Flash Flood in Gibson County, Tennessee

Very heavy rain produced widespread flash flooding in Gibson County. Rainfall amounts were estimated between 10 to 15 inches. As many as 16 roads were flooded or washed out. Highway 79 between Milan and the Carroll County line was covered by as much as 8 feet of water. In total, 137 homes sustained some kind of flood damage in Gibson County. Of those homes, six were completely destroyed. Eighty-seven businesses received damage with two businesses being completely destroyed. A few apartment complexes, mobile homes and other public buildings sustained damage as well. One fatality occurred as the waters quickly rose and swept one person off their feet. The flash flood event transitioned into a flood event as the heavy rain caused the North Fork Forked Deer and the Middle Fork Forked Deer River to overflow their banks.

An upper level disturbance slowly approached the Mid-South during the evening of April 30th, 2010 as a cold front became stationary to the west. This pattern remained in place through the evening hours of May 2nd, 2010. South to southwest winds pumped warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and created a very unstable atmosphere. Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the front during the early evening hours and moved east into Eastern Arkansas shortly before midnight. Additional thunderstorms occurred in association with the upper level disturbance. Due to the unstable atmosphere, thunderstorms quickly became severe producing large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding. The severe weather evolved into an outbreak by May 1st and 2nd. Historic rainfall and flash flooding in addition to large hail and damaging winds occurred during the early morning hours of May 1st with several tornadoes occurring during the afternoon hours of May 1st to early morning hours of May 2nd.