Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 15 to 16, 2018

Name: Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Tennessee, January 15 to 16, 2018
Start: 2018-01-15T19:00
End: 2018-01-16T14:00
Location: Tennessee

January 15 to 16, 2018 · NWS MEG · 21 events in 21 counties and zones

An arctic front swept through the region during the afternoon and evening hours on January 15th. As cold air deepened snow developed across the region in response to a an upper level disturbance.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 21

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MEG wrote it up.

An arctic front swept through the region during the afternoon and evening hours on January 15th. As cold air deepened snow developed across the region in response to a an upper level disturbance. Snow continued through the early morning hours on January 16th and eventually tapered off by later in the day. Snow amounts ranged from 4 to 7 inches across Northwest Tennessee with less than 2 inches toward the Tennessee River in Hardin County.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jan 15, 5:35 PM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 15, 5:35 PM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 15, 3:15 PM CST, 3 hours 45 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Memphis TN
315 PM CST Mon Jan 15 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>092-161200-
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-
315 PM CST Mon Jan 15 2018

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas...
the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Accumulating snow is expected across most of the Mid-South
tonight. Accumulations will generally remain between 1 and 3
inches. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for east central
Arkansas and northwest Mississippi. The remainder of the Mid-
South is under a Winter Weather Advisory.

In addition, subzero wind chills are expected for most areas
along and north of Interstate 40 late tonight into Tuesday
morning. A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

Snow accumulations are expected across the Mid-South early
Tuesday. The Winter Storm Warning and Winter Weather Advisory
remain in effect through midday.

Subzero wind chills will be possible across a majority of the
Mid-South Tuesday night and across portions of west Tennessee
Wednesday night. An additional Wind Chill Advisory may be needed.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters and local emergency officials are encouraged to relay
snowfall amounts to the National Weather Service in Memphis.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 winter storm, 7 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Lake

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Lake forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.335, -89.493 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to six inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Obion

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Obion forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.358, -89.149 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to six inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Dyer

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Dyer forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.059, -89.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to six inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Lauderdale

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Lauderdale forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.761, -89.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three to five inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Tipton

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Tipton forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.497, -89.759 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three to five inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Weakley

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Weakley forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.298, -88.718 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to six inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Gibson

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Gibson forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.997, -88.933 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to six inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Crockett

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Crockett forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.814, -89.139 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three to five inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Henry

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Henry forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.332, -88.301 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six to eight inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Carroll

When: January 15, 7:00 PM CST to January 16, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Carroll forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.973, -88.450 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to six inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Shelby

When: January 15, 8:00 PM CST to January 16, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Shelby forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.184, -89.896 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two to five inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Haywood

When: January 15, 8:00 PM CST to January 16, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Haywood forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.583, -89.284 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Around three inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Madison

When: January 15, 8:00 PM CST to January 16, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.608, -88.838 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Around three inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Benton

When: January 15, 8:00 PM CST to January 16, 8:00 AM CST
Where: Benton forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.070, -88.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Three to five inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Fayette

When: January 15, 10:00 PM CST to January 16, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Fayette forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.197, -89.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to three inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Hardeman

When: January 16, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Hardeman forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.207, -88.993 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to three inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Chester

When: January 16, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Chester forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.422, -88.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to three inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Henderson

When: January 16, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Henderson forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.654, -88.388 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to three inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Decatur

When: January 16, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where: Decatur forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.603, -88.109 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to three inches of snow.

Winter Weather, McNairy

When: January 16, 2:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: McNairy forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.175, -88.564 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to three inches of snow.

Winter Weather, Hardin

When: January 16, 2:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Hardin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.199, -88.184 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One to three inches of snow.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2018 Every state in 2018 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, January 2018

Sources

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 738115, 738116, 738117, 738118, 738119, 738121, 738122, 738123, 738125, 738126, 738120, 738124, 738127, 738128, 738129, 738130, 738131, 738132, 738133, 738134, 738135.