A passing cold front generated a broken line of thunderstorms of which some reached severe limits across portions of southwest Tennessee during the evening hours of August 13th.
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.
A passing cold front generated a broken line of thunderstorms of which some reached severe limits across portions of southwest Tennessee during the evening hours of August 13th.
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 Aug 13, 6:44 PM CST, 1 minute earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
744 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019
.DISCUSSION...
Updated for aviation discussion
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 325 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019/
Convection is having a hard time developing across the Midsouth
despite very unstable conditions the cap is proving to be equally
or more powerful. The ridge should continue to break down this
afternoon and a cold front will approach from the North providing
a better focus for lift. Expect storms to become more numerous
over the next couple of hours and likely peak in both coverage and
intensity around sunset. Rainfall totals will likely remain below
one half of an inch. There is the possibility that any storms
that do develop could produce locally damaging wind.
Temperatures soared into the middle to upper 90s area wide with
dew points in the upper 70s to low 80s resulting in one of the
hottest days we have seen in quite a while. Heat indices topped
out in the 112 to 118 range.
We should cool down by 5-10 degrees tomorrow, and dew points will
be in the in the upper 60s to low 70s. Heat indices should remain
in the middle 90s.
A few showers may linger in portions of North Mississippi early
tomorrow, but most of the Midsouth will be dry.
Thursday through Saturday expect dry conditions as Northwest flow
strengthens over the Midsouth. The storm track will likely be to
our North until possibly Sunday when guidance brings a fairly
strong shortwave out of the Central Plains across Missouri.
Guidance is now in better agreement with this scenario, but I'm
not confident enough yet to ramp pops up beyond low chance yet.
Temperatures should trend slightly cooler Sunday into early next
week.
30
&&
.AVIATION...
A cold front is moving south into the area. Scattered TSRAs have
developed along the front and are pushing south this evening.
Looks like activity will mainly miss KJBR/KMKL with KMEM and KTUP
more likely to see TSRAs on station with gusty winds. TSRAs will
push south this evening leaving behind mainly VFR conds aside from
perhaps some light fog. VFR on Wednesday with north winds around
10 kts.
SJM
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for
Crittenden-Lee AR-Phillips-St. Francis.
MO...None.
MS...Excessive Heat Warning until 8 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...Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for Chester-
Crockett-Decatur-Fayette-Hardeman-Hardin-Haywood-Henderson-
Lauderdale-Madison-McNairy-Shelby-Tipton.
&&Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Memphis TN 326 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019 ARZ009-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017- 020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-142230- 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-Lee AR-Lee MS- Madison-Marshall-McNairy-Mississippi-Monroe-Obion-Panola-Pemiscot- Phillips-Poinsett-Pontotoc-Prentiss-Quitman-Shelby-St. Francis- Tallahatchie-Tate-Tippah-Tipton-Tishomingo-Tunica-Union-Weakley- Yalobusha- 326 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas... the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight A Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect across the entire Mid- South through 8 PM CDT this evening for heat index values of 110 to 116 degrees. There is a slight risk for severe thunderstorms across most of West Tennessee, and a marginal risk for severe thunderstorms across the remainder of the Mid-South, mainly late this afternoon into this evening. Damaging winds will be the primary threat for any thunderstorms that reach severe limits. Localized heavy rainfall will also be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed late this afternoon into this evening.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Memphis TN 601 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019 ARZ027-035-036-132345- Poinsett AR-Cross AR-Crittenden AR- 601 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR... Southeastern Poinsett County in eastern Arkansas... Northeastern Cross County in eastern Arkansas... Northwestern Crittenden County in eastern Arkansas... At 601 PM CDT...a strong thunderstorm producing pea size hail or larger and winds at least 40 mph was located 8 miles northeast of Cherry Valley, or 9 miles southeast of Harrisburg, moving southeast at 25 mph. People in southeastern Poinsett...northeastern Cross and northwestern Crittenden Counties should monitor this storm closely. LAT...LON 3550 9082 3560 9061 3537 9019 3523 9059 TIME...MOT...LOC 2301Z 299DEG 21KT 3546 9061 MJ
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
602 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019
ARZ027-035-132345-
Poinsett AR-Cross AR-
602 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 645 PM CDT
FOR...
Southwestern Poinsett County in eastern Arkansas...
Cross County in eastern Arkansas...
At 602 PM CDT...a strong thunderstorm producing ${allThreat}near
Hickory Ridge, or 10 miles northwest of Wynne, moving southeast at 20
mph.
People in southwestern Poinsett and Cross Counties should monitor
this storm closely.
LAT...LON 3552 9104 3550 9082 3523 9059 3515 9104
TIME...MOT...LOC 2302Z 304DEG 18KT 3532 9095
MJSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
640 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019
ARZ035-036-048-049-TNZ088-140030-
St. Francis AR-Lee AR-Cross AR-Crittenden AR-Shelby TN-
640 PM CDT Tue Aug 13 2019
...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 730 PM CDT
FOR...
Eastern St. Francis County in eastern Arkansas...
Northeastern Lee County in eastern Arkansas...
Southeastern Cross County in eastern Arkansas...
Crittenden County in eastern Arkansas...
Southwestern Shelby County in western Tennessee...
At 640 PM CDT...a strong thunderstorm producing winds at least 40 mph
was located over Earle, moving southeast at 30 mph.
Very heavy rain along with continuous cloud to ground lightning are
also possible with this thunderstorm.
People in eastern St. Francis...northeastern Lee...southeastern
Cross...Crittenden and southwestern Shelby Counties should monitor
this storm closely.
LAT...LON 3537 9023 3510 8995 3499 9021 3499 9030
3496 9028 3483 9060 3521 9074
TIME...MOT...LOC 2340Z 318DEG 24KT 3528 9044The Memphis radar (KNQA), 33 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:43 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Roof damage to office complex on Director's Row.
Wind gust measured at Memphis International Airport.
Winds strong enough to move two rail cars in an uphill direction at the CN Railyard in southwest Memphis.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, August 2019
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: 848906, 848907, 848908.