A line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved east across southeast Mississippi during the afternoon hours on Christmas Eve, producing localized downburst winds to near 60 mph.
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 MOB wrote it up.
A line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved east across southeast Mississippi during the afternoon hours on Christmas Eve, producing localized downburst winds to near 60 mph.
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 Dec 24, 2:10 PM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
210 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009
.AVIATION UPDATE...WIDESPREAD MVFR CONDITIONS WITH PERIODS OF IFR
CONDITIONS EXPECTED ACROSS THE FLYING AREA THROUGH EARLY THIS
EVENING. STRONG SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS TO ALSO PREVAIL THROUGH THE
EARLY EVENING WITH GUSTS PEAKING IN THE 40 TO 45 KNOT RANGE. A
SQUALL LINE IS CURRENTLY MOVING EASTWARD OVER SOUTHEASTERN
MISSISSIPPI AND WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AROUND 4 PM THIS
AFTERNOON AND INTO THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE BETWEEN 6 AND 7 PM.
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS LINE...WIND GUSTS
OVER 50 KNOTS AND ISOLATED TORNADIC ACTIVITY ARE POSSIBLE. A COLD
FRONT WILL FOLLOW LATER TONIGHT CREATING BREEZY NORTHWESTERLY WINDS
AND A RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. VFR CONDITIONS
EXPECTED THROUGH CHRISTMAS DAY. 08/ JVW
******************PREVIOUS DISCUSSION********************************
.MESOSCALE UPDATE...TORNADO WATCH HAS JUST BEEN ISSUED UNTIL 6 PM FOR
ALL OF INLAND SE MS AS WELL AS CHOCTAW...WASHINGTON...AND MOBILE
COUNTIES IN ALABAMA. CURRENTLY WATCHING A SQUALL LINE STEADILY
PROGRESS EAST...NOW MOVING INTO SW MS AND SE LA. THE LINE IS A FEW
HOURS AHEAD OF MODEL GUIDANCE...SO THE LATEST TIMING HAS THE LINE
AFFECTING SE MS BETWEEN NOON AND 2 PM...ENTERING INTO SW AL BETWEEN
2-4PM AND BY 4-6PM INTO THE FL PANHANDLE. SPC MESOANALYSIS SHOWS
MUCAPES OF 500 J/KG OR LESS IN THE VICINITY OF THE LINE.
HOWEVER...DYNAMIC FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH THAT IS
BECOMING NEGATIVELY TILTED IS MAKING UP FOR THE LACK OF INSTABILITY
AS A GOOD AMOUNT OF LIGHTNING IS ONGOING WITH THE LINE. LOW LEVEL
SHEAR WILL BE MORE THAN SUFFICIENT (AROUND 600 M2/S2) TO SUPPORT
ROTATING STORMS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES EMBEDDED IN
THE LINE. GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS JUST ABOVE THE SFC...IT WILL NOT
TAKE MUCH FOR SEVERE DOWNDRAFTS TO REACH THE SFC. DO THINK THE
MAJORITY OF THE SEVERE WEATHER RISK WILL BE CONFINED CLOSER TO THE
COAST...WHERE LOW 60 DEWPOINTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO MATERIALIZE
IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF THE SQUALL LINE. DEWPOINTS ARE STILL RUNNING IN
THE LOW 50S IN THE FAR NORTH AND EASTERN AREAS...HELPING TO REDUCE
THE THREAT THERE. EVEN IF SEVERE WINDS DO NOT OCCUR...WIND GUSTS OF
40 TO 50 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THE LINE PASSES THROUGH.
GRADIENT WINDS WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF
THE FRONT WITH FREQUENT GUSTS OF 30 TO 35 MPH EXPECTED...ESPECIALLY
CLOSER TO THE COAST. A WIND ADVISORY WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH 9
PM. 34/JFB
&&
.MARINE...UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE RUNNING SOMEWHAT BLIND DUE TO THE LACK
OF REPORTS FROM 42007 AND 42012. HOWEVER...42039 HAS BEEN
CONSISTENTLY GUSTING TO GALE FORCE ALL MORNING AND BELIEVE THIS TREND
WILL CONTINUE INTO OUR MARINE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AS THE FRONT
APPROACHES. DUE TO THE LIKELIHOOD OF FREQUENT GALE FORCE GUSTS...HAVE
ISSUED A GALE WARNING FOR THE OFFSHORE WATERS THROUGH 9 PM. MOBILE
BAY WILL STAY UNDER A SCA...BUT OCCASIONAL GALE FORCE GUSTS ARE
POSSIBLE THERE AS WELL. ALSO HAVE 10-13 WAVES OVER THE OFFSHORE
ZONES...AND THESE WAVES WILL BE BREAKING ACROSS THE BEACHES CAUSING
SOME BEACH EROSION AND A HIGHER THREAT OF RIP CURRENTS. A HIGH SURF
ADVISORY IS ALSO IN EFFECT. WINDS VEER TO THE WEST TONIGHT IN THE
WAKE OF THE FRONT AND STAY IN SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS THROUGH
FRIDAY MORNING. 34/JFB
&&
.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
LOWER BALDWIN...AND LOWER MOBILE.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
BUTLER...CHOCTAW...CLARKE...CONECUH...COVINGTON...
CRENSHAW...ESCAMBIA...LOWER BALDWIN...LOWER MOBILE...
MONROE...UPPER BALDWIN...UPPER MOBILE...WASHINGTON...AND
WILCOX.
FL...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...COASTAL SANTA ROSA...
INLAND ESCAMBIA...INLAND OKALOOSA...AND INLAND SANTA ROSA.
HIGH SURF ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...AND COASTAL SANTA
ROSA.
MS...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
GEORGE...GREENE...PERRY...STONE...AND WAYNE.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 AM FRIDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
AND MOBILE BAY.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 9 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM...
COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20
NM...WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM...
AND WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60
NM.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THURSDAY TO 9 AM FRIDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL
OUT 20 NM...COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA
MS OUT 20 NM...WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20
TO 60 NM...AND WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS
FROM 20 TO 60 NM.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1226 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009 ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-GMZ630-650-655-670-675-MSZ067-075-076-078- 079-251600- CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW- ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE- LOWER BALDWIN-INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA- COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-MOBILE BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM-WAYNE-PERRY- GREENE-STONE-GEORGE- 1226 PM CST THU DEC 24 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA...AND THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM FOR ALL OF INLAND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...AS WELL AS CHOCTAW...WASHINGTON...AND MOBILE COUNTIES IN ALABAMA. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN ADVANCE OF A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI BY EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA BY LATE AFTERNOON. THE LINE WILL AFFECT THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE DURING THE EARLY EVENING. THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT WIND ENERGY IN THE ATMOSPHERE TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER...BUT THE THREAT WILL BE SOMEWHAT MITIGATED BY WEAK INSTABILITY. HOWEVER...GIVEN THE STRONG FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT...ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE THREAT FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL END BY MID TO LATE EVENING AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS EAST OF THE REGION. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING. SOME PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS IS LIKELY TO OCCUR...BUT THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING APPEARS LOW AT THIS TIME. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF THE AREA UNTIL 9 PM TONIGHT. EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS OF 20 TO OCCASIONALLY 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUST ARE EXPECTED TODAY. WINDS BECOME SOUTHERLY LATER TODAY AND DIMINISH THIS EVENING TO WESTERLY AT 10 TO 20 MPH AFTER THE FRONT PASSES. A GALE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE OFFSHORE WATERS THROUGH 9 PM TONIGHT. SUSTAINED WINDS WILL APPROACH 30 KNOTS WITH FREQUENT GUSTS TO GALE FORCE. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOBILE BAY...AND EVEN THERE A FEW GUSTS TO GALE FORCE ARE POSSIBLE. AREA BEACHES WILL SEE A ROUGH SURF AND A HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS TODAY. MINOR COASTAL FLOODING WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN IN THE TYPICALLY FLOOD PRONE AREAS AS WINDS INCREASE OUT OF THE SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON. SOME FLOODING CONTINUES ALONG SEVERAL AREA RIVERS ACROSS THE REGION. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST RIVER FORECASTS FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...CHRISTMAS DAY THROUGH NEXT WEDNESDAY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 KNOTS IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT CHRISTMAS MORNING WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH DURING THE DAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST. COMPUTER MODEL GUIDANCE IS SHOWING ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER THE NORTHWESTERN GULF ON TUESDAY...MOVING EAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN GULF BY NEXT WEDNESDAY. IF THIS PATTERN HOLDS...WINDS AND SEAS WILL INCREASE OVER THE MARINE AREA WITH ANOTHER ROUND OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ALONG THE NORTH CENTRAL GULF COAST REGION BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS IS REQUESTED IN THE SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Tree blown down blocking Highway 29 North at Prospect Road 6 miles north of Mahned in northwestern Perry County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, December 2009
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: 200261.