Early in September, soil moisture was well below normal, and river flows were below typical values due to the lack of beneficial rainfall. Severe (D2) Drought conditions expanded and worsened to Extreme (D3) Drought for a brief period during September.
Every event with a place to put it; 18 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Early in September, soil moisture was well below normal, and river flows were below typical values due to the lack of beneficial rainfall. Severe (D2) Drought conditions expanded and worsened to Extreme (D3) Drought for a brief period during September. Pastures were providing very little or no feed, and supplemental feeding was required to maintain livestock. Welcomed rainfall was not enough to remove drought conditions entirely, but D3 conditions improved and D2 conditions continued into October.
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 Sep 8, 9:46 PM CST, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 1046 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025 ...New DISCUSSION, AVIATION, FIRE WEATHER... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025 - Hot and dry conditions return this week with temperatures climbing back into the 90s. - Ongoing drought conditions will worsen by the end of the week. && .DISCUSSION... (Tonight through next Monday) Issued at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025 Summertime temperatures return to the Mid-South today as an Omega Block pushes into central CONUS. Southerly surface winds will advect much warmer air into the region today with highs reaching the upper 80s and lower 90s. Unfortunately, temperatures will continue to warm through the end of the week as the aforementioned Omega Block dominates the synoptic pattern. By Thursday, afternoon highs will be in the mid to upper 90s. The good news in relation to this forecast: dewpoints will remain in the lower 60s. As such, heat indices will remain well below heat headline threshold. Precipitation chances are few and far between for the next week or so as surface high pressure prevails. Given prolonged dry conditions, areas of the Mid-South will likely see an upgrade to D2 severe drought conditions by the end of the week. ANS && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025 VFR conditions continue across the area. Light winds overnight will veer to the SE during the daytime, generally around 5 kts. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1043 PM CDT Mon Sep 8 2025 Elevated fire danger will exist this week as MinRH values remain in the 30 percent range. This, combined with dry fuels, will produce conditions conducive for easy fire development. The good news: 20ft winds will remain 5-10 mph, so any fire that does ignite should not spread quickly. && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. && PUBLIC FORECAST...ANS AVIATION...CMA
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
18 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September. Drought conditions encompassed most of the county and continued into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September and continued into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by the middle of the month. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement by the end of the month with D2 conditions continuing into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by late September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to continue into October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by late September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to continue into October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September with these conditions to continue into October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by mid September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to persist into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by mid September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to persist into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by mid September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to persist into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by late September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to persist into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by mid September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to persist into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by mid September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to persist into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement by the end of September.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September and persisted through the month into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in mid September. Drought conditions worsened to Extreme (D3) Drought in late September before improving slightly and returning to D2. These conditions continued into early October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in mid-September. Beneficial rainfall was able to end these conditions prior to the month ending.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in late September with these conditions to continue into October.
Severe (D2) Drought conditions were introduced in early September before worsening to Extreme (D3) Drought conditions by late September. Beneficial rainfall was able to bring 1 category improvement at the end of the month allowing D2 conditions to persist into early October.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, September 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: 1293064, 1293066, 1293067, 1293069, 1293070, 1293072, 1293073, 1293074, 1293075, 1293076, 1293078, 1293079, 1293080, 1293081, 1293065, 1293068, 1293071, 1293077.