Hot and humid conditions created an unstable atmosphere that was capable of producing numerous multi-cell thunderstorms. Some of these storms trained over the same areas or were slow moving causing isolated flash flooding over portions of southwest Tennessee during the afternoon hours of August 4th.
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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.
Hot and humid conditions created an unstable atmosphere that was capable of producing numerous multi-cell thunderstorms. Some of these storms trained over the same areas or were slow moving causing isolated flash flooding over portions of southwest Tennessee during the afternoon hours of August 4th.
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 4, 11:30 AM CST, 2 hours earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 1230 PM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 .DISCUSSION... Updated for aviation discussion && PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 341 AM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019/ There are a few light showers on the radar early this morning widely scattered across the Midsouth with a little patchy fog, mainly near the Tennessee River. Skies are mostly cloudy with light wind. Temperatures are mainly in the low to middle 70s and probably won't cool more than another degree or two prior to sunrise. A broad ridge remains in place across the Western US with a trough over and East of the Great Lakes. North to Northwest flow is in place from the Northern Plains across most of the Mississippi River Valley. A weak shortwave tracking through this pattern looks like it will be just enough to enhance showers and thunderstorms across the Midsouth today, especially when coupled with the instability provided by afternoon heating. Guidance suggests the highest instability, over 2,000 Joules of CAPE, will be over West TN this afternoon, with generally 1,500 to 2,000 J/KG elsewhere. Storms will likely diminish in both coverage and intensity after sunset. No severe weather is expected, although any thunderstorm this time of year has the potential to produce strong wind, frequent lightning and locally heavy rain. Temperatures may be held in check a bit this afternoon due to clouds and rain, but given the fact that we had at least a few showers and clouds around yesterday and managed to exceed 90 degrees across most of the area, I still think most of the region will approach 90 degrees. Flow aloft will become more Northwesterly early next week. Monday and Tuesday should be a bit drier, but isolated to scattered afternoon thunderstorms cannot be ruled out. Any weak disturbances tracking through this flow could enhance our chance of rain once again. Late in the work week, it looks like a weak cold front will approach the Midsouth, perhaps stalling along the Interstate 40 corridor over the weekend. If this scenario pans out, we could see enhanced rain chances again ahead of and along the boundary Friday through the weekend. Weak surface high pressure should help suppress convection until peak heating. High temperatures should remain near to slightly below normal. 30 && .AVIATION... Scattered TSRAs this afternoon into early this evening otherwise mainly VFR conds. Fog is possible overnight and its intensity will be dictated by where the rain falls so for now went 4-6SM in TAF sites. Winds will be mainly light outside of TSRAs...generally NE 5-7 kts diminishing to below 5 kts tonight. Expect less areal coverage of TSRAs Monday afternoon. SJM && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Memphis TN 355 AM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 ARZ009-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017- 020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-051100- 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- 355 AM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas... the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Memphis TN 143 PM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 MSZ001-TNZ088-041930- DeSoto MS-Shelby TN- 143 PM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 230 PM CDT FOR... Northeastern DeSoto County in northwestern Mississippi... Southeastern Shelby County in western Tennessee... At 143 PM CDT...a strong thunderstorm producing pea size hail or larger and winds at least 40 mph was located over Southeast Memphis, or near Germantown. This storm was nearly stationary. Very heavy rain along with continuous cloud to ground lightning are also possible with this thunderstorm. People in northeastern DeSoto and southeastern Shelby Counties should monitor this storm closely. LAT...LON 3500 9000 3515 8997 3516 8973 3493 8978 TIME...MOT...LOC 1843Z 277DEG 1KT 3509 8990
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Memphis TN 225 PM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 MSZ011-012-042015- Panola MS-Quitman MS- 225 PM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 315 PM CDT FOR... Western Panola County in northwestern Mississippi... Northeastern Quitman County in northwestern Mississippi... At 225 PM CDT...a strong thunderstorm producing pea size hail or larger and winds at least 40 mph was located near Sledge, or 14 miles northwest of Batesville, moving south at 5 mph. Very heavy rain along with continuous cloud to ground lightning are also possible with this thunderstorm. People in western Panola and northeastern Quitman Counties should monitor this storm closely. LAT...LON 3451 9027 3451 9006 3424 9000 3424 9032 TIME...MOT...LOC 1925Z 358DEG 6KT 3442 9017
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Memphis TN 228 PM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 ARZ036-MSZ001-TNZ088-042015- Crittenden AR-DeSoto MS-Shelby TN- 228 PM CDT Sun Aug 4 2019 ...A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 315 PM CDT FOR... South central Crittenden County in eastern Arkansas... Northwestern DeSoto County in northwestern Mississippi... Southwestern Shelby County in western Tennessee... At 228 PM CDT...a strong thunderstorm producing pea size hail or larger and winds at least 40 mph was located near Edmondson, or 7 miles west of T O Fuller State Park. This storm was nearly stationary. Very heavy rain along with continuous cloud to ground lightning are also possible with this thunderstorm. People in south central Crittenden...northwestern DeSoto and southwestern Shelby Counties should monitor this storm closely. LAT...LON 3511 9034 3511 9012 3491 9007 3491 9040 TIME...MOT...LOC 1928Z 001DEG 3KT 3505 9024
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 22 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:28 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Significant water covering the street intersection at Highland Street and Summer Avenue.
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: 848790.