Several thunderstorms formed in an unstable airmass across portions of southwest Tennessee during the mid and late afternoon hours on July 14th.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Several thunderstorms formed in an unstable airmass across portions of southwest Tennessee during the mid and late afternoon hours on July 14th.
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 14, 2:30 PM CST, 0 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
330 PM CDT Sat Jul 14 2018
.DISCUSSION...
Another hot and humid day in the Mid-South. The pattern continues,
however, there are a couple waves and a couple possible fronts
that move through the Mid-South this week that may give us some
relief from the heat and humidity.
The upper level pattern from most of the models show a trough to
the west of the area tonight. However, as it moves east the upper
level high over the area weakens a bit and pushes the trough to
the north of as the main upper low, near the Great Lakes, digs to
the east of the area. This disturbance may be enough to bring
wider coverage of showers than we have had the last few days.
However, because of the wave moving through it looks like Sunday
will be the last day in a while that may need a heat advisory.
The upper level high seems to regain hold of the the area in the
middle of the weak, however, the temperatures seem to stay in the
low 90s and the dew points near 70 giving a heat index value of
less than 100.
Another upper level wave moves over the Mid-South toward the end
of the week and this may have even more coverage with
precipitationacross the area on Friday as the models are
indicated a decent front will be moving through the area for this
time of year. TLSJr
&&
.AVIATION...
/18z TAFs/
With daytime heating, cu are developing across much of the Mid-
South. Expect mainly VFR conditions at TAF sites. Scattered
SHRA/TSRA should develop by 18-20Z and persist into the evening.
Westerly surface winds will become light and variable overnight.
Some BR possible toward daybreak at MKL, and perhaps TUP. Guidance
suggests upper ridge may weaken on Sunday, allowing for greater
coverage of SHRA/TSRA. Will monitor guidance trends this afternoon
and evening.
GW
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for Clay-Craighead-
Crittenden-Cross-Greene-Lawrence-Lee AR-Mississippi-
Phillips-Poinsett-Randolph-St. Francis.
MO...Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for Dunklin-Pemiscot.
MS...Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for Alcorn-Benton MS-
Calhoun-Chickasaw-Coahoma-DeSoto-Itawamba-Lafayette-Lee MS-
Marshall-Monroe-Panola-Pontotoc-Prentiss-Quitman-
Tallahatchie-Tate-Tippah-Tishomingo-Tunica-Union-Yalobusha.
TN...Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for Benton TN-Carroll-
Chester-Crockett-Decatur-Dyer-Fayette-Gibson-Hardeman-
Hardin-Haywood-Henderson-Henry-Lake-Lauderdale-Madison-
McNairy-Obion-Shelby-Tipton-Weakley.
&&Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Memphis TN 244 PM CDT Sat Jul 14 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>092-151000- 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- 244 PM CDT Sat Jul 14 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 Heat index values above 105 will continue across the Midsouth this afternoon and evening. A few strong thunderstorms with gusty winds are also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Heat indices may exceed 105 again Sunday especially along and west of the Mississippi River. A few strong thunderstorms with gusty winds will be possible, mainly in the afternoon and evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Memphis TN 325 PM CDT SAT JUL 14 2018 MSZ006-142100- Tishomingo MS- 325 PM CDT SAT JUL 14 2018 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 400 PM CDT FOR... East central Tishomingo County in northeastern Mississippi... At 325 PM CDT...a strong thunderstorm producing winds at least 40 mph was located near Midway, or near Tishomingo State Park, moving east at 10 mph. Very heavy rain is also possible with this thunderstorm. People in east central Tishomingo County should monitor this storm closely. LAT...LON 3460 8814 3459 8822 3477 8827 3485 8810 TIME...MOT...LOC 2025Z 257DEG 10KT 3470 8816 WOODALL
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Memphis TN 328 PM CDT SAT JUL 14 2018 TNZ020-021-052-054-142100- Carroll TN-Henderson TN-Madison TN-Gibson TN- 328 PM CDT SAT JUL 14 2018 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 400 PM CDT FOR... Southwestern Carroll County in northwestern Tennessee... Northwestern Henderson County in southwestern Tennessee... Northeastern Madison County in southwestern Tennessee... Southeastern Gibson County in northwestern Tennessee... At 327 PM CDT...a strong thunderstorm producing winds at least 40 mph was located 4 miles south of Milan, moving east at 10 mph. Very heavy rain along with frequent cloud to ground lightning are also possible with this thunderstorm. People in southwestern Carroll...northwestern Henderson... northeastern Madison and southeastern Gibson Counties should monitor this storm closely. LAT...LON 3576 8882 3590 8888 3596 8856 3575 8851 TIME...MOT...LOC 2027Z 255DEG 7KT 3584 8877 WOODALL
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:30 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A man was killed while mowing the lawn when lightning struck a nearby tree off Feathers Chapel Drive.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Fayette | 2018-07-14 | 40 | Male | Under Tree | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, July 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: 773285.