Mississippi, 2009

Hail and Damaging Winds in Mississippi, May 12 to 13, 2009

May 12 to 13, 2009 · NWS JAN · 21 events in 14 counties and zones

During the late afternoon and evening of May 12th, severe storms occurred over Central Mississippi. There were a number of reports of hail and wind damage.

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
$42,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
21

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 happened

The episode as NWS JAN wrote it up.

During the late afternoon and evening of May 12th, severe storms occurred over Central Mississippi. There were a number of reports of hail and wind damage. This was due to a complex of strong storms that moved southeast across the region during the late afternoon and evening. A northward moving warm front helped to bring in the instability for the complex of storms.

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 11, 8:27 PM CST, 4 hours 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 11, 8:27 PM CST, 4 hours 9 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 11, 5:00 PM CST, 7 hours 36 minutes before
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The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:38 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Noxubee

When
May 12, 12:36 AM CST to 1:10 AM CST
Where
Noxubee County, 3.91 mi N of Paulette to 3.03 mi S of Dinsmore
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.056, -88.421

Hail, Forrest

When
May 12, 4:23 PM CST
Where
Forrest County, 3.1 mi SSW of Carnes
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
30.936, -89.281

Hail, Lawrence

When
May 12, 5:15 PM CST to 5:22 PM CST
Where
Lawrence County, 3.65 mi NNE of Lamberts Store to 4.37 mi WNW of Monticello
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
31.550, -90.210

Dime to penny sized hail was observed west of Monticello.

Thunderstorm Wind, Leflore

When
May 12, 5:25 PM CST to 5:38 PM CST
Where
Leflore County, 0.39 mi SSW of Itta Bena to 3 mi SSW of Greenwood
Measured
57 kt (66 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$11,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
33.495, -90.333

Power lines were blown down, which caused power outages in the Rising Sun Community. Three trees were also blown down in Itta Bena.

Thunderstorm Wind, Holmes

When
May 12, 5:38 PM CST
Where
Holmes County, Cruger
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
33.320, -90.230

Power lines were blown down and caused power outages around Cruger.

Hail, Marion

When
May 12, 5:49 PM CST to 5:56 PM CST
Where
Marion County, 4.68 mi SSW of White Bluff to 3 mi W of Morgantown
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
31.311, -90.019

Thunderstorm Wind, Carroll

When
May 12, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Carroll County, Coila
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$7,000
Reported by
Utility Company
Coordinates
33.400, -89.970

Trees blown down on power lines, which caused some power outages in Coila.

Hail, Lincoln

When
May 12, 6:02 PM CST
Where
Lincoln County, 1.41 mi E of East Lincoln
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
31.476, -90.276

Hail, Lamar

When
May 12, 6:18 PM CST to 6:22 PM CST
Where
Lamar County, 2.41 mi WNW of Otob to 2.4 mi NNW of Otob
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
31.318, -89.635

Nickel sized hail was observed east of Improve.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson Davis

When
May 12, 6:20 PM CST
Where
Jefferson Davis County, 3.08 mi NE of Oak Vale
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
31.457, -89.928

A tree was blown down on a power line and caught on fire in Oakvale.

Hail, Lawrence

When
May 12, 6:32 PM CST
Where
Lawrence County, 2.19 mi SSE of Nola
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
31.591, -90.236

Hail, Jefferson Davis

When
May 12, 6:35 PM CST
Where
Jefferson Davis County, 1.38 mi N of Lucas
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
31.600, -89.970

Nickel sized hail was reported near Highway 84 at the border of Jefferson Davis and Lawrence counties.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson Davis

When
May 12, 6:43 PM CST
Where
Jefferson Davis County, 0.59 mi E of Prentiss
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$4,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
31.600, -89.870

Power lines were blown down in Prentiss.

Hail, Franklin

When
May 12, 6:43 PM CST to 6:45 PM CST
Where
Franklin County, 1.3 mi E of Quentin to 2.14 mi SW of Mc Call Creek
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
31.499, -90.748

Hail, Jefferson Davis

When
May 12, 6:47 PM CST to 6:50 PM CST
Where
Jefferson Davis County, 3.64 mi WSW of Bassfield to 1.79 mi WSW of Bassfield
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
31.477, -89.806

Hail, Simpson

When
May 12, 6:54 PM CST to 7:54 PM CST
Where
Simpson County, 1.18 mi WSW of Shivers to 1.42 mi N of Weathersby
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
31.793, -90.018

Nickel to quarter sized fell across most of central Simpson County. Hail was observed near Shivers, in Pinola, and just south of Mendenhall.

Thunderstorm Wind, Simpson

When
May 12, 6:54 PM CST to 6:56 PM CST
Where
Simpson County, 1.18 mi SW of Shivers to 0.59 mi E of Shivers
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$8,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
31.787, -90.012

A few trees were blown down around Shivers. Four roads were blocked.

Hail, Covington

When
May 12, 7:13 PM CST to 7:25 PM CST
Where
Covington County, 3.25 mi WSW of Williamsburg to 1.35 mi SSW of Ora
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
31.600, -89.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Covington

When
May 12, 7:25 PM CST
Where
Covington County, 0.91 mi SW of Collins Jaycee Arpt
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
31.640, -89.560

Several trees were blown down around Collins.

Thunderstorm Wind, Simpson

When
May 12, 7:32 PM CST
Where
Simpson County, 0.91 mi NE of Merit
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$4,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
31.930, -89.910

Trees were blown down between Pinola and Mendenhall.

Hail, Clay

When
May 12, 11:58 PM CST to May 13, 12:14 AM CST
Where
Clay County, 3.95 mi WNW of Montpelier to 3.51 mi NNE of Bigsprings
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
33.737, -89.016

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Mississippi in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, May 2009

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 176634, 174727, 174728, 174735, 174731, 176628, 174833, 176629, 174854, 174865, 176630, 174864, 174866, 176631, 176632, 174867, 174868, 174872, 174873, 174871, 176633.