A significant multi-hazard, multi-day event occurred across the Mid-South from April 2, 2025, to April 8, 2025, producing 35 tornadoes, record flooding, and numerous reports of damaging winds and large hail. S.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
A significant multi-hazard, multi-day event occurred across the Mid-South from April 2, 2025, to April 8, 2025, producing 35 tornadoes, record flooding, and numerous reports of damaging winds and large hail. A large upper-level trough covered the Western U.S. in early April. A significant piece of energy rotated around the base of the trough and ejected into the Southern Plains and the Middle-Upper Mississippi Valley on April 2nd. A 500 mb jet maximum of 120 knots and a 300 mb jet maximum of 140 knots pushed into Iowa by late afternoon on April 2nd. Meanwhile, a 992 mb surface low moved into the Upper Mississippi Valley with a trailing cold front pushing toward the Mid-South. A secondary, weaker surface low developed over northeast Arkansas and helped to back surface winds. The warm sector across the Mid-South was potent with surface dewpoints climbing into the upper 60s and MLCAPE values climbing to 2000-3000 J/kg. Increasing upper-level divergence occurred in the entrance region of the upper jet, resulting in strong lift across the Mid-South and storm initiation in the increasingly moist and unstable airmass. Hodographs were long, strongly curved, and supportive of tornadoes. Discrete supercells intensified across the Mid-South during the evening as 0-6 km bulk shear values increased to 60-70 knots, and 0-1 km helicity values increased to 300-400 m2/s2. Fifteen tornadoes occurred from late afternoon on April 2nd through about 2 am on April 3rd, including four EF-3s. This period represented the most significant period of severe weather during the event.
The cold front stalled across the Mid-South on April 3rd while moist southwesterly flow aloft continued and anomalous precipitable water values prevailed across the region. Heavy rain fell across northern sections of the Mid-South into the morning hours of April 3rd. Rainfall amounts of 3-4 inches were common across east-central Arkansas, West Tennessee, and extreme northwest Mississippi, along with scattered instances of flash flooding. By the afternoon of April 3rd, the airmass south of the stalled front destabilized and storms strengthened thanks to a 90-knot mid-level jet maximum moving through Missouri. These storms produced wind damage, large hail, flash flooding, and a tornado east of Corinth. Heavy rain continued into the early morning hours on April 4th when the front eventually lifted north of the area, resulting in a relative lull during the day on April 4th.
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 Apr 2, 1:27 PM CST, 54 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Memphis TN
227 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025
...New DISCUSSION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 227 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025
-Severe weather and very heavy rainfall are expected this afternoon
through Saturday.
-A High Risk of severe weather today, an Enhanced Risk is in
effect Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
-A Moderate Risk of excessive rainfall is in effect today, Friday
and Saturday with a High Risk on Thursday.
-Five day total rainfall amounts are in the 10 to 15 inch range
along and north of I-40. This is not your average flood risk.
Generational flooding with devastating impacts is possible.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
(This evening through next Tuesday) Issued at 227 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025
A volatile day ahead across the Midsouth as we anticipate a
significant severe weather outbreak tonight as we begin a several
day stretch of active weather. A High (level 5/5) risk is in
effect for much of the region through tonight!
An upper trough, currently situated over the Rockies, will continue
to inch eastward throughout the end of the week. To its leeward
side, a broad belt of 100+ knot upper level flow will continue to
overspread the central CONUS, maintaining a strong surface mass
response extending up from the Gulf through the entire MS River
Valley. This regime has been in place for well over a day and has
allowed for significant moisture return to take place with mid 60s
and low 70s dewpoints across the region. Insolation, gradual height
falls, and 700 mb cooling will initiate storms later this afternoon
that will last through the night.
Taking a deeper dive into the convective setup today, a truly
volatile environment presents itself. Aforementioned surface heating
and moisture transport has brought very high theta e into the
region. Current HRRR/WOFS/HREF progs display SBCAPE/MLCAPE reaching
above 3500 J/kg later this afternoon with a meager 0/-50 J/kg.
Therefore, thunderstorms are expected to initiate along both a
convectively enhanced cold front to the west and with any stronger
areas of surface convergence across AR/MS/TN/MO. As storms fire,
bulk 0-6km shear from the west will increase, supporting the
development of supercells. ESRH will also begin to rise into the
evening. The same model suite shows values of up to, and possibly
above, 400 m2/s2 across the majority of the region by 00z. The
combination of all of these ingredients will culminate in an STP
greater than 5 for several hours that will be supportive of strong
tornadoes alongside large hail and damaging winds.
Another note about the severe threat will be the bi-modality of the
hazards. CAM guidance has been keen building a large complex of
supercells, potentially embedded in a line, to our west that
propagates east through tonight. Ahead of this line, CAMs/WOFS
have started to highlight the potential for discrete/clustered
supercells. Therefore, threats will likely be stratified between
the two modes with the most significant tornado threat
accompanying any supercells that can develop ahead of the main
line.
Alongside severe weather, strong gradient winds and boundary layer
mixing have brought advisory criteria gusts throughout the region.
As such, a wind advisory is in effect through 11 pm tonight across
the entire region. Some blowing dust has been observed across NE AR
and has been added to the forecast to compensate.
The cold front that is associated with tonight's weather will
eventually stall out over the TN/MS border by tomorrow. The slow
eastward progression of the large-scale upper trough will allow for
the next several days to continue providing severe chances with the
surface stationary boundary as a focus for convection. Tomorrow's
risk has been upgraded to an Enhanced (level 3/5) for tornadoes,
wind, and hail with another Enhanced (level 3/5) on both Friday
and Saturday as the upper system and surface cold front make
their final pass through the region.
With convection focused along a front for several days, dangerous
flooding will also be a concern. PWATs are expected to be above
the 95th percentile for several days as we remain gridlocked into
a tropical airmass. Continued surface convergence and isentropic
ascent will squeeze much of this moisture out across the region
through Saturday before the upper system can exit the region. The
current forecast calls for a swath of 10+ inches of rain on a line
from Cross County AR through Henry County TN with gradually
tapering amounts to the north and south down to 6 inches in N MS.
Locally higher amounts are possible, especially with any training
thunderstorms. This is not a normal and will be a dangerous,
generational flooding event!
Weather will finally calm down into Sunday and Monday as the upper
system exits the CONUS. Surface high pressure and northerlies will
bring drier, cooler air into the Midsouth as a result. This
northwest flow regime will last through the end of the forecast
period.
&&
.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS) Issued at 1251 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025
Gusty south winds will prevail this afternoon with gusts of 30-40
kts and mainly VFR conditions. Showers and thunderstorms will push
into the area later this afternoon and evening impacting JBR, MKL
and MEM mainly between 02/23z and 03/06z. TUP should remain south of
the widespread thunderstorm activity through the TAF period with
only scattered showers and thunderstorms possible in that area
tonight.
&&
.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for ARZ009-018-026>028-
035-036-048-049-058.
Flood Watch through Sunday morning for ARZ009-018-026>028-035-
036-048-049-058.
Blowing Dust Warning until 2 PM CDT this afternoon for ARZ028-
036.
MO...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for MOZ113-115.
Flood Watch through Sunday morning for MOZ113-115.
MS...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for MSZ001>017-020>024.
Flood Watch through Sunday morning for MSZ001>005-007-008-
010>014-020.
Flood Watch from late Friday night through Sunday afternoon for
MSZ006-009-015>017-021>024.
TN...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for TNZ001>004-019>022-
048>055-088>092.
Flood Watch through Sunday morning for TNZ001>004-019>022-
048>055-088>092.
&&
PUBLIC FORECAST...JAB
AVIATION...SWCPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1127 AM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1041 AM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 ENE Whitehaven 35.04N 89.98W
04/02/2025 M58 MPH Shelby TN Official NWS Obs
ASOS site measured wind gust of 58 mph.
&&
JABPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
257 PM CDT Wed Apr 2 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0250 PM Hail Olive Branch 34.95N 89.83W
04/02/2025 M1.00 Inch DeSoto MS Public
Quarter Size hail.
&&The Memphis radar (KNQA), 36 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:17 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 9 tornado, 7 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Measured with an anemometer on a rooftop.
A tornado touched down near Ziegenhorn Lane, damaging a few utility poles. Damage was initially sporadic as the tornado moved northeast, with tree damage noted on Wendy Lane. Trees were snapped along Longview Lane and Prairie City Lane with the tornado widening and intensifying as it approached Highway 214 E. Numerous trees and several utility poles were snapped on Highway 214 and Bornhoft Lane. Damage was more sporadic farther northeast with the tornado lifting near the intersection of Roberts Lane and Kink Road. Peak winds were estimated at 110 mph.
Several hardwood trees uprooted east of Brushey Lake.
The tornado crossed into Clay County from Randolph County at County Road 109. The tornado destroyed several grain bins as it entered Clay County. Additional damage to structures and trees was observed as the tornado moved northeast across the Heelstring area, including significant damage to a church and several residences along County Road 125 between County Roads 116 and 124. Mostly tree damage was noted along County Road 131, but several utility poles were snapped on County Road 139. Numerous trees and minor structure damage occurred on the western side of Corning Lake, with the final damage points along Elm St near and just east of County Road 173. Peak winds were estimated to be 115 mph in Clay County.
Several trees sustained damage along Pleasant Grove Lane.
A tornado formed near Highway 69 E near Glen Lane. Minor damage was observed initially, mainly to trees between Highway 69 E and Interstate 555. The tornado then crossed into Craighead county and intensified. Peak winds in Poinsett county were estimated around 95 mph.
The tornado started just west of Highway 18 between Risher and Riggs, causing tree damage and roof damage to multiple metal outbuildings. The tornado continued northeast, crossing Highway 226 where a farm outbuilding was destroyed, trees snapped, and damage to farm equipment was noted. The most notable damage was along County Road 160, where a grain silo bin was torn and twisted. The silo had been bolted to the ground. The tornado continued northeast towards Herman, where trees were snapped and uprooted. Damage was noted at Westside High School, where the gymnasium roof was damaged and multiple nearby farm shops were destroyed. Additional trees were damaged along Highway 63 before the tornado lifted. Peak winds were estimated at 120 mph.
The tornado moved into Craighead county and intensified as it crossed I-555, snapping utility poles along Highway 463 and derailing a train on Main Street just southeast of Bay, AR. The tornado snapped additional wooden utility poles along Highway 158 east of Bay and gained strength as it moved northeast. Several high-tension power line trusses were heavily damaged or destroyed north of County Road 672 and west of County Road 683. Significant damage to trees and a home was noted on County Roads 686 and 682, but the damage became more widespread as the tornado entered Lake City. Several homes suffered significant damage near the intersection of Highways 18 and 135. A few damage indicators in this area indicated high-end EF3 wind speeds of up to 160 mph, but most of the structures maintained at least some wall structures, precluding a higher rating. Some stubbed trees were noted in this area as well, with minor debarking observed, possibly enhanced by flying debris. Additional significant tree and power line damage was surveyed along County Road 984, followed by more sporadic damage over agricultural land. Structural damage ramped back up as the tornado approached Monette. Several homes suffered significant damage on the west and northern sides of Monette. The tornado moved northeast into the Delfore area, likely lifting just before reaching the Mississippi County line. There were zero fatalities and eight injuries reported with this tornado. Peak winds estimated 160 mph.
Numerous power poles snapped along the Elder Street in Bay.
A large tree sustained damage south of Cash, on the west side of the Lake City tornado path. Several power poles were broken and downed along and near CR 161.
Several trees were uprooted.
A large tree sustained damage along Hwy 226 southeast of Cash, on the east side of the Lake City tornado path. A power broken and downed along and near CR 160.
A tornado touched down just south of Bay Village to the west of Highway 163 in extreme northern Cross County. Multiple trees were uprooted just to the east of Highway 163, past Sugar Creek before crossing into Poinsett County. Peak winds were estimated 85 mph.
The tornado continued into Poinsett County northeastward through agricultural fields, with additional powerline damage noted along Dean Lane in the Anderson Tully area. The tornado lifted shortly thereafter, likely north of Ditch 37 Road. Peak winds were estimated 85 mph.
Broken wood cross member on an electrical transmission line.
Several trees downed and uprooted along Hwy 238 south of Moro.
Several power poles were snapped along Yocona Road, near SFC 808 Road. A center pivot was overturned and minor tree and roof damage also occurred. Estimated wind speeds of 80-90mph in the rear flank downdraft.
Baseball sized hail fell in the 100 block of Washington St.
Tennis ball sized hail near the Fairgrounds.
Several car windows broken from large hail.
Trees down in downtown Blytheville.
A brief tornado formed just north of Interstate 40 near SFC 513, overturning a center irrigation pivot before crossing into Crittenden County.
The tornado crossed into Crittenden County and continued moving northeast, knocking down a few power poles and trees near the intersection of County Road 1005 and Highway 149, lifting just west of the Jeanette community. Peak winds were estimated to be 85 mph.
A semi was overturned along I-55 at mile marker 18.
Multiple down trees and damaged signs east of Forrest City.
A shop was blown over and trucks overturned on a lot in the area of Hwy 242 and Hwy 44 area.
Downed trees and powerlines in between Highland St and Arkansas St in Helena-West Helena.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Arkansas in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Arkansas, 2025Warnings in Arkansas, April 2025
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: 1254997, 1256954, 1258210, 1256953, 1258249, 1254993, 1254995, 1256952, 1258214, 1258218, 1265821, 1258220, 1254996, 1254994, 1256955, 1258209, 1258250, 1255001, 1254989, 1254988, 1254991, 1254990, 1255000, 1255343, 1256956, 1256957, 1254998, 1254987, 1254999, 1255344, 1255345.