Upper-level ridging strengthened over the Mid-South late in July as dewpoints surged to near 80 degrees across parts of the region. High temperatures combined with the high dewpoints to produce heat index values of 110 degrees or higher.
Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Upper-level ridging strengthened over the Mid-South late in July as dewpoints surged to near 80 degrees across parts of the region. High temperatures combined with the high dewpoints to produce heat index values of 110 degrees or higher.
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 29, 9:24 AM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1024 AM CDT Thu Jul 29 2021
.UPDATE...
Have issued an Excessive Heat Warning across the southern tier
and portions of the Mississippi Delta for heat index values 110
or greater. Otherwise forecast remains the same.
Belles
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 609 AM CDT Thu Jul 29 2021/
UPDATE...Aviation Discussion.
PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 403 AM CDT Thu Jul 29 2021/
Presently, temperatures are into the mid to upper 70s with patchy
fog along the Tennessee River. Whitesnake sang it best, "Here I
go again..." telling you we have another Heat Advisory for all of
the Mid-South from 10am to 8pm. Temperatures in the mid to upper
90s with heat indices 105F-110F this afternoon.
For Friday, with the high pressure still parked over us temperatures
look to hit the century mark for at least parts of the Mid-South.
With heat index values climbing around the 110F mark some parts of
the area may need an Excessive Heat Warning. This is being watched
closely.
As we head into the weekend, amplification of the ridge over The
Rockies and the trough over the Great Lakes will return us to
northwest flow. A cold front will advance towards the region
Saturday evening. This cold front will do us all a solid by bringing
two things, 1. widespread rain through Sunday into the Monday and 2.
cooler temperatures and lower humidity behind the front. I can't
express in any written words how EXCITED I am at this prospect.
Temperatures only into the upper 80s and low 90s with overnight lows
in the upper 60s and low 70s. This pattern hangs around through
middle of next week, so rain and cooler temperatures look to stick
around through this timeframe.
SMW
&&
.AVIATION...
12Z TAFs
Patchy fog at MKL and near TUP should dissipate over the next hour
or two. Otherwise VFR conditions and light, generally west to
southwest, winds expected through the period.
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for Phillips.
Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for Clay-Craighead-
Crittenden-Cross-Greene-Lee AR-Mississippi-Phillips-
Poinsett-St. Francis.
MO...Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for Dunklin-Pemiscot.
MS...Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for Calhoun-
Chickasaw-Coahoma-Monroe-Panola-Quitman-Tallahatchie-Tunica-
Yalobusha.
Heat Advisory 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...Heat Advisory until 8 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 1030 AM CDT Thu Jul 29 2021 ARZ009-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-MSZ001>017- 020>024-TNZ001>004-019>022-048>055-088>092-301015- 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- 1030 AM CDT Thu Jul 29 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of East Arkansas... the Missouri Bootheel...North Mississippi...and West Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Hot and Humid conditions are expected. Heat Advisories and Excessive Heat Warnings are in effect until 8 PM this evening for portions of the Mid-South. Check the latest forecasts and statements for locations and details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday Friday it will be hot and humid once again. Temperatures nearing 100F with heat indices around 110F. Saturday is another hot day where heat advisories may be needed. The latter half of the weekend into next week we look to finally cool down a bit. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
10 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
Heat index values reached 110 degrees or higher in the afternoon and early evening.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, July 2021
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: 976011, 975535, 975536, 975537, 975538, 975539, 976002, 976003, 976007, 976008.