Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, May 16 to 17, 2003

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, May 16 to 17, 2003
Start: 2003-05-16T23:38
End: 2003-05-17T18:25
Location: Mississippi

May 16 to 17, 2003 · NWS JAN · 41 events in 24 counties and zones

30 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 5 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $567,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 41

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.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jackson, MS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 16, 9:00 PM CST, 2 hours 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 16, 9:00 PM CST, 2 hours 38 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1000 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003

ON SATELLITE IMAGERY STRONG SOUTHERN STREAM SYSTEM CAUSING A LONG
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM EAST TEXAS THROUGH THE
ARKLATX THROUGH NORTHEAST ARKANSAS. SPC HAS REISSUED WATCH FOR
NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI. ANOTHER WATCH MAY BE ISSUED WEST OF INTERSTATE
55 OVER CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI INTO NORTHEAST LOUISIANA AT MIDNIGHT.
DONT EXPECT THE STORMS TO ENTER THE EASTERN END OF THE WATCH AREA
AROUND ACKERMAN UNTIL THE PREDAWN HOURS. SO WILL WORD IN A FEW
POSSIBLY SEVERE OVER NORTHEAST LOUISIANA AND WESTERN MISSISSIPPI.
EXPECT THE STORMS TO ENTER WESTERN MISSISSIPPI AROUND 5  AM.
SO HAVE ADJUSTED TIMING OF MOST OF THE AREA TO BE MAINLY AFTER
MIDNIGHT. THE REST OF FORECAST APPEARS TO BE ON TRACK.

.JAN...
AR...NONE
LA...NONE
MS...NONE

17

Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 3:11 PM CST, 8 hours 27 minutes before

ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>066-072>074-
171200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
411 PM CDT FRI MAY 16 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI...
NORTHEAST LOUISIANA...AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...

...THUNDERSTORMS...
SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE
TONIGHT...GENERALLY TO THE NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM RAYVILLE
LOUISIANA...TO YAZOO CITY AND EUPORA MISSISSIPPI. FARTHER
SOUTHEAST...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR LATE
TONIGHT...GENERALLY NORTHWEST OF A NATCHEZ...TO BRANDON...TO
MACON LINE.

DURING THE DAY SATURDAY...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
POSSIBLE OVER THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA.

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PROGRESS SLOWLY
EASTWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND INTO THE LOWER
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION THIS WEEKEND. THE SYSTEM WILL INTERACT
WITH A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS...TO PRODUCE NUMEROUS
THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING LATER TONIGHT OVER NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF
THE OUTLOOK AREA...GRADUALLY SPREADING OVER THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK
AREA SATURDAY. STRONG WINDS IN THE LOW AND MID LEVELS OF THE
ATMOSPHERE WILL ALLOW THUNDERSTORMS TO BECOME SEVERE...WITH THE
POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70
MPH...AND LARGE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS.

...FLOODING...
WITH THE VERY MOIST AIRMASS IN PLACE...THERE WILL BE A POTENTIAL
FOR THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...ESPECIALLY OVER THE AREA
ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM NATCHEZ TO MACON.  PONDING OF
WATER ON ROADWAYS AND IN LOW LYING AREAS MAY OCCUR.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...

...DAYS TWO AND THREE...
THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL MAY CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY EVENING
OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE OUTLOOK AREA...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS
ALONG AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 55. HOWEVER...IT IS EXPECTED THAT
THE UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL WEAKEN AND THE SEVERE
WEATHER RISK SHOULD GRADUALLY WANE OVERNIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL
BE POSSIBLE AGAIN SUNDAY...BUT STORMS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS.

...DAYS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN...
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
OPERATIONS...MAY BE NECESSARY TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT
WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN. THIS INCLUDES THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS
WEATHER OUTLOOK.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 16, 11:22 PM CST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1222 AM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1210 AM    DERMOTT                   AR   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/17/03   CHICOT                         REPORTED BY POLICE.

1210 AM    DERMOTT                   AR   WIND DAMAGE
05/17/03   CHICOT                         TWO TREES DOWN. REPORTED
                                          BY POLICE.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

30 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 5 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bolivar

When: May 16, 11:38 PM CST
Where: Bolivar County, Gunnison
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 33.950, -90.950

A very large oak tree was blown down along with several powerlines.

Hail, Bolivar

When: May 16, 11:48 PM CST
Where: Bolivar County, Pace
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 33.800, -90.867

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: May 17, 4:30 AM CST
Where: Washington County, Greenville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 33.400, -91.050

Several large limbs were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Warren

When: May 17, 7:30 AM CST
Where: Warren County, Vicksburg
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 32.350, -90.883

A few trees and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hinds

When: May 17, 8:35 AM CST
Where: Hinds County, Raymond
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 32.267, -90.433

A few trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Attala

When: May 17, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Attala County, Kosciusko
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 31.950, -88.600

A few trees and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Leake

When: May 17, 9:10 AM CST
Where: Leake County, 14 mi N of Carthage
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 31.850, -88.700

A few large limbs were blown down, these limbs downed a few powerlines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Claiborne

When: May 17, 9:15 AM CST
Where: Claiborne County, Countywide
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.867, -89.733

Numerous trees were blown down across the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rankin

When: May 17, 9:18 AM CST
Where: Rankin County, Fannin
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 32.583, -89.317

A few trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rankin

When: May 17, 9:30 AM CST
Where: Rankin County, Sand Hill
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 32.683, -88.467

Several trees and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When: May 17, 9:37 AM CST
Where: Scott County, Ludlow
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 31.700, -89.133

Several trees and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Noxubee

When: May 17, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Noxubee County, Brooksville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.850, -88.883

A few trees and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Neshoba

When: May 17, 10:10 AM CST
Where: Neshoba County, Philadelphia
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 31.883, -88.950

Numerous trees and powerlines blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When: May 17, 10:28 AM CST
Where: Scott County, 3 mi N of Forest
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 32.650, -88.500

Several trees and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kemper

When: May 17, 10:35 AM CST
Where: Kemper County, Preston
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 32.833, -88.350

A few trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Leake

When: May 17, 10:38 AM CST
Where: Leake County, Carthage
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 31.500, -89.283

Several large limbs blown down on powerlines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When: May 17, 10:40 AM CST
Where: Scott County, Sebastopol
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 32.417, -89.950

Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down.

Hail, Franklin

When: May 17, 11:04 AM CST
Where: Franklin County, Mc Call Creek
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 31.633, -89.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Neshoba

When: May 17, 11:05 AM CST
Where: Neshoba County, Philadelphia
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.617, -89.750

A few trees were blown down.

Tornado, Lincoln

When: May 17, 11:40 AM CST
Where: Lincoln County, 1 mi N of Brookhaven
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.2 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 32.833, -88.433

This tornado snapped a few tree branches and downed a couple of trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kemper

When: May 17, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Kemper County, 5 mi E of Scooba
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 32.883, -88.833

A few trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Simpson

When: May 17, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Simpson County, Magee
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 31.983, -90.983

A few trees were blown down.

Tornado, Kemper

When: May 17, 3:30 PM CST to 3:31 PM CST
Where: Kemper County, 3 mi SW of Porterville
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 32.417, -89.483

A few trees were blown down by this tornado.

Hail, Newton

When: May 17, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Newton County, Little Rock
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 31.350, -89.550

Hail, Jefferson Davis

When: May 17, 3:50 PM CST
Where: Jefferson Davis County, 8 mi N of Bassfield
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 32.767, -89.117

Thunderstorm Wind, Covington

When: May 17, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Covington County, Collins
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.517, -90.700

A couple of trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Noxubee

When: May 17, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Noxubee County, Brooksville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.883, -89.000

Several trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kemper

When: May 17, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Kemper County, Scooba
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.600, -90.450

Numerous trees were blown down on Highway 45.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lamar

When: May 17, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Lamar County, 5 mi S of Sumrall
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 32.533, -89.033

A few trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: May 17, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Countywide
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 32.283, -88.500

A few trees were blown down across the county.

Hail, Covington

When: May 17, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Covington County, 3 mi S of Seminary
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.350, -89.267

Tornado, Jones

When: May 17, 5:30 PM CST to 5:32 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Moselle
Rating: F1
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 32.733, -89.533

This tornado downed numerous trees, blew tin siding off a few buildings and threw tree debris across Interstate 59.

Hail, Jasper

When: May 17, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Jasper County, Heidelberg
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 33.233, -88.583

Thunderstorm Wind, Forrest

When: May 17, 5:38 PM CST
Where: Forrest County, Petal
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 31.500, -89.500

A few powerlines were blown down.

Tornado, Jasper

When: May 17, 5:40 PM CST to 5:45 PM CST
Where: Jasper County, 3 mi E of Heidelberg
Rating: F0
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 32.767, -89.117

This weak tornado downed a few trees in SE Jasper county as it moved into Clarke county at 1745 LST.

Tornado, Clarke

When: May 17, 5:45 PM CST to 6:06 PM CST
Where: Clarke County, 11 mi W of Shubuta
Rating: F1
Path length: 10 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 33.233, -88.583

This tornado entered Clarke county from Jasper county at 1745 LST. This tornado downed dozens of trees along a spotty track which dissipated near DeSoto.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lauderdale

When: May 17, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Lauderdale County, Whynot
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 31.617, -89.183

Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jones

When: May 17, 5:49 PM CST
Where: Jones County, Laurel
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 32.567, -89.717

A few trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kemper

When: May 17, 5:53 PM CST
Where: Kemper County, Porterville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 32.483, -89.867

A few trees and powerlines were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clarke

When: May 17, 6:05 PM CST
Where: Clarke County, Shubuta
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 32.933, -89.533

Numerous trees were blown down around Shubuta.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clarke

When: May 17, 6:25 PM CST
Where: Clarke County, Carmichael
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated sustained
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: UTILITY COMPANY
Coordinates: 33.050, -89.583

Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down.

What these are

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Mississippi, 2003 Warnings in Mississippi, May 2003

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: 5355763, 5355764, 5355762, 5355761, 5355760, 5355871, 5355870, 5355959, 5355960, 5355869, 5355868, 5355867, 5355866, 5355865, 5355864, 5355863, 5355561, 5355877, 5355878, 5355876, 5355468, 5355560, 5355469, 5355875, 5355559, 5355558, 5355874, 5355557, 5355556, 5355872, 5355873, 5355467, 5355478, 5355477, 5355470, 5355471, 5355476, 5355472, 5355473, 5355474, and more.