHENING SHEAR...EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO ERUPT ALONG AND WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. STORM MODE WILL LIKELY INITIALLY BE SUPERCELL STRUCTURES WITH A THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES. EVENTUALLY THE STRONG FORCING ALOFT WILL ALLOW STORMS TO CONGEAL INTO A QUASI LINEAR CONVECTIVE SYSTEM (QLCS) WITH EMBEDDED SUPERCELLS. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREATS WILL TRANSITION TO MORE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL OVERNIGHT. THIS THREAT COULD POSE A MORE SIGNIFICANT AND WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK OVER THE MID SOUTH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. THE UPPER LOW WILL CONTINUE TO SLOWLY MOVE EAST INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY ON THURSDAY WITH A SHEARED AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS STILL IN PLACE MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT THURSDAY AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH A FEW SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE. STORMS SHOULD END ON THURSDAY NIGHT FROM WEST TO EAST AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE LIFTS OUT TO THE NORTHEAST AND THE WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY STALLS TO THE SOUTH. UPPER LEVEL RIDGING SHOULD SLOWLY BUILD INTO THE WEEKEND...ALTHOUGH THE BOUNDARY SHOULD LIFT BACK TO THE NORTH ON SATURDAY AS ANOTHER MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE MOVES EAST INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A RETURN OF WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS. AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM CANNOT BE COMPLETELY RULED OUT ON SATURDAY...BUT WITH BUILDING MID LEVEL HEIGHTS HAVE KEPT POPS OUT OF THE FORECAST FOR NOW. STRONG UPPER LEVEL HIGH PRESSURE WILL DEVELOP OVER THE MID SOUTH FOR THE END OF THE WEEKEND AND INTO THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. THIS SHOULD BRING A PERIOD OF DRY WEATHER AND POTENTIALLY THE HOTTEST WEATHER EXPERIENCED SO FAR THIS YEAR. JLH && .AVIATION... NORTHERN MCS CONTINUES TO MOVE SOUTHWARD INTO THE REGION. IMPACTS WILL BE FELT AT JBR WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. WENT WITH MVFR CIGS AT JBR ALONG WITH GUSTS UPWARDS OF 25KTS. ALSO AT JBR...BY 08Z LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BRING CIGS DOWN TO IFR CONDITIONS. ELSEWHERE CONFIDENCE IS RATHER LOW IN REGARDS TO TIMING OF FURTHER CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. WENT WITH PREVAILING CB GROUPS AT BOTH MEM AND MKL FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. VISIBILITY MAY BE REDUCED TO LESS THAT 5 MILES IN THE HEAVIER CONVECTION AND ALSO LOWERING CIGS WILL YIELD MVFR CONDITONS. WENT WITH A 6 HOUR CB GROUP FOR TUP THIS EVENING AS DAYTIME HEATING INCREASES INSTABILITY IN NORTH MISSISSIPPI. ALSO...CIGS WILL LOWER TO MVFR CONDITIONS IN THE HEAVIER STORMS AS CEILINGS LOWER. CDG && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 71 88 72 87 / 50 20 10 50 MKL 67 87 70 88 / 50 20 10 40 JBR 68 85 70 85 / 70 20 20 60 TUP 67 90 70 89 / 30 10 10 20 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 412 PM CDT MON MAY 23 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>092-242315- 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- 412 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A CLARKSDALE TO TUPELO MISSISSIPPI LINE. PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. MODERATE RIVER FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER... AND ALONG THE ST FRANCIS RIVER SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40. BACKWATER FLOODING WILL ALSO OCCUR ALONG SOME TRIBUTARIES TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS TUESDAY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40...BUT COVERAGE SHOULD BE LESS THAN ON MONDAY. SEVERE WEATHER THREATS SHOULD REMAIN CONFINED TO DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. A MORE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK WILL BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. INCREASINGLY WIDESPREAD AND POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE. ALL SEVERE WEATHER THREATS WILL BE POSSIBLE INCLUDING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES. THE GREATEST SEVERE WEATHER THREAT SHOULD BE POTENTIALLY WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS. THERE WILL BE A CONTINUED THREAT FOR A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ALONG AND EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ON THURSDAY. THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WILL REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE THROUGH MOST OF THIS WEEK...WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO BACKWATER TRIBUTARY FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...LAW ENFORCEMENT...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS WILL BE NEEDED TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 40. SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY. JLH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
401 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG RECTOR 36.26N 90.29W
05/23/2011 CLAY AR PUBLIC
A SHED WAS BLOWN DOWN.
&&
SJMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
448 PM CDT MON MAY 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0405 PM TSTM WND DMG MARKED TREE 35.53N 90.42W
05/23/2011 POINSETT AR LAW ENFORCEMENT
A TREE AND POSSIBLY A FEW POWER LINES ARE DOWN IN MARKED
TREE AT THE INTERSECTION OF RAILROAD AND FRISCO STREET.
&&
SJMThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:00 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported a 62 mph wind gust on his personal weather station.
A wind gust of 66 mph was recorded at the Sheriff's Office in Dresden.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, May 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: 315382, 315383, 315385, 315386.