Tornadoes · United States · Mississippi · 2011
EF1 tornado, Pineville to Roberts, Mississippi, April 15, 2011
From Pineville to Roberts, this EF1 tornado ran 6.9 miles across Smith, Scott and Newton counties on April 15, 2011, touching down at 2:23 PM CDT and reaching 150 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $15,000 of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- EF1
- Date
- April 15, 2011
- Touchdown
- 2:23 PM CDT (19:23 UTC)
- Lifted
- 2:34 PM CDT (19:34 UTC)
- On the ground
- 11 minutes
- Path length
- 6.9 miles (11.1 km)
- Path width
- 150 yards (137 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Crop damage
- $69,000
- Counties
- Smith, Scott and Newton counties
- Touchdown point
- 32.220, -89.360
- Lift-off point
- 32.250, -89.248
- Record number
- 1104151323-01
What the Weather Service recorded
A significant severe weather event and tornado outbreak affected portions of central Mississippi, southeastern Arkansas, and northeastern Louisiana on April 15th. This event evolved slowly and brought multiple rounds of severe storms to the region between 3 am and 9 pm. A total of 15 tornadoes occurred during this event with 3 being of the strong variety (EF2 or EF3). In addition, numerous reports of damaging straight-line winds occurred as well as instances of large hail. Some of the strongest storms produced hail from golf ball to baseball size. There were two reports of softball sized hail as well, one in Clarke County and the other in Kemper County. In addition to the severe storms, significant flash flooding occurred over northern portions of central Mississippi.
This tornado touched down along Sun Road just south of the Scott/Smith county line, where it downed some limbs and snapped a tree. The tornado then tracked into extreme southeastern Scott County, where it uprooted and snapped numerous trees across Cox Camp Road. This was the most intense damage. The tornado continued into southwestern Newton County, downing some trees along Logan and Gordy Roads, before dissipating as it reached State Highway 505. Maximum winds were around 100 mph. Total path length across all three counties was 6.8 miles.
This tornado touched down along Sun Road just south of the Scott/Smith county line, where it downed some limbs and snapped a tree. The tornado then tracked into extreme southeastern Scott County, where it uprooted and snapped numerous trees across Cox Camp Road. This was the most intense damage. The tornado continued into southwestern Newton County, downing some trees along Logan and Gordy Roads, before dissipating as it reached State Highway 505. Maximum winds were around 100 mph. Total path length across all three counties was 6.8 miles.
This tornado touched down along Sun Road just south of the Scott/Smith county line, where it downed some limbs and snapped a tree. The tornado then tracked into extreme southeastern Scott County, where it uprooted and snapped numerous trees across Cox Camp Road. This was the most intense damage. The tornado continued into southwestern Newton County, downing some trees along Logan and Gordy Roads, before dissipating as it reached State Highway 505. Maximum winds were around 100 mph. Total path length across all three counties was 6.8 miles.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at Apr 15, 10:15 AM CDT, 4 hours 8 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 10:15 AM CDT, 4 hours 8 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 1015 AM CDT FRI APR 15 2011 ...SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IN PROGRESS TODAY... .UPDATE...TORNADO WATCH 139 WAS ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 10 AM. ALTHOUGH COVERAGE OF SEVERE STORMS HAS DIMINISHED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER MUCH OF THE DELTA AREA...A SMALL POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS WILL CONTINUE FOR THAT AREA THROUGH NOON. HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS INDICATE THAT AN IMPULSE THAT WILL PIVOT INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON WILL MAINTAIN OR ENHANCE SHEAR ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA...PARTICULARLY FOR AREAS ALONG AND S OF A LINE FROM VICKSBURG TO BROOKSVILLE. LINEAR MODE DISPLAYED BY STORMS EARLIER THIS MORNING HAS CHANGED TO A MORE CELLULAR/SUPERCELL MODE...WHICH WILL INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES FOR THE REGION. ALTHOUGH STRONG TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE FOR ALL BUT THE EXTREME NW PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA...THE BEST RISK FOR STRONG TORNADOES IS EXPECTED ACROSS ECNTRL AND SERN ZONES THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING. THIS AREA WILL SEE THE MOST ENHANCED EFFECTS OF WIND SHEAR THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL AS INCREASING INSTABILITY FROM CONTINUING MOISTURE INFLUX AND DAYTIME HEATING. CURRENT RADAR IMAGES SHOW DEVELOPING CONVECTION UPSTREAM IN THE VICINITY OF THE DRY LINE. THIS ACTIVITY WILL INCREASE WITH TIME TO MAINTAIN SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL WELL INTO THE AFTERNOON FOR MANY AREAS. SEVERE STORMS WILL NOT EXIT ECNTRL/SERN ZONES UNTIL 8 OR 9 PM. && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM (FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...FOCUS WILL CENTER ON INCREASING CONCERN FOR A DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK TO UNFOLD TODAY. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR CYCLIC AND STRONG TORNADOES...HAIL TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS...AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS UP TO 80 MPH. A TORNADO WATCH IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10AM ACROSS WESTERN AND NORTHERN AREAS OF THE CWA. CERTAINLY ANTICIPATE AN ADDITIONAL WATCH FOR MUCH OF THE AREA LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. AS OF 330AM...A SEVERE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED ACROSS EASTERN ARKANSAS AND STRETCHING SW INTO NW LOUISIANA AND TRAILING BACK INTO SE TEXAS. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LINE AS IT PROGRESSES TOWARDS THE ARKLAMISS DELTA REGION BY 5 AM. LATEST SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTS NEARLY 1000 J/KG SBCAPE AHEAD OF LINE WITH 50 TO 60 KT EFFECTIVE SHEAR SUPPORTING LARGE BOWING SEGMENTS AND TORNADOES ALONG THE LINE. A WEDGE OF MID TO UPPER 60 DEWPOINTS CURRENTLY LOCATED ACROSS CENTRAL AND WESTERN MISSISSIPPI AND ALL OF LOUISIANA WILL CONTINUE TO SURGE NORTHWARD ON AN ACCELERATING LLJ OF 50 TO 60 KT. WITH SFC WINDS BACKED TO SSE...SOUTHERLY 50KT H85 WINDS...AND CYCLONICALLY CURVED 70 KT H5 WINDS FROM THE SW... EFFECTIVE SHEAR VALUES OF 50 TO 60 WILL BE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT VIGOROUS CONVECTION AND STRONG ROTATING UPDRAFTS THIS MORNING AND ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF THE ARKLAMISS. AS FAR AS EVENT EVOLUTION IS CONCERNED...A DANGEROUS SEVERE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT THAT ARKLAMISS DELTA REGION OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. THIS LINE WILL CONTINUE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE HIGHWAY 82 CORRIDOR THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AS IT TRANSLATES EASTWARD. THE LINE COULD BECOME MORE BROKEN IN NATURE AND SLOW WHILE TRAILING BACK TO THE SW INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL LOUISIANA AS SUPPORTIVE VORTICITY LOBE MOVES NE AWAY FROM CONVECTIVE COMPLEX. DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES...AND HAIL WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS CONVECTION ACROSS THE ARKLAMISS DELTA AND ALONG HIGHWAY 82 CORRIDOR. BY THE MID MORNING HOURS...SBCAPE WILL SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE TO 1500-2000 J/KG AND 0-1 KM SRH OF 200-300 M2/S2 WILL SETUP ALONG AND SOUTH OF LOCATIONS NOT AFFECTED BY EARLIER CONVECTION. LOCATIONS ALONG AND SOUTH OF NATCHEZ TRACE...AND SOUTH OF A POSSIBLE COLD POOL BOUNDARY WITH HAVE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF DISCRETE AND POTENTIALLY LONG-LIVED SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINMENT IN AN UNSTABLE AND HIGHLY UPPER-LVL DIVERGENT ENVIRONMENT AS ANOTHER VORT LOBE AND UPPER JET STREAK ROTATE THROUGH THE BASE OF THE H5 TROUGH. PER LOCAL HI-RES WRF AND HRRR OUTPUT AND OVERALL ENVIRONMENT...SEVERAL ROUNDS OF SUPERCELLS AND BOWING SEGMENTS APPEAR POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION. SEVERE WEATHER RISKS WITH THESE SUPERCELLS INCLUDE TORNADOES...SOME POSSIBLY STRONG AND CYCLIC...LARGE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS...AND DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 80 MPH. SEVERE WEATHER RISK WILL END WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE DRYLINE FROM WEST TO EAST. PLEASE SEE GRAPHICASTS FOR ESTIMATED SEVERE WEATHER TIMING AND ENDING. THE ENTIRE REGION WILL BE CLEAR OF SEVERE WEATHER RISK BY 10 PM THIS EVENING. PLEASE STAY ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WINDS WILL BE GUSTY ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE DRYLINE AS CLEARING WILL TAKE PLACE. WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH FROM THE WEST WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY FOR THE ARKLAMISS DELTA REGION AND AREA LAKES. MUCH QUIETER AND PLEASANT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. MORNING LOWS FOR THE WEEKEND WILL BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S WITH HIGHS TOPPING OUT NEAR 70 ON SATURDAY WITH SOME STRATOCUMULUS CLOUDS PIVOTING ACROSS HIGHWAY 82 CORRIDOR AND INTO THE UPPER 70S ON SUNDAY UNDER SUNNY SKIES ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION. CONCERNING OTHER FORECAST MATTERS...TEMPERATURES AND DEWPOINTS WERE MASSAGED UPWARDS IN THE SHORT TERM GIVEN CURRENT OBSERVATIONS AND TRENDS. MAX HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS INCREASED SLIGHTLY AS MUCH OF THE REGION IS HOVERING AROUND THE 70 DEGREE MARK WITH ANTICIPATION OF PARTIAL EROSION OF STRATUS DECK AND DESPITE OVERSPREADING OF ANVIL CIRRUS. INCREASED HIGH TEMPS A COUPLE OF DEGREES ON SUNDAY GIVEN SOLID WARM AIR ADVECTION AND CLEAR SKIES. POPS WERE INCREASED FOR THIS MORNING ACROSS THE ARKLAMISS DELTA AND UPPED FOR MUCH OF THE REGION...EXCLUDING THE EXTREME SOUTHWEST...FOR THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING PERIOD. POPS WERE REDUCED ALONG AND WEST OF I-55 AFTER 0Z TONIGHT BEHIND TO DRYLINE/FRONT./ALLEN/ && LONGER TERM (SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...A FLATTER ZONAL FLOW PATTERN ACROSS THE CONUS SHOULD KEEP STORM SYSTEM MOVING RIGHT ALONG FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. SURFACE HIGH(1020MB) OVER AL EARLY SUNDAY WILL MOVE OFF SRN GA COAST BY MONDAY ALLOWING ANOTHER QUICK RETURN FLOW PATTERN TO SET UP STARTING SUNDAY NIGHT FOR THE LOWER MS VALLEY. NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES ON SUNDAY WILL REVERT TO ABOVE NORMAL FOR MOST OF THE WEEK PER ENSEMBLE AND MEX GUIDANCE. SEVERAL MID LEVEL SHORTWAVES WILL BE RACING THROUGH THE FLOW IN THE CENTRAL AND ERN CONUS. IN RESPONSE...DEEP MOISTURE WILL INCREASE OVER OUR CWFA PROBABLY IN ABOUT 2 TO 3 DAY INTERVALS...THE FIRST BEING ON TUESDAY...THEN THURSDAY AND FINALLY SATURDAY. THE POSITION OF A QUASI-STATIONARY FRONTAL SYSTEM OVER THE MID SOUTH OR GULF STATES WILL BE KEY TO FOCUSING RAINFALL DURING THE WEEK. MODEL CONSENSUS MOVES A PLAINS LOW ACROSS THE OZARKS HEADING NEWD TUESDAY DRAGGING A COLD FRONT TOWARD OUR CWA TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY AS IT STALLS OUT. THE STALLING FRONT GETS STUCK UNDER PREVAILING SWLY FLOW ALOFT SO UNCERTAINTY IN THESE FEATURES WILL BE ABOVE NORMAL. ANY QPF SHOULD INITIALLY BE UNDER ONE INCH BEFORE MID WEEK HOWEVER PATTERN SUGGESTS A HEAVY RAINFALL EPISODE COULD BE SETTING UP FOR THE TN VALLEY/MID SOUTH OR GULF STATES BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK. /40 && .AVIATION...DANGEROUS FLYING CONDS XPCTD THRU THE DAY TODAY AS A STRONG STORM SYSTEM CROSSES THE REGION. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS TSTMS WILL PERSIST THRU THE DAY...WITH THE GREATEST COVERAGE OF STORMS INVOF OF JAN/GTR/HBG/MEI. MOD TO SEVERE TURBULENCE...GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND TORNADOES WILL BE PSBL ACROSS THESE AREAS. ACROSS THE DELTA A FEW STORMS WILL BE PSBL THRU THE DAY HOWEVER TSTM COVERAGE WILL BE LOWER THAN FURTHER SE. MVFR/OCSNL VFR CIG XPCTD TO ACCOMPANY THE SEVERE WEATHER ALONG WITH GUSTY SOUTH SFC WINDS...PEAKING IN THE 20-30KT RANGE. STORMS WILL PUSH EAST INTO AL THIS EVENING...WITH A SHIFT TO WESTERLY WINDS XPCTD BEHIND A COLD FRONT THAT WILL PASS OVER THE REGION. /BK/ && . .JAN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MS...NONE. LA...NONE. AR...NONE. && ALLEN/40/BB 03/BK
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 15, 4:21 AM CDT, 10 hours 2 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS 421 AM CDT FRI APR 15 2011 ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>028-034>036- 040>042-047-160930- ASHLEY-CHICOT-MOREHOUSE-WEST CARROLL-EAST CARROLL-RICHLAND- MADISON LA-FRANKLIN LA-CATAHOULA-TENSAS-CONCORDIA-BOLIVAR- SUNFLOWER-LEFLORE-GRENADA-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-WASHINGTON-HUMPHREYS- HOLMES-ISSAQUENA-SHARKEY-YAZOO-WARREN- 421 AM CDT FRI APR 15 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST LOUISIANA...SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS...AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CROSSING LOCATIONS WEST OF A LINE FROM TALLULAH LOUISIANA TO WINONA MISSISSIPPI THIS MORNING. INITIALLY... THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THESE SEVERE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS OF 70 MPH AND HAIL TO THE SIZE OF HALF DOLLARS. THIS LINE SHOULD GRADUALLY BREAK UP DURING THE MID MORNING HOURS WITH A RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER CONTINUING AND INCLUDING TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS OF 75 MPH...AND HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLFBALLS POSSIBLE. THE MAIN RISK SHOULD SHIFT TO THE SOUTHEAST DURING THE MIDDAY HOURS AND END COMPLETELY BEFORE MID AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE PROBABILITY OF 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...WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MOST OF THE MORNING HOURS BUT SHOULD NOT BE NEEDED AFTER ABOUT 3 PM. MSZ029>033-037>039-043>046-048>066-072>074-160930- WEBSTER-CLAY-LOWNDES-CHOCTAW-OKTIBBEHA-ATTALA-WINSTON-NOXUBEE- 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- 421 AM CDT FRI APR 15 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND EAST MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT AN OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING IN FROM THE WEST THIS MORNING SHOULD BEGIN BREAKING UP ROUGHLY ALONG THE NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY CORRIDOR BEFORE NOONTIME. THEN...SCATTERED SEVERE SUPERCELLS ARE EXPECTED TO FORM DURING THE MIDDAY AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS ESPECIALLY IMPACTING EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH MISSISSIPPI. AT THIS POINT...THERE WILL BE AN ENHANCED RISK OF TORNADOES...WHICH COULD BE STRONG...DAMAGING WINDS TO 80 MPH... AND HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR THESE STORMS WILL BE FROM NOON TO 800 PM. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL END FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS EAST OF THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE PROBABILITY OF 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...WILL BE NEEDED THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/JAN. THIS INCLUDES THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. 40
In the hours before
Local storm report, Apr 15, 1:45 PM CDT, 38 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
145 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0134 PM TORNADO 4 WSW SCOOBA 32.81N 88.54W
04/15/2011 KEMPER MS TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO SPOTTED CROSSING HIGHWAY 16 KNOCKING DOWN TREES
AND POWER LINES.
&&
JF/DLLocal storm report, Apr 15, 1:49 PM CDT, 34 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
149 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0110 PM TORNADO 5 SSW BLUFF SPRINGS 32.71N 88.85W
04/15/2011 KEMPER MS EMERGENCY MNGR
HOUSE DESTROYED A COUPLE MILES SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 16 ON HWY
495. PROBABLE TORNADO.
&&
BKLocal storm report, Apr 15, 2:00 PM CDT, 23 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
200 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0125 PM TORNADO 5 WSW SCOOBA 32.82N 88.57W
04/15/2011 KEMPER MS LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN...ONE HOME
DESTROYED...IN AREA FROM NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF DE
KALB...REPORTED BY MHP
&&Local storm report, Apr 15, 2:16 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
216 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0152 PM TSTM WND DMG WHITE OAK 32.07N 89.69W
04/15/2011 SMITH MS EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 18
&&Local storm report, Apr 15, 2:17 PM CDT, 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
217 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0205 PM TSTM WND GST 3 W DE KALB 32.77N 88.71W
04/15/2011 E70 MPH KEMPER MS STORM CHASER
50-70 MPH WIND GUST AS WELL AS PEA SIZE HAIL WERE
REPORTED.
&&
JF/DLLocal storm report, Apr 15, 2:22 PM CDT, 1 minute before
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</html>The air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Jackson, MS (KJAN), 12:00Z
7.4 hours before the tornado, 74 km from the path. April 15, 2011.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1458 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- 0 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 1279 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 523 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 59 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 382 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 565 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 4.0
- Supercell composite
- 14.6
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 5.8 K/km
Jackson, MS (KJAN), 00:00Z
4.6 hours after it, 74 km from the path. April 16, 2011.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 173 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -18 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 2631 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1488 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 74 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 24 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 34 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 165 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.3
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 7.3 K/km
The surface observations
Meridian/Key Field (MEI), 53 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Jackson/Brandon,MS radar (KDGX), 64 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 19:24 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2011 tornado in MississippiEvery tornado in Mississippi since 1950Warnings in force in Mississippi nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of April 15, 2011
74 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 15 | 1:13 AM CDT | EF1 | Garland, AR | 7.3 | 250 | $240,000 | ||
| April 15 | 1:38 AM CDT | EF1 | Saline, AR | 3.0 | 250 | $40,000 | ||
| April 15 | 1:47 AM CDT | EF1 | Saline, AR | 16.9 | 350 | $775,000 | ||
| April 15 | 1:57 AM CDT | EF1 | Pulaski, AR | 3.9 | 475 | 2 | 2 | $39 million |
| April 15 | 2:01 AM CDT | EF1 | Pulaski, AR | 6.6 | 200 | $2.0 million | ||
| April 15 | 2:09 AM CDT | EF1 | Pulaski, AR | 6.8 | 200 | 1 | $455,000 | |
| April 15 | 2:17 AM CDT | EF2 | Lonoke, AR | 7.0 | 200 | $20 million | ||
| April 15 | 6:26 AM CDT | EF0 | Issaquena, MS | 1.7 | 75 | $50,000 | ||
| April 15 | 10:11 AM CDT | EF0 | Wayne, MS | 0.0 | 50 | |||
| April 15 | 10:51 AM CDT | EF3 | Hinds, MS | 16.5 | 528 | 10 | $8.0 million | |
| April 15 | 11:20 AM CDT | EF1 | Clarke, AL | 3.3 | 500 | $102,000 | ||
| April 15 | 11:22 AM CDT | EF1 | Rankin, MS | 7.4 | 200 | $6,000 | ||
| April 15 | 11:24 AM CDT | EF0 | Choctaw, AL | 0.1 | 50 | $60,000 | ||
| April 15 | 11:26 AM CDT | EF0 | Choctaw, AL | 4.7 | 100 | $40,000 | ||
| April 15 | 11:41 AM CDT | EF1 | Washington, MS to AL | 5.1 | 200 | $312,000 | ||
| April 15 | 11:43 AM CDT | EF1 | Rankin, MS | 7.6 | 200 | $400,000 | ||
| April 15 | 11:48 AM CDT | EF1 | Choctaw, AL | 16.7 | 200 | $40,000 | ||
| April 15 | 11:58 AM CDT | EF1 | Scott, MS | 7.0 | 200 | $375,000 | ||
| April 15 | 12:04 PM CDT | EF2 | Washington, AL | 0.9 | 150 | 1 | $50,000 | |
| April 15 | 12:53 PM CDT | EF3 | Neshoba, MS to AL | 48.5 | 1,760 | 5 | $19 million | |
| April 15 | 1:35 PM CDT | EF1 | Pike, MO | 3.0 | 50 | |||
| April 15 | 1:39 PM CDT | EF0 | Copiah, MS | 1.0 | 200 | $2,000 | ||
| April 15 | 1:47 PM CDT | EF1 | Smith, MS | 3.8 | 100 | $18,000 | ||
| April 15 | 1:54 PM CDT | EF1 | Holmes, MS | 6.1 | 150 | $10,000 | ||
| April 15 | 2:19 PM CDT | EF2 | Attala, MS | 3.7 | 200 | 2 | $35,000 | |
| April 15 | 2:33 PM CDT | EF0 | Attala, MS | 4.5 | 75 | |||
| April 15 | 3:03 PM CDT | EF2 | Sumter, AL | 4.5 | 200 | $2.1 million | ||
| April 15 | 3:04 PM CDT | EF1 | Jasper, MS | 1.2 | 440 | $25,000 | ||
| April 15 | 3:06 PM CDT | EF1 | Monroe, AL | 0.8 | 100 | |||
| April 15 | 3:14 PM CDT | EF3 | Greene, AL | 18.4 | 500 | $7.1 million | ||
| April 15 | 3:33 PM CDT | EF2 | Hale, AL | 2.2 | 700 | $374,000 | ||
| April 15 | 3:53 PM CDT | EF2 | Sumter, AL | 8.9 | 200 | $3.9 million | ||
| April 15 | 4:00 PM CDT | EF1 | Bibb, AL | 21.8 | 1,760 | $89,000 | ||
| April 15 | 4:08 PM CDT | EF1 | Clarke, MS to AL | 24.5 | 470 | $200,000 | ||
| April 15 | 4:35 PM CDT | EF2 | Sumter, AL | 8.7 | 325 | 1 | ||
| April 15 | 4:44 PM CDT | EF2 | Hale, AL | 24.1 | 880 | $3.4 million | ||
| April 15 | 4:59 PM CDT | EF1 | Jasper, MS | 1.6 | 880 | $35,000 | ||
| April 15 | 4:59 PM CDT | EF0 | Shelby, AL | 1.4 | 50 | $15,000 | ||
| April 15 | 5:04 PM CDT | EF3 | Marengo, AL | 15.3 | 800 | 1 | 4 | $4.0 million |
| April 15 | 5:11 PM CDT | EF2 | Monroe, AL | 0.9 | 150 | $200,000 | ||
| April 15 | 5:19 PM CDT | EF2 | Marengo, AL | 5.4 | 575 | $1.0 million | ||
| April 15 | 5:29 PM CDT | EF2 | Monroe, AL | 22.3 | 300 | $390,000 | ||
| April 15 | 5:30 PM CDT | EF1 | Mason, IL | 3.1 | 100 | 1 | $300,000 | |
| April 15 | 5:35 PM CDT | EF2 | Marengo, AL | 10.9 | 600 | $1.8 million | ||
| April 15 | 5:44 PM CDT | EF1 | Shelby, AL | 4.4 | 100 | $29,000 | ||
| April 15 | 6:00 PM CDT | EF0 | Perry, AL | 4.7 | 150 | $23,000 | ||
| April 15 | 6:12 PM CDT | EF2 | Choctaw, AL | 38.8 | 800 | $8.8 million | ||
| April 15 | 6:22 PM CDT | EF0 | Menard, IL | 1.2 | 50 | $10,000 | ||
| April 15 | 6:25 PM CDT | EF2 | Perry, AL | 0.8 | 500 | $38,000 | ||
| April 15 | 6:25 PM CDT | EF1 | Menard, IL | 1.7 | 150 | $450,000 | ||
| April 15 | 7:50 PM EDT | EF0 | Harris, GA | 0.4 | 50 | $5,000 | ||
| April 15 | 7:05 PM CDT | EF1 | Dallas, AL | 0.1 | 75 | $21,000 | ||
| April 15 | 7:23 PM CDT | EF0 | Lowndes, AL | 2.7 | 75 | $21,000 | ||
| April 15 | 7:45 PM CDT | EF3 | Greene, MS to AL | 18.3 | 500 | 4 | 28 | $13 million |
| April 15 | 7:48 PM CDT | EF1 | Dallas, AL | 0.2 | 100 | $25,000 | ||
| April 15 | 8:04 PM CDT | EF1 | Dallas, AL | 1.6 | 250 | $70,000 | ||
| April 15 | 8:12 PM CDT | EF0 | Trigg, KY | 0.3 | 50 | $8,000 | ||
| April 15 | 8:14 PM CDT | EF1 | Trigg, KY | 2.5 | 125 | $30,000 | ||
| April 15 | 8:48 PM CDT | EF1 | Autauga, AL | 7.9 | 200 | $440,000 | ||
| April 15 | 8:56 PM CDT | EF1 | Autauga, AL | 13.4 | 200 | $458,000 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.