Numerous showers and thunderstorms covered Arkansas during the early morning hours on May 20, 2025. As these storms moved toward the Mid-South, the cap weakened, and one segment near the Tennessee/Mississippi border intensified and produced wind damage.
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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.
Numerous showers and thunderstorms covered Arkansas during the early morning hours on May 20, 2025. As these storms moved toward the Mid-South, the cap weakened, and one segment near the Tennessee/Mississippi border intensified and produced wind damage. These storms exited the region by mid-morning.
A brief lull in thunderstorm activity occurred from late morning until early afternoon. Gusty southwest winds aided in rapid atmospheric recovery with SBCAPE values greater than 2000 J/kg by mid-afternoon. In addition, dewpoints remained in the low 70s with bulk shear around 50 kts. Initially, storms were supercellular in nature and eventually formed into a line during the evening hours. Damaging winds and hail were common during this event, and a weak tornado occurred near Jackson, TN.
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 20, 5:05 AM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 605 AM CDT Tue May 20 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 549 AM CDT Tue May 20 2025 - An Enhanced Risk (3/5) for severe storms is in place today. Two rounds of severe weather are anticipated with greater severe probabilities existing in the afternoon hours. - Cooler and less humid conditions will follow for Wednesday through Friday behind a cold front. - Chances for thunderstorms will return to the Mid-South this weekend as an upper level disturbance moves through. && .DISCUSSION... (Today through Monday) Issued at 315 AM CDT Tue May 20 2025 300 AM radar imagery depicts nebulous showers and thunderstorms over the Mid-South. A stout EML is responsible for keeping this activity at bay, resulting in storms struggling to organize despite being in an environment comprised of 1500 J/kg of SBCAPE and midlevel lapse rates in excess of 7.0 C/km. Further west near the Little Rock metro, a line of thunderstorms continue to move northeast at about 40 mph. Satellite and radar trends suggest this line is beginning to intensify, suggesting the aforementioned EML is eroding. In addition, RAP forecast soundings gradually erode this cap over the next several hours. Therefore, by the time these storms reach our neck of the woods, our environment will be primed for severe storms. Damaging winds are the primary concern, but a brief spin-up tornado cannot be ruled out. This activity will push out of the area by 10AM. A quick note: there also exists a secondary area of convection over western Arkansas as of 300 AM. This activity quickly diminished, likely due to a lack of atmospheric recovery between the two convective lines. The greater threat for severe this morning exists with the leading line of thunderstorms. A brief lull in thunderstorm activity will occur late-morning and last into the early afternoon hours. Gusty southwest winds will aid in rapid atmospheric recovery with the HREF depicting SBCAPE values in excess of 2000 J/kg by 1PM. In addition, dewpoints will remain in the low 70s with bulk shear around 50 kts. On paper, this environment favors upscale supercellular growth with all severe weather hazards at play. However, further digging reveals one fail mode for today's storms: lack luster mid level lapse rates. In fact, the HREF only paints a 20% chance of 700-500 mb lapse rates exceeding 6.0 C/km today. This will be a limiting factor for storms. However, given minimal CIN and abundant CAPE, large hail and damaging winds are not out of the question. Initially, storms will be supercellular in nature. The greatest chance for a strong tornado or two exists within the first few cells that develop and can tap into the uncontaminated environment. As we approach the evening hours, these storms will congeal into a messy line. A few embedded supercells may occur at this time, but the primary concern will be damaging winds within bowing segments. This activity will exit the area by 10PM. Beyond today, the remainder of the work week will be splendid as a cold front ushers in lower dewpoints and highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s. Additional rain chances return this weekend and will continue into next week. Stay tuned. ANS && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 549 AM CDT Tue May 20 2025 Ongoing showers and thunderstorms will continue to spread east through midday. A second round of showers and thunderstorms will move across the region during the afternoon and into the early evening. Mainly VFR ceilings are expected outside of thunderstorms with MVFR ceilings in the vicinity of them. South winds 10 to 15 kts with gusts near 25 kts will prevail today, shifting from the west to northwest around 10 knots tonight as cold front moves across the region. VFR conditions should return to all TAF sites by midnight. && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. && PUBLIC FORECAST...ANS AVIATION...JDS
The Memphis radar (KNQA), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:40 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees down on Strickland Road.
Tree down on a home on Hwy 309. Additional trees down on Hill View Drive.
A swath of wind damage was found around South Slayden Road. Significant tree damage was found in this area.
Tree down on top of a vehicle off of Slayden Road.
Tree fell through a home on Britton Drive.
Trees downed along CR 1101 near Booneville.
Tree down along CR 2371, south of Altitude.
A tree fell on a shed on CR 148 between Hwy 125 and Holcut.
Tree downed at the intersection of Belmont Rd and River Rd, just north of the Little Tallahatchie River.
Trees downed on CR 103.
Tree downed near the intersection of College Hill and Heights Dr.
Multiple trees down near Tocowa, including Avery Rd.
An uprooted tree fell on a home and carport.
Tree damage across the community of Ingomar.
Large tree downed at the corner of Dorsey-Evergreen Road and McMaster Road.
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: 1261775, 1261776, 1261823, 1261778, 1261780, 1261769, 1261771, 1261781, 1261786, 1261782, 1261772, 1261788, 1261783, 1261787, 1261789, 1261790, 1261784, 1261785, 1261773.