Tornadoes · United States · Mississippi · 2025
EF2 tornado, Brooksville to Deerbrook, Mississippi, January 5, 2025
From Brooksville to Deerbrook, this EF2 tornado ran 3.4 miles across Noxubee County on January 5, 2025, touching down at 8:11 PM CST and reaching 500 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $150,000 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 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mphthis tornado
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
- EF2
- Date
- January 5, 2025
- Touchdown
- 8:11 PM CST (02:11 UTC)
- Lifted
- 8:16 PM CST (02:16 UTC)
- On the ground
- 5 minutes
- Path length
- 3.4 miles (5.5 km)
- Path width
- 500 yards (457 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $150,000
- County
- Noxubee County
- Touchdown point
- 33.245, -88.589
- Lift-off point
- 33.268, -88.537
- Record number
- 2501052011-01
The damage survey
3 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS JAN, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 115 mph.
- 5 snapped power poles along with numerous softwood and hardwood snapped and uprooted.
Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.
What the Weather Service recorded
A potent weather system moved across the region on January 5th and produced a round of severe storms across the region into the early morning hours of the 6th. These storms produced damaging winds and tornadoes.
This tornado started just west of Highway 45 north of Brooksville where it snapped a few trees. The tornado continued northeast across Highway 45 and snapped and uprooted numerous trees, along with 5 power poles. The tornado was at its strongest at this point. The tornado continued northeast where it snapped a few more trees and also overturned a Pivot. The tornado ended just north of Dwelling Place Road. The maximum wind speed was 115 mph.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
29 minutes of warning. NWS JAN issued a tornado warning for this county at 01:42 UTC, 29 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 02:45 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 00:57 UTC and running to 03:41 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:00 UTC | 02:00 UTC | Wind Advisory | JAN |
| 00:57 UTC | 03:41 UTC | Tornado Watch | JAN |
| 01:14 UTC | 02:15 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JAN |
| 01:42 UTC | 02:45 UTC | Tornado Warning | JAN |
| 06:25 UTC | 15:00 UTC | Cold Weather Advisory | JAN |
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Slight Risk, with a 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 00:34 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
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.
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), 00:00Z
2.2 hours before the tornado, 166 km from the path. January 6, 2025.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- 0 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 1 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 475 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 67 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 58 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 844 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 896 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.3
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 4.2 K/km
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), 12:00Z
9.8 hours after it, 166 km from the path. January 6, 2025.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -104948 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 14 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 765 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 95 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 21 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -173 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 32 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 1.8 K/km
The surface observations
Golden Tri(Awos) (GTR), 22 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:15 UTC | 170° 14 kt | 1007.1 | ||||
| 00:16 UTC | 62.6 | 60.8 | 170° 14 kt | 1007.1 | ||
| 00:20 UTC | 170° 16 kt | 1007.1 | -RA | |||
| 00:25 UTC | 170° 17 kt | 1007.1 | -RA | |||
| 00:30 UTC | 160° 16 kt | 1007.1 | -RA | |||
| 00:35 UTC | 160° 14 kt | 1007.1 | -RA | |||
| 00:40 UTC | 170° 15 kt | 1007.1 | -RA | |||
| 00:45 UTC | 170° 16 kt | 1006.8 | -RA | |||
| 00:50 UTC | 170° 15 kt | 1006.8 | RA | |||
| 00:55 UTC | 170° 15 kt | 1006.8 | RA BR | |||
| 00:56 UTC | 62 | 61 | 170° 15 kt | 1006.8 | RA BR | |
| 01:00 UTC | 170° 13 kt | 1006.8 | RA BR | |||
| 01:05 UTC | 170° 16 kt | 1006.8 | RA BR | |||
| 01:10 UTC | 170° 14 kt | 1006.8 | RA | |||
| 01:15 UTC | 170° 16 kt | 1006.4 | RA | |||
| 01:16 UTC | 62.6 | 62.6 | 170° 16 kt | 1006.4 | VCTS RA | |
| 01:20 UTC | 170° 18 kt | 1006.4 | RA | |||
| 01:25 UTC | 170° 15 kt | 1006.8 | RA BR | |||
| 01:30 UTC | 62.6 | 62.6 | 180° 15 kt | 1006.8 | VCTS RA BR | |
| 01:30 UTC | 1006.8 | RA BR | ||||
| 01:35 UTC | 170° 14 kt | 1006.8 | -RA | |||
| 01:37 UTC | 62.6 | 62.6 | 180° 14 kt | 1006.8 | -RA | |
| 01:40 UTC | 190° 11 kt | 1006.8 | RA | |||
| 01:45 UTC | 180° 11 kt | 1007.1 | RA | |||
| 01:50 UTC | 190° 10 kt | 1007.1 | RA | |||
| 01:54 UTC | 62.6 | 62.6 | 210° 10 kt | 1007.5 | RA | |
| 01:55 UTC | 240° 9 kt | 1007.8 | RA | |||
| 01:56 UTC | 63 | 63 | 280° 9 kt | 1007.8 | RA | |
| 02:00 UTC | 290° 14 kt | 1007.8 | +RA BR | |||
| 02:05 UTC | 290° 14 kt | 22 | 1008.1 | +RA BR | ||
| 02:10 UTC | 290° 13 kt | 19 | 1008.1 | +RA BR | ||
| 02:15 UTC | 55.4 | 53.6 | 290° 13 kt | 24 | 1008.1 | RA BR |
| 02:15 UTC | 290° 13 kt | 18 | 1008.1 | RA BR | ||
| 02:20 UTC | 270° 11 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 02:25 UTC | 270° 11 kt | 1008.1 | -RA | |||
| 02:30 UTC | 55.4 | 51.8 | 280° 12 kt | 23 | 1008.5 | RA |
| 02:30 UTC | 280° 11 kt | 1008.5 | RA | |||
| 02:35 UTC | 280° 11 kt | 16 | 1007.8 | -RA | ||
| 02:40 UTC | 270° 11 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 02:45 UTC | 270° 11 kt | 1008.1 | RA | |||
| 02:50 UTC | 250° 11 kt | 16 | 1008.5 | RA | ||
| 02:55 UTC | 240° 9 kt | 1008.8 | -RA | |||
| 02:56 UTC | 54 | 51 | 240° 8 kt | 18 | 1009.1 | -RA |
| 03:00 UTC | 240° 9 kt | 14 | 1008.8 | -RA | ||
| 03:05 UTC | 250° 7 kt | 1008.5 | RA | |||
| 03:10 UTC | 260° 7 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:15 UTC | 250° 7 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:20 UTC | 240° 5 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:25 UTC | 240° 7 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:30 UTC | 240° 8 kt | 1008.8 | -RA | |||
| 03:35 UTC | 230° 7 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:40 UTC | 250° 5 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:45 UTC | 250° 7 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:50 UTC | 250° 7 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:55 UTC | 250° 7 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |||
| 03:56 UTC | 53 | 51 | 250° 7 kt | 1008.5 | -RA | |
| 04:00 UTC | 250° 7 kt | 1008.1 | -RA | |||
| 04:05 UTC | 240° 11 kt | 1008.8 | -RA | |||
| 04:10 UTC | 240° 10 kt | 1009.8 | -RA |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 02:10 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.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01:40 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Sw Boon | Winston, MS | Corrects previous tornado report from 1 SW Boon. This EF1 tornado began just west of Jack Warner Road, where it snapped a few trees and caused damage to the roof of a home along with a shed. The tornado continued northea |
| 01:40 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Sw Boon | Winston, MS | This tornado began just west of Jack Warner Road, where it snapped a few trees and caused damage to the roof of a home along with a shed. The tornado continued northeast crossing Boon Road and caused extensive damage to |
| 01:42 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Sse Boon | Winston, MS | Emergency manager reported power lines down and damage to buildings at Crystal Ridge Road/Boone road area. Possible tornado. |
| 01:42 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Sw Boon | Winston, MS | Corrects previous tornado report from 1 SW Boon. Corrects previous tornado report from 1 SW Boon. This EF1 tornado began just west of Jack Warner Road, where it snapped a few trees and caused damage to the roof of a home |
| 01:52 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 W Boon | Winston, MS | Emergency manager reported multiple trees down in that area and some on houses on Highway 14 East of Louisville. Possible tornado. |
| 02:11 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Nw Brooksville | Noxubee, MS | This tornado started just west of Highway 45 north of Brooksville snapping a few trees. The tornado continued northeast across Highway 45 snapping and uprooting numerous trees, along with snapping 5 power poles. The torn |
| 02:13 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Nne Brooksville | Noxubee, MS | Powerlines and poles down. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2025 tornado in MississippiEvery tornado in Mississippi since 1950Warnings in force in Mississippi nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of January 5, 2025
11 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 5 | 2:04 PM CST | EF1 | Lincoln, AR | 1.2 | 300 | |||
| January 5 | 2:19 PM CST | EF2 | Union Parish, LA | 9.0 | 650 | $105,000 | ||
| January 5 | 3:42 PM CST | EF1 | West Carroll Parish, LA | 2.2 | 100 | $30,000 | ||
| January 5 | 7:08 PM CST | EF1 | Monroe, MS | 0.7 | 120 | $10,000 | ||
| January 5 | 7:11 PM CST | EF1 | Rankin, MS | 11.1 | 150 | $160,000 | ||
| January 5 | 7:40 PM CST | EF0 | Franklin, AL | 2.4 | 158 | |||
| January 5 | 7:41 PM CST | EF1 | Winston, MS | 4.3 | 250 | $40,000 | ||
| January 5 | 8:18 PM CST | EF0 | Lawrence, MS | 6.0 | 75 | $16,000 | ||
| January 5 | 8:32 PM CST | EF1 | Simpson, MS | 4.0 | 300 | $41,000 | ||
| January 5 | 8:52 PM CST | EF1 | Smith, MS | 6.2 | 300 | $70,000 | ||
| January 5 | 8:53 PM CST | EF1 | Pickens, AL | 6.9 | 300 |
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.