Alert archive / Mississippi / Tornado Warnings in 1997
Tornado Warning 42, NWS Jackson, MS
NWS Jackson, MS issued this tornado warning at May 2, 1997, 6:59 PM CDT for Humphreys County, Mississippi. It was in force for 46 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- May 2, 1997, 6:59 PM CDT (23:59 UTC)
- Expired
- May 2, 1997, 7:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 46 min
- Issued by
- NWS Jackson, MS
- Area
- Whole counties
County Humphreys County, MS
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 7:18 PM CDT | Hail 1.25 | Belzoni, MS |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 12:15 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
| May 2, 6:45 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 12:00Z, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 99 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 750 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -166 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 543 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 39 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 256 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 345 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 4.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KJAN 030000 RRA TORJAN MSC053-030045- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 659 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN WEST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI ...HUMPHREYS COUNTY AT 656 PM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO MOVING INTO WESTERN HUMPHREYS COUNTY...ABOUT 8 MILES WEST OF BELZONI. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. THIS STORM WILL PASS NEAR BELZONI AND SILVER CITY BY 725 PM. LARGE HAIL UP TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THE STORM PRODUCED GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN PANTHER BURN AT 640X PM. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. MOVE QUICKLY TO UNDERGROUND SHELTER IF AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE...GO TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. AVOID WINDOWS. LEAVE CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A STURDY BUILDING. < 69 &
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 2, 3:00 PM CDT, 3 hours 59 minutes before
MSZ001>082-030400- MISSISSIPPI THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 300 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 1997 THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN MISSISSIPPI...GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF A IUKA TO WINONA TO YAZOO CITY TO A LAUREL LINE. THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST OF THAT LINE. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL COMBINE WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW TO CONTINUE THE THREAT OF WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT. THE SEVERE WEATHER WILL TAKE THE FORM OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES. STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS AS WELL AS PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARE URGED TO STAND BY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, May 2, 3:04 PM CDT, 3 hours 55 minutes before
MSZ001>082-030400- MISSISSIPPI THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 300 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 1997 THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN MISSISSIPPI...GENERALLY ALONG AND EAST OF A IUKA TO WINONA TO YAZOO CITY TO A LAUREL LINE. THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST OF THAT LINE. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS OVER THE EXTREME SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS WILL COMBINE WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW TO CONTINUE THE THREAT OF WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH TONIGHT. THE SEVERE WEATHER WILL TAKE THE FORM OF LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES. STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS AS WELL AS PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL ARE URGED TO STAND BY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
Local storm report, May 2, 3:41 PM CDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MISSISSIPPI
341 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 1997
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1158 AM GREENVILLE MS .5 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 WASHINGTON PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL 1
MILE SOUTH OF GREENVILLE
ON HIGHWAY 1
1235 AM RULEVILLE MS .75 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 SUNFLOWER DIME SIZE HAIL AT
RULEVILLE CITY HALL
0233 PM VAIDEN MS .75 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 CARROLL DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
VAIDEN
<
0320 PM TOMNOLEN MS .88 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 WEBSTER REPORTED BY TRUCKER TO
SHERIFF
0325 PM KILMICHAEL MS WIND DAMAGE
05/02/97 MONTGOMERY NUMBER OF TREES BLOWN DOWN
ON HIGHWAYS 413...US 82...
AND HIGHWAY 17
0325 PM EUPORA MS WIND DAMAGE
05/02/97 WEBSTER NUMBER OF TREES DOWN IN
COUNTY... ACROSS US 82 AND
NATCHEZ TRACELocal storm report, May 2, 3:41 PM CDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED TIME AT RULEVILLE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MISSISSIPPI
341 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 1997
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1158 AM GREENVILLE MS .5 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 WASHINGTON PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL 1
MILE SOUTH OF GREENVILLE
ON HIGHWAY 1
1235 PM RULEVILLE MS .75 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 SUNFLOWER DIME SIZE HAIL AT
RULEVILLE CITY HALL
0233 PM VAIDEN MS .75 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 CARROLL DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
VAIDEN
<
0320 PM TOMNOLEN MS .88 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 WEBSTER REPORTED BY TRUCKER TO
SHERIFF
0325 PM KILMICHAEL MS WIND DAMAGE
05/02/97 MONTGOMERY NUMBER OF TREES BLOWN DOWN
ON HIGHWAYS 413...US 82...
AND HIGHWAY 17
0325 PM EUPORA MS WIND DAMAGE
05/02/97 WEBSTER NUMBER OF TREES DOWN IN
COUNTY... ACROSS US 82 AND
NATCHEZ TRACELocal storm report, May 2, 3:45 PM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MISSISSIPPI
341 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 1997
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1158 AM GREENVILLE MS .5 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 WASHINGTON PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL 1
MILE SOUTH OF GREENVILLE
ON HIGHWAY 1
1235 AM RULEVILLE MS .75 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 SUNFLOWER DIME SIZE HAIL AT
RULEVILLE CITY HALL
0233 PM VAIDEN MS .75 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 CARROLL DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
VAIDEN
<
0320 PM TOMNOLEN MS .88 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 WEBSTER REPORTED BY TRUCKER TO
SHERIFF
0325 PM KILMICHAEL MS WIND DAMAGE
05/02/97 MONTGOMERY NUMBER OF TREES BLOWN DOWN
ON HIGHWAYS 413...US 82...
AND HIGHWAY 17
0325 PM EUPORA MS WIND DAMAGE
05/02/97 WEBSTER NUMBER OF TREES DOWN IN
COUNTY... ACROSS US 82 AND
NATCHEZ TRACELocal storm report, May 2, 3:46 PM CDT, 3 hours 13 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED TIME AT RULEVILLE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MISSISSIPPI
341 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 1997
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1158 AM GREENVILLE MS .5 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 WASHINGTON PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL 1
MILE SOUTH OF GREENVILLE
ON HIGHWAY 1
1235 PM RULEVILLE MS .75 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 SUNFLOWER DIME SIZE HAIL AT
RULEVILLE CITY HALL
0233 PM VAIDEN MS .75 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 CARROLL DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
VAIDEN
<
0320 PM TOMNOLEN MS .88 INCH HAIL
05/02/97 WEBSTER REPORTED BY TRUCKER TO
SHERIFF
0325 PM KILMICHAEL MS WIND DAMAGE
05/02/97 MONTGOMERY NUMBER OF TREES BLOWN DOWN
ON HIGHWAYS 413...US 82...
AND HIGHWAY 17
0325 PM EUPORA MS WIND DAMAGE
05/02/97 WEBSTER NUMBER OF TREES DOWN IN
COUNTY... ACROSS US 82 AND
NATCHEZ TRACEThe office that day
Everything else NWS Jackson, MS issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 11:48 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Bolivar | 42 min |
| May 2, 12:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Sunflower | 39 min |
| May 2, 1:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Holmes | 54 min |
| May 2, 2:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Carroll | 55 min |
| May 2, 2:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Montgomery | 49 min |
| May 2, 2:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Webster | 47 min |
| May 2, 2:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Choctaw | 52 min |
| May 2, 3:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Oktibbeha | 42 min |
| May 2, 3:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Sunflower | 33 min |
| May 2, 4:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Leflore | 57 min |
| May 2, 4:18 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Leflore | 42 min |
| May 2, 4:34 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Carroll, Grenada | 56 min |
| May 2, 4:53 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Montgomery | 52 min |
| May 2, 5:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Issaquena, Sharkey | 63 min |
| May 2, 5:19 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Washington | 41 min |
| May 2, 5:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Webster | 53 min |
| May 2, 5:55 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Humphreys | 65 min |
| May 2, 6:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Washington | 52 min |
| May 2, 6:11 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Holmes | 64 min |
| May 2, 6:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN | Issaquena, Sharkey | 46 min |
| May 2, 6:47 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | JAN | Attala, Carroll, Montgomery | 58 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Mississippi, 1997Every tornado warning in 1997Tornadoes in 1997
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.