1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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 local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 24, 1:22 PM CST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 222 PM CDT THU APR 24 2003 THE LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS THE WARM FRONT CURRENTLY LIFTING INTO CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI AND CENTRAL ALABAMA WITH AREA RADAR LOOPS SHOWING CONVECTION MAINLY OVER MISSISSIPPI AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE DEEP 500 MB LOW CURRENTLY OVER KANSAS WILL ADVANCE EASTWARD TO SOUTHERN MISSOURI OVERNIGHT. CURRENT CONVECTION IS ASSOCIATED WITH MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE THAT WILL LIFT NORTHEASTWARD WHILE ANOTHER STRONG SHORTWAVE ROTATES AROUND THE BASE OF THE 500MB LOW...RESULTING IN INTENSE DEEP LAYER LIFT APPROACHING FROM LOUISIANA. DUE TO THE INTERACTION BETWEEN EDDIES IN THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN STREAMS WITH SUBTLE DIFFERENCES IN INTERACTIONS BETWEEN UPPER LEVEL JETS...TIMING OF STRONGEST STORMS/SQUALL LINE IS IN QUESTION...BUT LOOKS TO HAVE A LINE OF STORMS ADVANCING INTO THE WESTERN FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON WHICH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT. 850 MB JET IS ANTICIPATED TO INCREASE TO 40-50 KNOTS OVER THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT...RESULTING IN SURFACE BASED HELICITIES INCREASING TO 250-350...WHILE UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT FROM SOUTHERN/NORTHERN STREAM JETS LOOKS TO FAVOR STORMS OVER THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA AS WELL. STORMS MAY BECOME SLIGHTLY ELEVATED OVERNIGHT...BUT WILL STILL BE ABLE TO TAP SUFFICIENT SHEAR TO JUSTIFY SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. MID LEVEL DRY PUNCH WILL ENHANCE STORMS AS WELL OVERNIGHT. PER COORDINATION WITH HPC...WILL HOLD OFF ON ISSUING A FLASH FLOOD WATCH DUE TO UNCERTAINTIES WITH LOCATION OF HEAVIEST RAIN...HIGH FFG VALUES...AND LACK OF PRIMING RAINFALL FROM CURRENT WIDESPREAD CONVECTION WHICH WILL AFFECT LOCATIONS MAINLY NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. DRY WEATHER FOLLOWS SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY AS A DOME OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS THE EASTERN STATES. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION TO THE NEW ENGLAND AREA WILL BRING A TRAILING FRONT INTO THE FORECAST AREA ON TUESDAY. THE RETURN OF POPS TO TUESDAY IS DEBATABLE GIVEN THE LIMITED MOISTURE SO WILL LEAVE OUT TO AVOID FLIP FLOPPING. ANOTHER SYSTEM ADVANCING IN FROM THE PLAINS WILL RESULT IN INCIPIENT RETURN FLOW INTERACTING WITH THE REMNANTS OF THE FRONT ON WEDNESDAY...BUT WILL HOLD OFF ON RETURNING POPS TO THE FORECAST TO AVOID FLIP FLOPPING AS WELL. RETURN FLOW WILL BE A BIT STRONGER ON THURSDAY BUT THE PLAINS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OFF TOWARDS THE NORTHEAST WITH THE FRONT POSSIBLY HELD BACK TO THE WEST...SO WILL HOLD OFF ON ADDING POPS TO THURSDAY FOR NOW. MARINE...SOUTHEAST WINDS AT 15-20 KNOTS WILL INCREASE TO 20 KNOTS AND BECOME SOUTHWEST WITH SEAS BUILDING TO AROUND 7 FEET. SOUTHWEST WINDS AT 20 KNOTS THEN SUBSIDE TO 15-20 KNOTS ON FRIDAY WITH SEAS 6 TO 7 FEET. WINDS BECOME NORTHWEST FRIDAY NIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES OFFSHORE. FIRE...NO CONCERNS. 29/EVERSOLE .PRELIMINARY TEMPS / POPS... MOBILE 67 84 60 81 / 90 20 20 00 PENSACOLA 68 82 62 81 / 90 40 20 00 DESTIN 68 78 65 78 / 90 60 20 00 EVERGREEN 63 82 57 80 / 90 40 20 00 WAYNESBORO 63 82 56 79 / 90 20 20 00 CAMDEN 63 82 55 79 / 90 40 20 00 .MOB... AL...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT GMZ630-650-670. FL...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TONIGHT GMZ655-675. MS...NONE.
ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-241700- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 515 AM CDT THU APR 24 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR INLAND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI... SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...AND THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE. .DAY ONE...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS MOVES EAST TODAY...WHILE A WARM FRONT MOVES SLOWLY NORTHWARD ACROSS THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST STATES. AS ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE INCREASES TODAY AND TONIGHT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP SOUTHWARD FROM WESTERN MISSISSIPPI TO OFF THE LOUISIANA COAST...THEN SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THE DAY. WITHIN THE WARM SECTOR...COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS INCREASES TONIGHT WITH SOME OF THE STORMS POSSIBLY REACHING SEVERE INTENSITY. CONDITIONS ARE ALSO BECOMING FAVORABLE FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS IN THUNDERSTORMS. OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORMS...MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW TODAY AND TONIGHT PRESENTS AN INCREASED THREAT FOR RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE GULF COAST. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...(FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ALTHOUGH THE MAIN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS FORECAST TO SHIFT EAST OUT OF THE AREA FRIDAY MORNING...THUNDERSTORMS COULD REDEVELOP DURING THE DAY AHEAD OF A SURFACE COLD FRONT MOVING EAST OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. THUNDERSTORM REDEVELOPMENT WILL BE THE DIRECT RESULT OF A MORE UNSTABLE AIRMASS SETTING UP OVER THE AREA FRIDAY AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS OUTLOOKED MUCH OF THE AREA UNDER A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STORM SPOTTER OFFICIALS FOR SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS MAY BE REQUIRED BY TONIGHT...OVER SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE. /10
ALZ051>055-MSZ067-242200- THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1245 PM CDT THU APR 24 2003 ...THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY FOR WASHINGTON...MONROE...CLARKE...WILCOX... CHOCTAW AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM CDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME STRONG...JUST WEST OF CHOCTAW COUNTY IN ALABAMA STRETCHING SOUTHWEST TO 50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WAYNESBORO IN MISSISSIPPI...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL. WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH COULD DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS OR BRANCHES AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE LIKELY. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
ALZ051>055-MSZ067-242200- THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1245 PM CDT THU APR 24 2003 ...THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY FOR WASHINGTON...MONROE...CLARKE...WILCOX... CHOCTAW AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM CDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME STRONG...JUST WEST OF CHOCTAW COUNTY IN ALABAMA STRETCHING SOUTHWEST TO 50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WAYNESBORO IN MISSISSIPPI...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL. WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH COULD DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS OR BRANCHES AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES ARE LIKELY. SEEK SHELTER IN A SAFE HOME OR BUILDING UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
ALZ051>057-MSZ067-075-076-242115- THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 255 PM CDT THU APR 24 2003 ...THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...UNTIL 430 PM CDT... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM NEAR CAMDEN TO GROVE HILL TO NEAR NEW AUGUSTA. THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE FROM SNOW HILL IN WILCOX COUNTY TO NEAR MONROEVILLE TO LEAKESVILLE BY 345 PM AND FROM GREENVILLE TO EVERGREEN TO LUCEDALE BY 430 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED BEHIND THIS LINE INTO SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA INTO THE EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF REGULAR MARBLES AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. THESE WIND GUSTS COULD DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS OR BRANCHES AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL ALSO OCCUR. RESIDENTS PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THE SKY.
ALZ051>062-FLZ001-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-242330- THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 435 PM CDT THU APR 24 2003 ...THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 630 PM CDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS SCATTERED ACROSS SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...GENERALLY NORTH OF AN ANDALUSIA TO BAY MINETTE TO MOBILE LINE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THIS AREA FOR THE NEXT TWO HOURS AND WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS COULD MOVE INTO PERRY...STONE AND WAYNE COUNTIES IN MISSISSIPPI BY 600 PM. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF REGULAR MARBLES AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. THESE WIND GUSTS COULD DOWN SMALL TREE LIMBS OR BRANCHES AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED SMALL OBJECTS. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL ALSO OCCUR. RESIDENTS PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THE SKY.
The Mobile radar (KMOB), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:45 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A weak tornado briefly touched down just west of Janice. A few trees were blown down and an outbuilding was damaged.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Mississippi, 2003Warnings in Mississippi, April 2003
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: 5351248.