A cold front moved into the Mid-South during the early morning hours of April 4th, 2014. Discrete showers and thunderstorms initially developed across Eastern Arkansas during the evening hours of April 3rd but transitioned into a quasi-linear convective system as it pushed into North Mississippi during the early morning hours.
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 cold front moved into the Mid-South during the early morning hours of April 4th, 2014. Discrete showers and thunderstorms initially developed across Eastern Arkansas during the evening hours of April 3rd but transitioned into a quasi-linear convective system as it pushed into North Mississippi during the early morning hours. Numerous reports of wind damage and large hail occurred with the storms. One fatality occurred when a mobile home was destroyed.
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 3, 11:43 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1243 AM CDT FRI APR 4 2014 .DISCUSSION... UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION FOR 06Z TAFS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 844 PM CDT THU APR 3 2014/ DISCUSSION... CURRENTLY...RELATIVELY QUIET ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH FOR THE MOMENT. THE OVERALL THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS DIMINISHED SOME AND THE MODERATE RISK HAS BEEN DOWNGRADED TO A SLIGHT RISK ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH. A CAP HAS PREVENTED DEVELOPMENT FOR MUCH OF THE DAY WHILE THE QUALITY OF THE WARM SECTOR IS ONLY MODEST WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 50S AND LOWER 60S AND SBCAPES 1000-1500 J/KG. THE CAP IS FINALLY STARTING TO WEAKEN AS COLD AIR ALOFT FROM THE APPROACHING MID LEVEL TROF PUSHES OVER THE WARM SECTOR. DISCRETE CELLS ARE DEVELOPING ACROSS NRN AR INTO SOUTHERN MO. THIS TREND WILL CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND THIS ACTIVITY WILL THREATEN NORTHERN AREAS OF THE MIDSOUTH WHERE A TORNADO WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CDT. AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES CELLS WILL MERGE INTO A LINE AS A STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES EAST. THIS LINE WILL SWEEP EAST LATER TONIGHT WITH DAMAGING WINDS LIKELY AND SOME HAIL POSSIBLE. SJM PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 329 PM CDT THU APR 3 2014/ FOCUSING ON THE SHORT TERM ONLY FOR THIS UPDATE...A QUICK LOOK AT THE LONG TERM FORECAST GUIDANCE LOOKS IN LINE WITH THE GOING FORECAST SO WILL FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM AT HAND. BOTH SHORTWAVE RIDGING AND CLOUD COVER HAVE HELPED KEEP THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH TO A MINIMUM TODAY. A COUPLE OF ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED AND APPROACHED EAST ARKANSAS ONLY TO FALL APART BEFORE REACHING THE MIDSOUTH. NEVER FELT ALL THAT COMFORTABLE WITH PRE FRONTAL CONVECTION IN THE MIDSOUTH TODAY. STILL CANNOT RULE OUT A FEW PRE FRONTAL STORM THIS AFTERNOON. THE ATMOSPHERE IS VERY UNSTABLE FEATURING CAPES OF 2000 J/KG AND LI'S OF -6. BUT I THINK THE SPECIAL SOUNDING AT LITTLE ROCK TELLS THE STORY. WITH THE LACK OF ADDITIONAL DYNAMIC SUPPORT WE WOULD NEED TO REACH TEMPERATURES IN THE MIDDLE 80S FOR CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. STILL FEEL CERTAIN WE ARE IN FOR A BUSY NIGHT AS THE SHORTWAVE RIDGE SHIFTS EAST OF THE AREA AND THE LONGWAVE TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST PROVIDING THE ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FOR THUNDERSTORMS. WE COULD EVEN SEE A FEW PRE FRONTAL STORMS DESPITE DIMINISHING THERMODYNAMIC SUPPORT. THE LATEST RAPID REFRESH RUN SUGGESTS THIS WILL BE THE CASE SHOWING AT LEAST A COUPLE OF STORMS ACROSS THE MIDSOUTH BY 9-10 PM. WIND PROFILES DO NOT LOOK AS FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AS THE ONCE DID IN FORECAST GUIDANCE. GROUND OBSERVATIONS INDICATE SURFACE WINDS ARE FROM THE SOUTH SOUTHWEST INSTEAD OF THE MORE FAVORABLE SOUTH OR SOUTHEAST DIRECTION. NEVERTHELESS IF WE ARE TO SEE ANY SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THESE PRE FRONTAL STORMS. DYNAMIC PARAMETERS IMPROVE PRIOR TO 06Z AS A 50-60 MID LEVEL JET DEVELOPS ACROSS THE AREA. IF WINDS SHIFT JUST SLIGHTLY MORE SOUTHERLY...OR SOUTHEASTERLY CONDITIONS WOULD IMPROVE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TORNADOES. GUIDANCE 0-3KM SRH RANGES FROM 150-250 M2/S2 BY THE GFS...TO 200-300 MS/S2 ACCORDING TO THE NAM. FEEL LIKE THE GREATEST THREAT OF A TORNADO WOULD BE ACROSS NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AROUND 8-10 PM. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND WOULD ALSO BE LIKELY WITH ANY DISCRETE STORMS. THE MAIN THREAT OF STORMS WILL BE ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. AT 3 PM...THE FRONT IS STILL IN EAST OKLAHOMA WAITING FOR THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH TO SHIFT IT TO THE EAST. IT SHOULD BEGIN THAT MOVEMENT WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND APPROACH EAST ARKANSAS AROUND MIDNIGHT...MEMPHIS AND JACKSON TN AROUND 3-4 AM AND EXIT THE MIDSOUTH BY 6 AM. IT MAY TAKE ANOTHER HOUR OR TWO TO TOTALLY EXIT NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. BOWING SEGMENTS WITHIN THE SQUALL LINE MAY PRODUCE 55-65 MPH STRAIGHT LINE WIND AND ISOLATED QUICK...COMPARATIVELY WEAK/COMPARED TO THE DISCRETE CELLS DISCUSSED ABOVE/ TORNADOES. LARGE HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE. MID-SOUTHERNERS CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE WOKEN UP BY THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT. FLOODING IS ALSO A CONCERN. PW'S AROUND 1.50 INCHES COULD RESULT IN HEAVY RAINFALL RATES. IF MULTIPLE STORMS IMPACT THE SAME AREA...LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. 30 AVIATION... 00Z TAF CYCLE VFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. AS THUNDERSTORMS MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT...CEILINGS WILL LOWER TO MVFR LEVELS AND VISIBILITIES WILL LOWER AT TIMES AS WELL. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIT THE REGION BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON ALLOWING VFR CONDITIONS TO RETURN. WINDS WILL BE SOUTH AT 10 TO 20 KNOTS WITH HIGHER GUSTS TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE SHIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. ARS && .AVIATION... 06Z TAFS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STARTING TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. BRIEF IFR CONDITIONS DUE TO STORMS. WINDS WILL PICK UP AS FRONT MOVES CLOSER TO AREA AND THEN SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST. BY THIS AFTERNOON STORMS WILL BE PAST AREA AND WINDS WILL LOWER ALONG WITH VFR CONDITIONS. TLSJR && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MEM 45 64 47 65 / 0 0 10 50 MKL 40 60 43 63 / 0 0 10 40 JBR 40 61 43 63 / 0 0 10 40 TUP 43 64 47 64 / 0 0 20 50 && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 816 PM CDT THU APR 3 2014 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-050330- ALCORN-BENTON MS-BENTON TN-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- 816 PM CDT THU APR 3 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE MID SOUTH OVERNIGHT AS A STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THROUGH MIDNIGHT THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR ACROSS EASTERN ARKANSAS...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL AND EXTREME NORTHWEST TENNESSEE. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE THE MAIN THREATS. THIS AREA ALSO HAS THE BEST CHANCE OF TORNADOES LATE THIS EVENING INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. BY MIDNIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL ORGANIZE INTO A SQUALL LINE THAT WILL PUSH ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE MIDSOUTH. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT WITH LARGE HAIL A SECONDARY THREAT. A COUPLE OF TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE ENTIRE MID SOUTH IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS. SJM
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 145 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:00 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds destroyed a mobile home off of Stribling Road near Farrell. The homeowner was injured when he was thrown from the mobile home. He later died from his injuries.
Straight line winds knocked down trees near Clarksdale and the rest of Coahoma County. Some minor damage also occurred to a few buildings.
Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines near Crenshaw. A canopy was blown off a building as well as a radio antenna.
Straight line winds knocked down a few trees, power lines, and several large limbs in Como.
Straight line winds knocked down trees near Olive Branch. Trees were blocking the intersection of Pleasant Hill Road and Getwell Road.
Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines near Ecru. Thirteen homes sustained minor damage, mainly roof damage.
Straight line winds knocked down trees in Calhoun City.
Straight line winds knocked a tree down onto a car near Jumpertown.
Straight line winds produced minor damage to fifteen homes in the Woodland Hills Subdivision near Guntown. Some construction equipment was also blown around.
Straight line winds knocked down trees and power lines across Chickasaw County. Three homes in Okolona sustained roof damage.
Straight line winds knocked down trees near Bigbee and Aberdeen. Trees blocked the intersection of Highway 371 and Old Highway 6 as well as Highway 8 and Dan Taylor Road.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind, Coahoma | 2014-04-08 | 56 | Male | Mobile/Trailer Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, April 2014
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: 514129, 514132, 514136, 514137, 514134, 514138, 514139, 514141, 514142, 514140, 514145.