Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, July 18, 2023

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, July 18, 2023
Start: 2023-07-18T12:40
End: 2023-07-18T17:20
Location: Tennessee

July 18, 2023 · NWS MEG · 21 events in 8 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $174,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 21

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MEG wrote it up.

Multiple mesoscale convective systems developed in northwest flow aloft and tracked across the Mid-South. The first tracked from southeast Missouri and southwest Kentucky into West Tennessee during the early-mid afternoon on July 18th. The second mesoscale convective system developed over southern Missouri and tracked across northeast Arkansas, the Memphis metropolitan area, and north Mississippi. These systems were supported by a very moist and unstable airmass with surface-based convective available potential energy values exceeding 6000 J/kg and precipitable water values greater than 2 inches. Adequate amounts of wind shear aloft helped to organize storms as well. Numerous severe storms occurred across the Mid-South with a few reports of large hail and many reports of damaging wind. The Memphis area was among the hardest hit with power outages to over 130,000 utility customers in Shelby County.

What forecasters said that day

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 18, 11:39 AM CST, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 18, 11:39 AM CST, 1 hour 1 minute before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 18, 12:33 PM CST, 7 minutes before

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The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:40 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake

When: July 18, 12:40 PM CST to 12:45 PM CST
Where: Lake County, 0.82 mi ESE of Tiptonville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.374, -89.467

A carport was lifted and tossed onto Highway 78 across from the Lake County Heath Department.

Thunderstorm Wind, Weakley

When: July 18, 1:09 PM CST to 1:20 PM CST
Where: Weakley County, 0.89 mi NW of Fairview to 3.97 mi SE of Palmersville
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.460, -88.590

Multiple trees were knocked down across Weakley County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Weakley

When: July 18, 1:20 PM CST to 1:25 PM CST
Where: Weakley County, 0.74 mi SE of West Union
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.293, -88.640

Trees were knocked down on Highway 54.

Thunderstorm Wind, Weakley

When: July 18, 1:20 PM CST to 1:25 PM CST
Where: Weakley County, 2.75 mi SSW of Dresden
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $7,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.261, -88.731

Multiple trees were knocked down on Snake Hill Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dyer

When: July 18, 1:25 PM CST to 1:30 PM CST
Where: Dyer County, 1.1 mi ENE of Jenkinsville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.055, -89.401

A tree fell on two vehicles in a parking lot.

Thunderstorm Wind, Gibson

When: July 18, 1:27 PM CST to 1:32 PM CST
Where: Gibson County, 0.31 mi W of Barrons Corner
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $7,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 36.070, -88.936

Several trees were knocked down on Keely Mill Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Gibson

When: July 18, 1:28 PM CST to 1:33 PM CST
Where: Gibson County, 1.6 mi NNE of Grizzard
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 36.049, -88.964

A tree was knocked down on Old Dyer-Trenton Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: July 18, 1:42 PM CST to 1:43 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 0.69 mi N of Big Sandy
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 36.240, -88.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Carroll

When: July 18, 1:50 PM CST to 1:55 PM CST
Where: Carroll County, 1.32 mi ESE of Terry
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 35.890, -88.550

Power lines were knocked down causing a fire.

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: July 18, 1:50 PM CST to 2:05 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 0.03 mi NNE of Wyly to 0.5 mi NW of Camden
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 36.170, -88.150

Multiple trees were knocked down from the Benton County line into Camden. A transformer was also struck by lightning.

Thunderstorm Wind, Carroll

When: July 18, 1:51 PM CST to 1:56 PM CST
Where: Carroll County, 1.78 mi SW of Rosser
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 36.010, -88.370

Power lines were knocked down east of Huntingdon.

Thunderstorm Wind, Carroll

When: July 18, 1:55 PM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Carroll County, 1.98 mi W of Concord
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.933, -88.405

A large tree was snapped near a residence south of Davis Chapel Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Benton

When: July 18, 2:12 PM CST to 2:17 PM CST
Where: Benton County, 0.31 mi ENE of Holladay
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.872, -88.145

Trees were knocked down in the Holladay Community.

Hail, Tipton

When: July 18, 4:40 PM CST to 4:45 PM CST
Where: Tipton County, 0.69 mi S of Gilt Edge
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.540, -89.830

Quarter-size hail fell in Gilt Edge. A tree was also knocked down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: July 18, 5:00 PM CST to 5:05 PM CST
Where: Shelby County, 1.7 mi W of White Station
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.120, -89.930

A tree was knocked down in East Memphis.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: July 18, 5:02 PM CST to 5:07 PM CST
Where: Shelby County, 0.7 mi E of White Station
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.121, -89.888

Trees and power lines were knocked down on White Station Road near Meadowcrest Circle.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: July 18, 5:03 PM CST to 5:08 PM CST
Where: Shelby County, 1.61 mi SE of White Station
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.106, -89.877

Large tree limbs were knocked down at Poplar Avenue and Yates Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: July 18, 5:05 PM CST to 5:10 PM CST
Where: Shelby County, 1.75 mi SSE of White Station
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.097, -89.887

A tree was uprooted in Sea Isle Park.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: July 18, 5:08 PM CST to 5:13 PM CST
Where: Shelby County, 3.07 mi SW of Germantown
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Utility Company
Coordinates: 35.050, -89.860

Eleven power poles and associated power lines were downed along Winchester Boulevard.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: July 18, 5:10 PM CST to 5:15 PM CST
Where: Shelby County, 1.13 mi E of Germantown
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.080, -89.800

Multiple trees had large limbs broken off.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: July 18, 5:15 PM CST to 5:20 PM CST
Where: Shelby County, 1.38 mi N of Collierville Arpk
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 35.020, -89.730

A tree fell on West Shelby Drive near Reynolds Road, blocking the road.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, July 2023

Sources

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: 1125601, 1125607, 1125608, 1125610, 1125615, 1125618, 1125619, 1125709, 1125636, 1125650, 1125637, 1125652, 1125641, 1125597, 1125693, 1125691, 1125687, 1125684, 1125697, 1125702, 1125705.