A potent complex of thunderstorms raced across the northwest portion of the forecast area and brought a line severe storms to the Delta region. Several thunderstorms brought damaging winds to portions of southeast Arkansas, northeast Louisiana, and the Delta portion of Mississippi.
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.
A potent complex of thunderstorms raced across the northwest portion of the forecast area and brought a line severe storms to the Delta region. Several thunderstorms brought damaging winds to portions of southeast Arkansas, northeast Louisiana, and the Delta portion of Mississippi. A couple of tornadoes also occurred during this event with one causing a fatality in Wayside.
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 Oct 9, 9:00 AM CST, 1 hour 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1000 AM CDT FRI OCT 9 2009
.UPDATE...LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WORKING ITS WAY ACROSS
NORTHERN LOUISIANA/SOUTHERN ARKANSAS THIS MORNING. SPC HAS ALREADY
ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. IT
CONTINUES TO LOOK LIKE THE MAIN RISK WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...BUT WITH THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE A SMALL
WINDOW OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS WERE THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF SHEAR
MAINLY OVER THE DELTA AREAS FOR A COUPLE OF TORNADOES. THERE HAVE
BEEN A FEW REPORTS OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO OUR WEST AND EL DORADO
AR REPORTED A GUSTS TO 53 MPH WITH THIS LINE OF STORMS. AS THE LINE
MAKES ITS WAY FURTHER EAST EXPECT THE SEVERE RISK TO BE DIMINISHED
AS THE THERE WILL BE MUCH LESS SHEAR AND INSTABILITY EAST OF
I-55...BUT A STRONG TO SEVERE STORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT AS THOSE
AREAS WILL HEAT UP INTO THE UPPER 80S THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH DEW
POINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S. THE UPDATED FORECAST IS ALREADY OUT
AND NO OTHER CHANGES ARE NEEDED AT THIS TIME./15/
.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST
ORIENTED COLD FRONT IS SAGGING SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE ARKLATEX THIS
MORNING WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON THE BOUNDARY AND A WIDE
BAND OF RAIN AND ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FRONTS WAKE. THIS
FRONT AND THE ASSOCIATED PRECIP WILL CREEP SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE
ARKLAMISS TODAY...PROBABLY MAKING IT INTO BOLIVAR COUNTRY (IN THE
NW) FROM 9 TO 10 AM...BUT THEN MAYBE TAKING UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON TO
APPROACH THE NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR. BUT TIMING OF PRECIP IS TRICKY
BECAUSE ENOUGH INSTABILITY SHOULD DEVELOP BY LATE MORNING TO MID
AFTERNOON TO ALLOW CONVECTIVE BANDS TO START DEVELOPING A LITTLE OUT
AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ALL OF OUR
AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT AS
PLENTY OF SHEAR WILL BE IN PLAY IN CONCERT WITH 1000 TO 2000 J/KG OF
MLCAPE. CAPPING ABOVE THE BOUNDARY LAYER AND LACK OF FORCING SHOULD
KEEP THE RISK FOR POTENT STORMS MAINLY ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF THE
TRACE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THIS RISK WILL SHIFT ALONG AND
SOUTHEAST OF THE TRACE EARLY THIS EVENING. LOOKS LIKE DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS WILL BE THE PRIMARY WORRY...BUT LEVELS OF LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR
PRESENT A NON-ZERO TORNADO RISK (AND THIS RISK HAS A RELATIVE
MAXIMUM NORTH OF INTERSTATE TWENTY).
WILL ALSO BE WATCHING FOR HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL...ESPECIALLY
CONSIDERING SOUPY AIRMASS AND SATURATED GROUND. PROBABILITIES OF
FLOODING TODAY SEEM HIGHEST NORTHWEST OF NATCHEZ TRACE...BUT THERE
ARE STILL TOO MANY QUESTION MARKS WITH REGARD TO PREFRONTAL
CONVECTION TO ISSUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME. IF THERE ARE
NO PREFRONTAL STORMS THEN THE HEAVIEST FRONTAL ACTIVITY SHOULD
REMAIN PROGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO KEEP TOTALS THROUGH TONIGHT PEAKING AT
NO MORE THAN AN INCH OR TWO.
EXPECT A VERY WARM START TODAY TO ALLOW FOR HIGHS EASILY WELL UP
INTO THE 80S IN MANY SPOTS BY MIDDAY TO EARLY AFTERNOON. A FEW AREAS
MAY EVEN HIT 90...AND THIS NOTION PUTS RECORDS AT GWO AND TVR IN
SOME JEOPARDY.
THE FRONT SHOULD GET THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA BY LATE TONIGHT...BUT
IT PROBABLY WONT GET MUCH FURTHER SOUTH THAN THAT BEFORE STALLING.
DESPITE THE FRONT GETTING THROUGH THE AREA...FLOW ALOFT WILL REMAIN
SOUTHWESTERLY AND WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH WARM/MOIST AIR OVER COOLER
SURFACE AIR ON SATURDAY. THERE WILL ALSO BE THE RIGHT ENTRANCE
REGION OF A STRONG HIGH LEVEL JET STREAK TO OUR NORTH TO ENHANCE
LIFT. BOTH OF THESE FACTORS ARE RECIPES FOR RAIN AND MAYBE EVEN A
FEW THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THE RAIN TOMORROW INTO TOMORROW EVENING
MIGHT END UP BEING SOMEWHAT HEAVY AND BRINGING AT LEAST AN
ADDITIONAL INCH TO A SW TO NE ORIENTED ZONE SOMEWHERE ALONG AND JUST
SOUTHEAST OF THE NATCHEZ TRACE. WITH ALL THE CLOUDS AND RAIN EXPECT
TEMPERATURES TO REMAIN IN THE 60S IN MOST AREAS. /BB/
.LONG TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY...THE ECMWF/GFS/GEFS ARE
ALL IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON RETROGRADING THE INTENSE SUBTROPICAL HIGH
CENTER FROM THE WESTERN ATLANTIC WWD INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO THIS
PERIOD. AS THIS HAPPENS...THE FRONTAL ZONE WILL RETREAT NWD AND
MOISTURE/LIFT WILL INCREASE OVER THE ARKLAMISS. WAS INITIALLY
RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT THE HIGH GFS MOS POPS FOR MON-TUES AS THE GEFS
SHOWS A GOOD DEAL OF MEMBER SPREAD IN QPF DETAILS...BUT THE ECMWF
FULLY SUPPORTS IT AND REALLY HAVE NO COMPELLING REASON TO NOT EXCEPT
GFS MOS. WOULD IMAGINE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE A POSSIBILITY
GIVEN THE PRECIPITABLE WATER FORECAST TO BE > TWO INCHES. THE
FORECASTED SHEAR/INSTABILITY LOOKS INSUFFICIENT FOR MUCH IN THE WAY
OF SEVERE WEATHER RISK.
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...IT IS LOOKING LESS AND LESS LIKELY THAT
COOL HIGH PRESSURE WILL MAKE A SURGE SOUTHWARD INTO THE FORECAST
AREA NEXT WEEK GIVEN THE DOMINANCE OF THE SUBTROPICAL HIGH AND
UNUSUALLY HIGH HEIGHTS OVER THE AREA...EVEN THOUGH THE 00Z GFS DOES
SHOW A GLANCING BLOW OF COOLER AIR UNDER-CUTTING THE MID/UPPER LEVEL
HIGH. THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS THAT A STRONGER SHORTWAVE TROUGH
COULD APPROACH THE AREA LATE NEXT WEEK RESULTING ANOTHER MAJOR ROUND
OF RAINFALL AND THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF TIME TO WATCH FOR THAT. /EC/
&&
.AVIATION...BROKEN MVFR DECKS AND GUSTY SOUTH WINDS ARE BEING
OBSERVED THIS MORNING AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING SQUALL LINE THAT
SHOULD MOVE INTO VCTY OF GLH 16-17Z. A PEAK WIND OF 53KTS WAS
OBSERVED WITH THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS AS IT PASSED KPBF. THE LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS JUST AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL BRING A
WIND SHIFT OUT OF THE NORTHWEST WITH ITS PASSAGE. THE COLD FRONT
WILL ENTER SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS BY 11 AM...AND THEN SLOWLY PUSH
SOUTHEAST TO THE NATCHEZ TRACE CORRIDOR BY LATE AFTERNOON. SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD BREAK OUT IN ADVANCE OF THIS LINE
THIS AFTERNOON...BUT MOST OF THE BAD WEATHER RISK WITH COME ALONG
THE FRONT. ANTICIPATE IFR CEILINGS AND RAIN TO LAST FROM LATE THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT AFTER THE FRONT PASSES THROUGH. THE FRONT
SHOULD STALL NEAR THE COAST TOMORROW AND ADDITIONAL RAIN AND A FEW
EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM NORTH OF THE FRONT AND AFFECT MUCH
OF THE AREA. IFR/MVFR CONDITIONS MAY PREVAIL AT NEARLY ALL SITES ALL
DAY ON SATURDAY. /22/
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
JACKSON 88 61 67 58 / 62 89 76 42
MERIDIAN 89 65 69 59 / 43 85 79 55
VICKSBURG 83 58 65 57 / 89 83 57 31
HATTIESBURG 88 69 72 63 / 35 74 68 54
NATCHEZ 85 61 67 58 / 77 85 72 43
GREENVILLE 80 55 64 52 / 100 61 31 15
GREENWOOD 83 56 63 55 / 96 73 43 22
&&
.JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MS...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM CDT THIS
AFTERNOON FOR MSZ018-019-025>028-034>037-040>043-047>049-
053-059.
LA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM CDT THIS
AFTERNOON FOR LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026.
AR...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 4 PM CDT THIS
AFTERNOON FOR ARZ074-075.
&&
BB/EC
UPDATE:15/22HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 521 AM CDT FRI OCT 9 2009 ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>028-034>037- 040>043-047>049-053-059-101030- ASHLEY-CHICOT-MOREHOUSE-WEST CARROLL-EAST CARROLL-RICHLAND- MADISON LA-FRANKLIN LA-CATAHOULA-TENSAS-CONCORDIA-BOLIVAR- SUNFLOWER-LEFLORE-GRENADA-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-WASHINGTON-HUMPHREYS- HOLMES-ATTALA-ISSAQUENA-SHARKEY-YAZOO-MADISON MS-WARREN-HINDS- RANKIN-CLAIBORNE-JEFFERSON- 521 AM CDT FRI OCT 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS...NORTHEAST LOUISIANA...AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FEW STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG WITH SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES INTO THE REGION. LOCATIONS NORTHWEST OF A GRENADA TO BASTROP LINE MAY SEE THIS STRONG ACTIVITY BEFORE NOON. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 OR 60 MPH WILL BE THE PRIMARY RISK ALONG WITH LOCALIZED 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL. HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED AND BRIEF TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT WITH THIS ACTIVITY AS IT PUSH THROUGH AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE TWENTY. IN ADDITION...GUSTY SOUTH WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED IN ADVANCE OF THIS FRONT FROM MID MORNING THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 MPH WILL BE COMMON WITH PERIODIC GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 4 PM TODAY FOR LOCATIONS IN THE ARKLAMISS ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A GRENADA...TO JACKSON...TO LAKE LARTO LOUISIANA LINE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .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 NEEDED THROUGH THIS EVENING BUT IS OTHERWISE NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY. MSZ029>033-038-039-044>046-050>052-054>058-060>066-072>074-101030- WEBSTER-CLAY-LOWNDES-CHOCTAW-OKTIBBEHA-WINSTON-NOXUBEE-LEAKE- NESHOBA-KEMPER-SCOTT-NEWTON-LAUDERDALE-COPIAH-SIMPSON-SMITH- JASPER-CLARKE-ADAMS-FRANKLIN MS-LINCOLN-LAWRENCE-JEFFERSON DAVIS- COVINGTON-JONES-MARION-LAMAR-FORREST- 521 AM CDT FRI OCT 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FEW STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG WITH SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...WILL BE POSSIBLE EARLY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES INTO THE REGION. LOCATIONS ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF THE INTERSTATE 59 CORRIDOR MAY NOT EXPERIENCE ANY STORMS UNTIL A FEW HOURS AFTER SUNSET. GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 OR 60 MPH WILL BE THE PRIMARY RISK ALONG WITH LOCALIZED 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL. HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED AND BRIEF TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT WITH THIS ACTIVITY AS IT PUSH THROUGH AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE TWENTY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .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 NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY MORNING SATURDAY BUT IS OTHERWISE NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN. THIS INCLUDES THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. 50
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1059 AM CDT FRI OCT 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1055 AM TSTM WND DMG BASTROP 32.77N 91.91W
10/09/2009 MOREHOUSE LA EMERGENCY MNGR
EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED THAT SEVERAL TREES ARE DOWN
OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE COUNTY.
&&
BYRDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1101 AM CDT FRI OCT 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1055 AM TSTM WND DMG BASTROP 32.77N 91.91W
10/09/2009 MOREHOUSE LA EMERGENCY MNGR
EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTED THAT SEVERAL TREES ARE DOWN
OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE PARISH.
&&
BYRDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
1116 AM CDT FRI OCT 09 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1035 AM TSTM WND DMG WEST CROSSETT 33.14N 92.02W
10/09/2009 ASHLEY AR EMERGENCY MNGR
A COUPLE OF TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN.
1059 AM TSTM WND DMG 10 SE HAMBURG 33.12N 91.67W
10/09/2009 ASHLEY AR EMERGENCY MNGR
A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ON HIGHWAY 8 BETWEEN HAMBURG AND
PARKDALE.
&&
JFAIRLYThe Little Rock radar (KLZK), 174 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:39 UTC.
21 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, 1 lightning, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were blown down with one on a house along Lake Bolivar Road. An irrigation pivot system was blown over on Highway 448 about a half mile east of Stringtown.
A narrow path of primarily tree damage paralleled Highway 1 from just southwest of Benoit, through Benoit, to just northeast of town. A few homes in town suffered minor shingle damage or damage from limbs or trees falling on them. Additionally, a farm building and mobile home sustained some damage about 2 miles northeast of Benoit at the end of the tornado path. Maximum winds were around 75 mph.
The tornado started along Levee Road and moved north-northeast snapping and downing several trees. As it crossed Highway 1, several more trees were snapped, a couple outbuildings were destroyed, and a couple of mobile homes were damaged. One framed house sustained shingle damage in this area as well. The tornado continued to the north-northeast and moved into a mobile home complex along Key Road. Here the tornado narrowed and reached its maximum intensity with winds around 110 mph. One mobile home was completely destroyed and this is where a fatality occurred. Two other mobile homes were rolled and moderate damage was sustained to several other mobile homes in the complex. In total, 3 mobile homes were destroyed and 16 damaged. A number of trees and several power lines were also blown down along the rest of the path. The tornado dissipated as it crossed Highway 438 where several large limbs were broken off trees.
Trees were blown down, along with roof and structural damage to a house. A shed was also destroyed off Highway 446 in the Skene area.
A couple of large trees were blown down just west of Merigold.
Numerous tree and power lines were blown down around town.
A large shed was blown down along with damage to some awnings.
A home was struck causing ceiling and window damage.
A storm spotter reported a funnel cloud near the intersection of Highway 8 and County Road 522.
Numerous trees were reported down in and around Money. A roof was damaged at the Wildwood Plantation as well.
Trees were reported down outside of Greenwood.
Several trees were down south and southwest of town.
Numerous trees were down across Highway 35 South, just southeast of Carrollton.
Numerous trees and power lines were down southeast of Grenada. Shingles were torn off of several houses.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in and around Winona.
A couple trees were blown down south of Gore Springs, one of which fell on a house.
A roof was blown off of a house around Duck Hill.
Scattered trees were blown down across the eastern portions of Grenada County.
Several trees and power lines down around Mantee which resulted in widespread power outages.
A few trees were blown down just south of Montpelier.
A couple of trees were blown down.
Trees were reported down on power lines just west of Noxapater.
Numerous trees were down northwest of Philadelphia.
Several trees were blown down about 5 miles north of Purvis.
Numerous trees were down in the Hattiesburg area. There were also some power outages.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado, Washington | 2009-10-09 | 60 | Female | Mobile/Trailer Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Mississippi, 2009Warnings in Mississippi, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 196596, 197131, 197132, 196600, 196602, 196603, 196604, 196605, 196606, 196607, 196608, 196609, 196610, 196612, 196614, 196613, 196615, 197123, 197124, 197125, 197126, 197127, 197129, 197128, 197130.