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. Over 120,000 utility customers in Shelby County lost power. 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, 3 hours 14 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...DNMPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
555 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0552 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 NE Jonesboro 35.84N 90.66W
06/25/2023 Craighead AR Public
1-inch tree limbs broken; Shingles blown
off.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
559 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0553 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 NW Jonesboro 35.84N 90.71W
06/25/2023 Craighead AR ASOS
ASOS report of gust of 51.0 knots.
&&
SWBPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
610 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0605 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 WNW Marked Tree 35.55N 90.50W
06/25/2023 Poinsett AR Public
Large tree down.
&&
SWBPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
615 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0539 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Bono 35.91N 90.80W
06/25/2023 Craighead AR Emergency Mngr
Numerous tree and power lines down across
Bono AR.
&&
SWBPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
616 PM CDT Sun Jun 25 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0553 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Brookland 35.90N 90.58W
06/25/2023 Craighead AR Emergency Mngr
Numerous trees and powerlines down across
Brookland AR.
&&
SWBThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 3 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:34 UTC.
16 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were knocked down near Navy Road and Highway 51.
Powerful straight-line winds resulted in widespread tree and powerline damage in Millington. Trees were knocked down onto homes and vehicles, and some utility poles were snapped. Some structures sustained damage. A commercial building on US Highway 51 lost its roof with additional roof damage to a nearby building.
Two planes were overturned at the Millington Airport and the terminal sustained damage to the roof.
Powerful straight-line winds knocked down and split trees across Bartlett. Numerous trees were knocked down across the north Bartlett. Six utility poles were snapped along US Highway 64 between Kate Bond Road and North Germantown Parkway. Over 100,000 customers lost power, mainly across northern Shelby County.
Many large hardwood trees were knocked down on the Glen Eagle Golf course.
Powerful straight-line winds uprooted and snapped trees across Lakeland. Part of the roof was ripped off a gas station and dental building near exit 20 on I-40. A tree fell on a vehicle.
The AWOS at the Millington Airport reported at 79 mph gust.
Trees were knocked down near the intersection of Highway 196 and Orr Road.
Trees uprooted and snapped throughout southern Fayette County.
A large tree was knocked down and several trees were snapped in downtown Somerville.
Trees were knocked down near Ames Plantation.
Trees and powerlines were knocked down on C Allen Lane.
Winds were estimated at 60 mph north of Masseyville.
Penny-sized hail fell east of Henderson on Baker Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, 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: 1118013, 1118014, 1118015, 1118037, 1118053, 1118041, 1118051, 1118052, 1118048, 1118049, 1118043, 1118044, 1118046, 1118045, 1118047, 1118050, 1118011, 1118012.