The second week of January 2008 was quite active with respect to severe weather. Two events impacted the region in a span of 3 days which produced several tornadoes, large hail and wind damage across the area.
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 episode as NWS JAN wrote it up.
The second week of January 2008 was quite active with respect to severe weather. Two events impacted the region in a span of 3 days which produced several tornadoes, large hail and wind damage across the area.
On January 10th a vigorous storm system developed over the southern portions of the Midwest and moved northeast towards the Ohio valley. A strong cold front swept across the area during the late morning into the afternoon hours and strong to severe thunderstorms developed out ahead of it. All of the ingredients for tornadic development came into place as warm Gulf moisture pushed northward into the area out ahead of the front. The thunderstorms developed in eastern Louisiana and quickly moved across central Mississippi during the late morning and afternoon hours. As the storms progressed eastward, good instability combined with very strong wind shear for supercell development east of the Mississippi River, with the storms reaching maximum intensity along and east of the interstate 55 corridor.
By far, the most damage was produced by a single supercell thunderstorm that moved from north of Vicksburg through north central and northeast Mississippi during the late morning and early afternoon hours. This single storm produced three strong tornadoes, all of which were rated as EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita tornado damage scale. The most significant damage occurred in Caledonia in Lowndes County, where a school gymnasium was destroyed along with a number of school buses and vehicles in the area.
A second supercell that organized near the Mississippi River in southwest Mississippi before midday tracked from Claiborne County, through the northern Jackson Metropolitan Area, and finally into Noxubee county in northeast Mississippi by mid afternoon. This storm was responsible for 5 different tornado touchdowns along its path, as well as many reports of high winds and hail.
The rest of the area saw a broken line of storms and other supercells ahead of the line. A mix of damaging winds and hail were reported through the rest of the afternoon before the system exited the area.
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 Jan 10, 7:58 AM CST, 2 hours 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 758 AM CST THU JAN 10 2008 .DISCUSSION...UPDATED ZONES AND GRIDS CURRENTLY BEING SENT OUT FOR TORNADO WATCH 16. THIS WATCH INCLUDES MOST OF OUR CWA TILL 4PM. /CAB/ && .PREV DISCUSSION...DID A QUICK UPDATE MAINLY TO ADJUST TEMPERATURES ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA THIS MORNING. TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN RISING VERY QUICKLY THIS MORNING...WITH THE TEMPERATURE AT KJAN AT 67 DEGREES AS OF 6 AM THIS MORNING. OTHER SITES AROUND THE AREA ARE ALL ALREADY IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S THIS MORNING AS WELL. WENT AHEAD AND ADJUSTED HIGH TEMPERATURES UP A FEW DEGREES AS A RESULT AND ADJUSTED HOURLY TEMP GRIDS ACCORDINGLY. IN ADDITION...WENT AHEAD AND BUMPED DEWPOINTS UP AS WELL ACROSS MOST OF THE CWFA...ESPECIALLY SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR. THESE VALUES ARE SEEING THE LOWER 60S...WITH MIDDLE 60S IN THE SOUTHEAST ALREADY THIS MORNING...AND ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE A TAD BIT MORE BEFORE THINGS GET STARTED. THE SURFACE LOW IS NOW CENTERED OVER SOUTHEASTERN KS WITH THE FRONT TRAILING SOUTH DOWN NEAR DALLAS. A FEW OF THE LATEST MODELS ARE NOW SLOWING THIS SYSTEM A BIT FOR BRINGING IT ACROSS THE AREA. THIS WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED. BY SLOWING THIS SYSTEM...THIS COULD INCREASE THE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE CWFA...AS WELL AS INCREASE THE RISK AREA FURTHER WEST. THIS TREND IS ALSO HINTED BY RADAR TRENDS THIS MORNING AS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED A LITTLE FURTHER WEST THAN EXPECTED. THIS CHANGE WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED AS HAZARD PRODUCTS MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED. OTHERWISE...DID NOT REALLY MAKE ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE GOING FORECAST AT THIS TIME. UPDATED PRODUCTS WILL BE SENT AND POSTED TO THE WEB SHORTLY. ISSUED AT 338 AM... PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...SHORT TERM(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY) AN ACTIVE DAY IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE ARKLAMISS REGION TODAY. SURFACE ANALYSIS THIS MORNING SHOWS THE SURFACE LOW CENTERED OVER SOUTHERN KS WITH THE TRAILING COLD FRONT STRETCHING DOWN INTO NORTHERN TX. THE STALLED BOUNDARY IS LOCATED JUST NORTH OF THE GULF COAST...AND IS GRADUALLY SHIFTING NORTH AS A WARM FRONT THIS MORNING. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS THE SHORTWAVE LOCATED OVER THE TX PANHANDLE AREA AND MOVING TO THE EAST. MODELS ARE COMING INTO DECENT AGREEMENT WITH THIS SYSTEM. AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING SYSTEM THIS MORNING...THE AREA HAS BEGUN TO SEE A FEW SHOWERS DEVELOP EARLY THIS MORNING...WHICH SHOULD INCREASE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. CLOUD TOPS HAVE BEEN COOLING OVER WESTERN LA AND AS AN UPPER DISTURBANCE MOVES IN. WITH MOISTURE INCREASING OVER THE AREA...WILL PROBABLY START TO SEE DECENT DEVELOPMENT OVER THE CWFA BEFORE DAYBREAK. MOST OF THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE SHOWERS EARLY...BUT WITH YESTERDAY EVENINGS 00Z JAN SOUNDING SHOWING STEEP MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES...CAN NOT RULE OUT STORMS BECOMING STRONG IF THEY CAN GET THROUGH THE CAP...ESPECIALLY BY AROUND DAYBREAK. THE MAIN THREAT WITH ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP IN THIS TIME PERIOD WILL BE HAIL. ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE AREA AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE FRONT LOOKS AS IF IT SHOULD REACH THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BY AROUND MID MORNING TO LUNCHTIME TODAY. IT SHOULD REACHING THE NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR BETWEEN 2-6PM AND LEAVE THE CWFA BY AROUND MIDNIGHT. THERE STILL APPEARS TO BE A DECENT RISK OF SEVERE STORM DEVELOPMENT WITH THIS SYSTEM TODAY...ESPECIALLY FROM AROUND 10 AM TO 7 PM THIS EVENING. THE ENTIRE AREA WILL HAVE A SHOT AT SEEING STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS. HOWEVER...PLACES AROUND THE NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR AND SOUTHEAST OF THIS AREA WILL SEE THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER. THERE WILL BE DECENT SHEAR OVER THE AREA. 0-3 KM HELICITY SHOULD BE BETWEEN 250-350 M2/S2. 0-6 KM BULK SHEAR AVERAGES BETWEEN 40-50KTS...MAINLY OVER THE SOUTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL PART OF THE CWFA. 0-1 KM SHEAR LOOKS TO BE 30-35 KT. MOISTURE HAS BEEN INCREASING OVER THE CWFA AT A DECENT RATE THIS MORNING. HBG IS ALREADY SEEING DEW POINTS IN THE MIDDLE 60S...AND JAN AND MEI ARE TOPPING 60F THIS MORNING. WITH THE WARM FRONT SLOWLY DRIFTING NORTH THIS MORNING EXPECT MOISTURE TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER THE AREA. SO WITH MORE OF A MOISTURE INCREASE THAN WE HAVE SEEN WITH PREVIOUS EVENTS...INSTABILITY SHOULD NOT BE A BIG PROBLEM WITH MLCAPES AROUND 700-1000 J/KG. MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES SHOULD BE DECENT AS WELL WITH 6-7 C/KM EXPECTED. ONE LIMITING FACTOR MAY BE MARGINAL SURFACE PRESSURES...WHICH SHOULD BE BETWEEN 1008-1010MB DURING THE EVENT. BUT WITH ALL OTHER FACTORS IN PLAY...DO NOT EXPECT IT TO LIMIT ACTIVITY MUCH. EXPECT WITH THIS SYSTEM TO SEE ALL SEVERE WEATHER MODES POSSIBLE...WITH INDIVIDUAL CELLS EXPECTED THROUGH MOST OF THE EVENT AND THEN DEVELOPING INTO A LINE AS IT APPROACHES THE EASTERN FRINGES OF THE AREA. EXPECT THE SEVERE WEATHER RISK TO BEGIN TO DIE DOWN A COUPLE HOURS AFTER SUNSET AS THE SYSTEM MOVES TO THE EAST. ONE MORE THING TO MENTION FOR TODAY IS THAT WINDS WILL BE GUSTY WITH THIS SYSTEM. AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS AS IF THEY WILL FALL JUST SHY OF LAKE WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA...SO WILL NOT BE ISSUING ANYTHING THIS MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL QUICKLY BUILD IN BEHIND THIS SYSTEM AND BRING COOLER AND DRIER TEMPERATURES TO THE AREA. THIS SHOULD GIVE A RATHER DRY FORECAST FOR BEYOND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE SHORT TERM. MAV GUI THROUGH THE SHORT TERM GAVE REASONABLE TEMPERATURES. THE ONLY CHANGE WAS TO LOWER LOWS IN THE EXTREME NORTHWEST FOR TONIGHT AS SKIES WILL BE CLEARING AND WINDS WILL BE WEAKENING BY MORNING. THIS WILL COMBINE WITH A COOLER AIRMASS BEGINNING TO BE FILTERED INTO THE REGION. OTHERWISE PRETTY MUCH REMAINED WITH GUI TEMPS. /14/ .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY) ANOTHER WEAK PACIFIC SURFACE HIGH(1018MB) CROSSES THE CWFA FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING BEFORE A DIGGING UPPER TROUGH IN THE OZARKS APPROACHES. STRONGEST TROUGH APPEARS ON THE ECMWF WHICH TRIES TO SQUEEZE OUT A FEW SPRINKLES/COLD LIGHT RAIN SATURDAY NIGHT WHEN TEMPS DIPPING TO REACH THE MID-UPPER 30S. EXPECT MOST ELEVATED PRECIP WILL EVAPORATE BEFORE REACHING THE SURFACE AS ALL LAYERS BELOW 850MB PROGGED TO BE DRY AND REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING. WILL NEED TO KEEP A WATCH ON OUR NRN PORTIONS FOR MODEL CHANGES. THEN MORE DRY AIR FOLLOWS ON SUNDAY AND COMES WITH A MORE CONTINENTAL SURFACE HIGH(1026MB) AND THIS SHOULD USHER IN A NEAR CLIMATOLOGY TEMPERATURE REGIME FOR THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK(REINFORCED MONDAY NIGHT BY A QUICK MOVING DRY FRONT FROM THE NRN PLAINS). ALTHOUGH THERE IS PRETTY GOOD MODEL AGREEMENT ON A STRONGER COLD PUSH OF POLAR AIR LATE NEXT WEEK...THE STRENGTH OF THE DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR THE COLD AIR VARIES QUITE A BIT. THE ECMWF DEVELOPS A RATHER STRONG SRN STREAM PIECE OF ENERGY TO DEEPEN A SHARP TROUGH MORE THAN THE GFS AND ENSEMBLE MEANS WHICH DEPICT A MUCH BROADER/COLDER ERN CONUS TROUGHING AXIS. ALL MODEL SOLUTIONS GENERALLY BRING THE DECENT RAIN CHANCE/ISOLATED TSRA THROUGH THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT/EARLY THURSDAY. WILL LEAN TOWARD THE ENSEMBLE MEAN PATTERN FOR BEYOND DAY 6 AND KEEP TEMPS/POPS CLOSER TO THE ENSEMBLE MOS MEANS WHICH AVERAGE A FEW DEGREES BELOW THE OPERATIONAL GFS./40/ && .AVIATION...A STRONG STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE REGION TODAY. A DECENT MOISTURE INCREASE OVER THE AREA COMBINED WITH DECENT WINDS HAVE ALLOWED FOR LOW LEVEL CLOUDS WITH CEILINGS BELOW 1000FT HAVE DEVELOPED. THIS SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING AND INTO THE MID MORNING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BEGIN TO DEVELOP OVER THE AREA WITHIN THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...AND BECOME MORE NUMEROUS BY AROUND DAYBREAK OVER THE AREA. CEILINGS WILL IMPROVE SLIGHTLY AFTER DAYBREAK...BUT SHOULD STILL REMAIN IN THE MVFR TO PERIODS OF IFR CATEGORY RANGE. A FEW SITES MAY ALSO SEE PERIODS OF 3-5SM PATCHY FOG THROUGH AROUND DAYBREAK AS WELL...BUT SHOULD NOT POSE A BIG PROBLEM. THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY SITES WILL HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF SEEING PERIODS OF IFR TO LIFR FROM HEAVY DOWNPOURS. THIS WILL BE ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR SITES ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF THE NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR. CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO IMPROVE THIS EVENING FROM THE NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. GLH AND GWO WILL BEGIN TO SEE CEILINGS LIFT BETWEEN 6-9PM. HBG...THE LAST TO IMPROVE...SHOULD SEE CONDITIONS IMPROVE BY DAYBREAK FRIDAY. /14/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... JACKSON 75 39 56 34 / 99 48 4 2 MERIDIAN 75 41 59 32 / 100 79 4 3 VICKSBURG 72 40 56 36 / 72 32 4 2 HATTIESBURG 77 45 60 36 / 99 82 6 1 NATCHEZ 75 41 58 37 / 80 41 5 2 GREENVILLE 69 37 53 34 / 69 13 4 1 GREENWOOD 66 37 54 34 / 84 27 4 2 && .JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MS...NONE. LA...NONE. AR...NONE. && 14
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 346 AM CST THU JAN 10 2008 ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>066-072>074- 111000- ASHLEY-CHICOT-MOREHOUSE-WEST CARROLL-EAST CARROLL-RICHLAND- MADISON-FRANKLIN-CATAHOULA-TENSAS-CONCORDIA-BOLIVAR-SUNFLOWER- LEFLORE-GRENADA-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-WEBSTER-CLAY-LOWNDES-CHOCTAW- OKTIBBEHA-WASHINGTON-HUMPHREYS-HOLMES-ATTALA-WINSTON-NOXUBEE- ISSAQUENA-SHARKEY-YAZOO-LEAKE-NESHOBA-KEMPER-WARREN-HINDS-RANKIN- SCOTT-NEWTON-LAUDERDALE-CLAIBORNE-COPIAH-SIMPSON-SMITH-JASPER- CLARKE-JEFFERSON-ADAMS-LINCOLN-LAWRENCE-JEFFERSON DAVIS-COVINGTON- JONES-MARION-LAMAR-FORREST- 346 AM CST THU JAN 10 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI... NORTHEAST LOUISIANA...AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION FROM EARLY TO MID MORNING AS A STRONG STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES AND A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH THROUGH THE REGION. A FEW STORMS MAY BE ABLE TO PRODUCE SMALL HAIL. THE RISK FOR ANY SEVERE STORMS WILL REMAIN SOMEWHAT LOW UNTIL AROUND DAYBREAK ALONG AND WEST OF A GRENADA TO VICKSBURG TO NATCHEZ LINE WHEN LEVELS OF LIFT...INSTABILITY AND SHEAR SHOULD BEGIN INCREASING DRAMATICALLY. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AS A STRONG UPPER DISTURBANCE AND COLD FRONT DEVELOP OVER THE PLAINS AND SWING THROUGH THE REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR HAS BEGUN TO LIFT INTO THE AREA. AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF A NATCHEZ TO GRENADA LINE WILL BE UNDER THE MAIN RISK...WITH LOCATIONS ACROSS EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI UNDER AN ENHANCED RISK FOR SEEING SEVERE STORMS. THE MAIN TIME FRAME LOOKS TO BE BETWEEN 9 AM AND 7 PM...WITH AREAS ACROSS THE EAST MOST PRONE TO SEVERE WEATHER BETWEEN 1 PM AND 7 PM. DISCRETE SUPERCELL STORMS MAY BE POSSIBLE DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE EVENT. ACTIVITY SHOULD BEGIN TO EVOLVE INTO A LINE OF STORMS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS OVER AREAS EAST OF THE NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE AS STORMS MAY REPEATEDLY MOVE OVER THE SAME AREA. THIS WILL MAINLY BE OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE AREA WHERE 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH LOCALIZED AREAS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL MAY BE SEEN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... THE ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...HAM RADIO OPERATORS...AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS WILL BE NEEDED TODAY. OTHERWISE...IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEDNESDAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN. THIS INCLUDES THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. 14
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 831 AM CST THU JAN 10 2008 LAZ008-009-MSZ034-040-041-101500- WEST CARROLL LA-EAST CARROLL LA-WASHINGTON MS-SHARKEY MS-ISSAQUENA MS- 831 AM CST THU JAN 10 2008 A STRONG THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTH OF OAK GROVE AT 831 AM CST...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 65 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS. PEOPLE IN EAST CARROLL...ISSAQUENA...SHARKEY...WASHINGTON AND WEST CARROLL PARISHES...INCLUDING THE CITY OF LAKE PROVIDENCE...SHOULD MONITOR THIS STORM CLOSELY. MRM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 834 AM CST THU JAN 10 2008 ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>066-072>074- 102000- ADAMS-ASHLEY-ATTALA-BOLIVAR-CARROLL-CATAHOULA-CHICOT-CHOCTAW- CLAIBORNE-CLARKE-CLAY-CONCORDIA-COPIAH-COVINGTON-EAST CARROLL- FORREST-FRANKLIN LA-FRANKLIN MS-GRENADA-HINDS-HOLMES-HUMPHREYS- ISSAQUENA-JASPER-JEFFERSON-JEFFERSON DAVIS-JONES-KEMPER-LAMAR- LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LEAKE-LEFLORE-LINCOLN-LOWNDES-MADISON LA- MADISON MS-MARION-MONTGOMERY-MOREHOUSE-NESHOBA-NEWTON-NOXUBEE- OKTIBBEHA-RANKIN-RICHLAND-SCOTT-SHARKEY-SIMPSON-SMITH-SUNFLOWER- TENSAS-WARREN-WASHINGTON-WEBSTER-WEST CARROLL-WINSTON-YAZOO- 834 AM CST THU JAN 10 2008 ...SEVERE WEATHER INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION TODAY... A WARM FRONT WHICH HAS MOVED NORTH INTO THE ARKLAMISS REGION THIS MORNING HAS ALLOWED FOR MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY TO INCREASE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION...IT WILL BRING SEVERE WEATHER TO THE AREA FROM MID MORNING THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN WILL BE AREAS ALONG AND EAST OF A GRENADA TO VICKSBURG TO NATCHEZ LINE. AN EVEN GREATER RISK WILL EXIST OVER THE EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI THIS AFTERNOON. THE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL INCREASE BY MID MORNING AND LAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...MAINLY BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10 AM AND 7 PM. AS THE FRONT APPROACHES...INDIVIDUAL CELLS WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THIS WILL POSE THE RISK FOR STRONG WINDS...HAIL...AND TORNADOES FOR MID MORNING THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO EVOLVE INTO A LINE OVER EASTERN MISSISSIPPI BY THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. THE PRIMARY RISK AT THIS POINT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES. THE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD BEGIN TO DIMINISH BY THE LATE EVENING HOURS AS THE COLD FRONT SHIFTS TO THE EAST OF THE AREA. 14
The Jackson/Brandon,MS radar (KDGX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:18 UTC.
32 hail, 15 thunderstorm wind, 10 tornado, 3 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous large limbs were blown down along with a few power lines.
A swath of penny to quarter sized hail fell along the path of a supercell thunderstorm which tracked across the northern portion of Claiborne County.
This funnel cloud was observed by a Grand Gulf nuclear power plant employee.
A swath of penny sized hail fell across northern Yazoo County. This hail fell from a supercell thunderstorm which moved into southern Holmes County and eventually produced the Goodman tornado.
This tornado occurred in a very rural area with tree damage the only observed damage. Where the tornado crossed Hunt Road, tree damage was significant, with hundreds of trees snapped and uprooted along with several power lines down.
Along the path of a supercell thunderstorm, a few trees and numerous large limbs were blown down off Duke Road just northwest of Utica. Sporatic wind damage continued along the path with another area of concentrated downed trees along the Natchez Trace just west of Raymond.
The same supercell that produced the Goodman EF3 tornado also produced a swath of quarter to golf ball sized as it tracked northeast. The hail continued into western Attala County.
A swath of penny sized hail fell across the northwest portion of Simpson County as a supercell thunderstorm moved across the area.
The tornado started with a narrow path of scattered downed trees near Shady Lane Road. The damage intensified as it approached Highway 17. Here tree damage became much more intense with hundreds of trees snapped and uprooted. One home had a portion of its roof ripped off. The tornado intensified and reached its maximum intensity and width between Highway 17 and U.S. Highway 51. Hundreds of trees were snapped and uprooted, some of them hardwoods that were snapped off except for a few large limbs and partially debarked. Several mobile homes were obliterated and two homes of wood frame and concrete block construction had nearly all of the outer walls collapsed along with total roof removal. Large missiles were generated, including a pickup truck that was thrown nearly 150 yards. On the east side of U.S. Highway 51, three high tension steel power poles were snapped off near the base. As the tornado continued east-northeast and moved into Attala County, the path narrowed and damage became limited to tree damage before dissipation just inside the Attala County line. The total path length across both Holmes and Attala Counties was 10 miles with a EF3 Enhanced Fujita Scale rating. Maximum winds were around 140 mph.
A swath of penny to quarter sized hail fell from the same supercell thunderstorm which produced the tornadoes across Holmes, Attala, and Choctaw Counties. The hail continued into Choctaw County as the supercell tracked northeast.
This tornado was the continuation from Holmes County, just east of Goodman, as it crossed the Big Black River. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted as the tornado began to weaken and dissipate just a mile or so inside western Attala County. The total path length across both Holmes and Attala Counties was 10 miles with a EF3 Enhanced Fujita Scale rating.
Penny to quarter sized hail fell across northwest Jackson. This hail occurred from an intensifying supercell thunderstorm which continued to produce severe hail, some as large as golfball to baseball size, across the City of Madison.
A intensifying supercell thunderstorm tracked across southern Madison County and produced a swath of golf ball to baseball sized hail. The very large hail impacted areas across Ridgeland and the City of Madison. The supercell and severe hail continued across the Reservoir into Rankin County.
One barn and three other structures were heavily damaged in the Sallis Community. The wooden barn had the roof removed and several walls knocked down. Heavy roof damage occurred to the other structures along with several trees snapped or uprooted in the area. This damage was from the rear flank downdraft associated with the supercell that produced the Goodman tornado.
The tornado started, just west of Ethel, with a path of tree damage which intensified shortly after the beginning point. In some areas nearly every tree was snapped off or uprooted. The tornado reached its widest point as it crossed the Natchez Trace Parkway, where dozens of trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado caused significant structural damage to several buildings just to the southwest of McCool. One cinder block constructed building sustained nearly total destruction from a combination of a very large hardwood tree falling on it, along with other wind damage. A room addition to the back of a frame home was removed. After the tornado passed McCool, it narrowed and weakened somewhat, with tree damage continuing to occur. The tornado then intensified again as it entered Choctaw County and passed south of the town of Weir. Here a dairy complex was heavily damaged. A well-constructed milking parlor was totally destroyed with all exterior walls collapsed or destroyed. A large 9000 pound trailer was picked up and flipped onto the top of a farm building. Several large wood and metal livestock buildings were totally destroyed. A grain silo was also destroyed. Nearly 300 head of cattle were injured with 10 fatal. After the tornado passed this point, it did not encounter any additional structures, but a path of tree damage continued for several miles before the tornado dissipated near Choctaw Lake. The total path length across Attala and Choctaw counties was 24 miles with a maximum rating of EF3. Maximum winds were around 145 mph.
A supercell thunderstorm continued tracking northeast and cross the Reservoir just east of the City of Madison and produced a swath of golf ball to quarter sized hail through Highway 43 and along Coal Bluff Road.
This weak tornado briefly touched down just north of Fannin. The tornado touched down just west of Highway 471, near Stull Road, and tracked northeast. Several large pine trees were snapped with the top of one tree across Highway 471.
A swath of pea to penny sized hail continued to fall from the long lived supercell thunderstorm which was responsible for producing the two EF3 tornadoes across Holmes, Attala, and Choctaw Counties.
The tornado started, just west of Ethel, with a path of tree damage which intensified shortly after the beginning point. In some areas nearly every tree was snapped off or uprooted. The tornado reached its widest point as it crossed the Natchez Trace Parkway, where dozens of trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado caused significant structural damage to several buildings just to the southwest of McCool. One cinder block constructed building sustained nearly total destruction from a combination of a very large hardwood tree falling on it, along with other wind damage. A room addition to the back of a frame home was removed. After the tornado passed McCool, it narrowed and weakened somewhat, with tree damage continuing to occur. The tornado then intensified again as it entered Choctaw County and passed south of the town of Weir. Here a dairy complex was heavily damaged. A well-constructed milking parlor was totally destroyed with all exterior walls collapsed or destroyed. A large 9000 pound trailer was picked up and flipped onto the top of a farm building. Several large wood and metal livestock buildings were totally destroyed. A grain silo was also destroyed. Nearly 300 head of cattle were injured with 10 fatal. After the tornado passed this point, it did not encounter any additional structures, but a path of tree damage continued for several miles before the tornado dissipated near Choctaw Lake. The total path length across Attala and Choctaw counties was 24 miles with a maximum rating of EF3. Maximum winds were around 145 mph.
A supercell thunderstorm developed to the southwest of Kokomo and tracked northeast across all of Marion County. It produced a swath of quarter to golf ball sized hail with a few locations seeing hail as large as baseballs. The largest hail was the size of baseballs and occurred in and around the Improve Community. The supercell continued to produce large hail as it moved into northwest Lamar County.
A swath of at least penny sized hail fell across Oktibbeha County as the long lived supercell thunderstorm tracked northeast across the county. This hail fell from the same supercell thunderstorm which produced the tornadoes across Holmes, Attala and Choctaw Counties and eventually produced the Caledonia Tornado.
Scattered trees were blown down and large limbs were torn off trees along the path of the rear flank down draft. This down draft was produced by a long lived supercell which tracked northeast across the county.
Penny to quarter sized hail fell southeast of Carthage.
A developing supercell thunderstorm produced a swath of penny to nickel sized hail.
A few trees were blown down across Rockhill Road.
A swath of quarter to golf ball sized hail fell across northwest Lamar County as a supercell thunderstorm tracked across the area. The supercell continued to produce severe hail as it entered far southern Covington County.
A swath of penny to quarter sized hail fell from the long lived supercell thunderstorm which eventually produced the Caledonia Tornado. The hail was oval and sheet shaped.
This weak tornado touched down just southwest of county road 151 and tracked northeast for almost two miles. Two homes sustained minor damage, one had a porch damaged and shingles were torn off the other. Two out buildings had their roofs blown off. Several trees were snapped or uprooted along the path. This tornado touched down in the Hope Community, just southwest of the Pearl River Resort along County Road 151.
MSU storm chasers viewed a funnel cloud just north of the Highway 82/43 intersection.
Straight line winds, from the forward flank downdraft, produced damage across the south side of West Point. This downdraft came from the supercell thunderstorm which eventually produced the Caledonia Tornado. Several trees were blown down along with a couple power lines. Numerous signs were blown down and a construction trailer was rolled over next to the Wal-Mart. One person was in the trailer and was injured. One building sustained major single damage. All damage was blown toward the south and southeast.
A swath of penny to nickel sized hail fell across a portion of central Lamar County.
On the east side of town, more damage from the forward flank downdraft occurred. Here, numerous trees were snapped, uprooted or had large limbs broken off. One area along Highway 50 was especially hard hit. Here several storage sheds were flipped and destroyed. Debris was blown into a few buildings and caused damage to windows and the roofs. Several trees were also snapped in the area. On the north side of the highway, a large office building sustained substantial shingle damage. Like on the south side of town, all the damage was blown to the south and southeast.
A supercell thunderstorm continued out of northern Lamar County and tracked across southern Covington County and produced a swath of penny to golf ball sized hail. The largest hail occurred just outside Sumrall. The storm continued to produce severe hail as it moved into southwest Jones County.
A swath of nickel to golf ball sized hail fell across a large section of north central Forrest County. This hail fell from an intensifying supercell thunderstorm which entered the county around Highway 11, just south of Hattiesburg, and tracked northeast to just east northeast of Petal.
A swath of quarter to golf ball sized hail fell as a supercell thunderstorm tracked northeast across a large portion of Jones County. The storm entered the county about 6 miles west of Moselle and tracked northeast to a few miles east of Laurel. The largest hail occurred between Ellisville and Tuckers Crossing.
Measured wind gust, in the rear flank downdraft, from the supercell thunderstorm, just before it produced the Caledonia Tornado.
The tornado started by damaging a home and shed along with some tree and power pole damage. Next, a shed was damaged and a combine harvester that was in the shed was thrown into some trees. After moving through a wooded area, the tornado moved into a neighborhood with new, well-built homes. Around 8 homes were damaged in this neighborhood, with around 5 of them being severely damaged. Roofs were ripped off, walls were collapsed, and a few were even moved off their foundations. The tornado moved through another wooded area and emerged into the Caledonia school complex. It was here that the tornado reached its maximum intensity. The press box and concession stand of the football stadium were destroyed, several medal power poles were bent over, and several trees were knocked down. Numerous vehicles were moved along the ground up to 100 yards, some were flipped over, some had multiple dents from gravel in the parking lot, and numerous windows were broken out. Five school buses were damaged, two of which were flipped over, and one of which was lifted up and ripped apart with the chassis landing in one of the buildings and the frame landing on top of a building. The school gymnasium and a Vocational Tech Building were nearly destroyed with several vehicles including the bus landing inside it. The tornado then left the school complex and moved across the south side of Caledonia. Around 6 homes experienced significant damage here, mainly to the roofs. A church was completely destroyed when the roof was lifted up and collapsed on the building. Another church nearby had minor roof damage. The tornado entered another wooded area causing damage to trees and then emerged along Caledonia-Vernon Road. The tornado moved along the road for several miles. Along this part of the path, numerous single family homes were severely damaged. The roofs were ripped off and the walls were collapsed on several homes. Numerous hard wood trees were snapped, several of which fell on cars and homes. A horse stable was completely destroyed and a high tension medal truss tower was snapped. Further along the road, several mobile homes were completely destroyed. One in particular had the body of the trailer blown downwind and the frame was dragged back along the ground in the opposite direction for around 25 yards. Several cars were moved for a distance around 50 yards at this location as well. The tornado then entered another wooded area causing some tree damage and then weakened before crossing the state line into Lamar County, Alabama. The total path length in Lowndes County was 8.7 miles with an EF3 Enhanced Fujita Scale rating. The total path length for the entire tornado, including each county, was 13.2 miles.
The school complex was occupied by over 2100 students and faculty at the time of the tornado. Yet, the Tornado Warning lead time of 41 minutes allowed the school to place students at the best possible locations. No injuries or fatalities occurred at the school. Also, a day care center with 15 children and faculty was severely damaged, but all 11 had taken cover in an underground storm shelter, so there were no injuries at that location either. In total, there were 15 injuries of which only 3 were considered serious. The 3 serious injuries occurred in the mobile home that was ripped apart with the body moving downwind and the frame in the opposite direction.
A swath of penny hail fell across a large portion of Clarke County. The storm which produced the hail entered the southwest portion of the county and then tracked toward Quitman where it then dissipated just northeast of town.
A swath of dime to penny sized hail fell across the western portion of Noxubee County. The storm that produced this hail intensified as it approached Macon and produced larger hail and a brief tornado.
The hail continued into southern Jefferson Davis County.
A swath of penny to nickel sized hail fell across a large portion of southern Jefferson Davis County. The storm continued to produce severe hail as it moved into Covington County.
Larger hail began to occur around Macon as the supercell thunderstorm intensified. Penny to hen egg size hail fell along the path. Most of the hail stones were reported as disc shaped.
This tornado briefly touched down in an open field just west of Deerbrook Road. It crossed Deerbrook Road and took down 5 power poles. Two were snapped and the others downed from the 2 that were snapped.
Just south of the brief tornado, the rear flank downdraft from the parent supercell thunderstorm, caused a few trees to be blown down and one shed to get destroyed. The most substantial damaged occurred to a building that had the roof partially lifted which then caused a portion of one wall to collapse.
This weak tornado briefly touched down along Hummer Loop. A few trees had the tops blown off along with numerous limbs snapped and down along the path.
A swath of penny sized hail continued out of southern Jefferson Davis County into central Covington County.
Numerous trees and a few power lines were blown down across the northern half of the county from west to east. This damaged occurred from a small bow echo that raced across the northern portion of Jones County.
A intense downburst within a bow echo destroyed three chicken houses in the Rustin Community, off of Pleasant Grove Road just a few miles east-southeast of Sandersville. A couple of the chicken houses were flattened while the other had most of its tin roof pealed off.
Several trees were blown down on county road 133 in the Hale Community.
A few trees were blown down around Shubuta.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Mississippi, 2008Warnings in Mississippi, January 2008
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: 72526, 72616, 72615, 72633, 72655, 72618, 72660, 73268, 72820, 72839, 73378, 72840, 73271, 73272, 73269, 73306, 73294, 73273, 73274, 73388, 73314, 73405, 73410, 73407, 73412, 73406, 73408, 73409, 73411, 73416, 75519, 73413, 73414, 75520, 75523, 75521, 73415, 75654, 75524, 75655, and more.