A mesoscale convective system developed along a warm front situated across Southern Missouri during the early morning hours on April 3, 2015. The complex swept southeast into the Bootheel causing isolated wind damage.
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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 mesoscale convective system developed along a warm front situated across Southern Missouri during the early morning hours on April 3, 2015. The complex swept southeast into the Bootheel causing isolated wind damage.
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 2, 11:26 PM CST, 3 hours 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 1226 AM CDT FRI APR 3 2015 .DISCUSSION... UPDATED FOR 06Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 841 PM CDT THU APR 2 2015/ UPDATE... UPDATED TO LOWER POPS FOR THE EVENING HOURS OVER NORTHERN AREAS. DISCUSSION... STRONG LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES TO ADVECT MOISTURE AND HAS FOCUSED SOME LIFT ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE MID SOUTH THIS EVENING. THIS WILL RESULT IN THE CONTINUATION OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER MAINLY THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING. AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 SHOULD REMAIN MAINLY DRY AS THE ATMOSPHERE IS MORE CAPPED. FURTHER TO THE WEST...A SHORTWAVE DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS HAS INITIATED VIGOROUS THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS EVENING IN THE VICINITY OF A STALLED FRONT THAT STRETCHES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MISSOURI SOUTHWEST INTO OKLAHOMA. THE AIRMASS REMAINS MODERATELY UNSTABLE IN THESE AREAS AND HAS ALLOWED STORMS TO QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE. THESE STORMS SHOULD EVOLVE EASTWARD AND COULD IMPACT NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE MID SOUTH AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE ATMOSPHERE IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN SLIGHTLY UNSTABLE THROUGH THE NIGHT. SUFFICIENT SHEAR SHOULD ALSO EXIST WITH THE PRESENCE OF A LOW LEVEL JET ON THE ORDER OF 40 KTS. THIS WILL KEEP THE THREAT FOR A FEW SEVERE STORMS MAINLY AFTER MIDNIGHT ACROSS NORTHERN AREAS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE FORECAST WILL BE UPDATED TO LOWER POPS BEFORE 06Z OVER NORTHERN AREAS. OTHERWISE THE FORECAST APPEARS ON TRACK AND NO ADDITIONAL CHANGES APPEAR NECESSARY AT THIS TIME. UPDATED ZONES AND GRIDS WILL BE SENT SHORTLY. JLH && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 353 PM CDT THU APR 2 2015/ DISCUSSION...SURFACE ANALYSIS THIS AFTERNOON PLACES A COLD FRONT FROM THE LOWER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN SOUTHWEST BACK ALONG THE I-44 CORRIDOR IN MISSOURI...AND INTO THE RED RIVER VALLEY OF TEXAS A DRYLINE EXTENDS NEAR THE SURFACE BOUNDARY INTO WEST TEXAS THIS AFTERNOON. ACROSS THE MID SOUTH...GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS ON THE BACK SIDE OF HIGH PRESSURE ARE HELPING TO ADVECT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE UP INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES AS OF 3 PM CDT ARE IN THE 70S AT MOST LOCATIONS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY IS THE PREDOMINANT CONCERN IN THIS AFTERNOON/S FORECAST. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ACROSS A PORTION OF THE MID SOUTH...MAINLY NORTH OF I-40 AND ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI NEAR THE TENNESSEE RIVER. THIS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY IS MOSTLY OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA AS OF 3 PM CDT AND WAS IN ASSOCIATION WITH A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE/LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEYS. WATER VAPOR SATELLITE/SHORT TERM MODEL TRENDS SUGGEST WEAK RIDGING MAY BUILD BACK IN ACROSS THE MID SOUTH TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-40 TONIGHT. THUS...HAVE KEPT POPS LOWER ACROSS THESE AREAS TO REFLECT THE LOWER END RAIN CHANCES. HOWEVER...NORTH OF I-40...THE AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT ACROSS MISSOURI WILL DROP SOUTH TOWARDS THE MISSOURI/ARKANSAS BORDER TONIGHT BUT SLOW DOWN AS A DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW OVER OKLAHOMA MOVES NORTHEAST ALONG THE FRONT INTO SOUTHERN MISSOURI AND INTO KENTUCKY ON FRIDAY WITH A TRAILING COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE MID SOUTH DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE SURFACE FRONT TO THE NORTH TONIGHT. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES BETWEEN 1.5 TO 1.7 INCHES ALONG WITH A POTENTIAL FOR SOME TRAINING OF STORMS ALONG THE BOUNDARY MAY RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL LATE TONIGHT TOWARDS FRIDAY MORNING. THIS POTENTIAL CORRIDOR OF HEAVY RAINFALL MAY REMAIN JUST NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA AND WILL HOLD OFF ON ISSUING A FLASH FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED AREA. LATEST MODEL TRENDS SUGGEST THE BEST POTENTIAL FOR ORGANIZED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MAINLY DURING THE DAY FRIDAY AS THE COLD FRONT FINALLY DROPS SOUTH INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. AT THIS TIME...SHORT TERM MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATE A LOW LEVEL CAPPING INVERSION MAY DEVELOP BY FRIDAY MORNING AND NOT BREAK UNTIL THE FRONT COMES THROUGH THE AREA FRIDAY AS MID LEVEL HEIGHT FALLS SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA. CONVECTIVE MODES MAY BE IN THE FORM OF BOTH SUPERCELLS AND A LINEAR CONVECTIVE LINE AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PREDOMINANT THREATS ALONG WITH A SECONDARY POTENTIAL FOR PERHAPS TORNADOES. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER DURING THE DAY ON FRIDAY WILL BE ESPECIALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-40. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL GRADUALLY COME TO AN END FRIDAY NIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. LONG TERM MODELS INDICATE THE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE EAST TOWARDS THE END OF THE WEEKEND AS THE FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT AND AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS. THIS WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE FORECAST EACH DAY. HOWEVER...SOME MODEL RUN TO RUN INCONSISTENCIES WILL NEED TO BE BETTER RESOLVED IN SUBSEQUENT FORECASTS BEFORE RAIN CHANCES ARE RAISED IN LATER FORECASTS. CJC && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF CYCLE VFR CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST OVERNIGHT AT ALL TERMINALS. A COMPLEX OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST SOUTHEAST FROM MISSOURI THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT AND WILL LIKELY AFFECT THE JBR TERMINAL AROUND 11Z. INTERMITTENT MVFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE AT ALL TERMINALS THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS ON FRIDAY. STRONG LOW LEVEL WINDS...SUSTAINED NEAR 15 KTS WITH GUSTS OVER 25 KTS WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE DAY FROM THE SOUTH SOUTHWEST. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF A FRONTAL BOUNDARY TOMORROW AFTERNOON WITH A WEST TO EAST PROGRESSION THROUGH ALL TERMINALS THROUGH THE LATE EVENING. A WIND SWITCH TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED FOLLOWING THE FRONT WITH VERY STRONG WIND GUSTS ABOVE 30 KTS POSSIBLE TOMORROW EVENING. TVT && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...NONE. MO...NONE. MS...NONE. TN...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 136 AM CDT FRI APR 3 2015 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-040845- 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- 136 AM CDT FRI APR 3 2015 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 OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT OVER THE NORTHEAST ARKANSAS...THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...AND NORTHWEST TENNESSEE. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT BECOME SEVERE. A TORNADO IS POSSIBLE OVER NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST TENNESSEE AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI...WITH A SLIGHT RISK ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE MID SOUTH ON FRIDAY. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS BUT TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE ENHANCED RISK AREA. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS. SJM
The Paducah radar (KPAH), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:46 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds caused damaged to a farm in Bernie. There was damage to grain bins, an aluminum sided carport and fencing. A few trees were knocked down as well.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, April 2015
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: 569128.