Abnormally dry weather during the month of September fueled the spread of moderate(D2) drought conditions over portions of North Mississippi. 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; 3 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 during the month of September fueled the spread of moderate(D2) drought conditions over portions of North Mississippi. A semi-permanent upper ridge of high pressure resulted in little rainfall which continued the drought conditions. 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 Sep 27, 5:25 AM CST, 35 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Memphis TN 625 AM CDT TUE SEP 27 2016 .UPDATE... Updated for 12Z Aviation Forecast Discussion below. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 438 AM CDT TUE SEP 27 2016/ DISCUSSION...Surface analysis this morning places a ridge of high pressure from the Ohio Valley back through the Lower Mississippi Valley and Southern Plains. Infrared Satellite trends indicate some mid and high level clouds, especially across East Arkansas south of I-40 and over North Mississippi. As of 4 am CDT, temperatures across the Mid-South range from the upper 40s to lower 50s north of I-40 and middle 50s to lower 60s south. A ridge of high pressure will bring a pleasant and rain free day to the Mid-South today. Highs this afternoon will range from the middle to upper 70s north of I-40 and upper 70s to lower 80s south. Model trends indicate an upper level low centered in Ontario near Northern Lake Superior will gradually drop south into the Eastern United States towards Kentucky by Thursday/Friday. At the surface, another cold front is expected to drop into the Lower Mississippi Valley Wednesday into Wednesday night. This will bring a reinforcement of cool air back into the forecast area. At this time, it appears that rain chances will remain mostly to the north and east of the forecast area with this front. Shortwaves rotating around this upper level low may have the potential to produce rain showers across portions of Northwest Tennessee near the Tennessee River on Friday but confidence remains too low to justify mention in the forecast at this time. Long term models this morning suggest this upper level low will begin to move back north for the upcoming weekend into early next week as an upper level ridge over the Rockies builds towards the Mississippi Valley. This will bring moderating temperatures towards the end of the long term forecast. && .AVIATION... 12Z TAFs Outside of patchy early morning ground fog near the TN River, VFR will prevail through the next 24 hours. PWB && .MEG Watches/Warnings/Advisories... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN 346 AM CDT TUE SEP 27 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>092-281200- 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- 346 AM CDT TUE SEP 27 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS... THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe (D2) drought conditions developed across Quitman County.
Severe (D2) drought conditions developed across Pontotoc County.
Severe (D2) drought conditions developed across Coahoma County.
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, September 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: 661828, 661829, 662602.