A strong storm system moving through the Mississippi River Valley aided the development of several lines of thunderstorms during the morning and afternoon hours of the 15th. Numerous reports of severe weather were received with this system, including at least one tornado.
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 LIX wrote it up.
A strong storm system moving through the Mississippi River Valley aided the development of several lines of thunderstorms during the morning and afternoon hours of the 15th. Numerous reports of severe weather were received with this system, including at least one tornado.
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 New Orleans, LA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 15, 7:28 AM CST, 4 hours 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
728 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
...SOUNDING DISCUSSION...
THE MORNING SURFACE TEMPERATURE INVERSION UP TO 1500 FEET IS THE
ONLY SUBSTANTIAL STABLE LAYER ON THIS MORNING'S SOUNDING. WITH
GOOD BOUNDARY LAYER MIXING...THIS LAYER WILL EVENTUALLY BE REMOVED
AND SHOULD ALLOW FOR MORE SURFACE BASED STORMS. INSTABILITY AS
MEASURED BY MLCAPE IS AROUND 600 J/KG WITH MUCAPE AROUND 1050 J/KG
AND LAPSE RATES ARE MODEST AROUND 6.5 TO 7.0 C/KM ABOVE THE
INVERSION. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR IS ALREADY GOOD WITH BOTH
DIRECTIONAL AND SPEED SHEAR PRESENT WITH THE 1KM WINDS FROM THE
SOUTH AT 35 KNOTS AND 6KM WINDS FROM THE WEST AT 45 KNOTS. SRH
0-1KM IS OVER 300 M2/S2 AND 0-3KM IS AROUND 380 M2/S2. THE LAST
TWO STATEMENTS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF ORGANIZED STORMS AND ROTATING
UPDRAFTS. A HAIL THREAT ALSO EXISTS WITH THE FREEZING LEVEL AROUND
9250 FEET AND THE WET BULB ZERO HEIGHT AROUND 8200 FEET. THE
POTENTIAL FOR STRONG DOWNBURST WINDS IS NOT AS HIGH AT THIS TIME
WITH A DOWNDRAFT CAPE AROUND 700 J/KG. OVERALL MEAN STORM MOTION
IS FROM 235 /SOUTHWEST/ AT 36 KNOTS. A PEAK WIND SPEED OF 130
KNOTS AT 40000 FEET WAS OBSERVED AS WE ARE CURRENTLY ON THE
NORTHERN SIDE OF A JET STREAK OVER THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO.
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE THE PRE-STORM ENVIRONMENT WILL
OCCUR AS SPC HAS REQUESTED A SPECIAL RELEASE AROUND 18Z.
12Z BALLOON INFO: A SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT REACHING 20 MILES ABOVE THE
GROUND AFTER 103 MINUTES OF ASCENT. THE BALLOON TRAVELED 67 MILES
DOWNRANGE FROM THE OFFICE.
ANSORGE
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 345 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016/
SHORT TERM...
THE NEXT 18 HOURS WILL SEE THE MOST ACTIVE WEATHER EXPECTED FOR
THE REMAINDER OF THE ENTIRE WEEK. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROUGH IS
CURRENTLY DIGGING INTO THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND TEXAS. THIS TROUGH
WILL SLIDE THROUGH THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TODAY AND SHOULD
BE WELL EAST OF THE AREA BY LATE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. A
INCREASINGLY WARM AND BUOYANT AIRMASS HAS ADVECTED INTO THE AREA
TONIGHT...WITH TEMPERATURES ACTUALLY WARMING IN MANY SPOTS. THIS
WARM AND BUOYANT AIRMASS WILL INTERACT WITH THE RAPIDLY INCREASING
OMEGA AND RESULTANT LIFT OVERSPREADING THE REGION TO PRODUCE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR MUCH OF THE DAY.
AN INITIAL BAND OF CONVECTION THAT IS CURRENTLY FORMING OVER THE
NORTHWEST PARTS OF THE CWA IS ASSOCIATED WITH A HIGHLY DIFLUENT
FLOW REGIME ALOFT AND A FAVORABLE JET DYNAMICS ASSOCIATED WITH A
100+ KNOT JET STREAK CURRENTLY SLIDING ACROSS THE GULF SOUTH. THIS
BAND OF CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF
OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. SCATTERED TO
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED. A FEW OF THE
STORMS COULD BE STRONG...BUT CONDITIONS DO NOT QUITE LOOK PRIMED
FOR SEVERE CONVECTION THROUGH AT LEAST MID-MORNING AS CAPE WILL
BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED.
HEADING INTO THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS...ANOTHER BAND
OF CONVECTION SHOULD PUSH THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA. THIS BAND OF
CONVECTION SHOULD FORM ALONG AND JUST AHEAD OF A DRY LINE WHICH IS
CURRENTLY FORMING OVER CENTRAL TEXAS. THE DRY LINE SHOULD QUICKLY
RACE TO THE EAST AT AROUND THE SAME SPEED AS THE PARENT UPPER
LEVEL TROUGH AXIS...AND SHOULD BE MOVING INTO THE ATCHAFALAYA
BASIN SOMETIME AROUND NOON BASED ON THE LATEST HRRR GUIDANCE. IT
LOOKS LIKE THE STRONGEST FORCING AND GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR
CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT WILL GENERALLY BE ALONG AND NORTH OF THE
I-10 CORRIDOR...AND HAVE THE HIGHEST POPS IN THIS AREA. DYNAMIC
FORCING SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY WEAKER SOUTH OF I-10...AND ONLY HAVE
CHANCE TO LIKELY POPS FOR THESE AREAS. THE RAIN THREAT SHOULD
QUICKLY DIMINISH BY THIS EVENING AS THE DRY LINE PUSHES INTO
ALABAMA AND FLORIDA AND STRONG DRY AIR ADVECTION AND SUBSIDENCE
OVERTAKES THE AREA.
THE SEVERE THREAT SHOULD ALSO BE GREATEST NORTH OF THE I-10
CORRIDOR...WHERE SPEED SHEAR...DIRECTIONAL SHEAR...AND MLCAPE
VALUES ARE MAXIMIZED. LAPSE RATES WILL BE QUITE STEEP...AND A LOW
WET BULB ZERO HEIGHT OF ONLY 8200 FEET WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR SOME
HAIL FORMATION IN THE STRONGEST STORMS. HELICITY VALUES OF 250
M2/S2 OR HIGHER CAN BE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON...SO ANY SUSTAINED
CONVECTION SHOULD BEGIN TO ROTATE AND TAKE ON SUPERCELL
CHARACTERISTICS. THUS...A RISK OF A FEW TORNADOES FORMING WILL
ALSO BE PRESENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
THE ENTIRE AREA SHOULD MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND DRY WEATHER IN PLACE
BY TOMORROW MORNING...AS DEEP LAYER NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT AND A
STRONG SURFACE RIDGE OVERTAKE THE GULF SOUTH. THIS SAME GENERAL
PATTERN SHOULD PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY AS WELL. NOT MUCH IN THE WAY
OF COLD AIR ADVECTION IS EXPECTED WITH THIS RIDGE OF HIGH
PRESSURE...SO TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE
AVERAGE IN THE 60S AND LOWER 70S BOTH DAYS. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL
COOL INTO THE 40S AND LOWER 50S BOTH NIGHTS.
LONG TERM...
HEADING INTO THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK...DEEP LAYER RIDGING WILL
DEVELOP OVER THE AREA...AS A STRONG UPPER LEVEL HIGH MOVES IN FROM
THE SOUTHERN PLAINS AND BECOMES CENTERED OVER THE GULF SOUTH.
SINKING AIR THROUGHOUT THE ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN...ALONG WITH A
RETURN TO ONSHORE FLOW WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM EVEN
FURTHER. HIGHS WILL EASILY CLIMB INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S
THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...AND OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD ONLY DIP INTO
THE 50S FOR MOST LOCATIONS. CONDITIONS MAY BE FAVORABLE FOR
ADVECTION FOG TO DEVELOP AS DEWPOINTS RISE INTO THE UPPER 50S AND
LOWER 60S. THE BIGGEST CAVEAT WILL BE JUST HOW STRONG WINDS ARE
DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. IF WINDS FALL TO AROUND 5 TO 10
MPH...ADVECTION FOG COULD BE VERY LIKELY DURING THIS PERIOD. HAVE
NOT INCLUDED A MENTION OF FOG IN THE FORECAST YET...DUE TO THE
UNCERTAINTY IN PLACE.
AVIATION...
MOST LOCATIONS ARE VFR WITH CIGS AT OR ABOVE SCT-BKN040...EXCEPT
OVC010 AT KMCB. CONVECTION DEVELOPING STEADILY FROM KMCB TO KLFT
WITH ANOTHER SURGE OF SHOWERS MOVING INTO KBTR. CIGS SHOULD LOWER TO
MVFR LEVELS WITH CONVECTION THIS MORNING...THEN BECOMING
PREDOMINANTLY MVFR BASED DURING THE AFTERNOON PRIOR TO WIND SHIFT.
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPROVE TO VFR CAVOK SHORTLY AFTER WIND
SHIFT FROM WEST TO EAST. 24/RR
MARINE...
SOME GRADIENT RESPONSE THIS MORNING HAS WINDS IN THE 15-
20KT RANGE THIS MORNING. AS THE SURFACE LOW CURRENTLY DEVELOPING
OVER EAST TEXAS EJECTS NORTHEAST THIS MORNING...WINDS SHOULD LESSEN
TO AROUND 15 KNOTS SUSTAINED WHILE VEERING SOUTHWEST. LOW WILL THEN
SLINGSHOT A COLD FRONT INTO THE NORTH GULF THIS EVENING WHICH WILL
SWEEP EASTWARD RATHER QUICKLY OVERNIGHT. GRADIENT PRE-FRONTAL
APPEARS STRONGER THAN POST-FRONTAL WITH MODEST COLD AIR ADVECTION.
THIS SHOULD REDUCE THE WINDS TO JUST MODERATE LEVELS TONIGHT AND
TUESDAY. WINDS AND SEAS SETTLE WEDNESDAY BEFORE SURFACE HIGH RIDGES
WITH BETTER COLD AIR ADVECTION LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. 24/RR
DECISION SUPPORT...
DSS CODE....YELLOW.
DEPLOYED...NONE.
ACTIVATION...NONE.
ACTIVITIES...RIVER FLOODING CONTINUES ON THE PEARL RIVER AND
MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT RED RIVER LANDING.
MARGINAL/SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER MONDAY.
DECISION SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS) CODE LEGEND
GREEN = NO WEATHER IMPACTS THAT REQUIRE ACTION
BLUE = LONG FUSED WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORY IN EFFECT OR HIGH
VISIBILITY EVENT
YELLOW = HEIGHTENED IMPACTS WITH SHORT FUSED WATCH/WARNING/ADVISORY
ISSUANCES; RADAR SUPPORT
ORANGE = HIGH IMPACTS - SLIGHT TO MODERATE RISK SEVERE; NEARBY
TROPICAL EVENTS; HAZMAT OR OTHER LARGE EPISODES
RED = FULL ENGAGEMENT FOR MODERATE RISK SVR AND/OR DIRECT
TROPICAL THREATS; EVENTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MCB 69 40 71 43 / 90 20 0 0
BTR 72 45 73 45 / 80 20 0 0
ASD 71 44 71 45 / 80 30 10 0
MSY 71 47 68 50 / 70 20 0 0
GPT 68 44 67 45 / 70 40 10 0
PQL 69 40 69 43 / 60 50 10 10
&&
.LIX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
LA...NONE.
GM...NONE.
MS...NONE.
GM...NONE.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA 351 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016 GMZ530-532-534-536-538-550-552-555-557-570-572-575-577-LAZ034>037- 039-040-046>050-056>072-MSZ068>071-077-080>082-152200- LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN AND LAKE MAUREPAS-MISSISSIPPI SOUND- LAKE BORGNE-CHANDELEUR SOUND-BRETON SOUND- COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT FOURCHON TO LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM THE SOUTHWEST PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO PORT FOURCHON OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM BOOTHVILLE LA TO THE SOUTHWEST PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PASCAGOULA MS TO STAKE ISLAND LA OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PORT FOURCHON TO LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER FROM 20 TO 60 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM THE SOUTHWEST PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO PORT FOURCHON FROM 20 TO 60 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM STAKE ISLAND LA TO THE SOUTHWEST PASS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER FROM 20 TO 60 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM PASCAGOULA MS TO STAKE ISLAND LA FROM 20 TO 60 NM-POINTE COUPEE-WEST FELICIANA-EAST FELICIANA-ST. HELENA- WASHINGTON-ST. TAMMANY-IBERVILLE-WEST BATON ROUGE- EAST BATON ROUGE-ASCENSION-LIVINGSTON-ASSUMPTION-ST. JAMES- ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST-UPPER LAFOURCHE-ST. CHARLES-UPPER JEFFERSON- ORLEANS-UPPER PLAQUEMINES-UPPER ST. BERNARD-UPPER TERREBONNE- LOWER TERREBONNE-LOWER LAFOURCHE-LOWER JEFFERSON- LOWER PLAQUEMINES-LOWER ST. BERNARD-NORTHERN TANGIPAHOA- SOUTHERN TANGIPAHOA-WILKINSON-AMITE-PIKE-WALTHALL-PEARL RIVER- HANCOCK-HARRISON-JACKSON- 351 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA...SOUTH MISSISSIPPI AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS FROM THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS...POSSIBLY IN A SQUALL LINE AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. ISOLATED LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THE THREAT WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST WITH COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION IN THE COASTAL WATERS FOR SOUTHERLY WINDS 15 TO 20 KNOTS THIS MORNING...SETTLING A BIT LATER THIS MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE RISK OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND REMAIN ALERT TO THE WEATHER SITUATION THROUGHOUT THE DAY. 24/RR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
626 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
LAZ039-MSZ071-151300-
WASHINGTON-WALTHALL-
626 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON PARISH
IN SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEASTERN WALTHALL COUNTY...
AT 624 AM CST...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF
FRANKLINTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND DIME SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
SOME BROAD ROTATION IS INDICATED WITH THIS PARTICULAR STORM. IF THE
ROTATION TIGHTENS IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES...A TORNADO WARNING MAY
BE NEEDED.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DEXTER AND ANGIE.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 3113 8994 3111 8994 3111 8993 3109 8993
3109 8992 3107 8992 3107 8984 3100 8983
3100 8973 3098 8973 3087 9009 3095 9016
3113 9000
TIME...MOT...LOC 1224Z 235DEG 22KT 3095 9007
24/RRSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
1124 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
MSZ077-080-151815-
PEARL RIVER MS-HANCOCK MS-
1124 AM CST MON FEB 15 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN PEARL RIVER AND NORTHERN
HANCOCK COUNTIES UNTIL 1215 PM CST...
AT 1123 AM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORM FROM PICAYUNE TO POPLARVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30
MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PICAYUNE...POPLARVILLE AND MCNEIL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CST FOR SOUTHEASTERN
LOUISIANA AND SOUTHEASTERN MISSISSIPPI.
LAT...LON 3087 8934 3063 8934 3041 8957 3051 8976
3098 8948 3098 8944
TIME...MOT...LOC 1723Z 219DEG 26KT 3051 8967
ANSORGEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Two trees were blown down off of Whitaker Road less than one mile from the Mississippi-Louisiana state line.
Quarter size hail reported in Centreville. Event time was estimated by radar.
The tornado initially touched down just west of Mississippi Highway 27 southwest of Tylertown, moved moved northeast across the highway uprooting a few trees and snapping large tree limbs. The tornado moved east-northeast across East Lexie Road with the greatest damage near Ginntown Road. Heavy tree damage was noted in this area with dozens of trees uprooted or snapped. One home had a total loss of the roof and one exterior wall collapsed inward. Two individuals sustained superficial injuries and were treated on scene. A few other mobile homes had minor damage to undercarriage and roofing. A metal building had more than 80 percent of its roof removed. Minor damage also occurred to the roof of a church. The tornado crossed the intersection of Mississippi Highway 48 and Purvis Road before lifting. The tornado was rated EF1 with an estimated peak wind of 105 mph. Path length was 5 miles and maximum width 250 yards. Event time was estimated based on radar.
Roof damage and damage to a shed was reported near the intersection of Fenn Road and Miller Road. Event time estimated based on radar.
Quarter size hail was reported in Diamondhead. Event time was estimated from radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Mississippi, 2016Warnings in Mississippi, February 2016
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: 612170, 612167, 612169, 612171, 612168.