Hail and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, September 5, 2012

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, September 5, 2012
Start: 2012-09-05T15:20
End: 2012-09-05T19:35
Location: Mississippi

September 5, 2012 · NWS MEG · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

An upper level ridge of high pressure started to weaken across the northern parts of the Mid-South on September 5th. Meanwhile an upper level disturbance moving through the central plains approached an increasingly unstable airmass over the region and triggered numerous thunderstorms across mainly the northern half of the Mid-South during the afternoon and evening of September 5th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MEG wrote it up.

What forecasters said that day

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 Sep 5, 2:04 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 5, 2:04 PM CST, 1 hour 16 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
304 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012

.DISCUSSION...

SKIES ARE MOSTLY SUNNY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST
AREA WITH TEMPERATURES MAINLY IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S. HEAT INDEX
VALUES ARE CURRENTLY IN THE 105 TO 109 DEGREE RANGE AT THIS TIME.
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE INCREASED IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY
OVER THE PAST HOUR OR SO. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME
SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND POSSIBLY LARGE HAIL AS THE MAIN
THREATS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 621 IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10
PM FOR ROUGHLY THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA.

A WEAK SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL PASS THROUGH THE REGION TONIGHT AND
WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THAT DOES DEVELOP
THIS EVENING. SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING
THE EARLY EVENING HOURS OVER NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST
AREA.

HIGH PRESSURE WILL BRIEFLY BUILD INTO THE REGION FOR THURSDAY AND
THURSDAY NIGHT BRINGING MAINLY DRY WEATHER TO THE FORECAST AREA.
AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM IS POSSIBLE BUT COVERAGE WILL BE VERY
SMALL. HEAT INDEX VALUES MAY APPROACH 105 DEGREES ON THURSDAY SO A
HEAT ADVISORY MAY BE ISSUED OVERNIGHT FOR THURSDAY.

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA ON FRIDAY. SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND
MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME
SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND POSSIBLY LARGE HAIL WOULD BE THE
MAIN THREATS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY NIGHT AND
SATURDAY MORNING. THE FRONT SHOULD CLEAR OUT OF THE REGION BY
SATURDAY AFTERNOON BRINGING AN END TO THE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS.

BEHIND THE FRONT...COOLER AND DRIER AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE
FORECAST AREA. AS A RESULT...DRY WEATHER AND MUCH MORE PLEASANT
TEMPERATURES WILL BE FOUND ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. OVERNIGHT
LOWS WILL DROP INTO THE MID TO UPPER 50S OVER MUCH OF THE FORECAST
AREA FOR SUNDAY...MONDAY AND TUESDAY. AFTERNOON HIGHS DURING THIS
PERIOD WILL BE IN THE LOW TO MID 80S. BY TUESDAY EVENING...HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BE EAST OF THE REGION ALLOWING SOUTH WINDS TO BRING
WARMER AND MORE HUMID AIR TO THE FORECAST AREA FOR NEXT WEDNESDAY.

ARS

&&

.AVIATION...

18Z TAF SET

CONFIDENCE IN TSRA DEVELOPMENT WANING AS LITTLE CU HAS DEVELOPED
OVER THE AREA THUS FAR. SMALL LINE OF CLOUDS EXIST OVER NW
ARKANSAS BUT THUS FAR NO TSRA DEVELOPMENT. WILL LEAVE VCTS WORDING
AT KMEM...KMKL...AND KJBR BUT WILL REMOVE MENTION OF TEMPOS.
STRATUS WILL MOVE INTO KTUP DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SIMILAR
TO WHAT OCCUR THIS MORNING. PATCHY FOG MAY ALSO DEVELOP AT KMKL
REDUCING VSBYS. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS GENERALLY EXPECTED
THROUGH THE PERIOD.

KRM

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM  78  97  78  94 /  30  10  10  40
MKL  72  95  71  92 /  40  10  10  30
JBR  74  96  73  91 /  20  10  10  40
TUP  74  95  73  95 /  30  10  10  20

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR CLAY-CRAIGHEAD-
     CRITTENDEN-CROSS-GREENE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-MISSISSIPPI-
     PHILLIPS-POINSETT-RANDOLPH-ST. FRANCIS.

MO...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR DUNKLIN-PEMISCOT.

MS...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR BENTON MS-CALHOUN-
     CHICKASAW-COAHOMA-DESOTO-ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LEE MS-MARSHALL-
     MONROE-PANOLA-PONTOTOC-QUITMAN-TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-
     TUNICA-UNION-YALOBUSHA.

TN...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR CROCKETT-DYER-
     FAYETTE-HARDEMAN-HAYWOOD-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-SHELBY-TIPTON.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 5, 10:56 AM CST, 4 hours 24 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1156 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-
MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-061900-
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-
1156 AM CDT WED SEP 5 2012

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 WEATHER OVER THE ENTIRE MID-
SOUTH. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON
INTO EARLY EVENING ACROSS MUCH OF THE MID SOUTH. ANY STORM THAT
BECOMES SEVERE WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL. HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL ALSO PREVAIL ACROSS MUCH OF THE MID
SOUTH. A HEAT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY THROUGH
SATURDAY. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER RISKS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL. PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS
REGARDING THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ACROSS THE MID SOUTH THIS
AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AND AGAIN FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 5, 3:06 PM CST, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
406 PM CDT WED SEP 05 2012

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0355 PM     HAIL             CORNING                 36.41N 90.59W
09/05/2012  M1.00 INCH       CLAY               AR   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SEVERAL REPORTS OF QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN CORNING FROM
            SPOTTERS AND MEDIA INTERESTS.

&&

RRH

Special weather statement, Sep 5, 3:19 PM CST, 1 minute before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
419 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012

ARZ026-027-052145-
CRAIGHEAD AR-POINSETT AR-
419 PM CDT WED SEP 5 2012

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 445 PM CDT FOR...

  SOUTHWESTERN CRAIGHEAD COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
  WESTERN POINSETT COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT
LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 12 MILES NORTHWEST OF WALDENBURG AT 420 PM
CDT...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS  THUNDERSTORM.

PEOPLE IN CRAIGHEAD AND POINSETT COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM
CLOSELY.

.A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ADVISORY
AREA.

&&

LAT...LON 3572 9078 3545 9082 3551 9104 3573 9105
      3574 9104
TIME...MOT...LOC 2120Z 277DEG 14KT 3565 9111

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Lafayette

When: September 5, 3:20 PM CST to 3:25 PM CST
Where: Lafayette County, 0.57 mi ENE of Piera
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 34.524, -89.691

Nickel size hail fell near Harmontown.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tippah

When: September 5, 7:30 PM CST to 7:35 PM CST
Where: Tippah County, Ripley to 0.4 mi ESE of Ripley
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 34.730, -88.950

Straight line winds knocked down a few power lines in Ripley.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Mississippi in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Mississippi, September 2012

Sources

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: 413988, 414002.