Check below for live updates from our weather team and the National Weather Service as WREG covers storms across northeast Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee. This event has been called a Tornado Emergency by the National Weather Service and resulted in several fatalities in the Mid-South.
UPDATE: 3:30 a.m. A Tornado Warning has been issued for Hardin, McNairy counties. That warning was cancelled shortly before 4 a.m.
Shelby County remains in a Tornado Watch until 5 a.m.
UPDATE 2:59 am: The Dyer County Sheriff’s Office reports minor injuries in Dyer County, a couple of homes destroyed on Blankenship Road, in the City of Newbern the Little General Store was destroyed, and several other businesses received damage.
Two fatalities were reported Lake County and one storm-related death comes from Obion County, WKRN reports. It was originally reported by TEMA that there were two deaths in Obion.
A gas main leak is also preventing crews from rescuing more people from the area around Obion County. Local fire and EMS officials are on the scene with assistance from TEMA.
UPDATE 12:38 a.m. A Tornado Warning has been issued for parts of Fayette County, Hardeman County and Haywood County. This warning expired at 1 a.m.
UPDATE 12:30 a.m.: Tim Simpson reports that the Tornado Warning for Shelby County has been cancelled.
Parts of Shelby, Fayette and Tipton counties remain under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 1 a.m.
UPDATE: 11:55: Tornado Warning issued for Memphis, Shelby, parts of Tipton and Crittenden counties until 12:45 a.m. Tornado sirens could be heard in the city. The warning was later revised to only Shelby County.
Seek shelter now.
MLGW reports about 18,000 customers without power as of 12:15 a.m.
UPDATE 11:30: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Shelby County, parts of DeSoto County and east Arkansas including Memphis, Bartlett, Southaven MS. This warning was canceled at 11:40.
UPDATE, 10:53 p.m.: Tornado Warning will continue for Martin TN, Dresden TN, Dyer TN until 11:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:50 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning now includes Marianna AR, Madison AR, Widener AR until 11:30 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:45 p.m.: Tornado watch has been issued for parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas until 5 a.m.
UPDATE, 10:43 p.m.: Tornado debris signature is seen on radar NE of Newbern. Moving NE. Take shelter immediately if you are near the path.
UPDATE, 10:40 p.m.: Tornado Warning will continue for Dyersburg TN, Martin TN, Newbern TN until 11:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:37 p.m.: Tornado Warning includes Union City TN, Woodland Mills TN until 11:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:35 p.m.: Tornado Warnings have been issued for the Dyer, Weakley, Gibson, Obion, Crockett counties until 11:15 p.m. Friday.
UPDATE, 10:30 p.m.: Tornado warnings are issued for Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Obion, and Weakley (TN) until 11:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:29 p.m.: Tornado warning includes Dyersburg TN, Martin TN, Trenton TN until 11:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:24 p.m.: Tornado warnings continue in northwest Tennessee, northeast Arkansas, and the Missouri bootheel.
UPDATE, 10:20 p.m.: Tornado warning will continue for Halls TN, Gates TN, Tomato AR until 10:45 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:18 p.m.: Tornado warning now includes Ripley TN, Osceola AR, Halls TN until 10:45 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:15 p.m.: Tornado warning will continue for Dyersburg TN, Bogota TN, Armorel AR until 10:30 p.m.
UPDATE, 10:12 p.m.: A tornado warning has been issued for the the Lauderdale, Mississippi, Dyer, Haywood counties until 10:45 p.m. Friday.
UPDATE, 10:02 p.m.: Tornado warning now includes Ripley TN, Osceola AR, Halls TN until 10:45 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:56 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm warning will continue for Marked Tree AR, Wilson AR, Tyronza AR until 10:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:52 p.m.: Tornado warning will include Dyersburg TN, Blytheville AR, Caruthersville MO until 10:30 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:51 p.m.: Tornado warnings will continue for Osceola AR, Luxora AR, Keiser AR until 10:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:42 p.m.: Tornado Warning will continue for Blytheville AR, Gosnell AR, Manila AR until 10:00 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:28 p.m.: Severe thunderstorm warning includes Wynne AR, Marked Tree AR, Earle AR until 10:50 p.m. Storm will contain 70 mph winds.
UPDATE, 9:25 p.m.: Tornado warnings include Osceola AR, Trumann AR, Lepanto AR until 10:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:16 p.m.: Tornado near Trumann, damaging winds possible with other storms. Take shelter if you’re in the storm’s path.
UPDATE, 9:20 p.m.: Tornado warnings for Dunklin, Pemiscot (MO) and Arkansas counties Craighead, Mississippi, Poinsett until 10 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:16 p.m.: Tornado Warning continues for Trumann AR, Harrisburg AR, Lake City AR until 9:45 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:05 p.m.: Tornado Warning continues for Trumann AR, Harrisburg AR, Lake City AR until 9:45 p.m.
UPDATE, 9:04 p.m: One person was killed and five were seriously injured after a nursing home collapsed in Monette, AR. Police are trying to get nursing home patients out of the area and into safety.
UPDATE, 8:55 p.m.: Tornado Warning will include Trumann AR, Marked Tree AR, Harrisburg AR until 9:30 p.m.
UPDATE, 8:59 p.m.: Tornado Warnings will include Trumann AR, Harrisburg AR, Lake City AR until 9:45 p.m.
UPDATE, 8:50 p.m.: Tornado Warnings will continue in Harrisburg AR, Weiner AR, Hickory Ridge AR until 9 p.m.
UPDATE, 8:41 p.m.: Tornado Warning continues for Tiptonville TN, Hornbeak TN, Samburg TN until 8:45 p.m. Friday
UPDATE, 8:39 p.m.: Tornado Warning continues for Harrisburg AR, Weiner AR, Hickory Ridge AR until 9:00 p.m. Friday
UPDATE, 8:37 p.m.: Tornado touchdown reported near Cash in western Craighead County. Take shelter if you are in the storm’s path.
UPDATE, 8:30 p.m.: Tornado Warnings now include Woodland Mills TN, Samburg TN until 9:15 p.m.
UPDATE, 8:27 p.m.: Tornado Warning including Harrisburg AR, Weiner AR, Cherry Valley AR until 9:00 p.m. Friday
UPDATE, 8:16 p.m.: Tornado warnings including Jonesboro AR, Bono AR, Brookland AR until 9 p.m. Friday.
UPDATE, 8:14 p.m.: Tornado seen on the ground in Pemiscot County.
UPDATE, 8:07 p.m.: Tornado Emergency including Caruthersville MO, Tiptonville TN, Hayti MO until 8:45 PM CST
UPDATE, 7:57 p.m.: Dangerous tornado continues in Pemiscot County. Next round of storms approaching from central Arkansas. Stay alert tonight.
UPDATE, 7:48 p.m.: Dangerous tornado continues into Dunklin County, MO. Take shelter immediately if you’re in the path.
UPDATE, 7:30 p.m.: Tornado Warning includes Blytheville AR, Caruthersville MO, Gosnell AR until 8:15 p.m. Friday.
Update from NWS Memphis 7:21 PM: Dangerous tornado in NE Arkansas. Please take shelter if you are near the path!
UPDATE, 7:11 p.m.: NWS of Memphis issued a Tornado Warning for Manila AR, Leachville AR, Senath MO until 7:45 p.m. Friday
UPDATE, 7:08 p.m.: A Tornado Warning has been issued for the Mississippi, Dunklin, Craighead, Greene counties until 7:45 p.m. Friday
UPDATE, 6:41 p.m.: A Tornado Warning has been issued for the Craighead, Greene, Poinsett, Mississippi counties until 7:30 p.m. Friday. Tune into WREG TV for the latest weather information.
UPDATE, 6:23 p.m.: A Tornado Watch was issued for the Lee, Henderson, Lafayette, Hardin, Alcorn, Prentiss, McNairy, Pontotoc, Union, Tippah, Benton, Chester, Tishomingo, Itawamba, Decatur, Benton counties until 2:00 a.m. Saturday.
UPDATE, 6:08 p.m.: A Tornado Warning was issued for the Poinsett, Craighead counties until 6:45 p.m. Friday. See map below.
UPDATE, 3 p.m.: A Tornado Watch was issued for most of the WREG viewing area until 11 p.m. Friday. See map below.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — All of the Memphis area and the Mid-South is at risk of severe weather Friday afternoon through Saturday morning.
The National Weather Service on Friday morning upgraded a large portion of the area to “Moderate Risk,” or a 4 out of 5 on the scale. That means severe storms capable of producing damaging winds, large hail and strong tornadoes exists.
The area south of the Tennessee-Mississippi border is at “Enhanced Risk.” See the map on this story.
NWS said the main reason for the upgrade Friday was the increased risk of tornadoes for the area.
The main concerns with these storms are damaging winds and tornadoes. There is also a potential for large hail and heavy rainfall.
NWS reported early Friday afternoon that the city had broken a 103-year-old record for a Dec. 10 high temperature. Friday’s high was 79, smashing through the record of 75 set in 1918.
The city of Memphis Public Works Department urged residents to prepare for possible standing water in low-lying areas, and asked people to clear out storm drains. City crews will be ready to respond.