Narrative:

I was the captain on a flight from pinebelt, ms, to meridian, ms. About 30 mi out, preparing for an ILS runway 1 approach in meridian, we noticed WX on our radar and decided to deviate rather than fly the approach. Upon deviating, we started picking up moderate turbulence, which became severe. Our radar did not show any returns directly in front of us. I contacted dispatch to coordinate what I saw on my radar to what he saw. He was no help, telling me nothing, but to direct to memphis. Still in severe turbulence, we asked the center controller if we could get higher. A climb to 8000 ft was requested and granted. He also advised us of some clearer WX east of our position, which we headed for. Trying to climb to 8000 ft, we encountered extreme turbulence with the aircraft being violently tossed around, resulting in the stall clacker going off. Unable to climb at maximum power, we were doing everything we could to keep the airplane right side up. Finally at 9500 ft, after we requested a climb to 10000 ft, turbulence subsided. We had no PIREPS of severe turbulence in our area and were not aware of it, but we did everything in our power to remain clear of the WX we did see on our radar. Landing at memphis, our alternate, was uneventful.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR TURBOPROP DIVERT FROM MEI TO MEM DUE TO SEVERE TURB AND ADVERSE WX.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON A FLT FROM PINEBELT, MS, TO MERIDIAN, MS. ABOUT 30 MI OUT, PREPARING FOR AN ILS RWY 1 APCH IN MERIDIAN, WE NOTICED WX ON OUR RADAR AND DECIDED TO DEVIATE RATHER THAN FLY THE APCH. UPON DEVIATING, WE STARTED PICKING UP MODERATE TURB, WHICH BECAME SEVERE. OUR RADAR DID NOT SHOW ANY RETURNS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US. I CONTACTED DISPATCH TO COORDINATE WHAT I SAW ON MY RADAR TO WHAT HE SAW. HE WAS NO HELP, TELLING ME NOTHING, BUT TO DIRECT TO MEMPHIS. STILL IN SEVERE TURB, WE ASKED THE CTR CTLR IF WE COULD GET HIGHER. A CLB TO 8000 FT WAS REQUESTED AND GRANTED. HE ALSO ADVISED US OF SOME CLEARER WX E OF OUR POS, WHICH WE HEADED FOR. TRYING TO CLB TO 8000 FT, WE ENCOUNTERED EXTREME TURB WITH THE ACFT BEING VIOLENTLY TOSSED AROUND, RESULTING IN THE STALL CLACKER GOING OFF. UNABLE TO CLB AT MAX PWR, WE WERE DOING EVERYTHING WE COULD TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE RIGHT SIDE UP. FINALLY AT 9500 FT, AFTER WE REQUESTED A CLB TO 10000 FT, TURB SUBSIDED. WE HAD NO PIREPS OF SEVERE TURB IN OUR AREA AND WERE NOT AWARE OF IT, BUT WE DID EVERYTHING IN OUR PWR TO REMAIN CLR OF THE WX WE DID SEE ON OUR RADAR. LNDG AT MEMPHIS, OUR ALTERNATE, WAS UNEVENTFUL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.