Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, May 18, 1995

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, May 18, 1995
Start: 1995-05-18T02:16
End: 1995-05-18T20:23
Location: Mississippi

May 18, 1995 · 34 events in 20 counties and zones

23 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 31 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $146,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 34

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Memphis radar (KNQA), 53 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:40 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

23 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, De Soto

When: May 18, 2:16 AM CST
Where: De Soto County, Penton
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 34.875, -89.992 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Panola

When: May 18, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Panola County, Sardis
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 34.364, -89.951 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two large windows were blown out. Several stop sign were pulled out of the ground. Several roofs were damaged including the gynasium to the local high school. One home lost a porch as well. Several trees and power lines were knocked down as well.

Thunderstorm Wind, Union

When: May 18, 10:30 AM CST
Where: Union County, New Albany
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 34.491, -89.004 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large tree limbs were blown down.

Hail, Prentiss

When: May 18, 10:52 AM CST
Where: Prentiss County, Booneville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 34.618, -88.520 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lafayette

When: May 18, 1:50 PM CST
Where: Lafayette County, Keel
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 34.357, -89.485 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Union

When: May 18, 2:00 PM CST
Where: Union County, Etta
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 34.491, -89.004 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Prentiss

When: May 18, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Prentiss County, Booneville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 34.618, -88.520 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds of over 60 mph blew a few trees down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Prentiss

When: May 18, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Prentiss County, Booneville
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 34.618, -88.520 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds of over 60 mph blew a few trees down.

Hail, Tishomingo

When: May 18, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Tishomingo County, Iuka
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 34.740, -88.239 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Warren

When: May 18, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Warren County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 32.357, -90.852 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Claiborne

When: May 18, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Claiborne County
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 31.974, -90.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The roof of a saw mill was blown off.

Hail, Claiborne

When: May 18, 3:26 PM CST
Where: Claiborne County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $30,000
Coordinates: 31.974, -90.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At least sixty automobiles were damaged by hail.

Hail, Yalobusha

When: May 18, 3:32 PM CST
Where: Yalobusha County, Water Valley
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 34.028, -89.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Prentiss

When: May 18, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Prentiss County, Booneville
Rating: F0
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 34.670, -88.520

A tornado briefly touched down just northeast of Booneville. Several houses were damaged and a few trees were knocked down.

Hail, Lafayette

When: May 18, 3:45 PM CST
Where: Lafayette County, Lafayette Springs
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 34.357, -89.485 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Rankin

When: May 18, 4:03 PM CST
Where: Rankin County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 32.264, -89.946 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Copiah

When: May 18, 4:07 PM CST
Where: Copiah County
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 31.869, -90.449 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Hinds

When: May 18, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Hinds County
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 32.267, -90.443 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were blown down.

Hail, Rankin

When: May 18, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Rankin County
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 32.264, -89.946 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Pontotoc

When: May 18, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Pontotoc County, Sherman
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 34.225, -89.037 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Copiah

When: May 18, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Copiah County
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 31.869, -90.449 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lee

When: May 18, 4:40 PM CST
Where: Lee County, Tupelo
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 34.290, -88.680 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Itawamba

When: May 18, 4:44 PM CST to 4:50 PM CST
Where: Itawamba County
Rating: F1
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 34.400, -88.550

The tornado first touched down briefly near Tupelo. The storm continued northeast and eventually touched down again near Mantachie in Itawamba County. A few outbuildings were destroyed. Some signs were blown down. Several windows were shattered and some trees were uprooted.

Hail, Simpson

When: May 18, 4:50 PM CST
Where: Simpson County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 31.913, -89.919 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lauderdale

When: May 18, 5:10 PM CST
Where: Lauderdale County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 32.404, -88.662 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Smith

When: May 18, 5:15 PM CST
Where: Smith County
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 32.018, -89.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were blown down along Highway 35.

Hail, Lafayette

When: May 18, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Lafayette County, Harmontown
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 34.357, -89.485 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were knocked down.

Hail, Jasper

When: May 18, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Jasper County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 32.019, -89.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Jasper

When: May 18, 5:35 PM CST
Where: Jasper County, Meridian
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 32.019, -89.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lauderdale

When: May 18, 6:25 PM CST
Where: Lauderdale County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 32.404, -88.662 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette

When: May 18, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Lafayette County, Paris
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 34.357, -89.485 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were knocked down.

Hail, Newton

When: May 18, 7:04 PM CST
Where: Newton County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 32.400, -89.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lauderdale

When: May 18, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Lauderdale County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 32.404, -88.662 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Lauderdale

When: May 18, 8:23 PM CST
Where: Lauderdale County
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Coordinates: 32.280, -88.500

This tornado was sighted by a spotter. It touched down briefly and dissipated.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Mississippi in 1995 Every state in 1995 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Mississippi, 1995 Warnings in Mississippi, May 1995

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10331158, 10330181, 10333182, 10330415, 10330469, 10333183, 10330416, 10330417, 10333120, 10333294, 10330797, 10330798, 10332776, 10330418, 10330470, 10332756, 10330981, 10330993, 10332757, 10330413, 10330982, 10330102, 10329894, 10332935, 10330034, 10333050, 10330471, 10329932, 10329933, 10330035, 10330472, 10330391, 10330036, 10330037.