A passing upper level disturbance generated thunderstorms with one lone severe storm that produced both wind damage and a weak tornado across portions of northeast Arkansas during the early morning hours of July 3rd.
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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 passing upper level disturbance generated thunderstorms with one lone severe storm that produced both wind damage and a weak tornado across portions of northeast Arkansas during the early morning hours of July 3rd.
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 Jul 3, 5:18 AM CST, 7 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
618 AM CDT Mon Jul 3 2017
.UPDATE...
Updated to add 12Z Aviation Discussion.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 321 AM CDT Mon Jul 3 2017/
DISCUSSION...
A Mesoscale Convective Vortex (MCV) embedded within ongoing
convection over Arkansas will move east across the Mid South
today. This will result in numerous to widespread showers and
thunderstorms across much of the forecast area today. This feature
will be slow to move east with convection persisting into the
night across areas mainly east of the Mississippi River. Pockets
of localized heating and a moist atmosphere will support areas of
moderate instability with SBCAPES greater than 1500 j/kg. In
addition, the MCV will generate increased low level shear as 850
mb winds increase above 30 kts. This combination of shear and
local enhancement of instability should support the potential for
a few strong storms. Localized damaging winds and heavy
rainfall/flash flooding will be the primary concerns, although an
isolated tornado cannot be completely ruled out as 0-1 km SRH is
enhanced ahead of the mesolow. Slow moving storms may also result
in several inches of rainfall and plan to issue a flash flood
watch for roughly the western two-thirds of the region. After
coordination with WPC, much of the region will be placed within a
Slight Risk for excessive rainfall.
The MCV will gradually shift east of the region by early Tuesday
morning as shortwave ridging temporarily builds over the region
between systems. This should result in a downswing in convective
chances for Tuesday and Tuesday night across much of the region.
Another slow moving upper level low will cut off across the
Central Plains early this week and move slowly east across the
region through Thursday. This will bring another round of
potentially numerous showers and thunderstorms to the region,
especially Wednesday night into Thursday. The greatest potential
should remain across northern areas in closest proximity to the
upper low/potential MCV.
Another northern stream shortwave diving south from the Great
Lakes over the weekend will help to carve out a eastern U.S.
longwave trough. A surface cold front should advance across the
forecast area this weekend with additional storm chances.
High pressure should finally build from the north by early next
week with lower humidities and a overall drier airmass. This
should bring an end to the nearly daily storm chances.
Temperatures through the forecast period will be modulated by
storm activity, but overall remain near or slightly below normal
through the period.
JLH
SJM
&&
.AVIATION...
12Z TAFs
Convective complex moving across Central Arkansas will affect JBR
and MEM between 12-14Z and MKL between 13-15Z. Potential exists
for redevelopment of showers and thunderstorms today and have
continued mention of VCTS through early evening. MVFR conditions
possible at JBR and MKL and within thunderstorms. Otherwise,
mainly VFR conditions expected through much of the period.
CJC
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...Flash Flood Watch through this evening for Clay-Craighead-
Crittenden-Cross-Greene-Lawrence-Lee AR-Mississippi-
Poinsett-Randolph-St. Francis.
MO...Flash Flood Watch through this evening for Dunklin-Pemiscot.
MS...Flash Flood Watch through this evening for DeSoto.
TN...Flash Flood Watch through this evening for Crockett-Dyer-Fayette-
Gibson-Haywood-Lake-Lauderdale-Madison-Obion-Shelby-Tipton.
&&Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Memphis TN 339 AM CDT Mon Jul 3 2017 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-041045- 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- 339 AM CDT Mon Jul 3 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas... the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Flash Flood Watch is in effect through this evening for eastern and northeastern Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, portions of west Tennessee, and portions of northwest Mississippi. Slow moving thunderstorms may produce several inches of rain in a short period of time which may result in flash flooding. There is a Marginal Risk for severe thunderstorms across the Mid South today. The primary severe weather risks will be damaging winds, although an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Additional storm chances are expected through this week. Any severe storm potential during this period will remain isolated and localized. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed today across the entire Mid South. JLH
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:22 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees blocking Highway 91 near Westside school.
A brief EF1 tornado with maximum speeds of 100 to 105 mph touched down approximately one half mile south southeast of downtown Jonesboro with a highly localized area of damage between Citizens Street and the intersection of Rains street and East Oak Avenue. An apartment complex sustained roof damage and several windows were blown out. In addition, fence and siding debris were lofted and scattered about the area.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 2017Warnings in Arkansas, July 2017
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: 707911, 707910.