Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Mississippi, February 10, 2013

A barn was destroyed along Highway 149.

Numerous trees were blown down in the area.

One tree was blown down on Carson Road.

Several power lines were blown down along Floweree Road.

A few power lines were blown down in Durant.

Trees and power lines were blown down around Flora, as well as much of southwestern Madison County.

A few older trees were blown down around town.

Trees were blown down across Highway 14 West south of McAdams, and a few power lines were blown down just east of Kosciusko.

Numerous streets were flooded in the Vicksburg area. The fire department had to make several water rescues of people in flooded vehicles.

Water was across Madison Avenue near the train tracks.

A power line was blown down in the area.

Power lines were blown down south of Raymond.

Flooding occurred at Autry Street and Skylane Drive, as well as on Pemberton Drive in Pearl.

Several streets were flooded all across south Jackson and out toward Clinton.

A tree was blown down along Highway 27.

This tornado started in a wooded area between River Road and GW Smith Road. As it moved east northeast, it snapped and uprooted a couple dozen hardwood and softwood trees along GW Smith Road. It also downed a couple power lines in this area. Several hay barns were damaged with tin thrown along the path. A well defined convergent pattern was noted with the tree damage. Also along this road, a mobile home had the front porch removed, and three other homes sustained minor roof damage. The tornado dissipated as it crossed highway 43. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 95 mph.

This tornado started just inside Marion County on New Hope Road where a few outbuildings were destroyed. On the east side of the road, a home had a good portion of the roof torn off. The tornado then crossed Hurricane Creek Road and approached Mt Carmel Church Road, which is where the most intense damage occurred. Three mobile homes were completely destroyed with just the undercarriage left (3 injuries occurred here). A bit further northeast, the tornado crossed Regan Road where three homes sustained significant roof damage. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted in this area as well. The tornado weakened as it crossed Hwy 35, but continued to produce low end tree damage across Hwy 13 South and Game Reserve Road. Additional damage to structures occurred near the Lamar County line along Columbia-Purvis Road, Powell Lane and Culdesac Drive. The tornado then entered Lamar County causing additional damage to structures with one home off Wiley Lott Road having the roof removed. A number of power poles were snapped in this area as well, along with significant tree damage. The tornado dissipated shortly after producing this damage. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 120 mph.

A couple of roads had to be closed due to flooding.

This tornado started just inside Marion County on New Hope Road where a few outbuildings were destroyed. On the east side of the road, a home had a good portion of the roof torn off. The tornado then crossed Hurricane Creek Road and approached Mt Carmel Church Road, which is where the most intense damage occurred. Three mobile homes were completely destroyed with just the undercarriage left (3 injuries occurred here). A bit further northeast, the tornado crossed Regan Road where three homes sustained significant roof damage. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted in this area as well. The tornado weakened as it crossed Hwy 35, but continued to produce low end tree damage across Hwy 13 South and Game Reserve Road. Additional damage to structures occurred near the Lamar County line along Columbia-Purvis Road, Powell Lane and Culdesac Drive. The tornado then entered Lamar County causing additional damage to structures with one home off Wiley Lott Road having the roof removed. A number of power poles were snapped in this area as well, along with significant tree damage. The tornado dissipated shortly after producing this damage. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 120 mph.

The tornado started along Highway 589, where some limbs and small trees were blown down. It became intense rather quickly, producing significant damage as it moved through the West Lake Serene area. The tornado reached its maximum intensity in the area around and just southwest of Oak Grove High School where maximum winds were estimated at 170 mph, which is EF-4 strength. There was a brick home in a subdivision southwest of the high school, just west of old Highway 11, that was completely leveled with all interior and exterior walls down, and a fair amount of large debris was blown downstream. Additionally, very high end timber damage occurred in this location with a number of trees showing debarking and denuding. Several other homes in this subdivision also sustained EF-2 to EF-3 damage. As the tornado crossed old Highway 11, it produced extensive damage on the campus of Oak Grove High School. The field house adjoining the football stadium was destroyed, the baseball stadium and a large metal building adjoining the stadium were essentially destroyed, and several large steel/concrete light standards were snapped at both the baseball and football stadiums. A vehicle was thrown from the parking lot adjoining the baseball stadium, up a small hill and was deposited near the pitching mound in the middle of the baseball field. The main building of the high school also suffered roof damage.

The tornado then moved northeast into the heavily populated areas of Oak Grove and West Hattiesburg, including areas along Lincoln Road Extension, Weathersby Road, Oak Grove Road, and the area just south of Highway 98 along Clark, Lamar and Foxgate Avenues. Numerous homes were destroyed or suffered major damage, and a few homes showed evidence of high end EF-3 damage. Dozens of power poles were snapped and extensive tree damage occurred. Video evidence and ground survey damage appeared to indicate that the tornado was multi-vortex in nature during its Lamar County portion. Just before crossing Interstate 59, it caused significant roof damage to a number of apartment buildings just west of the interstate. In total in Lamar County, emergency management indicated that 51 homes were destroyed and 170 suffered major damage.

The tornado then moved into Forrest County just to the south of Hardy Street damaging numerous homes with the damage in the EF-2 and EF-3 category. It then crossed Hardy Street impacting the southeast corner of the University of Southern Mississippi campus. Numerous buildings were damaged in this area including several campus buildings and a large church. Numerous power poles were blown down in this area and several metal traffic lights were bent or torn off their bases. Damage in this area was also EF-2 and EF-3.

The tornado continued across Highway 49 impacting multiple neighborhoods. Numerous roofs were blown off houses and many trees fell on houses and vehicles. The tornado crossed North Main Street causing significant damage to the Red Cross building, the Girl Scouts building, and bending large metal poles at the Hattiesburg High School athletic fields. The tornado then moved across east 7th Street causing significant damage to several large brick buildings. Damage in the area between north Main Street and east 7th Avenue was in the high end EF-3 range with maximum winds around 160 mph.

The tornado continued into Petal with the most significant damage occurring to an Ace Hardware store on South Main Street. Numerous homes in the vicinity of the hardware store also had roofs torn off and exterior walls collapsed. This damage was also rated high end EF-3 with maximum winds around 160 mph.

The tornado began to weaken as it crossed the Evelyn Gandy Parkway to the northeast of Petal. Damage in this area was mainly EF-1 and EF-2 and consisted of roof damage and snapped trees. The tornado strengthened one last time as it moved through a neighborhood just off Twin Lakes Road. Numerous well built homes experienced EF-2 damage to the roofs in this neighborhood. The tornado weakened as it approached the Perry County line and dissipated a couple of miles into Perry County. Damage at the end of the track was in the EF-0 to EF-1 range.

In Forrest County, emergency management indicated that 133 homes were destroyed and 207 suffered major damage. There were 63 reported injuries.

This is the second violent tornado to impact Lamar and Forrest Counties in recorded history. The other violent tornado was the infamous Purvis tornado on April 24, 1908 that was on the ground for 155 miles and impacted many counties across Mississippi. In total, 143 people were killed by this tornado, including 60 in Lamar County and 4 in Forrest County.

The tornado started along Highway 589, where some limbs and small trees were blown down. It became intense rather quickly, producing significant damage as it moved through the West Lake Serene area. The tornado reached its maximum intensity in the area around and just southwest of Oak Grove High School where maximum winds were estimated at 170 mph, which is EF-4 strength. There was a brick home in a subdivision southwest of the high school, just west of old Highway 11, that was completely leveled with all interior and exterior walls down, and a fair amount of large debris was blown downstream. Additionally, very high end timber damage occurred in this location with a number of trees showing debarking and denuding. Several other homes in this subdivision also sustained EF-2 to EF-3 damage. As the tornado crossed old Highway 11, it produced extensive damage on the campus of Oak Grove High School. The field house adjoining the football stadium was destroyed, the baseball stadium and a large metal building adjoining the stadium were essentially destroyed, and several large steel/concrete light standards were snapped at both the baseball and football stadiums. A vehicle was thrown from the parking lot adjoining the baseball stadium, up a small hill and was deposited near the pitching mound in the middle of the baseball field. The main building of the high school also suffered roof damage.

The tornado then moved northeast into the heavily populated areas of Oak Grove and West Hattiesburg, including areas along Lincoln Road Extension, Weathersby Road, Oak Grove Road, and the area just south of Highway 98 along Clark, Lamar and Foxgate Avenues. Numerous homes were destroyed or suffered major damage, and a few homes showed evidence of high end EF-3 damage. Dozens of power poles were snapped and extensive tree damage occurred. Video evidence and ground survey damage appeared to indicate that the tornado was multi-vortex in nature during its Lamar County portion. Just before crossing Interstate 59, it caused significant roof damage to a number of apartment buildings just west of the interstate. In total in Lamar County, emergency management indicated that 51 homes were destroyed and 170 suffered major damage.

The tornado then moved into Forrest County just to the south of Hardy Street damaging numerous homes with the damage in the EF-2 and EF-3 category. It then crossed Hardy Street impacting the southeast corner of the University of Southern Mississippi campus. Numerous buildings were damaged in this area including several campus buildings and a large church. Numerous power poles were blown down in this area and several metal traffic lights were bent or torn off their bases. Damage in this area was also EF-2 and EF-3.

The tornado continued across Highway 49 impacting multiple neighborhoods. Numerous roofs were blown off houses and many trees fell on houses and vehicles. The tornado crossed North Main Street causing significant damage to the Red Cross building, the Girl Scouts building, and bending large metal poles at the Hattiesburg High School athletic fields. The tornado then moved across east 7th Street causing significant damage to several large brick buildings. Damage in the area between north Main Street and east 7th Avenue was in the high end EF-3 range with maximum winds around 160 mph.

The tornado continued into Petal with the most significant damage occurring to an Ace Hardware store on South Main Street. Numerous homes in the vicinity of the hardware store also had roofs torn off and exterior walls collapsed. This damage was also rated high end EF-3 with maximum winds around 160 mph.

The tornado began to weaken as it crossed the Evelyn Gandy Parkway to the northeast of Petal. Damage in this area was mainly EF-1 and EF-2 and consisted of roof damage and snapped trees. The tornado strengthened one last time as it moved through a neighborhood just off Twin Lakes Road. Numerous well built homes experienced EF-2 damage to the roofs in this neighborhood. The tornado weakened as it approached the Perry County line and dissipated a couple of miles into Perry County. Damage at the end of the track was in the EF-0 to EF-1 range.

In Forrest County, emergency management indicated that 133 homes were destroyed and 207 suffered major damage. There were 63 reported injuries.

This is the second violent tornado to impact Lamar and Forrest Counties in recorded history. The other violent tornado was the infamous Purvis tornado on April 24, 1908 that was on the ground for 155 miles and impacted many counties across Mississippi. In total, 143 people were killed by this tornado, including 60 in Lamar County and 4 in Forrest County.

Baseball to softball size hail fell in and around Goss.

Water covered a portion of John Street, which had to be closed for a while.

There was flooding on Ovett Moselle Road in front of the post office.

Flooding occurred on Pittman Road near Phillips Road.