Thunderstorm Wind in Shelby County, Tennessee

Straight line winds produced widespread damage across much of the middle corridor of Shelby County, mainly from Memphis International Airport to East Memphis to Cordova. Damage occurred to the one of the Fed Ex hangars at Memphis International Airport. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down causing minor damage to homes and automobiles. Windows were blown out of the Clark Tower and St. Francis Hospital in East Memphis. Several traffic lights were inoperable due to wind damage and an awning was blown off a hotel. One death occurred when a person encountered a fallen power line.

A strong low pressure system tracked northeast from Western Kansas into the Great Lakes during the time period from April 2nd-April 4th, 2011. As a result, a trailing cold front moved through the Mid-South during the morning and early afternoon hours of April 4th. A moist and unstable atmosphere was in place ahead of the front creating a favorable environment for thunderstorm development. Numerous showers and thunderstorms formed along the front by mid-morning. Some storms became severe producing large hail, damaging winds, flash flooding and isolated tornadoes.