A line of storms approached the Mississippi River, posing primarily a damaging wind threat. However, given the timing of the line crossing the area, the flash flooding risk heightened.
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 line of storms approached the Mississippi River, posing primarily a damaging wind threat. However, given the timing of the line crossing the area, the flash flooding risk heightened. Storms trained as a frontal boundary sunk south. A majority of the region experienced heavy rainfall the day prior during the morning hours, additional rains from this system continued to agitate rivers and streams. A storm trained right over the Memphis Metro resulting in flash flooding.
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 5, 11:39 PM CST, 4 hours 21 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Memphis TN 1239 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026 ...New DISCUSSION, AVIATION, FIRE WEATHER... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 1233 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026 - A Slight Risk (2/5) of strong to severe thunderstorms continues into early Wednesday morning mainly along and south of the I-40 corridor. Damaging winds are the primary hazards, along with urban flash flooding. There is a low chance of a brief tornado for portions of northwest Mississippi and southeast Arkansas. - A Slight Risk (2/5) is in place for southeast Arkansas and most of north Mississippi Wednesday afternoon. Damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding will be primary severe weather threats. A brief tornado or two cannot be ruled out. - Cooler and drier air will return Thursday and Friday. && .DISCUSSION... (Today through Tuesday) Issued at 1233 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026 A cold front currently extends from a 1007mb surface low near Pittsburgh southwest back through Murray, Kentucky and back into Harrisburg, Arkansas. The latest radar scan shows elevated convection north of the front with a few showers out ahead of the front along the I-40 corridor. A 700mb cap has kept convection at bay thus far this evening and storms have failed to initiate along the cold front. Aloft, GOES Water Vapor Imagery shows broad southwesterly flow with a pronounced shortwave over north central Texas. Height falls have been nearly non-existent across the Lower Mississippi Valley. The parameter space is dominated by very high shear on the order of 70 knots of bulk shear and SRH values in the 0 to 1 km space of 400 m2/s2. Instability remains on the low end across much of the region with MLCAPE values of 500 J/kg focused along and west of the Mississippi River. If any storms can become surface- based in the next couple of hours and along or south of the front, the primary threats would be damaging winds and a brief tornado or two. Lapse rates aloft remain limited around 6.5 C/km, thus the hail threat would be marginal at best. Hi-res guidance remains focused on the cold front stalling out near the TN/MS border by Wednesday sunup. The main trough, currently over the Four Corners Region, will sweep across the Southern Plains and bring appreciative height falls to the Lower Mississippi Valley steepening lapse rates aloft. Areas south of the front will destabilize by mid afternoon but uncertainty remains with respect to where the outflow modified cold front will be situated. Bulk shear will remain plentiful across the region, but instability remains in question. HREF guidance suggests that the 500 SBCAPE may develop over portions of northeast Mississippi, but probabilities remain meager with only a 25% chance at Tupelo with a tight gradient of increasing probs down into Monroe County, MS. Nonetheless, the Slight Risk appears to be well drawn to account for the uncertainty in the thermodynamic environment Wednesday afternoon. The main threat on Wednesday still appears to be the flooding potential as PWATs remain elevated at 1.7 inches, or near the 90th percentile for this time of year. The slow, southward progress of the front this afternoon, combined with 850mb flow nearly parallel to the boundary, suggests a medium to high potential for training thunderstorms. The HREF supports this theory with 24 hour LPMM totals showing a swath of 2.5 to 4.5 inches of QPF setting up just to the south of the I-40 corridor and extending into the first two rows of north Mississippi counties. The front will finally clear the area around midnight tomorrow night ending the threat of heavy rainfall across the region. Broad surface high pressure will build into the region through Friday morning with temperatures running about 5 to 10 degrees below normal. Low temperatures will dip into the 40s nearly areawide Friday morning. High pressure will slide east late Friday and return flow will set up over the region. Rain chances will return on Sunday as a deepening trough over the Great Lakes Region noses equatorward and helps push a cold front through the region. AC3 && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1233 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026 A cluster of showers and thunderstorms will continue to migrate east/southeast through the overnight hours. Southwest winds will also remain gusty in the same timeframe. MVFR and intermittent IFR conditions will continue spreading across the airspace over the next several hours. As we edge closer to sunrise, the IFR deck, currently over NE AR, will begin to fill in at MEM/MKL/TUP. By daybreak, showers and thunderstorms, situated along a stalled front, moving NW to SE, will continue to impact terminals through the evening hours. A few hours of mist is expected to follow the main push of convection past sunset. VFR conditions should slowly begin to filter back in after sunset. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 1233 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026 Fire weather concerns will remain low over the next 7 days. Humidity and widespread wetting rain chances will occur again on Wednesday as a cold front moves through the entire Mid-South. Cooler and drier air will move into the region for Thursday and Friday. There is a low to medium chance that minimum relative humidity values dip below 40% on Friday. Wetting rain chances will return Sunday with another cold front. && .MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AR...None. MO...None. MS...None. TN...None. && PUBLIC FORECAST...AC3 AVIATION...AEH
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
1257 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
TNZ019-020-048-050-051-060630-
Crockett TN-Lauderdale TN-Dyer TN-Haywood TN-Gibson TN-
1257 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CROCKETT...SOUTHEASTERN DYER...
GIBSON...EAST CENTRAL LAUDERDALE AND NORTH CENTRAL HAYWOOD COUNTIES
THROUGH 130 AM CDT...
At 1256 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Chestnut Bluff, or 15 miles east of Ripley, moving east at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 30 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...
Humboldt, Trenton, Alamo, Dyer, Halls, Chestnut Bluff, Forked Deer,
Eaton, Medina, Maury City, Friendship, Gates, Gadsden, Gibson,
Tuckers Corner, Grizzard, Hawkinsville, Quincy, Gibson Wells, and
Good Luck.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3568 8938 3586 8947 3613 8890 3584 8875
TIME...MOT...LOC 0556Z 251DEG 50KT 3581 8928
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...30 MPH
JABSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
105 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
TNZ049-050-088-089-060630-
Tipton TN-Fayette TN-Shelby TN-Haywood TN-
105 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN TIPTON...NORTHERN
FAYETTE...SOUTHWESTERN HAYWOOD AND NORTHEASTERN SHELBY COUNTIES
THROUGH 130 AM CDT...
At 104 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Munford, or 8 miles east of Millington, moving east at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 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...
Bartlett, Millington, Lakeland, Arlington, Munford, Somerville,
Brighton, Dancyville, Tipton, Warren, Atoka, Oakland, Mason,
Gallaway, Stanton, Williston, Braden, Asbury, Yum Yum, and
Barretville.
This includes Interstate 40 in Tennessee between mile markers 22 and
52.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3530 8999 3551 8980 3549 8918 3515 8938
TIME...MOT...LOC 0604Z 271DEG 44KT 3538 8975
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
AEHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
130 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
TNZ050-052-053-089-090-060700-
Hardeman TN-Fayette TN-Chester TN-Madison TN-Haywood TN-
130 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN FAYETTE...NORTHERN
HARDEMAN...SOUTHERN HAYWOOD...SOUTHWESTERN MADISON AND SOUTHWESTERN
CHESTER COUNTIES THROUGH 200 AM CDT...
At 130 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Dancyville, or 16 miles southwest of Brownsville, moving east at 55
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 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...
Bolivar, Chickasaw State Forest, Chickasaw State Park, Whiteville,
Silerton, Hillville, Dancyville, Cloverport, Mercer, Stanton, Toone,
Medon, Asbury, Yum Yum, Pine Top, Hickory Point, Uptonville, Taylor
Chapel, Teague, and Meux Corner.
This includes Interstate 40 in Tennessee between mile markers 38 and
52.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3528 8950 3547 8946 3553 8877 3526 8875
TIME...MOT...LOC 0630Z 267DEG 48KT 3538 8937
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
AEHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
222 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
TNZ053-090-091-060745-
Hardeman TN-Chester TN-McNairy TN-
222 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN HARDEMAN...MCNAIRY
AND SOUTHERN CHESTER COUNTIES THROUGH 245 AM CDT...
At 222 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Silerton, or near Chickasaw State Forest, moving east at 35 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...
Henderson, Bolivar, Selmer, Chickasaw State Forest, Chickasaw State
Park, Adamsville, Silerton, Masseyville, Robertson, McNairy, Bethel
Springs, Eastview, Michie, Toone, Hornsby, Finger, Stantonville,
Milledgeville, Enville, and Forty Forks.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3504 8839 3524 8907 3543 8888 3544 8880
3541 8836
TIME...MOT...LOC 0722Z 274DEG 32KT 3531 8881
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
AEHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
439 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
ARZ049-058-MSZ010-061015-
Phillips AR-Lee AR-Coahoma MS-
439 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN LEE...PHILLIPS AND
CENTRAL COAHOMA COUNTIES THROUGH 515 AM CDT...
At 439 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Roe to near St. Charles to Merrisach Lake.
Movement was east at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Clarksdale, Marvell, Elaine, Helena-West Helena, White River National
Wildlife Refuge, Friars Point, Lexa, Rondo, Watkins Corner, Kings,
Sherard, Crumrod, Lake View, Lagrange, Rena Lara, Mosby Spur,
Ferguson, Preston Place, Quarles, and Hoop Spur.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3414 9108 3419 9109 3422 9106 3425 9108
3425 9106 3428 9108 3429 9106 3432 9106
3434 9105 3434 9100 3447 9100 3447 9106
3466 9105 3470 9068 3434 9055 3410 9066
3412 9066 3412 9112
TIME...MOT...LOC 0939Z 268DEG 44KT 3457 9132 3432 9119 3407 9127
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH
AEHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Memphis TN
445 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
ARZ035-036-048-061015-
St. Francis AR-Cross AR-Crittenden AR-
445 AM CDT Wed May 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN ST. FRANCIS...
NORTHWESTERN CRITTENDEN AND CROSS COUNTIES THROUGH 515 AM CDT...
At 445 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles northwest of Colt, or 7 miles west of Wynne, moving east at 45
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 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...
Wynne, Earle, Parkin, Village Creek State Park, Caldwell, Colt,
Jennette, Fair Oaks, Vanndale, Smithdale, Three Forks, Fitzgerald
Crossing, Colton, Twist, McDonald, McElroy, Cloar, Kinton,
Shearerville, and Coldwater.
This includes Interstate 40 in Arkansas between mile markers 258 and
267.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3544 9050 3544 9048 3514 9036 3508 9101
3525 9104
TIME...MOT...LOC 0945Z 251DEG 40KT 3519 9092
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
AEHThe Memphis radar (KNQA), 32 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:58 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The intersection of Norris Road and Norris Circle was flooded.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, May 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: 1338180.