A slow moving cold front moved into a moist airmass in place across the Mid-South. Showers and thunderstorms continuously developed across parts of Northeast Mississippi resulting in up to 7 inches of rain during the early morning hours of September 26th.
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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 slow moving cold front moved into a moist airmass in place across the Mid-South. Showers and thunderstorms continuously developed across parts of Northeast Mississippi resulting in up to 7 inches of rain during the early morning hours of September 26th. Flash flooding and areal flooding occurred across parts of Northeast Mississippi.
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 26, 3:19 AM CST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 419 AM CDT Wed Sep 26 2018 .DISCUSSION... Well it's raining again, for the sixth day in a row. A complex of showers and thunderstorms developed around midnight and continues to train over northeast Mississippi. Latest Dual-Pol rainfall estimates are 3.5 to over 4 inches with more on the way as low level moisture convergence continues ahead of the main front. The flash flood threat will persist and possibly worsen for that area throughout the day. Flash flood guidance has already been exceeded and any more rain will only exacerbate the threat. Will add flash flood potential to HWO to that area. Latest surface analysis places a cold front near Poplar Bluff and southwest into Batesville, Arkansas. Some showers and isolated thunderstorms are occurring along the front at this hour. The front is expected to push into northeast Arkansas within the next hour or so and push southeast through the majority of the Mid- South by this evening. Forcing along the front will be not be very strong, so mostly moderate showers and scattered thunder will accompany the passage. The heaviest rainfall is expected to fall mainly over northeast Mississippi and portions of west Tennessee near the Tennessee River. Once again, the flash flood threat will be the threat to watch today. After the front moves through, the main story will be the cool air that builds into the region throughout the day. Most areas will be experiencing their high at this hour, with steady and eventually cooling temperatures throughout the day. Expect highs to only top out in the 70s areawide. The frontal boundary is expected to slow down and stall as a weak low pressure system tracks along the front from the ArkLaMiss to Birmingham, Alabama tonight. This will keep slight chances for showers and possibly a thunderstorm in the forecast overnight for portions of north Mississippi. Elsewhere, expect post-frontal stratus to move in behind the front and temperatures to fall into the upper 50s and lower 60s by Thursday morning. A shortwave trof will pivot through the Lower Mississippi Valley on Thursday. Any mid and upper level moisture will be squeezed out in the form of light showers tomorrow. Went ahead and increased POPs to chance for areas along and south of the I-40 corridor. QPF totals are expected to remain low, so flooding will not be an issue. With the enhanced cloud cover and rain, temperatures will only reach the low to mid 70s areawide. Friday will be the first of a few consecutive days of gorgeous weather. Sunshine will finally return to the majority of the Mid- South as surface high pressure becomes nearly centered over the area. Temperatures will start mid 50s to lower 60s with highs reaching into the 70s areawide. A reinforcing front will move into the area Friday night, but no rain is expected with the passage. Saturday will be similar to Friday with temperatures in the 70s and lows in the 50s and 60s. High pressure will slide east on Sunday and set up return flow over the area. As a result, temperatures will climb back into the 80s with increased humidity. A warm front and shortwave are expected to lift north across the area on Monday. This will kick off some showers and thunderstorms during the day. Beyond this Tuesday, the models differ with respect to a midweek cold front. Went ahead with a blend through this period, with highs in the 80s and low to medium chances for showers and thunderstorms each day. AC3 && .AVIATION... /06Z TAFs/ Approaching cold front will serve as a focus for additional VCSH/VCTS overnight into Thursday morning, VFR conditions expected to deteriorate to MVFR conditions as the front passes through sites and anticipated to remain MVFR through most of the period. S winds 5-10 kts will veer N/NNE with frontal passage and average around 9-11 kts with a few higher gusts possible on Wednesday. CJC && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Memphis TN 431 AM CDT Wed Sep 26 2018 ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115- MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-271130- 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- 431 AM CDT Wed Sep 26 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas... the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Flash flooding is possible over northeast Mississippi through this afternoon as a slow-moving cold front moves across the area. Elsewhere, scattered showers and thunderstorms may produce brief heavy rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday The threat for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time. AC3
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:32 UTC.
4 flash flood, 3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain fell overnight across Northeast Mississippi. Nearly seven inches was measured in New Albany. Flash flooding occurred across much of Union County. Several roads were flooded. One culvert was washed out and another was partially undermined.
Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding across parts of Pontotoc county. Several roads were flooded.
Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding. A subdivision in the city of Saltillo was flooded. A few roads were closed.
Heavy rain overnight resulted in areal flooding through the day across Union County. Several roads were closed.
Heavy rain resulted in areal flooding that continued through the day. Several roads were closed.
Heavy rain resulted in areal flooding through the day. A subdivision in Saltillo was flooded and a few roads were closed.
Heavy rain resulted in flash flooding in Bruce. Several streets were closed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, September 2018
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: 785369, 785374, 785381, 785370, 785375, 785382, 785376.