Storm Events Database
- Data Access
- Search
- Bulk Data Download (CSV)
- Storm Data Publication
- Documentation
- Database Details
- Version History
- Storm Data FAQ
- NOAA's NWS Documentation
- Tornado EF Scale
- External Resources
- NOAA's SPC Reports
- NOAA's SPC WCM Page
- NOAA's NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit
- NOAA's Tsunami Database
- ESRI/FEMA Civil Air Patrol Images
- SHELDUS
- USDA Cause of Loss Data
Storm Events Database
Event Details:
| Event | Tornado |
| -- Scale | EF1 |
| -- Length | 9.62 Miles |
| -- Width | 600 Yards |
| State | TENNESSEE |
| County/Area | GIBSON |
| WFO | MEG |
| Report Source | NWS Storm Survey |
| NCEI Data Source | CSV |
| Begin Date | 2023-12-09 11:32 CST-6 |
| Begin Location | 3NNE GREGORY |
| Begin Lat/Lon | 36.1175/-89.0601 |
| End Date | 2023-12-09 11:44 CST-6 |
| End Location | 2N CHINA GROVE |
| End Lat/Lon | 36.183/-88.908 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 1/0 |
| Property Damage | 750.00K |
| Crop Damage | 0.00K |
| Episode Narrative | A strong storm system swept across the Mid-South on December 9, 2023, driven by a deep longwave trough and closed upper-level low-pressure system. In the early morning hours, a cold front slowly began moving east across Arkansas and Tennessee. Ahead of this boundary, warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico was efficiently transported to the Mid-South as surface dew points climbed into the low and mid-60s by 9 am. By mid-morning, a line of sub-severe storms formed in northeast Arkansas. As this line pushed east of the Mississippi River, storms encountered an environment favorable for severe weather. A strong supercell went on to produce large hail and an EF-1 tornado in Gibson and Weakley counties in Tennessee. New supercells formed in southeast Arkansas by late morning and immediately began producing large hail as they moved east into northern Mississippi. Hailstones of golf ball size and larger were the main attributes of these supercells. Most notable were several baseball size (2.75 inch) reports across portions of northwest Mississippi and a softball size hailstone (4.0 inch) report near Byhalia, MS. Baseball size hail is not uncommon in the Mid-South, but it tends to occur mainly in the springtime. This hail event entered the record books as the largest outbreak of significant hail (2.0 inches or greater) in December history across the Mid-South. |
| Event Narrative | The first evidence of tornado damage was near Bells Chapel Road near Jim Dedmon Road in Gibson County where numerous hardwood trees were snapped. The tornado generally moved east to northeast at times. A home on Bells Chapel Road sustained roof damage and a carport was destroyed. A small barn lost most of its roofing and snapped hardwood trees were also noted nearby. The tornado crossed Highway 105 and produced roof and wall damage to homes on Joe Lumpkin Road. The tornado continued to move to the northeast and crossed Highway 45 hitting the Gibson County Rescue 9 station. A semi-truck and van were overturned as the tornado crossed Highway 45. Significant roof damage and collapsed walls occurred at this location along with numerous snapped hardwood trees. Additional damage was noted on Walnut Grove Road to hardwood trees with some structural damage to a barn and carport. The tornado moved to the northeast and crossed into Weakley County. |
Event Map:
Note: The tornado track is approximate based on the beginning (B) and ending (E) locations. The actual tornado path may differ from a straight line.
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 0 | 3 | 1.290M | 0.00K | |||||||
| CHURCHTON | DYER CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 11:25 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| GREGORY | GIBSON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 11:32 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF1 | 0 | 1 | 750.00K | 0.00K |
| GREGORY | GIBSON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 11:32 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 0.00K |
| RUTHERFORD | GIBSON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 11:34 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 78 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 20.00K | 0.00K |
| SIDONIA | WEAKLEY CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 11:44 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF1 | 0 | 2 | 500.00K | 0.00K |
| WEST UNION | WEAKLEY CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 12:04 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 74 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 0.00K |
| NUTBUSH | HAYWOOD CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 13:12 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| MILAN | GIBSON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 13:30 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ATWOOD | CARROLL CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 13:36 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| GADSDEN | CROCKETT CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 13:45 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.50 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| FAIRVIEW | MADISON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 13:52 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.25 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| HUNTINGDON | CARROLL CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 13:55 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.50 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| HOLLOW ROCK | CARROLL CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 14:06 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| CAMDEN | BENTON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 14:20 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| WAY | BENTON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 14:25 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.25 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| GISMONDA | BENTON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 15:21 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| LEXINGTON | HENDERSON CO. | TN | 12/09/2023 | 15:45 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| Totals: | 0 | 3 | 1.290M | 0.00K |
