Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with an upper level trough that moved through the Mid-South during the afternoon hours of March 18th, 2013. Some storms became severe across North Mississippi producing large hail and 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.
Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with an upper level trough that moved through the Mid-South during the afternoon hours of March 18th, 2013. Some storms became severe across North Mississippi producing 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 Mar 18, 10:31 AM CST, 49 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1131 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013 .UPDATE... UPDATED TO READJUST POPS AND EXTEND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. && .DISCUSSION... A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT REMAINS STRETCHED ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI LATE THIS MORNING. A POTENT MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE WAS EJECTING INTO THE AREA FROM THE WEST AND HAS ALLOWED FOR UPSCALE GROWTH OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF EASTERN ARKANSAS INTO NORTHWEST TENNESSEE. THESE STORMS CURRENTLY REMAIN ELEVATED ABOVE THE SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND HAVE POSED A LARGE HAIL THREAT. THIS LARGE HAIL THREAT WILL CONTINUE TO THE NORTH OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. FURTHER SOUTH...THE AIRMASS CONTINUES TO DESTABLIZE TO THE SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY AS TEMPERATURES CONTINUE TO APPROACH 70 DEGREES AND DEWPOINTS PUSH INTO THE LOWER 60S. THIS AREA SHOULD CONTINUE TO DESTABLIZE WITH MUCAPES APPROACHING 1000 J/KG AND MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES GREATER THAN 7.5 C/KM THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THIS MAY ALLOW STORMS TO BECOME MORE SURFACE BASED ACROSS THE WARM SECTOR WITH A INCREASING THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. ALSO HAVE ADJUSTED POPS TO THE EVOLVING SITUATION WITH THE GREATEST POPS OVER SOUTHERN SECTIONS. THE GRIDS...ZONES...AND HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK HAVE BEEN UPDATED AND SENT. JLH && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 509 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013/ DISCUSSION... THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM CENTRAL AR INTO NORTHWEST TN AT 5 AM... ROUGHLY ALONG AND NORTH OF I40. THESE STORMS WERE ROOTED IN AN ELEVATED LAYER...ON THE COOL SIDE OF A SURFACE COLD FRONT. FOR THIS AFTERNOON... NAM SOUNDINGS SHOW WARM SECTOR MUCAPES IN EXCESS OF 1000 J/KG... ACCOMPANIED BY MIDLEVEL LAPSE RATES NEAR 7 C/KM OVER NORTHEAST MS. WEAK CONVECTIVE INHIBITION SHOULD BE OVERCOME WITH THE APPROACH OF A MIDLEVEL TROF AXIS... SUPPORTIVE OF A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE. POST FRONTAL SHOWERS SHOULD EXIT THE TN RIVER VALLEY THIS EVENING... AS A DRY MIDCONTINENTAL SURFACE HIGH SETTLES IN FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. SIMILAR TO THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS...EXTENDED PERIOD MODEL CONSENSUS BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF REMAINS LOWER THAN NORMAL. BOTH MODELS POINT TOWARD A RELATIVELY ACTIVE SOUTHERN BRANCH...BUT DIFFER IN TIMING OF INDIVIDUAL SYSTEMS AND AMOUNT OF LOW LEVEL COLD AIR INTRUSION FROM THE OHIO VALLEY. FOR THE EXTENDED PERIODS...HAVE CHOSEN TO SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MILD GFS AND COOLER ECMWF...WHILE ADDING SOME WEIGHT TO PERSISTENCE. HAVE KEPT POPS AT OR BELOW CHANCE CATEGORY WHERE MODEL CONSENSUS WAS LACKING. PWB && .AVIATION... 12Z TAF CYCLE A QUASI-STATIONARY BOUNDARY LOCATED FROM PARIS TN TO MEMPHIS WILL GRADUALLY MOVE EAST/SOUTHEAST TODAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH MOVES THIS BOUNDARY AS A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING AT ALL SITES...WITH BEST CHANCES SHIFTING TO TUP WHERE BEST INSTABILITY AND LIFT WILL RESIDE LATER THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON. MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO PREVAIL THROUGH AT LEAST MID AFTERNOON WITH IMPROVEMENT TO VFR CONDITIONS BY LATE AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. SOUTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 8-12KTS WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS UP TO 20 KTS WILL GRADUALLY VEER NORTHWEST AND DIMINISH TO 6 KTS OR LESS BEHIND THE FRONT BY TONIGHT. CJC && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 53 41 61 42 / 80 10 0 0 MKL 54 34 58 35 / 80 10 0 0 JBR 52 35 58 38 / 10 0 0 0 TUP 71 39 65 38 / 90 20 0 0 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 956 AM CDT MON MAR 18 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>092-191700- 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- 956 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST TENNESSEE NEAR THE TENNESSEE RIVER AND MUCH OF NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS REMAIN THE PRIMARY SEVERE WEATHER THREATS. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL COME TO AN END THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA. STRONG STORMS WITH SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE FURTHER NORTH ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE MID SOUTH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED TODAY ACROSS THE SLIGHT RISK AREA. PLEASE REPORT ANY LARGE HAIL OR WIND DAMAGE TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE. JLH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1007 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013
ARZ035-048-049-181530-
CROSS AR-LEE AR-ST. FRANCIS AR-
1007 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1030 AM CDT FOR...
SOUTHWESTERN CROSS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
LEE COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
WESTERN ST. FRANCIS COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER WAS LOCATED
OVER WHEATLEY AT 1007 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN CROSS...LEE AND ST. FRANCIS COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS
NEAR FORREST CITY...MADISON...MARIANNA...PALESTINE AND VILLAGE CREEK
STATE PARK...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3500 9116 3501 9106 3515 9105 3522 9069
3470 9056 3466 9059 3464 9077 3465 9105
3473 9106 3474 9111 3486 9111 3490 9113
3491 9116
TIME...MOT...LOC 1507Z 255DEG 37KT 3491 9106SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1024 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013 MSZ015>017-181600- PONTOTOC MS-LEE MS-ITAWAMBA MS- 1024 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1100 AM CDT FOR... NORTHWESTERN ITAWAMBA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... CENTRAL LEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHEASTERN PONTOTOC COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER WAS LOCATED OVER TUPELO AT 1025 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN ITAWAMBA...LEE AND PONTOTOC COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR FULTON...TOMBIGBEE STATE PARK...TUPELO AND VERONA...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. .A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ADVISORY AREA. && LAT...LON 3447 8840 3426 8831 3416 8881 3433 8887 TIME...MOT...LOC 1525Z 254DEG 34KT 3427 8872
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1104 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013
ARZ036-MSZ001-TNZ088-181630-
CRITTENDEN AR-DE SOTO MS-SHELBY TN-
1104 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1130 AM CDT FOR...
SOUTHERN CRITTENDEN COUNTY IN EASTERN ARKANSAS...
NORTHERN DESOTO COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...
SOUTHWESTERN SHELBY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER WAS LOCATED 4
MILES NORTHEAST OF PINCKNEY AT 1105 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN CRITTENDEN...DESOTO AND SHELBY COUNTIES...INCLUDING
LOCATIONS NEAR BARTLETT...GERMANTOWN...HORN LAKE...MIDTOWN MEMPHIS...
SOUTHAVEN AND T O FULLER STATE PARK...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM
CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3524 8984 3499 8974 3489 9036 3500 9041
3506 9040
TIME...MOT...LOC 1605Z 252DEG 37KT 3501 9023SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1139 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013 TNZ049-088-089-181715- SHELBY TN-FAYETTE TN-TIPTON TN- 1139 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1215 PM CDT FOR... NORTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... NORTHEASTERN SHELBY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... SOUTH CENTRAL TIPTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER WAS LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MILLINGTON AT 1140 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN FAYETTE...SHELBY AND TIPTON COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR BARTLETT AND MILLINGTON...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3549 8955 3523 8954 3520 9001 3535 9004 TIME...MOT...LOC 1640Z 260DEG 37KT 3529 8990
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1142 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013 MSZ001-002-TNZ088-089-181715- MARSHALL MS-DE SOTO MS-SHELBY TN-FAYETTE TN- 1142 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1215 PM CDT FOR... EASTERN DESOTO COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... NORTHWESTERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI... SOUTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... SOUTHEASTERN SHELBY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE... A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER WAS LOCATED 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF OLIVE BRANCH AT 1142 AM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. PEOPLE IN DESOTO...FAYETTE...MARSHALL AND SHELBY COUNTIES...INCLUDING LOCATIONS NEAR COLLIERVILLE...HERNANDO...HORN LAKE...OLIVE BRANCH AND SOUTHAVEN...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. && LAT...LON 3509 8959 3479 8955 3477 8998 3500 9005 TIME...MOT...LOC 1642Z 255DEG 38KT 3491 8990
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
1203 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013
MSZ002-003-TNZ089-090-181730-
BENTON MS-MARSHALL MS-FAYETTE TN-HARDEMAN TN-
1203 PM CDT MON MAR 18 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1230 PM CDT FOR...
NORTHERN BENTON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...
NORTH CENTRAL MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...
SOUTHEASTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
SOUTHWESTERN HARDEMAN COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE...
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL OR LARGER WAS LOCATED
OVER MT PLEASANT AT 1203 PM CDT...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
VERY HEAVY RAIN ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL
OCCUR WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
PEOPLE IN BENTON...FAYETTE...HARDEMAN AND MARSHALL COUNTIES SHOULD
MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3481 8956 3500 8962 3516 8909 3490 8901
3489 8902
TIME...MOT...LOC 1703Z 256DEG 50KT 3493 8947The Memphis radar (KNQA), 143 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:19 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds uprooted trees near Oakland.
Straight line winds knocked down trees between Myrtle and Ingomar. Several homes sustained shingle damage. A pine tree fell on a house west of New Albany. A church was also damaged in Ingomar. Power lines were also knocked down in the area.
Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines across much of Calhoun County.
Straight line winds knocked several trees and power lines down between Saltillo and Tupelo. One barn was damaged near Saltillo. Several structures in Tupelo sustained minor damage. A tractor trailer was blown over as well. A tree also fell onto a house near Baldwyn.
Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines between New Houlka and Houston.
Half dollar size hail fell north of Houston.
Straight line winds knocked down trees along Highway 365 near Holts Spur.
Straight line winds uprooted pine trees east of Fulton. One pine tree fell on a house causing damage. A tin roof was blown off a barn as well.
Dime to quarter size hail fell near Amory.
Straight line winds knocked down large trees in Amory.
Straight line winds knocked down large trees between Aberdeen and Greenwood Springs.
Ping pong size hail fell near the Monroe and Lowndes county line.
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, March 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: 439936, 439937, 440857, 439938, 439939, 439940, 439942, 440023, 440019, 440021, 440018, 440020, 440022.