Mississippi, 2013

Tornado and Hail in Mississippi, April 27, 2013

April 27, 2013 · NWS MEG · 7 events in 5 counties and zones

A warm front surged northward through North Mississippi into Southwest Tennessee during the evening hours of April 27th, 2013. As a result, several severe thunderstorms developed behind the front in the very unstable atmosphere.

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
$131,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 MEG wrote it up.

A warm front surged northward through North Mississippi into Southwest Tennessee during the evening hours of April 27th, 2013. As a result, several severe thunderstorms developed behind the front in the very unstable atmosphere. The storms produced damaging winds and large hail. One brief tornado also occurred as two storms merged together.

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 Memphis, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 27, 2:32 PM CST, 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 27, 2:32 PM CST, 59 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
332 PM CDT SAT APR 27 2013

.DISCUSSION...19Z SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACES A SURFACE LOW JUST
SOUTHWEST OF HOT SPRINGS ARKANSAS WITH A WARM FRONT EXTENDING
FROM THE LOW THROUGH LITTLE ROCK...MEMPHIS...AND CORINTH
MISSISSIPPI. AS OF 2 PM CDT...TEMPERATURES HAVE RISEN INTO THE
UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S ALONG AND JUST SOUTH OF THE WARM
FRONT...WITH MIDDLE 70S OCCURRING ACROSS AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF
A LINE FROM CLARKSDALE TO TUPELO MISSISSIPPI. NORTH OF THE WARM
FRONT...TEMPERATURES HAVE STRUGGLED TO RISE MUCH WITH
TEMPERATURES REMAINING FROM AROUND 60 NEAR THE MO/KY/AR BORDER AND
LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S DOWN TO WYNNE ARKANSAS...AND JACKSON/SAVANNAH
TENNESSEE. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL REMAINS THE
PREDOMINANT FORECAST CHALLENGE IN THIS AFTERNOON/S FORECAST.

.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)...REGIONAL WSR-88D RADAR
TRENDS OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS HAVE SHOWN SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE MID SOUTH THIS
AFTERNOON. DESPITE MARGINALLY SUFFICIENT SHEAR/UPPER LEVEL
DIVERGENCE ALOFT...OVERALL SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY HAS BEEN
LESS THAN IDEAL WITH THE BEST SURFACE BASED CAPE /1500-2000 J/KG/
RESIDING DOWN ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM WATER VALLEY TO
ABERDEEN MISSISSIPPI. A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE INTO THIS EVENING WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND PERHAPS SOME
LARGE HAIL AS THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREATS. HOWEVER...NOT
ANTICIPATING A MUCH GREATER SEVERE WEATHER THREAT GIVEN CURRENT
SHORT TERM TRENDS. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES AVERAGING UP TO 1.6
INCHES SUGGEST A POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING FROM HEAVY
RAINFALL.

OTHERWISE...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SURFACE
LOW WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE THROUGHOUT THE DAY SUNDAY AS THE LOW
MOVES NORTHEAST INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD
BACK INTO THE MID SOUTH FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY AND BRING A RETURN
OF RAIN FREE WEATHER.

.LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...12Z GFS/ECMWF LONG
TERM MODELS ARE IN BETTER AGREEMENT THAN THE PAST FEW RUNS AS AN
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT MOVE THROUGH THE
LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS WILL
RESULT IN A GRADUAL INCREASE IN SHOWER/THUNDERSTORM CHANCES INTO
THURSDAY. LONG TERM MODELS STILL SUGGEST A CUT OFF UPPER LEVEL LOW
WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN PLAINS AND MOVE INTO
PORTIONS OF THE MIDDLE/LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY/S TOWARDS NEXT
WEEKEND. KEPT LOWER CONFIDENCE POPS GOING THROUGH THIS TIMEFRAME
UNTIL THE DETAILS BECOME BETTER RESOLVED IN SUBSEQUENT MODEL RUNS.

CJC

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAFS

LOWER ATMOSPHERE HAD STABILIZED THIS MORNING...IN THE WAKE OF
LARGE SHRA/TSRA COMPLEX THAT MOVED THROUGH THE MIDSOUTH EARLY THIS
MORNING. A WARM FRONT LIFTED SURGED NORTH THROUGH NORTH MS...AND
LIFTED THROUGH MEM AROUND 1730Z. THIS FRONT REPRESENTED THE
LEADING EDGE OF MORE HUMID GULF AIR...WHICH WILL LIKELY DESTABILIZE
THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE APPROACH OF AN UPPER LOW LIFTING INTO MO.
EXPECT BEST THUNDER POTENTIAL TO SHIFT EAST OF MEM BY 01Z.

POST COLD FRONTAL IFR CIGS WILL LIKELY DROP IN DURING THE OVERNIGHT...
WITH SOME LIFR POTENTIAL AT JBR.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MEM  58  72  55  81 /  70  30   0  10
MKL  57  71  52  79 /  80  30   0  10
JBR  55  71  52  80 /  60  20   0  10
TUP  62  73  52  80 /  80  50  10  10

&&

.MEG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AR...NONE.
MO...NONE.
MS...NONE.
TN...NONE.
&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 27, 2:53 PM CST, 38 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
353 PM CDT SAT APR 27 2013

ARZ008-009-017-018-026>028-035-036-048-049-058-MOZ113-115-
MSZ001>017-020>024-TNZ001>004-019>021-048>055-088>092-281030-
ALCORN-BENTON MS-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CHESTER-CHICKASAW-CLAY-COAHOMA-
CRAIGHEAD-CRITTENDEN-CROCKETT-CROSS-DESOTO-DECATUR-DUNKLIN-DYER-
FAYETTE-GIBSON-GREENE-HARDEMAN-HARDIN-HAYWOOD-HENDERSON-HENRY-
ITAWAMBA-LAFAYETTE-LAKE-LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LEE AR-LEE MS-MADISON-
MARSHALL-MCNAIRY-MISSISSIPPI-MONROE-OBION-PANOLA-PEMISCOT-
PHILLIPS-POINSETT-PONTOTOC-PRENTISS-QUITMAN-RANDOLPH-SHELBY-
ST. FRANCIS-TALLAHATCHIE-TATE-TIPPAH-TIPTON-TISHOMINGO-TUNICA-
UNION-WEAKLEY-YALOBUSHA-
353 PM CDT SAT APR 27 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST ARKANSAS...
THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL...NORTH MISSISSIPPI...AND WEST TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE INTO THIS
EVENING...PREDOMINANTLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE I-40 CORRIDOR.
DAMAGING WINDS AND PERHAPS LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PREDOMINANT
THREATS FOR ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT REACH SEVERE LIMITS.

IN ADDITION...LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING FROM HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO
POSSIBLE. AREA RIVERS AND OTHER WATERWAYS WILL LIKELY EXPERIENCE
RISES AS AS WELL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED INTO THIS EVENING IN SUPPORT OF
SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS.

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:29 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Tishomingo

When
April 27, 3:31 PM CST to 3:36 PM CST
Where
Tishomingo County, Belmont
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.500, -88.220

Hail, Monroe

When
April 27, 4:15 PM CST to 4:20 PM CST
Where
Monroe County, Splunge
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
33.970, -88.280

Hail, Coahoma

When
April 27, 7:45 PM CST to 7:50 PM CST
Where
Coahoma County, 3 mi SW of Jonestown
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
34.289, -90.487

Half dollar size hail fell near Jonestown.

Tornado, Panola

When
April 27, 8:55 PM CST to 8:57 PM CST
Where
Panola County, 3.36 mi SE of Pope to 3.55 mi SE of Pope
Rating
EF2
Path length
0.79 mi
Path width
75 yd
Property damage
$120,000
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
34.184, -89.911

A tornado briefly touched down southeast of Pope. Two houses sustained roof damage. A maintenance shop was destroyed and two other outbuildings sustained roof damage. An RV and a flat bed truck was overturned. Several trees were damaged along the damage path as well.

Thunderstorm Wind, Panola

When
April 27, 8:55 PM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where
Panola County, 3.85 mi SE of Pope
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.178, -89.906

Straight line winds knocked a tree on to a house near Pope causing minor damage.

Lightning, Panola

When
April 27, 9:15 PM CST to 9:16 PM CST
Where
Panola County, 4.05 mi NE of Shuford
Property damage
$6,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
34.260, -89.769

Three horses were struck by lightning and killed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pontotoc

When
April 27, 10:30 PM CST to 10:35 PM CST
Where
Pontotoc County, 0.59 mi W of Pontotoc to Pontotoc
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
34.250, -89.010

Straight line winds uprooted a large tree on to a nearby house causing shingle damage.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
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.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Mississippi in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Mississippi, 2013Warnings in Mississippi, April 2013

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 447832, 447834, 447840, 448010, 448014, 448017, 447849.