Hail, Dunklin
- When
- April 16, 6:05 PM CST to 6:10 PM CST
- Where
- Dunklin County, 2.98 mi NNE of Kennett
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 36.270, -90.050
Reported quarter-sized hail two miles north of Kennett.
A subtle mid-level shortwave trough began to traverse the Mid-South in the late morning hours. A combination of adequate daytime heating, surface dewpoints in the low 60s, around 1200 J/kg of SBCAPE, about 35 kts of effective shear, and elevated surface and mid-level lapse rates was in place heading into the afternoon hours.
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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 subtle mid-level shortwave trough began to traverse the Mid-South in the late morning hours. A combination of adequate daytime heating, surface dewpoints in the low 60s, around 1200 J/kg of SBCAPE, about 35 kts of effective shear, and elevated surface and mid-level lapse rates was in place heading into the afternoon hours. This translated into an environment that was conducive for rapid convective development capable of producing damaging winds and large hail up to 2.
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 16, 5:23 PM CST, 42 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 623 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 622 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026 - A Marginal and Slight Risk (level 1/5 and 2/5, respectively) for severe storms is in place until mid-evening. Hail and damaging winds are the primary concerns. - Well above-normal temperatures will continue through Saturday. Friday will be the warmest with highs near 90 degrees. - Cool and dry air will filter into the Mid-South on Sunday. Fire weather concerns will emerge at this time and persist into Monday. && .DISCUSSION... (This evening through next Wednesday) Issued at 1244 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026 As of 1230 PM, dissipating showers continue to move across the Tennessee River. Behind this activity, clearing skies are evident on satellite with a developing cu field over southern MO. Efficient daytime heating and surface dewpoints in the low 60s will favor elevated instability this afternoon. The latest HREF places greater than 1200 J/kg of SBCAPE along and west of the MS River. This, combined with elevated surface and midlevel lapse rates, will translate to an environment conducive to rapid convective development. Hail and damaging winds will be the primary concerns with any storms that develop this afternoon and evening. Given the strongly buoyant environment, hail stones may reach 2" in diameter. The Storm Prediction Center has maintained a 2% tornado outlook for this afternoon. However, forecast soundings depict sub-optimal SRH and shear, thus rendering the tornado threat near zero. Outside of the severe weather threat, beneficial rainfall will accompany storms. Depending on where storms set up, rainfall totals will vary widely. Areas impacted directly by storms may see 1 - 2 inches of rain fall through this evening. Elsewhere, only a half inch of rain is anticipated. While this will not be a drought-buster, it will help alleviate a bit of the recent dry spell. Temperatures on Friday will soar into the upper 80s as a strong ridge builds into the Mid-South. There is potential for several climate sites to reach 90 degrees tomorrow. Should this occur, it will beat the average first 90 degree day of the year by about a month. Luckily, cooler temperatures are on the horizon as an upper level trough and attendant cold front impact the region on Saturday. Rain chances will increase Saturday morning as decaying convection moves into the Mid-South. Environmental destabilization will be limited by cloud cover through the afternoon. A few strong to severe storms cannot be ruled out in the afternoon, but the severe weather window will be brief as most guidance depicts the front overtaking convection rather quickly. Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5" are anticipated with this system. Much cooler and drier air will filter into the Mid-South on Sunday behind the aforementioned front. Elevated fire weather danger will exist through Monday as relative humidity falls below 30 percent and dead fuel moisture reaches 10 percent. Surface winds will remain less than 15 mph, negating the need for a Red Flag Warning. Outside of fire weather concerns, Sunday and Monday will feature near-normal temperatures with highs in the 60s and 70s. Long range guidance keeps the Mid-South in northwest flow through midweek before upper level ridging returns in the Wednesday / Thursday timeframe. A few showers may occur at this time, but there remains no major signal for appreciable rainfall through the middle of next week. ANS && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 622 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026 VFR conditions are expected to prevail through the period. There is a small window for showers and thunderstorms at MKL if upstream convection begins to develop along outflow boundaries nearby. Otherwise, no showers and thunderstorms are expected at TAF sites through the remainder of the period as upper-level ridging strengthens for Friday. South winds will become light tonight but increase again on Friday with mixing with a few occasional higher gusts, especially at MEM and JBR. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1244 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026 Fire weather concerns return on Sunday as MinRH values drop below 30% and dead fuel moisture reaches 10%. This may necessitate a Rangeland Fire Danger Statement through Monday. Increasing humidity will be in place Tuesday, returning fire weather concerns to minimal through the end of the period. && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. && PUBLIC FORECAST...ANS AVIATION...CJC
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
624 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0543 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 SE Como 36.26N 88.47W
04/16/2026 Henry TN Emergency Mngr
Tree down on Henry Midway road.
&&
CMAPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
633 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0611 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 N Vale 36.18N 88.26W
04/16/2026 Henry TN 911 Call Center
Report of a tree down on Mansfield Road at
Vale Road.
&&
CMAPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
635 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0508 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg South Fulton 36.49N 88.89W
04/16/2026 Obion TN Amateur Radio
Several trees down in the South Fulton area.
&&
CMAPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
636 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0612 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 6 S Big Sandy 36.15N 88.08W
04/16/2026 Benton TN Emergency Mngr
Several trees and power lines down across
Benton County.
&&
CMAPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Memphis TN
640 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0631 PM Hail 1 SW Piggott 36.37N 90.21W
04/16/2026 E1.00 Inch Clay AR Broadcast Media
Report of quarter size hail in SW Piggott.
&&
CMASpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
646 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026
TNZ021-022-170000-
Carroll TN-Benton TN-
646 PM CDT Thu Apr 16 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT BENTON AND NORTHEASTERN CARROLL
COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM CDT...
At 646 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Camden, moving southeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and half inch 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, New Johnsonville, Bruceton, Vale, Hollow Rock, Big Sandy,
I-40 Near The Tennessee River, and Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park.
This includes Interstate 40 in Tennessee between mile markers 128 and
134.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3613 8792 3605 8799 3600 8800 3597 8802
3594 8800 3594 8793 3587 8794 3582 8797
3581 8799 3605 8837 3615 8823 3614 8821
3612 8821 3615 8818 3621 8814 3630 8801
3625 8795 3622 8795 3616 8792
TIME...MOT...LOC 2346Z 311DEG 29KT 3608 8801
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
AEHThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:03 UTC.
3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Reported quarter-sized hail two miles north of Kennett.
Reported nickel-sized hail in Bragg City.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, April 2026
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: 1332826, 1332827, 1332828.