An upper level low pressure system moved across the Mid-South on April 5, 2012. As a result scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across West Tennessee.
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 low pressure system moved across the Mid-South on April 5, 2012. As a result scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed across West Tennessee. A few of the storms were severe with large hail.
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 Apr 5, 9:00 AM CST, 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1000 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012 .UPDATE... UPPER LOW OVER ARKANSAS CONTINUES TO PROGRESS EASTWARD THIS MORNING. A FEW SMALL ARCS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE PUSHING NORTHEAST OVER NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND EASTERN ARKANSAS. SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUD COVER TO THE NORTH AND EAST SHOULD ALLOW FOR SOME DESTABILIZATION THIS MORNING WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BECOMING MORE NUMEROUS BY AFTERNOON ACROSS WEST TENNESSEE. THUS...BUMPED UP POPS IN THESE AREAS. SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE...WITH HAIL BEING THE MAIN THREAT BUT FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE ON THE NORTH EDGE OF THE UPPER LOW WITH NEARLY STATIONARY MOVEMENT OF STORMS...A LA STORMS NEAR LAWRENCE COUNTY. BORGHOFF && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 309 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012/ AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY LOCATED OVER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS WILL DRIFT SOUTHEASTWARD TODAY SETTING OFF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA. MODELS IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THIS SYSTEM. EXPECT AFTER SUNRISE...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE WILL BEGIN TO BLOSSOM OVER MUCH OF THE AREA AS DAYTIME HEATING INTERACTS WITH THE APPROACHING UPPER LOW. ALREADY SEEING A COUPLE LINES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOUTHWEST OF THE CWA. SOME OF THE STORMS TODAY COULD BECOME SEVERE MAINLY OVER SOUTHEASTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWA WHERE INSTABILITY WILL BE THE GREATEST AND DUE TO THE TIMING OF THE PASSAGE OF THE UPPER LOW. FOR THIS REASON...THE SLIGHT RISK AS BEEN EXPANDED INTO THE MIDSOUTH. THE RISK AREA IS SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM JACKSON...TO MEMPHIS...TO CLARKSDALE. COOLER AIR WILL FILTER INTO THE AREA TODAY...KEEPING HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S. TONIGHT...UPPER LOW PUSHES SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA QUICKLY. EXPECT POSSIBLY A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS ACROSS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND WEST TENNESSEE NEAR THE TENNESSEE RIVER DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. OTHERWISE...SKIES WILL BEGIN TO CLEAR AS A SFC HIGH LOCATED OVER THE GREAT LAKES BEGINS TO BUILD SOUTHWARD. FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...SFC HIGH OVER THE GREAT LAKES WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD INTO THE CWA AS AN UPPER RIDGE MOVES OVER THE AREA. EXPECT MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES WITH PLEASANT TEMPERATURES. HIGHS WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 60S TO THE MID 70S WITH LOWS IN THE 40S. SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY...A COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH. MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE FRONT WILL COME THROUGH THE AREA DRY. SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE END OF THE FORECAST...SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION THROUGH THE PERIOD. ANOTHER DRY COLD FRONT MONDAY NIGHT WILL BRING IN A REINFORCING SHOT OF COLD AIR. TEMPERATURES ARE ACTUALLY EXPECTED TO BE BELOW NORMAL MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S AND LOWS IN THE MID 30S TO MID 40S. WILL NEED TO WATCH TUESDAY NIGHTS LOWS AS FROST ADVISORIES MAY BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE CWA. KRM && .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ONGOING ACROSS MUCH OF EAST ARKANSAS AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI AND SHOULD INCREASE IN COVERAGE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. ALL TAF SITES SHOULD EXPERIENCE RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. PREVAILING CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY REMAIN VFR...BUT EXPECT SHORT PERIODS OF IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO HEAVY RAIN IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO VEER...SHIFTING FROM THE WEST THEN NORTHWEST AS A SURFACE LOW TRACKS GENERALLY ACROSS MEM AND TUP. DUE TO THIS TRACK...WINDS COULD SHIFT ABRUPTLY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 72 50 67 47 / 80 10 0 0 MKL 71 44 65 40 / 80 20 0 0 JBR 71 45 66 42 / 80 10 0 0 TUP 73 49 69 44 / 80 20 0 0 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 454 AM CDT THU APR 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>092-061200- 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- 454 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH TODAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGHOUT THE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. SOME STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS FOR AREAS SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE...FROM CLARKSDALE MISSISSIPPI...TO MEMPHIS...TO JACKSON TENNESSEE. STRONG STORMS WITH SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE REST OF THE MIDSOUTH.THE SEVERE THREAT WILL COME TO AN END BY 7 PM AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PUSHES EAST. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE POSSIBILITY OF FROST WILL OCCUR ACROSS NORTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE MIDSOUTH TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AS LOW TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE MID 30S. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY. KRM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 618 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012 MSZ023-024-051200- MONROE MS-CHICKASAW MS- 618 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 700 AM CDT FOR... NORTHEASTERN CHICKASAW COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... CENTRAL MONROE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTH OF HOUSTON AT 618 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. PEOPLE IN CHICKASAW AND MONROE COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR AMORY...HOUSTON AND OKOLONA...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3404 8831 3380 8834 3389 8903 3407 8901 TIME...MOT...LOC 1118Z 277DEG 19KT 3398 8897 30/SIRMON
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
829 AM CDT THU APR 05 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0826 AM HAIL BYHALIA 34.86N 89.69W
04/05/2012 E0.88 INCH MARSHALL MS PUBLIC
HAIL NEAR NICKEL SIZE.
&&
MRMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 829 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012 MSZ002-003-TNZ089-051400- BENTON MS-MARSHALL MS-FAYETTE TN- 829 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 900 AM CDT FOR... NORTHWESTERN BENTON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... SOUTHEASTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING HAIL UP TO PENNY SIZE WAS LOCATED OVER RED BANKS AT 829 AM CDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. PEOPLE IN BENTON...FAYETTE AND MARSHALL COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3513 8938 3496 8915 3474 8958 3488 8969 TIME...MOT...LOC 1329Z 230DEG 32KT 3487 8956
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
946 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012
MSZ001-TNZ088-051515-
DE SOTO MS-SHELBY TN-
946 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1015 AM CDT FOR...
NORTHERN DESOTO COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
SOUTHWESTERN SHELBY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL WAS LOCATED
OVER WALLS AT 946 AM CDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
PEOPLE IN DESOTO AND SHELBY COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR HORN
LAKE...MIDTOWN MEMPHIS...OLIVE BRANCH...SOUTHAVEN AND T O FULLER
STATE PARK...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES LAKE MCKELLAR.
&&
LAT...LON 3502 9021 3504 9020 3510 9018 3513 9014
3512 9011 3512 9008 3513 9007 3515 9007
3516 9010 3524 9000 3493 8980 3482 9019
3503 9024
TIME...MOT...LOC 1446Z 237DEG 21KT 3496 9012SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1001 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012 TNZ088-051530- SHELBY TN- 1001 AM CDT THU APR 5 2012 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1030 AM CDT FOR... CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED OVER MIDTOWN MEMPHIS AT 1001 AM CDT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. PEOPLE IN SHELBY COUNTY...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR BARTLETT... CORDOVA...GERMANTOWN AND MIDTOWN MEMPHIS...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3536 8977 3511 8967 3503 8993 3516 9006 TIME...MOT...LOC 1501Z 231DEG 17KT 3512 8993
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 22 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:06 UTC.
3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Penny size hail covered the ground in the Berclair area of Memphis.
Quarter size hail fell on the Highway 22 bypass just north of Huntingdon.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, April 2012
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: 376461, 376480, 376481.