A powerful Mesoscale Convective system developed over Missouri during the morning hours of June 11, 2012. The complex moved southeast into the Mid-South during the afternoon and early evening resulting in numerous reports of damaging winds.
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 powerful Mesoscale Convective system developed over Missouri during the morning hours of June 11, 2012. The complex moved southeast into the Mid-South during the afternoon and early evening resulting in numerous reports of damaging winds. There were also a few reports of large hail and flash flooding.
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 Jun 11, 11:55 AM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1255 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2012 .DISCUSSION... UPDATED FOR 18Z AVIATION DISCUSSION && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1115 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2012/ UPDATE... UPDATED FOR ANTICIPATED CONVECTION AND SEVERE THREAT. DISCUSSION... A FORWARD PROPAGATING MCS CONTINUES TO PROGRESS EAST-SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS SOUTHERN MISSOURI. THIS MCS IS PROGRESSING ALONG THE NORTHEASTERN PERIPHERY OF STRONG ELEVATED MIXED LAYER (EML/CAP) OVER MUCH OF ARKANSAS. THIS CAPPING INVERSION WAS ALSO EVIDENT FROM THE 12Z KLZK SOUNDING. THE CAP WEAKENS WITH EASTWARD EXTENT AND THE LATEST STEERING FLOW SUGGESTS THAT THE MCS SHOULD MAKE A TURN MORE TOWARDS THE SOUTH AND INTO THE HEART OF THE MID SOUTH. THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME STRONGLY UNSTABLE IN THE PRE-CONVECTIVE AIRMASS AHEAD OF THE MCS. MLCAPES SHOULD APPROACH OR EVEN EXCEED 4000 J/KG AS TEMPERATURES RISE TO NEAR 90 DEGREES WITH DEWPOINTS REMAINING IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S. IN ADDITION...STEEPENING MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ON EDGE OF THE EML AROUND 7.0 C/KM AND LI/S BETWEEN -8C AND -12C SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN CONVECTION AND ALLOW FOR THE POTENTIAL OF DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. CONVECTION SHOULD REMAIN ORGANIZED ALONG THE ADVANCING COLD POOL. ADDITIONAL CONVECTION MAY DEVELOP IN ADVANCE OF THE MCS AND WITH STRONG INSTABILITY AND WEAK CAPPING MAY ALSO POSE A SEVERE THREAT. PLAN TO EXPAND THE SLIGHT RISK AREAWIDE AND ADD MENTION OF SEVERE IN THE ZONES. ALSO POPS HAVE BEEN ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THE ANTICIPATED SITUATION. UPDATED ZONES AND GRIDS HAVE BEEN SENT AND THE HWO WILL BE UPDATED SHORTLY. JLH DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 449 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2012/ PRIMARY SHORT TERM FORECAST CONCERN REMAINS RAIN CHANCES. EARLY THIS MORNING... SHORTWAVE RIDGING WAS SPREADING INTO THE MIDSOUTH... IN THE WAKE OF AN UPPER LEVEL SHEAR AXIS THAT BROUGHT SCATTERED SHOWERS TO THE REGION ON SUNDAY. UPSTREAM OF THE SHORTWAVE RIDGE AXIS... A ROBUST LINEAR MCS WAS DROPPING SOUTHEAST THROUGH NW MISSOURI. 850/500MB THICKNESS ANALYSIS SUGGESTS THIS FEATURE MAY BEGIN A MORE SOUTHERLY PROPAGATION. KSGF VAD WIND PROFILER SHOWED 25KTS OF INFLOW...THOUGH THIS INFLOW SHOULD WEAKEN CONSIDERABLY FOLLOWING SUNRISE. AFTER A WEAKENING OF THE MO STORM COMPLEX... NAM MODEL REDEVELOPS STORMS OVER THE OZARK PLATEAU TOWARD MIDDAY. THIS APPEARS A REASONABLE SCENARIO...IN RESPONSE TO SURFACE HEATING... FALLING HEIGHTS AND INCREASING UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE AHEAD OF A LONG WAVE TROF. SURFACED BASED INSTABILITY SHOULD BE IN GOOD SUPPLY ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH THIS AFTERNOON... WITH PARTIAL SUN AND LOWER 70S DEWPOINTS. DESPITE WEAK SHORTWAVE RIDGING...THE HIGH DEWPOINTS SHOULD MAKE CONVECTIVE TEMPS ATTAINABLE THIS AFTERNOON...ENOUGH TO WARRANT CHANCE POPS. MORE ORGANIZED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF AN UPPER JET CORE WILL INCREASE UPPER LEVEL DIFFLUENCE OVER THE MIDSOUTH... A PATTERN WHICH WILL WILL REMAIN RELATIVELY STATIC OVERNIGHT. THIS SUGGESTS ELEVATED STORMS MAY CONTINUE INTO THE OVERNIGHT... THROUGH MESOSCALE PROPAGATION PROCESSES WILL PLAY A LARGE ROLE ON WHERE STORMS OCCUR. A SURFACE COLD FRONT ARRIVES TUESDAY MORNING...BRINGING DRIER MIDCONTINENTAL AIR TO AREAS NORTH OF I40 BY AFTERNOON. 06Z NAM SUGGESTS THE FRONT MAY HANG UP OVER NORTH MS TUESDAY AFTERNOON... PROVIDING FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS. WEDNESDAY WILL SEE DRIER AIR OVER ALL THE MIDSOUTH. TEMPERATURES WILL RECOVER TO NEAR OR SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL VALUES FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK. BY FRIDAY... DEWPOINTS RECOVER TO THE 60S. DRY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL...THOUGH CANNOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORM OR TWO UNDER AN UPPER LEVEL SYNOPTIC SCALE RIDGE. PWB && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF SET CONVECTIVE COMPLEX IS SET TO SWEEP THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. THIS IS CORROBORATED WELL BY THE LATEST HRRR RUN. HAVE TIMED TEMPO GROUPS AT ALL SITES. EXPECT A FEW QUIET HOURS AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE FIRST ROUND OF TSRAS. EXPECT REDEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR OVERNIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES INTO THE REGION. KEPT A VCTS GOING FOR NOW SINCE IT IS DIFFICULT TO TIME THIS MESOSCALE ACTIVITY BEYOND A FEW HOURS. EXPECT SSW WINDS AT 8-10 KTS THIS AFTERNOON. AS THE COMPLEX MOVES THROUGH WINDS SHOULD SHARPLY SHIFT TO THE NORTH AND GUST. ADDED A WIND GROUP TO KJBR IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS. NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH AT THE OTHER 3 SITES TO ADD THIS YET. EXPECT WINDS TO BACK AFTER THE COMPLEX MOVES THROUGH AND THEN EVENTUALLY RETURN TO LIGHT SOUTHERLY OVERNIGHT. THE FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY AND WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTH AT 8-10 KTS. SJM && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 90 74 87 65 / 60 50 40 10 MKL 88 69 85 59 / 60 50 40 0 JBR 87 67 86 61 / 80 50 10 0 TUP 89 71 86 65 / 50 60 60 10 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1119 AM CDT MON JUN 11 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>092-121830- 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- 1119 AM CDT MON JUN 11 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 ACROSS THE ENTIRE MID SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER NORTH MISSISSIPPI ON TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE MID SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY WIND DAMAGE...INCLUDING TREES OR POWER LINES DOWN AND ANY STRUCTURAL DAMAGE...OR HAIL LARGER THAN QUARTER SIZE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE. JLH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
202 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0145 PM TSTM WND DMG PIGGOTT 36.38N 90.20W
06/11/2012 CLAY AR POST OFFICE
POWER IS OUT... ESTIMATED WIND GUST OF 60 MPH OR GREATER
&&
JPMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
212 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0205 PM TSTM WND GST 2 N MALDEN 36.61N 89.98W
06/11/2012 E70.00 MPH DUNKLIN MO TRAINED SPOTTER
POWERLINES DOWN ON HWY 25 NORTH OF MALDEN ON THE COUNTY
LINE. WINDS ESTIMATED BY SPOTTER AT 70 MPH. RELAYED BY
NWS PADUCAH.
&&
RRHThe Paducah radar (KPAH), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:25 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds caused roof damage to several homes in Tiptonville. Several trees and large limbs were knocked down in Tiptonville and at Reelfoot Lake.
Straight line winds knocked a large tree down blocking Meacham Road in Millsfield. A trampoline was blown into the road.
Straight line winds knocked a few trees and large tree limbs around Union City. A large tree blocked Knox Daniel Road outside of Union City. A truck was blown off Highway 45 south of Union City. Several power poles were snapped as well.
Straight line winds knocked down trees across Crockett County.
Straight line winds knocked down power lines near the Covington Fire Department. A tree was knocked on a house in Covington and trees were knocked over the railroad tracks behind the Tipton County Sheriff's Office.
Straight line winds knocked down numerous trees and power lines around Martin. A building suffered roof damage and a large wooden outbuilding completely collapsed on Adams Road east of Martin. A manufactured home also suffered major roof damage in the same area.
Straight line winds knocked down numerous trees around Gibson County including Bradford, Trenton, Gibson and Milan. Trees were knocked down on Highways 104 and 45.
Straight line winds knocked down numerous trees and power lines across Shelby County. Several roads were blocked. The dugout roof of the Bartlett Baptist Church ball field was blown about 40 feet. The traffic signal was knocked down at the intersection of Danny Thomas and Washington. A very large oak tree was knocked on to a house about one half mile south of the Memphis Botanic Gardens. Two neighboring homes also suffered moderate damage.
Straight line winds knocked a tree on to a house in Atwood. Power lines were also knocked down.
Golf ball size hail fell in Cordova.
Straight line winds knocked down numerous trees and power lines in Jackson.
Straight line winds knocked down trees across Decatur County. Trees fell across Bohanas Landing Road and Highway 114.
Heavy rain caused flashing flooding in parts of Southeast Memphis. Mount Moriah Road was covered with two feet of water.
Straight line winds knocked down power lines and trees in Michie.
Straight line winds ripped vinyl siding and shingles off a house in the Nixon area.
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, June 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: 395351, 395353, 395671, 396187, 395691, 395703, 395709, 395710, 395712, 395713, 395715, 395720, 395725, 395724, 395732, 396171.