WEATHER

Tornado watch issued for Memphis area until 4 a.m. Sunday

The Commercial Appeal
The National Weather Service says strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across the Mid-South on Saturday.

Thunderstorms and possible tornadoes could lash Memphis and the Mid-South into Saturday night.

11:10 p.m.: More than 9,800 MLGW customers without power

As of 11:10 p.m. Saturday, Memphis Light, Gas and Water reported 120 outages with 9,830 customers impacted as a storm system continued to rumble through the area.

In North Mississippi, parts of several counties were under tornado warnings including east central DeSoto (until 11:15 p.m.), Marshall (until 11:45 p.m.) and and northwestern Lafayette (until 11:45 p.m.)

10:22 p.m.: Flash flood warning issued for Shelby County

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Shelby County and northwestern Fayette County. 

The warning is in effect until 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

A storm system producing heavy rain is moving across the area. The system has already produced 1 to 2 inches of rainfall, according to NWS.

10 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings issued in Mid-South

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for much of the Memphis area until 10:45 p.m. Saturday.

The watch includes Shelby County, northern DeSoto County and Crittenden County.

A tornado warning remains in effect until 10:30 p.m. Saturday for northeastern Phillips County in Arkansas and northern Coahoma and southern Tunica counties in Mississippi.

9:15 p.m.: New tornado watch issued

The National Weather Serviced has issued a new tornado watch for the Memphis area until 4 a.m. Sunday.

The watch includes Shelby County, along with DeSoto, Marshall and Tunica counties in Mississippi, and Crittenden, Lee, Phillips and St. Francis counties in Arkansas.

For a full list of counties included in the watch, click here.

As of 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Memphis Light, Gas and Water reported 35 outages and 648 customers impacted.

8:30 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm warning issued

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Shelby County, along with DeSoto and Tunica counties in Mississippi, and Crittenden and St. Francis counties in Arkansas.

The warning is in effect until 9:15 p.m.

8:20 p.m.: Tornado warning issued for part of Shelby County

The National Weather Service in Memphis has issued a tornado warning for north central Shelby County until 8:45 p.m. Saturday.

There is also a chance of quarter-size hail with this storm system.

4 p.m.: Tornado watch in effect

Possible tornadoes and heavy weather could pound Memphis and the Mid-South on Saturday before a new front crossing the region Sunday brings cool north winds and clear skies.

The National Weather Service on Saturday afternoon issued a tornado watch until 9 p.m. for East Arkansas, West Tennessee and North Mississippi. The affected area includes metropolitan Memphis and spans the Mid-South between Blytheville, Arkansas; Oxford, Mississippi; Forrest City, Arkansas; and Savannah, Tennessee.

Thunderstorms lashed the area early Saturday, dropping about 2.3 inches of rain on Memphis between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m. and leaving by mid-morning a reported 2,747 customers of Memphis Light, Gas and Water without power. By mid afternoon, service had been restored for about half those customers.

Threats of more storms Saturday led Memphis city officials to cancel coronavirus vaccinations throughout the day. 

Early on Saturday, National Weather Service forecasters in Memphis said showers are likely during the day and into the evening and noted "some thunderstorms may be severe with heavy rainfall." 

Flash flood watches in DeSoto County are in effect through early Sunday. In West Tennessee, flash flood watches are also in effect into Sunday for Chester, Decatur, Hardeman, Hardin, Henderson and McNairy counties.

MLGW reported 54 outages Saturday morning spread throughout the city and county with the heaviest trouble spots centered in two areas — Park Avenue at Getwell Road and Sam Cooper Boulevard at East Parkway North. 

As the weather system pushes on toward Nashville and points beyond, winds over Memphis will swing northwest with "gusts to near 30 mph after midnight," NWS forecasters said.

Sunday will bring clear skies, highs in the 60s and winds up to 15 mph with occasional higher gusts. Monday's forecast: Sunny, high in the 60s.