A large scale upper trough set up over the Upper and Lower Mississippi River Valleys during the beginning of July. The trough brought pleasant below normal temperatures to the Mid-South but also showers and 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 large scale upper trough set up over the Upper and Lower Mississippi River Valleys during the beginning of July. The trough brought pleasant below normal temperatures to the Mid-South but also showers and thunderstorms. Several upper level disturbances rotated around the base of the upper trough and set off these showers and thunderstorms on July 5th, 2013. Some storms became severe producing 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 Jul 5, 5:26 PM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 626 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 .UPDATE... UPDATED FOR 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 349 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013/ DISCUSSION...20Z SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACES A WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY ACROSS EAST ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. MEANWHILE...WATER VAPOR SATELLITE TRENDS/UPPER AIR PROFILERS/WSR-88D VAD WIND PROFILES PLACE AN UPPER LEVEL LOW CENTERED NEAR JEFFERSON CITY MISSOURI. A MOIST PLUME OF MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS MOVED INTO THE MID SOUTH TODAY. THIS INCREASE IN MOISTURE COMBINED WITH THE LINGERING SURFACE BOUNDARY AND OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES FROM YESTERDAY EVENING/S CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AND THE UPPER LEVEL LOW HAVE COMBINED WITH DAYTIME HEATING TO PRODUCE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE MID SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE BEST COVERAGE AS OF DISCUSSION TIME OCCURRING JUST WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ACROSS EASTERN/NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. TEMPERATURES AS OF 3 PM CDT ARE IN THE LOWER TO PERHAPS MIDDLE 80S ACROSS MANY LOCATIONS...AND UPPER 70S ACROSS A FEW LOCATIONS WHERE RAIN HAS ALREADY COOLED TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY. SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES FOR THE NEXT 7 DAYS REMAINS THE PREDOMINANT FORECAST CHALLENGE. SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT)...LATEST SHORT TERM MODEL TRENDS INDICATE AN UPPER LEVEL LOW CURRENTLY LOCATED ACROSS CENTRAL MISSOURI WILL GRADUALLY MOVE EAST ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE MIDDLE AND LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEYS TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY AND MOVE EAST OF THE REGION BY SUNDAY NIGHT. AMPLE MOISTURE BEING ADVECTED UP FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS KEPT SURFACE DEWPOINTS UP MORE THAN INDICATED BY MODEL GUIDANCE. I/M ANTICIPATING SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES THROUGH SUNDAY TO BE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR WITH A GRADUAL DIMINISHING TREND MAINLY ALONG AND WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TOWARDS THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEKEND. THE BEST CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MAINLY COINCIDENT WITH DAYTIME HEATING. IN ADDITION...AN ISOLATED PULSE TYPE STRONG TO PERHAPS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MAY BE POSSIBLE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND PERHAPS LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING FROM HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE. AT THIS TIME DON/T FEEL A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NECESSARY...ESPECIALLY FOR TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY GIVEN HIGH FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE RATES AND LOWER CONFIDENCE OF A MORE WIDESPREAD THREAT OCCURRING. NONETHELESS...LATER SHIFTS WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SHORT TERM TRENDS AND ADJUST FORECAST IF NECESSARY. LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)...12Z GFS/ECMWF LONG RANGE MODELS INDICATE AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS OVER THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL BEGIN TO BUILD ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY NEXT WEEK. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT THE MID SOUTH MAY BE ON THE PERIPHERY OF THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE AXIS. THUS...KEPT ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST TO ACCOUNT FOR CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY PRODUCED BY DAYTIME HEATING. MODELS INDICATE A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL DROP INTO THE REGION BY NEXT WEDNESDAY AND LINGER AROUND THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK. THUS...ISOLATED/SCATTERED POPS SEEM REASONABLE THROUGH THIS TIMEFRAME. CJC && .AVIATION... 00Z TAFS A FEW MORE STORMS EXPECTED THIS EVENING NEAR MEM...MKL AND TUP...AT LEAST THROUGH THE 02-03Z TIME FRAME. AFTER THAT SHOWERS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE NEAR MKL AND TUP THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT. CIGS WILL START OFF VFR...BUT LIKE LAST NIGHT EXPECTING MVFR AND IFR CIGS TO FORM AT ALL TAF SITES. BELIEVE CIGS WILL LIFT TO VFR...BUT LATE IN THE TAF PERIOD. MAIN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL TRACK THROUGH THE REGION SATURDAY AFTERNOON LIKELY SPARKING OFF NEW CONVECTION. COVERAGE WILL BE BEST SEEN NEAR MKL AND TUP. WINDS WILL BE SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 3-8 KTS...BUT A LITTLE STRONGER THIS EVENING AT MEM AND MKL IN SHOWERS/STORMS. JAB && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 70 87 71 91 / 40 30 20 10 MKL 67 83 67 88 / 50 50 30 20 JBR 68 87 68 91 / 30 20 20 10 TUP 68 84 69 88 / 60 50 50 30 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 349 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-061000- 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- 349 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN ISOLATED STRONG TO PERHAPS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TWO IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE MID SOUTH THROUGH EARLY EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS IS THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT ALONG WITH A POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING FROM HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AN ISOLATED STRONG TO PERHAPS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CONTAINING DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE MID SOUTH THROUGH SUNDAY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. OTHERWISE...THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
653 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013
ARZ058-060030-
PHILLIPS AR-
653 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 730 PM CDT FOR...
CENTRAL PHILLIPS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT
LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WEST HELENA AT 654 PM
CDT...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN PHILLIPS COUNTY...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR HELENA AND WEST
HELENA...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3455 9086 3455 9057 3440 9065 3437 9074
3437 9076 3436 9077 3434 9081 3438 9094
TIME...MOT...LOC 2354Z 169DEG 7KT 3439 9081SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 701 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 TNZ049-050-089-060030- FAYETTE TN-HAYWOOD TN-TIPTON TN- 701 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 730 PM CDT FOR... NORTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... SOUTHWESTERN HAYWOOD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... EASTERN TIPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED OVER BRADEN AT 702 PM CDT...MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN FAYETTE...HAYWOOD AND TIPTON COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3557 8963 3558 8938 3533 8943 3533 8963 TIME...MOT...LOC 0002Z 196DEG 15KT 3539 8955
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
719 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013
MSZ002-TNZ089-060045-
MARSHALL MS-FAYETTE TN-
719 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR...
NORTHWESTERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...
SOUTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT
LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 6 MILES WEST OF MT PLEASANT AT 719 PM CDT...
MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN FAYETTE AND MARSHALL COUNTIES SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM
CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3511 8940 3487 8953 3487 8972 3499 8965
3511 8964
TIME...MOT...LOC 0019Z 197DEG 14KT 3495 8962SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
740 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013
TNZ089-060115-
FAYETTE TN-
740 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR...
SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT
LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTH OF SOMERVILLE AT 740 PM
CDT...MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN FAYETTE COUNTY SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3512 8956 3525 8943 3525 8919 3500 8929
3500 8957
TIME...MOT...LOC 0040Z 200DEG 16KT 3510 8937SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 749 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 TNZ048-049-060115- LAUDERDALE TN-TIPTON TN- 749 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR... SOUTHERN LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... CENTRAL TIPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF BRIGHTON AT 749 PM CDT...MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN LAUDERDALE AND TIPTON COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR COVINGTON...FORT PILLOW STATE PARK AND RIPLEY...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. THIS SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT ALSO INCLUDES CHISHOLM LAKE...OPEN LAKE...SUNK LAKE AND THE CHUTE. && LAT...LON 3575 8948 3541 8971 3542 8993 3575 8982 TIME...MOT...LOC 0049Z 190DEG 11KT 3553 8979
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 751 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 MSZ002-003-060115- BENTON MS-MARSHALL MS- 751 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 2013 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR... NORTHWESTERN BENTON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER AND WINDS AT LEAST 40 MPH WAS LOCATED 3 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MT PLEASANT AT 752 PM CDT...MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. PEOPLE IN BENTON AND MARSHALL COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR HOLLY SPRINGS...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3500 8961 3500 8929 3476 8938 3477 8963 TIME...MOT...LOC 0052Z 185DEG 8KT 3494 8948
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:53 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain produced flash flooding in Olive Branch. Several streets were flooded with six inches or more of water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, July 2013
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: 469080.