Abnormally dry weather continued during the month of November and fueled the spread of at least moderate (D2) drought conditions over most portions of the Mid-South. A semi-permanent upper ridge of high pressure resulted in little rainfall which continued the drought conditions.
Every event with a place to put it; 18 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Abnormally dry weather continued during the month of November and fueled the spread of at least moderate (D2) drought conditions over most portions of the Mid-South. A semi-permanent upper ridge of high pressure resulted in little rainfall which continued the drought conditions. Dry conditions negatively impacted pastures, triggering more feeding of hay, and causing concern for hay shortages for the winter months. The drought caused river and lake levels to be at low levels.
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 Oct 31, 10:57 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 1157 PM CDT Mon Oct 31 2016 .UPDATE... Updated to include 06Z aviation discussion. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 813 PM CDT Mon Oct 31 2016/ UPDATE... An anomalously strong subtropical ridge will build over the SE CONUS over the next few days, keeping temperatures well above normal through midweek. Benign weather will persist across the Mid-South this evening. High cloud will gradually thin overnight, giving way to mostly clear skies with light southerly winds across the region. Temperatures will fall into the 50s across most of the CWA, with the Memphis metro area likely remain in the lower 60s. Temperatures on Tuesday are forecast to warm into the mid/upper 80s once again. These readings will challenge for the warmest November temperatures on record for the Mid-South climate sites. Johnson && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 250 PM CDT Mon Oct 31 2016/ DISCUSSION... We are experiencing some of the warmest Halloween temperatures on record across the Midsouth. Jackson Mississippi has already eclipsed the record high temperature setting a new record of 88 degrees(so far). Memphis...at 87 degrees is currently tied for the October 31st high. Jonesboro and Tupelo are still a couple of degrees below their records of 86 and 89 degrees respectively. Afternoon highs will be in the middle to upper 80s area wide. Tomorrow...all time record highs for the month of November are on the line. The warmest temperature in the month of November at Memphis is 86 degrees, 84 degrees at Jackson, TN, 87 degrees at Tupelo and *(93 degrees at Jonesboro AR)*. However, I have serious doubts regarding the accuracy of the 93 degree temperature at Jonesboro. Nevertheless, if the forecast is in track, tomorrow will be the warmest November day on record across most if not all of the Midsouth. Thicknesses will fall slightly Wednesday. As a result, temperatures should 2-5 degrees cooler, but still well above normal. A highly amplified trough will dig across the Desert Southwest Tuesday into Midweek resulting in Southwest Flow over the Midsouth. A cold front will move across the region Thursday. Moisture ahead of the front looks limited...so widespread rainfall is not expected. Most of us will be lucky if we see more than a tenth of an inch. Temperatures will cool considerably Thursday...but still remain over 10 degrees above normal. Highs Thursday will be mostly in the middle 70s to low 80s. Clear skies should return Thursday night. Friday should be the coolest day out of the next seven...but still a few degrees above normal. Expect highs mostly in the low to middle 70s. Saturday and Sunday a finger ridge will build over the Plains then shift East across the Midsouth. Morning lows Saturday are expected to dip into the 40s....but Daytime highs will trend warmer through Monday. The warmest locations may approach 80 degrees again by Monday. 30 && .AVIATION... /06Z TAF SET/ VFR conds to persist. South winds around 5 kts overnight, increasing to 8 to 10 kts during the day tomorrow. Winds becoming light to nearly calm after 02/00Z. AC3 && MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 410 AM CDT MON OCT 31 2016 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-011115- 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- 410 AM CDT MON OCT 31 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. BURN BANS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTH MISSISSIPPI. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. BURN BANS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTH MISSISSIPPI. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. JLH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
18 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to extreme (D3) by the middle of the month.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions worsened to exceptional (D4) early in the month.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions worsened to exceptional (D4) early in the month.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions worsened to exceptional (D4) early in the month.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions worsened to exceptional (D4) early in the month.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions continued across the county.
Extreme (D3) drought conditions continued across the county.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to extreme (D3) by the middle of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to extreme (D3) by the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to extreme (D3) by the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to extreme (D3) by the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to extreme (D3) by the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to extreme (D3) by the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions continued across the county.
Severe (D2) drought conditions worsened to extreme (D3) by the middle of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions developed across the county and intensified to extreme (D3) by the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions developed across the county and intensified to extreme (D3) by the end of the month.
Severe (D2) drought conditions developed across the county and intensified to extreme (D3) by the middle of the month.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, November 2016
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: 667070, 667071, 667072, 667073, 667074, 667075, 667076, 667077, 667078, 667079, 667080, 667081, 667082, 667083, 667084, 667066, 667067, 667068.