A cold front approached the Mid-South during the afternoon hours of June 25, 2023. A very hot and unstable airmass was in place across the Mid-South with temperatures in mid 90s and dewpoints in the mid to upper 70s.
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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.
A cold front approached the Mid-South during the afternoon hours of June 25, 2023. A very hot and unstable airmass was in place across the Mid-South with temperatures in mid 90s and dewpoints in the mid to upper 70s. Meanwhile, ample wind shear aided storm organization during the event. Supercells developed over north central Arkansas in the afternoon and pushed into the Mid-South late in the day. The cells bowed out causing swaths of wind damage across the Mid-South. The main swath of damaging winds stretched across the entire region from northeast Arkansas through the Memphis metropolitan area into northeast Mississippi. The most significant damage stretched from northern Shelby County into Fayette County where tree damage and power outages were widespread. Another area of significant damage occurred in the Clarksdale area.
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 Jun 25, 2:22 PM CST, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
322 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
...New SYNOPSIS, DISCUSSION...
.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 238 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
Thunderstorms are expected to develop across the Mid-South tonight
ahead of a slow moving cold front. Some of the thunderstorms may
become severe with damaging winds as the main threat. As the cold
front moves through north Mississippi Monday morning, thunderstorms
will move out of the region. Drier air will filter into much of
the region through Wednesday, keeping the heat at bay. Excessive
heat is forecast to move into the region by Thursday as temperatures
climb into the triple digits areawide. Another cold front will
move into the region next weekend.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
(This evening through next Saturday)
Issued at 238 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
Skies are mostly sunny across the Mid-South this afternoon with
temperatures in the 90s. Heat index values are approaching 110
across the entire region. Thunderstorms have developed over
portions of Middle and East Tennessee earlier this afternoon with
a Severe Thunderstorm Watch extending into north Alabama through 6
PM. Thunderstorms have also just started to develop over
northwest Arkansas and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is now in
effect for portions of central and western Arkansas until 10 PM.
Additional watches that could include the Mid-South are possible
late this afternoon and into this evening. A cold front currently
extends from southern Illinois across northwest Arkansas and into
northwest Texas.
As the cold front moves southeast tonight, thunderstorms will
develop ahead of the front and move into the Mid-South late this
afternoon and into this evening. Some of the thunderstorms could
be severe with damaging winds as the main threat. Large hail could
also occur with an isolated tornado not out of the question.
Temperatures will remain on the warm side with lows Monday morning
in the mid 60s to lower 70s.
The cold front will be moving through north Mississippi on Monday
morning with a few thunderstorms possible ahead of the front.
Behind the front, somewhat cooler and much drier air will move
into the region. This will result in a less humid day across the
region with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. By Monday night,
the cold front will be in central Mississippi with an isolated
thunderstorm possible over the extreme southern portions of the
Mid-South. Temperatures Monday night will be cooler than tonight
with lows Tuesday morning in the mid 60s to lower 70s.
Dry weather and seasonal temperatures are expected for Tuesday and
Tuesday night as high pressure remain in control across the
region. By Wednesday, a warm front will be slowly approaching the
region from the west. Scattered thunderstorms may develop ahead of
the front and move into the region mainly during the morning
hours. Temperatures will be a little warmer on Wednesday and Heat
Index values approaching 100 degrees.
By Thursday, the warm front will be north of the region and the
upper level ridge currently over the southern Plains will spread
eastward toward the Mid-South. As a result, dry and hot weather is
expected across the region for Thursday and Friday. High temperatures
will approach 100 degrees across much of the region both days and
Heat Index values could exceed 110 degrees. A Excessive Heat
Warning may be needed if subsequent forecasts continue to show
such hot conditions.
Another cold front will slowly approach the region on Saturday
with scattered thunderstorms possibly moving into the Mid-South
ahead of the front.
&&
.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1200 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
Latest model guidance is slowing the arrival of an MCS than
previously forecasted as storms are now projected to fire over
central AR near 21z. The MCS will move into the Mid-South during
the late afternoon and evening hours. Strong cold pools will
result in the potential for very strong winds gusts within bowing
segments with temporary IFR visibility as convection moves through
the area. Exactly where these storms will track is uncertain, but
JBR/MEM are the most likely affected. An AWW may be needed for MEM in
result of gusty winds as guidance is starting to pick up on a
potential LLWS threat as the segment moves through.
Due to uncertainty, TEMPOs remain at all sites and will update as
these storms start to fire up to our west. This is a quick moving
segment and VFR conditions are expected to prevail behind the
storms.
DNM
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for ARZ009-018-026>028-
035-036-048-049-058.
MO...Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for MOZ113-115.
MS...Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for MSZ001>017-020>024.
TN...Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for TNZ001>004-019>022-
048>055-088>092.
&&
PUBLIC FORECAST...ARS
AVIATION...DNMThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:39 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down across Bono.
The ASOS at the Jonesboro airport measured a 59 mph gust.
Tree limbs were broken and shingles were blown off a few houses.
Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down across Brookland.
Numerous trees were knocked down near the Maple Grove Lane and Hatchie Cook Road intersection south of Trumann.
Power lines were knocked down and irrigation pivots were blown over north of Marked Tree.
A large tree was knocked down west of Marked Tree.
Straight-line winds caused widespread damage in Marked Tree. Many trees were uprooted or snapped. Some trees fell on homes. Fences and utility poles were knocked down and some structures sustained damage.
Several utility poles and numerous trees were knocked down.
Numerous trees were knocked down on Highway 77 south of Route 118.
A large tree fell on a mobile home on the west side of Joiner.
A tractor-trailer was blown over on I-55 near mile marker 32.
Trees were knocked down across the railroad tracks in Wilson.
Trees were uprooted and a roof was blown off a structure.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Arkansas, June 2023
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: 1116547, 1116586, 1116555, 1116557, 1116560, 1116566, 1116567, 1116569, 1116574, 1116571, 1116579, 1116581, 1116584, 1116585.