Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern portions of Mississippi on the afternoon of September 23. The strongest thunderstorms produced small hail and a few microbursts which caused damage to trees and buildings.
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.
Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern portions of Mississippi on the afternoon of September 23. The strongest thunderstorms produced small hail and a few microbursts which caused damage to trees and buildings.
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 Sep 23, 1:32 PM CST, 2 hours 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Jackson MS 232 PM CDT Sat Sep 23 2017 .DISCUSSION... Through Sunday Afternoon: The combination of slightly above average heat and humidity over the region and an upper low translating west over the Gulf States is starting to kick off isolated showers and storms over the forecast area in the past few hours. Expect a general increase in coverage through 5 pm before activity slowly diminishes through early to mid evening. A few storms could produce brief gusty winds but the potential for a truly severe storm is too low to include in the HWO or graphics. Tonight radiational cooling conditions will be decent by late evening after most of the clouds disperse and thus expect a general repeat of early this morning, with lows mainly in the upper 60s and a bit of patchy fog by daybreak. For Sunday, the upper level low currently moving toward the Lower MS Valley will be sitting right atop the region and continuing to ensure at least isolated showers and thunderstorms form during the afternoon hours. Previous model consensus suggested there could be numerous showers and storms late in the day, at least over southeastern zones. However, latest consensus is less impressed with moisture quality and depth over even southern portions of MS and thus with this package we will refrain from going overly- aggressive with pops. Temperatures will remain warm but will likely be a degree (maybe two) cooler in most areas than was the case this afternoon. /BB/ Sunday night through next week... By Sunday night a weak mid/upper low will become centered over the ArkLaMiss between an deep trough over the western CONUS and steep ridging over the eastern portions of the country. This weakening feature will begin to phase with the deep trough on Monday. However the flow associated with this low will pull enough moisture into the southern portions of the region on Monday to result in chances of showers/storms mainly in the afternoon south of the I-55 corridor. More isolated activity is possible throughout the rest of the region on Monday. Temperatures on Monday will remain well above average. Temperatures will even increase 1-2 degrees areawide on Tuesday and Wednesday as upper level heights increase over the region. There will only enough moisture on Tuesday and Wednesday to support isolated diurnal activity. The closed low over the west will begin to push towards the Upper Plains and into Central Canada by midweek dragging a front though the ArkLaMiss on Thursday. Models are pretty conservative with any precip along the front. Another closed low diving south towards the Great Lakes from Canada will help push a stronger, secondary, also dry, front through the region late in the week or early in the weekend. More Fall-like weather and temperatures will exist behind the front./JPM3/ && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF discussion: Expecting isolated showers and thunderstorms to form around the region and generally track to the west/southwest. A few storms could produce brief gusty winds and frequent lightning strikes with the best relative chances for eventual impact at HKS/JAN/NMM/MEI/PIB/HBG. Conditions should generally remain VFR, except on the off chance a site gets underneath one of the more potent isolated storms. Anticipate patchy MVFR vis issues tonight, especially around PIB/HBG where IFR conditions around daybreak Sunday cannot be ruled out. Winds will mainly be less than 10 mph from the east northeast although of course a little gustier around any pockets of storms. /BB/ && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Jackson 68 90 68 88 / 9 24 21 25 Meridian 67 89 68 87 / 11 25 22 23 Vicksburg 69 90 68 89 / 8 20 17 17 Hattiesburg 67 88 67 86 / 18 41 37 42 Natchez 69 89 67 87 / 8 28 24 31 Greenville 69 91 67 89 / 8 15 13 16 Greenwood 69 91 68 88 / 8 18 15 17 && .JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MS...None. LA...None. AR...None. && JPM3/BB
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Jackson MS 222 PM CDT Sat Sep 23 2017 ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>066-072>074- 241930- Ashley-Chicot-Morehouse-West Carroll-East Carroll-Richland- Madison LA-Franklin LA-Catahoula-Tensas-Concordia-Bolivar- Sunflower-Leflore-Grenada-Carroll-Montgomery-Webster-Clay-Lowndes- Choctaw-Oktibbeha-Washington-Humphreys-Holmes-Attala-Winston- Noxubee-Issaquena-Sharkey-Yazoo-Madison MS-Leake-Neshoba-Kemper- Warren-Hinds-Rankin-Scott-Newton-Lauderdale-Claiborne-Copiah- Simpson-Smith-Jasper-Clarke-Jefferson-Adams-Franklin MS-Lincoln- Lawrence-Jefferson Davis-Covington-Jones-Marion-Lamar-Forrest- 222 PM CDT Sat Sep 23 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of southeast Arkansas, northeast Louisiana, central Mississippi, north central Mississippi, and south central Mississippi. .DAY ONE...Tonight and Sunday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday night through Friday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... The activation of storm spotters, HAM radio operators, and emergency management personnel in support of severe weather operations is not expected through next Friday. 3 && ...HAZARD LEGEND... No short term hazards expected. ...USEFUL WEATHER WEB PAGES (URLS)... NWS JAN Home page... www.weather.gov/jan Stay Aware, Stay Safe NWS JAN Briefing Page... www.weather.gov/jan/safe Latest Weather Briefing... www.weather.gov/jan/weather_briefing Tropical page... www.weather.gov/jan/tropical National Hurricane Center Home Page... www.nhc.noaa.gov/ Find NWS JAN on Facebook... www.facebook.com/NWSJacksonMS Follow NWS JAN on Twitter... @NWSJacksonMS Follow NWS JAN on Youtube... www.youtube.com/user/NWSJacksonMiss
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:57 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A few one foot diameter pine trees were snapped along Gilbert Hill Road one half mile west of MS Highway 15. One of the fallen trees damaged a utility trailer.
A six inch diameter tree was snapped near CR 128.
Microburst winds caused very localized damage in Seminary which included a peeled back portion of the post office roof, a few trees blown down near the post office, minor shingle damage on a nearby home, and an uprooted two to three foot diameter pine tree near the high school. Trees and debris were blown to the southwest, consistent with straight line wind damage.
Several sections of an awning were damaged at Purvis High School.
Lightning started a fire in a stand of trees near MS Highway 588 and Abercrombie-Knight Road northeast of Seminary.
A power pole was blown down along Little Black Creek Road southwest of Purvis. Several trees were also blown down in the surrounding area between Purvis and Baxterville.
A few trees were blown down along Salem Church Road north of Collins.
A few trees were blown down along Dan Easterling Road west of Collins.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Mississippi in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Mississippi, September 2017
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: 716934, 717087, 717091, 717089, 717090, 717093, 717094, 717095.