A cold front moved into the north Mississippi. Storms developed ahead of the front during the overnight hours.
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 cold front moved into the north Mississippi. Storms developed ahead of the front during the overnight hours. Plentiful shear, helicity, and steep lapse rates supported severe storms with damaging winds and large hail.
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 May 16, 5:59 PM CST, 5 hours 21 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Memphis TN 659 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 633 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025 - A regional outbreak of severe thunderstorms is likely this afternoon into tonight with strong tornadoes, perhaps long tracked, damaging winds and very large hail. - An Enhanced (3 out of 5) to Moderate (4 out of 5) Risk for severe weather is in effect across the northern half of the Mid- South this afternoon into tonight. - Saturday will be mostly dry and warm. - Scattered showers and thunderstorms will persist from Saturday night through the middle of next week with chances for severe storms each day, especially Tuesday. && .DISCUSSION... (This evening through next Thursday) Issued at 214 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025 A significant severe weather outbreak is expected today. Storms have already produced significant hail and damaging winds this morning and minimal airmass modification in their wake. Tropical humidity remains across the entire region with 70+ F dewpoints within an increasingly warm boundary layer. Storms are expected to fire later this evening both along and ahead of a cold front positioned over OK/KS. These storms will head east, likely congealing into a line with the potential for scattered development out ahead. Today's environment is climatologically rare for the Midsouth in late spring. A stout EML has been positioned over the region for the past few days, containing 700-500 mb lapse rates into the 8 C/km range and continues to persist today. Surface insolation, albeit muted under a thick cirrus shield, in conjunction with these lapse rates will allow for MLCAPE of 3500+ J/kg this evening. Upper wind fields are expected to contain a strengthening mid- level jet streak during this time frame as well with the Midsouth optimally positioned under the right entrance region. Lift from this feature is expected to collate with peak heating, significantly reducing capping. Surface convergence will be somewhat nebulous this afternoon where a few renegade cells are possible, but the highest confidence for storms is still with the cold front as it passes through. Once storms are able to form, they will find themselves within a well-sheared environment with bulk shear in excess of 50 knots. Low- level hodograph curvature will be lacking early on which suggests a large (2"+) hail threat during the early evening. Very cold 850-700 mb wet bulb temperatures could create strong cold pools and a strong (75+ mph) damaging wind threat. As the evening progresses, low-level hodographs are anticipated to enlarge with both 0-1km and 0-3km SRH approaching the 200-300 m2/s2 range along and north of I-40 suggesting a higher tornado threat. Storm mode is still the largest question regarding the potential for significant tornadoes this evening. If prefrontal supercells are able to form, significant tornadoes are possible. Along the front, initially discrete storms are expected to congeal into a line with time. Tornadoes within this regime will be most likely while storms are discrete before being undercut by strengthening cold pools. Regardless, today has the potential to be a dangerous day with an Enhanced (3 out of 5) Risk to a Moderate (4 out of 5) risk for severe weather in effect across much of the region. Large (2+ inch) hail, swaths of strong (75+ mph) straight line winds, and the potential for strong tornadoes exists. The cold front will continue south through the night, eventually stalling somewhere over N MS. Temperatures should cool a bit tomorrow with a few diurnally driven showers across N MS. A threat for a few stronger cells containing marginally severe hail and damaging wind is possible. This threat also exists Sunday as the stalled boundary begins to lift north as a warm front in response to a new trough moving east through the Western CONUS. The western trough is expected to traverse the Central CONUS Monday, reaching the Midsouth Tuesday. Another warm, tropical airmass will be in place as this system approaches. Model guidance continues to place a surface low over the Midwest with a cold front moving through the region during the evening. Strong upper flow will overspread a destabilizing airmass, resulting in another chance for severe weather as outlined by the SPC. Specific details on hazards and the magnitude of any severe threat are hard to pin down at this time. However, at least a damaging wind and hail threat are possible. Models currently struggle to produce the low level SRH necessary for a widespread tornado threat, but some spin ups could be possible within an organized line of convection. This forecast is still several days out and will likely change through the weekend. So, stay tuned for updates. Ensembles are in good agreement with the upper flow taking a northwesterly orientation through the end of the week after the frontal passage Tuesday. Strong surface high pressure in combination with this upper pattern will lock in colder air through the end of the week. Highs are currently expected to remain in the 70s and low 80s to end the period with mostly dry weather. && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 658 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025 Though delayed, TSRA development is underway along a cold front extending from west central to northeast AR. Additional isolated TSRA development further south, will likely merge with the frontal convection as we move through the evening. The net effect is a slower arrival time of TSRA at MEM, and a more linear convective mode, i.e., a broken line. The northern portion of the line will be more progressive, and the orientation of the line should extend from MEM to MKL around 05Z. PWB && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. && PUBLIC FORECAST...JAB AVIATION...PWB
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1047 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0758 PM Hail Campbell 36.49N 90.07W
05/16/2025 M1.25 Inch Dunklin MO 911 Call Center
Report of half dollar size hail in Campbell.
&&Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1100 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025
TNZ003-004-021-170430-
Carroll TN-Weakley TN-Henry TN-
1100 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN WEAKLEY...NORTHERN
CARROLL AND WESTERN HENRY COUNTIES THROUGH 1130 PM CDT...
At 1100 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles southwest of Gleason, or 9 miles west of McKenzie, moving east
at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Sandhill, Mansfield, Cottage Grove, Como, Staffords Store, Sunnyside,
Whitlock, Porter Court, McKenzie, Conyersville, Routon, Ephesus,
Henry, Wingo, Ore Springs, Jarrell, New Zion, Foundry Hill, Kimery,
and Vale.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 200 AM CDT for west
Tennessee.
&&
LAT...LON 3648 8830 3638 8818 3610 8821 3601 8860
3618 8887
TIME...MOT...LOC 0400Z 251DEG 28KT 3612 8867
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
MJPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1111 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1108 PM Hail Mckenzie 36.14N 88.51W
05/16/2025 E0.75 Inch Carroll TN Public
Report of penny size hail in McKenzie.
&&
CMASpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1118 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025
TNZ004-022-170445-
Benton TN-Henry TN-
1118 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL BENTON AND SOUTHEASTERN
HENRY COUNTIES THROUGH 1145 PM CDT...
At 1118 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles northwest of Camden, moving east at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Camden, Haigler Ridge, Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park,
Springville, Manleyville, Big Sandy, and Old Springville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 200 AM CDT for west
Tennessee.
&&
LAT...LON 3613 8792 3604 8800 3601 8820 3629 8819
3636 8798 3629 8795 3622 8795 3616 8792
TIME...MOT...LOC 0418Z 251DEG 49KT 3615 8809
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
MJPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1132 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1112 PM Hail Mckenzie 36.14N 88.51W
05/16/2025 E1.00 Inch Carroll TN Public
Report of quarter size hail in McKenzie.
&&
CMAPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1159 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1051 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 SE Greenfield 36.11N 88.74W
05/16/2025 Weakley TN Public
Report of trees down along Shades Bridge
Road.
&&
CMAThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 126 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:19 UTC.
17 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree fell on a home, causing significant roof damage.
Trees down across Batesville.
Trees down along Enid-Teasdale Rd.
Tree down on CR 313.
Tree down on a home in the 100 block of CR 479.
Multiple trees down at the Intersection of CR 436, 445, and 430 near Tula.
Tree down on Hwy 331.
Tree down along CR 331.
Several trees down along Antioch Rd.
A large tree was uprooted.
A tree fell onto a porch.
A home suffered partial roof loss.
Trees down in Verona.
A tree fell onto a home.
A tree snapped at the base of its trunk.
A tree is down in Amory.
Trees and powerlines downed in Phillipp.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, May 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: 1260294, 1260296, 1260297, 1260299, 1260300, 1260302, 1260301, 1260293, 1260303, 1260305, 1260307, 1260306, 1260308, 1260309, 1260310, 1260311, 1260312, 1260314.