Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, June 11, 2023

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, June 11, 2023
Start: 2023-06-11T15:15
End: 2023-06-11T18:45
Location: Tennessee

June 11, 2023 · NWS MEG · 8 events in 7 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: $102,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

A strong cold front combined with a potent upper-level disturbance moved across the Mid-South during the evening of June 11, 2023. Daytime heating ahead of the front produced moderate instability while the upper-level disturbance resulted in increased amounts of wind shear. As a result, numerous thunderstorms developed and moved across the region producing large hail, damaging winds, and even a tornado.

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 Jun 11, 2:37 PM CST, 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 11, 2:37 PM CST, 38 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
337 PM CDT Sun Jun 11 2023

...New SYNOPSIS, DISCUSSION...

.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 257 PM CDT Sun Jun 11 2023

An unsettled pattern will continue across the Midsouth for the
upcoming work week but cooler temperatures will be a welcomed
change for the first half of the week. Monday should be mostly dry
with high temperatures in the upper 70s to low 80s. However,
showers and thunderstorms are expected each day Tuesday into next
weekend. Temperatures will trend a few degrees warmer each day
with 90s returning area wide by Saturday.

30/Sirmon

&&

.DISCUSSION...(This evening through next Saturday) Issued at 257
PM CDT Sun Jun 11 2023

Showers and thunderstorms are developing rapidly across the
region. An Enhanced Risk of severe thunderstorms exists for
nearly all of the Mid South as a cold front moves through the
region this afternoon and evening. A severe thunderstorm watch has
been issued for all of the Midsouth through 10 pm tonight
although portions of the watch will likely be cancelled after
storms move through and stabilize a given region. Area upper air
soundings show sufficient dry air aloft to result in an enhanced
risk for both large hail and damaging wind, with the greater
threat evolving into damaging wind later this evening. 25-35kt
0-3km shear should be sufficient to maintain healthy updrafts in
storm clusters, but likely too little to result in any significant
tornado threat. Hail and damaging wind will be the main threats
from any severe thunderstorms, but frequent lightning and heavy
rainfall will pose a threat to any outdoor events, even from sub-
severe thunderstorms.

Transient high pressure will build in behind the cold front later
tonight resulting in mostly dry conditions Monday. However, zonal
to weak northwest flow will return Tuesday. Several impulses will
traverse the mean flow Tuesday through Saturday resulting in
multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms. At this time there
is no indication that widespread severe storms are likely. Heavy
rainfall over several days could develop into a flooding threat.
Temperatures tomorrow should be seasonably pleasant, featuring
highs in the middle 70s to low 80s. We should see our coolest
temperatures of the forecast period Tuesday morning when areas
near the Tennessee River may dip as low as the middle 50s. Expect
high temperatures to trend a few degrees warmer each day with 90s
returning area wide by Saturday.

30/Sirmon

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 1213 PM CDT Sun Jun 11 2023

Current VFR conditions will diminish this afternoon as a result
of a cold frontal passage. Gusty wind conditions are anticipated
to continue ahead of the FROPA and ongoing the VCTS/TSRA at the
terminals. Latest guidance is suggesting KJBR will miss the brunt
of the broken line, but all other TAF sites could experience low
CIGS and brief periods of lower VSBYS during TSRA.

The line is moving quickly with current WSW flow veering NE as a
result of the passage. Possible BR conditions could happen after
thunder activity diminishes, but lack of confidence prohibited in
this TAF cycle. MVFR/IFR conditions are more probable during
20Z-02Z as the front moves through the region, but heavy rainfall
could result in brief periods of lower VSBYS.

DNM

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...None.
MO...None.
MS...None.
TN...None.
&&

PUBLIC FORECAST...JDS
AVIATION...DNM

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 11, 1:58 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
258 PM CDT Sun Jun 11 2023

ARZ028-TNZ048-112030-
Mississippi AR-Lauderdale TN-
258 PM CDT Sun Jun 11 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern
Mississippi and southwestern Lauderdale Counties through 330 PM
CDT...

At 258 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Caraway, moving east at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Osceola, Caraway, Luxora, Keiser, Fort Pillow State Park, Dell,
Burdette, Fulton, Little River, Etowah, Victoria, Three Way, West
Ridge, Eastview, Lennie, Vail, Grider, Hightower, Tuckertown and
Rosa.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for
eastern Arkansas...and west Tennessee.

&&

LAT...LON 3588 8984 3561 8984 3565 9029 3583 9029
TIME...MOT...LOC 1958Z 270DEG 23KT 3575 9020

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

ARS

Special weather statement, Jun 11, 2:51 PM CST, 24 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
351 PM CDT Sun Jun 11 2023

ARZ036-TNZ088-112115-
Crittenden AR-Shelby TN-
351 PM CDT Sun Jun 11 2023

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northern Crittenden
and western Shelby Counties through 415 PM CDT...

At 351 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Crawfordsville, or 7 miles northwest of Marion, moving east at 20
mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
West Memphis, Marion, Meeman Shelby Forest State Park, Memphis,
Crawfordsville, Sunset, Jericho, Turrell, Clarkedale, Mound City,
Booker, Gammon, Cunningham Corner, St Clair, Harvard, Presidents
Island, Briark, Locke, Vincent and Hulbert.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for
eastern Arkansas...and west Tennessee.

&&

LAT...LON 3519 9043 3537 9038 3535 8999 3508 9007
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 282DEG 17KT 3527 9032

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

ARS

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:15 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Gibson

When: June 11, 3:15 PM CST to 3:20 PM CST
Where: Gibson County, 0.66 mi WSW of Trenton
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.978, -88.941

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: June 11, 3:15 PM CST to 3:20 PM CST
Where: Henry County, 2.01 mi SW of Oak Hill to 1.4 mi SSE of Oak Hill
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 36.406, -88.121

Straight-line winds knocked down trees from East Antioch Road to Lake View Drive in Henry County.

Hail, McNairy

When: June 11, 5:12 PM CST to 5:17 PM CST
Where: McNairy County, 1 mi SW of Michie
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.040, -88.463

Hail, Hardin

When: June 11, 5:28 PM CST to 5:33 PM CST
Where: Hardin County, 4 mi W of Pickwick Dam
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 35.050, -88.321

Quarter-size hail fell south of Shiloh.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: June 11, 5:38 PM CST to 5:43 PM CST
Where: Shelby County, 0.87 mi W of Cordova
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.152, -89.795

Six power poles were severely bent on Germantown Parkway south of Macon Road in Cordova.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tipton

When: June 11, 5:52 PM CST to 5:57 PM CST
Where: Tipton County, 0.51 mi W of Munford
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 35.450, -89.839

A utility pole was snapped on Drummonds Roads west of Munford.

Thunderstorm Wind, Tipton

When: June 11, 6:05 PM CST to 6:10 PM CST
Where: Tipton County, 0.79 mi ESE of Crosstown
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 35.446, -89.787

Powerlines were knocked down on cars just north of the Highway 51 and Walker Crossroad intersection. Tree limbs were also down on Highway 51 in Atoka.

Thunderstorm Wind, Haywood

When: June 11, 6:40 PM CST to 6:45 PM CST
Where: Haywood County, 0.88 mi S of Stanton
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $7,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.457, -89.400

Trees and powerlines were knocked down on Cherry Street in Stanton.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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, June 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: 1115177, 1118993, 1112093, 1112094, 1112096, 1112089, 1114389, 1114644.