An area of low pressure developed over southeast Louisiana and moved east along a warm front which stretched across southeast Mississippi. This eventually caused a strong cold front to sweep through the region with numerous showers and thunderstorms.
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.
An area of low pressure developed over southeast Louisiana and moved east along a warm front which stretched across southeast Mississippi. This eventually caused a strong cold front to sweep through the region with numerous showers and thunderstorms. This storm system combined with cold temperatures aloft and triggered severe storms that produced quite a bit of hail along with some scattered reports of wind damage. Multiple reports of golf ball sized hail occurred with the largest hail size being tennis ball size. The most intense storm occurred over central sections of Mississippi, roughly across northeast Copiah County and northwest Simpson County. Here, a very intense downburst occurred with winds up to 110 mph which downed dozens of trees. Large hail was wind driven and many trees were stripped of there leaves. Outside of the severe storms, several storms moved over the same locations which resulted in heavy rainfall which led to some flash flooding generally within the I-20 corridor.
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 Mar 29, 4:02 AM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
502 AM CDT TUE MAR 29 2011
...HEAVY RAINS RETURNING TO SOUTH MISSISSIPPI TONIGHT...
.DISCUSSION...SHORT TERM(TODAY THRU WEDNESDAY NIGHT) A WELL DEFINED
FOCUSING MECHANISM(STALLED FRONTAL ZONE NEAR THE COAST) WILL BE
TEAMING UP WITH A SHORTWAVE DIGGING INTO CENTRAL PLAINS AND MID MS
VALLEY TO PRODUCE CYCLOGENESIS ALONG THE I-10 CORRIDOR THIS AFTERNOON.
TSRA ALREADY BREAKING OUT NEAR THE COLD CORE IN CENTRAL OK. LOOK FOR
WIDESPREAD SHRA/TSRA(LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS) TO DEVELOP IN CENTRAL LA
LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND SPREAD RAPIDLY EWD ACROSS THE ARKLAMISS FOR
TONIGHT. PWATS OF 1.5-1.7 INCHES OVER THE WRN GULF SURGE NWD TO ABOUT
I-20 AND COMBINE WITH INCREASING UPPER DIVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH A
SUBTROPICAL JET STREAK TO SET IN MOTION A TRAINING PATTERN OF TSRA
ALONG THE BOUNDARY FROM 03-15Z TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY. A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH NOW POSTED FOR THAT TIME FRAME S OF MEADVILLE TO QUITMAN
LINE ALONG THE UPPER JET AXIS WHERE MCS STYLE STORMS MOST PROBABLE.
ONCE AGAIN EXPECT STUBBORN LOW LEVEL CLOUDS WILL BE EVEN TOUGHER TO
BREAK TODAY AS MULTI-LEVEL HIGHER ISENTROPIC CLOUD LAYERS ALREADY
STREAMING IN FROM SW TO NE THIS MORNING. HAVE TRENDED TEMPS LOWER FOR
TODAY MAXES AS EVEN COLDEST ENSEMBLE MEMBERS LIKELY NOT LOW ENOUGH
CONSIDERING WIDESPREAD 40S CURRENTLY IN PLACE. HIGHS WILL BE A TOUGH
CALL AS TIGHT GRADIENT EXISTS FROM U50S IN THE DELTA TO THE M70S IN
SERN MS.
TONIGHT WE EXPECT THE FRONT TO EXTEND FROM NERN LA ALONG HIGHWAY 84
AS INCOMING ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA ERUPTS THIS EVENING. A FEW SEVERE
HAIL-PRODUCING TSRA WILL BE AIDED BY INCREASING ASCENT ASSOCIATED
WITH THE SHORTWAVE CROSSING THE OZARKS AND MID MS VALLEY TUESDAY
NIGHT. A LITTLE BETTER 850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT OF 25-35KTS OF 332K
THETA E AIR BRINGS MLCAPES OF 14-1700J/KG AND SHOWALTERS OF MINUS 5
THIS EVENING WITH MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES CLOSE TO 7.5C. THE 0-3KM SREH
GENERALLY 300-400M*M/S*S WILL ADD TO THE SUPPORT OF INTENSE UPDRAFTS
EVEN THOUGH BOUNDARY LAYER FLOW WILL KEEP STORMS ELEVATED IN NATURE.
MID LEVEL FLOW INCREASES TO 30-40KTS AT 700MB SHOULD KEEP STORMS
MOVING RIGHT ALONG IN MODERATELY COUPLED DIFFERENTIAL DIVERGENCE ZONE
ALONG HIGHWAY 84 MUCH OF TONIGHT. STILL EXPECT HAIL AND DAMAGING
WIND OF 60 MPH TO BE THE MAIN RISKS. REFER TO SPC DAY1 CONVECTIVE
OUTLOOK AND WILL MAKE MENTION OF THOSE HAZARDS IN HWOJAN.
ON WEDNESDAY...THE SURFACE LOW(1009MB) PROGRESSES EWD INTO THE FL
PANHANDLE AS LOW LEVEL CAA INCREASES ACROSS OUR REGION ON STIFF NNW
WINDS OF 12-18KTS. SOME GUSTS COULD REACH 20KTS AT TIMES IN PRESSURE
GRADIENT OF 4-5MB. AM NOT EXPECTING ANY CLEARING TO TAKE PLACE ON
WEDNESDAY AS A SECONDARY UPPER TROUGH FROM THE SRN PLAINS WILL NOT
PASS UNTIL LATER WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN SCATTERED LIGHT RAINS OR HEAVY
DRIZZLE WILL BE POSSIBLE. /40/
LONG TERM(THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY)...MEDIUM TO LONG RANGE GUIDANCE
CONTINUES TO SHOW A MEAN TROUGH BECOMING ESTABLISHED OVER THE EASTERN
CONUS BY THURSDAY...WITH A STOUT EAST PAC RIDGE OUT WEST. A WEAK
DISTURBANCE/COOL FRONT CROSSING INTO THE TN VALLEY MAY BRING A FEW
LIGHT SHOWERS TO THE HWY 82 CORRIDOR THURSDAY NIGHT...OTHERWISE DRY
CONDITIONS AND A GRADUAL WARMING TREND ARE EXPECTED TO FINISH OUT THE
WEEK.
THE FORECAST FOR THIS WEEKEND REMAINS QUITE UNCERTAIN WITH A
MULTITUDE OF SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE FROM THE GFS/ECMWF/GEM. LEAST
CONFIDENCE WAS IN THE GEM WHICH SHOWS ANOTHER COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE
EARLY SATURDAY...WHILE THE GFS AND ECMWF KEEP DRY CONDITIONS IN THE
FORECAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. THE DIFFERENCES IN THE GFS AND ECMWF
REALLY ONLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON TEMPERATURES THIS WEEKEND SINCE BOTH
MODELS ADVERTISE PERSISTENT DRY CONDITIONS. THE ECMWF STALLS THE
AFOREMENTIONED COOL FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS THE ARKLAMISS SATURDAY
BEFORE WAVING IT BACK TO THE NORTH ON SUNDAY AS A WARM FRONT...WHILE
THE GFS PUSHES THE BOUNDARY FURTHER SOUTH INTO THE NORTHERN GULF.
THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT HUGE HOWEVER THE ECMWF SOLUTION WOULD TEND TO
WARMER TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE SOUTH FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...ALONG
WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW END POPS IN VICINITY OF THE BOUNDARY. FOR
NOW WILL OMIT MENTION OF ANY PRECIP CHANCES...BUT WILL KEEP
TEMPERATURES A BIT WARMER OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE BETTER PERFORMING
ECMWF IN THE LONGER RANGE.
DEPSITE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE LONG RANGE GUIDANCE SUITE FOR THE
WEEKEND...ALL THE MODELS INDICATE PROGRESSION TO A MEAN TROUGH
BECOMING ESTABLISHED TO OUR WEST BY MONDAY MORNING. SIGNIFICANT
MOISTURE RETURN IS PROGGED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM...WITH
THE ECMWF INDICATING LOWER 70S DEW POINTS BEING PULLED NORTH ACROSS
THE ARKLAMISS AHEAD OF EVENTUAL COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE MON OR TUE. THIS
WILL DEFINITELY BE OUR NEXT CHANCE AT SEVERE WEATHER/LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL AND WILL INTRODUCE THIS POTENTIAL IN THE HWO/GRAPHICS. /BK/
&&
.AVIATION...MOSTLY MVFR CEILINGS EXPANDING BACK ACROSS ALL TAF SITES
THIS MORNING AND SHOULD CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF TODAY AS COOL ENE FLOW
AT THE SURFACE WAS ONLY ABOUT 1-2K FEET DEEP. LOCALIZED IFR CONDITIONS
POSSIBLE WHERE ANY FOG OCCURS BEFORE 13Z. LOOK FOR PREDOMINATE IFR
CEILINGS TO DEVELOP FROM SW TO NE TONIGHT 00-06Z AS SHRA/TSRA INCREASE
RAPIDLY ALONG STALLED FRONTAL ZONE. DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW IN LA MOVES
EWD ALONG I-10 LATE TONIGHT TO CONTINUE WORSENING FLIGHT CONDITIONS
THROUGH MIDDAY WEDNESDAY WHEN CONDITIONS IMPROVE FROM W./40/
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
JACKSON 66 57 61 47 / 23 90 58 34
MERIDIAN 69 59 64 47 / 12 92 65 55
VICKSBURG 66 55 59 49 / 60 100 48 33
HATTIESBURG 75 61 66 55 / 17 97 74 59
NATCHEZ 72 56 64 48 / 64 99 52 40
GREENVILLE 58 51 56 46 / 64 100 23 26
GREENWOOD 61 52 56 45 / 35 100 42 23
&&
.JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING
FOR MSZ055>058-061>066-072>074.
LA...NONE.
AR...NONE.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 330 PM CDT MON MAR 28 2011 ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-MSZ018-019-025>042-047-292030- ASHLEY-CHICOT-MOREHOUSE-WEST CARROLL-EAST CARROLL-RICHLAND- MADISON LA-BOLIVAR-SUNFLOWER-LEFLORE-GRENADA-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY- WEBSTER-CLAY-LOWNDES-CHOCTAW-OKTIBBEHA-WASHINGTON-HUMPHREYS- HOLMES-ATTALA-WINSTON-NOXUBEE-ISSAQUENA-SHARKEY-YAZOO-WARREN- 330 PM CDT MON MAR 28 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS...PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST LOUISIANA AND NORTH CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY A FEW STRONG TO ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY EVENING INTO TUESDAY NIGHT ALONG A COLD FRONT THAT WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE REGION. THE MAIN HAZARD WILL BE FROM HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR THIS SYSTEM APPEARS TO BE FROM 5PM TUESDAY EVENING UNTIL MIDNIGHT TUESDAY NIGHT. .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 TUESDAY EVENING INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. LAZ023>026-MSZ043>046-048>066-072>074-292030- FRANKLIN LA-CATAHOULA-TENSAS-CONCORDIA-MADISON MS-LEAKE-NESHOBA- KEMPER-HINDS-RANKIN-SCOTT-NEWTON-LAUDERDALE-CLAIBORNE-COPIAH- SIMPSON-SMITH-JASPER-CLARKE-JEFFERSON-ADAMS-FRANKLIN MS-LINCOLN- LAWRENCE-JEFFERSON DAVIS-COVINGTON-JONES-MARION-LAMAR-FORREST- 330 PM CDT MON MAR 28 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI ALONG WITH PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST LOUISIANA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY PATCHY FOG WITH VISIBILITIES LESS THAN 1 MILE AT TIMES WILL BE POSSIBLE EARLY TUESDAY MORNING MAINLY ALONG THE HIGHWAY 84 AND 98 CORRIDORS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE QUARTER SIZE OR LARGER HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS GUSTS. RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE HIGHWAY 84 CORRIDOR. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR STORMS WILL BE FROM 7PM TUESDAY EVENING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD BE EXITING SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AFTER DAYBREAK WEDNESDAY MORNING. .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 TUESDAY EVENING INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN. THIS INCLUDES THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. 28
The Jackson/Brandon,MS radar (KDGX), 75 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:03 UTC.
22 hail, 10 thunderstorm wind, 6 flash flood, 2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A lightning strike caused a house fire. The fire did severe damage to the house causing a fatality.
Pea to quarter sized hail occurred at Caseyville.
Golf ball sized hail was observed southwest of Hazelhurst.
A swath of golf ball sized hail occurred east of Jayess.
Golf ball sized hail occurred at Crystal Springs and moved into southeast Hinds County.
Golf ball sized hail was reported along the Warren and Claiborne county line west of Rocky Springs.
Golf ball sized hail was reported along the Warren and Claiborne county line west of Rocky Springs.
Golf ball sized hail occurred around Terry.
A few trees were blown down with one on a mobile home that damaged the roof.
A swath of golf ball size hail moved into the county from Hinds County occurring from near Florence to Brandon. Hail covered the ground at some locations.
A swath of quarter to hen egg size hail fell across northeastern Copiah County near Hopewell.
Several trees were blown down along Sandy Yarn and Brushy Creek Roads. NWS employees estimated wind gusts of 60 mph along Highway 27. Several large limbs were downed.
Penny sized hail was also reported at Hopewell.
Half dollar sized hail was observed along Gatesville Road in Gatesville.
Quarter size hail fell two miles north of the county line and one mile east of Highway 49 west.
A swath of damaging thunderstorm winds occurred from Learned to Raymond where numerous trees were blown down. Most of the trees were blown down around Learned.
A swath of quarter to golf ball size hail fell from near Learned to just east of Raymond.
A swath of 1 to 1.5 inch hail fell from west of Harperville to the county line just south of Walnut Grove. The swath continued into Leake County.
A swath of quarter to walnut sized hail moved out of Scott County across Walnut Grove.
A swath of wind damage began along Woody Dr where several large trees were blown down. The damage continued into Rankin County.
A swath of wind damage moved out of Hinds County. A tree was downed onto Old Brandon Road at El Dorado Road.
Heavy rain caused a portion of Interstate 55 to flood near exit 90.
Quarter sized hail fell just southwest of the Jackson-Evers Airport.
Quarter size hail fell in Pineville.
A tree was blown down on the Edenburg Attendence Center.
A swath of quarter to tennis ball size hail fell across northeastern Copiah County, and then moved into northwestern Simpson County. Tennis ball size hail fell along County Line Road, and quarter size hail fell in the city of Crystal Springs.
Lightning struck a tree next to the Edinburg Attendance Center. Debris from the tree damaged the building breaking a few windows.
Numerous trees and power poles were blown down from around Crystal Springs up toward the Hinds County border. Some of the trees were blocking roads in the city of Crystal Springs. A few trees fell onto I-55 just north of the city. An NWS Storm Survey team estimated 90 mph winds snapped and uprooted numerous trees around Crystal Springs. Some of the fallen trees caused damage to houses. A metal building was damaged with the walls blown out just east northeast of Crystal Springs.
Quarter size hail fell in Greenwood.
Heavy rain caused flooding at the intersection of Mickie Drive and Hillcrest Drive, along Coon Hunters Road, and along Stratford Drive.
Quarter sized hail fell in Philadelphia.
Trees were blown down across the road near the intersection of Midway Road and Haley Road. Trees were blown down across the road at Old Highway 51 and Sawmill Road. A mobile home was pushed off its foundation and a barn was nearly destroyed. Numerous trees were downed in the area, along with a few power poles.
A swath of quarter to golf ball sized hail accumulated ranging from 4 inches to nearly a foot deep. This hail stripped the leaves from trees and caused damage to siding as it was wind driven by 100-110 mph winds.
A macroburst occurred in northwest Simpson County along Old Pearl Road, Crisco Road and Lewis Road. Numerous hardwood and softwood trees were uprooted and snapped. Several trees were blown down on homes and outbuildings. Several power poles were snapped in the area, and several homes had significant roof damage.
Quarter size hail fell along U.S. 51 near Geeslin Corner.
Eight houses and several roads flooded due to heavy rain in Morton. US Highway 80 was closed in two different places due to flooding and several roads had water covering the roadway in western Scott County. Several vehicles were flooded in Morton.
Quarter sized hail fell in Steens.
Water was reported across Coon Hunters Road. Water was reported across a portion of Stradford Drive.
Heavy rain flooded a portion of Bald Hill Road.
A few roads flooded around Crystal Springs due to the heavy rain. 4.14 inches of rainfall was reported as a storm total.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Yazoo | 2011-03-29 | 68 | Female | Permanent Home | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, March 2011
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: 281902, 281659, 281660, 281661, 281662, 281663, 294309, 281664, 281709, 281666, 281667, 282380, 281669, 282364, 281668, 281691, 281654, 281916, 281675, 281708, 281671, 281570, 282358, 282356, 281679, 282382, 281707, 281701, 282351, 281574, 281681, 281954, 281658, 281932, 281703, 281575, 281653, 281577, 281579, 281651.