Tornadoes · United States · Mississippi

Tornadoes in Smith County, Mississippi

95 tornadoes have crossed Smith County since 1950, 3rd of the 82 counties in Mississippi with a tornado on record, an average of 1.3 a year. They have killed 12 people and injured 194. 3 were rated F4 or EF4 and above.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The United States rated tornadoes on Ted Fujita’s F scale until 31 January 2007 and on the Enhanced Fujita scale after it. Both run from 0 to 5, and both rate the damage rather than measure the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F0 / EF040 to 72 mph on the F scale, 65 to 85 mph on the EF scale

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F1 / EF173 to 112 mph on the F scale, 86 to 110 mph on the EF scale

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2 / EF2113 to 157 mph on the F scale, 111 to 135 mph on the EF scale

    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.

  4. F3 / EF3158 to 206 mph on the F scale, 136 to 165 mph on the EF scale

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4 / EF4207 to 260 mph on the F scale, 166 to 200 mph on the EF scale

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5 / EF5261 to 318 mph on the F scale, over 200 mph on the EF scale

    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.

  7. 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.

Now

Tornadoes
95
Deaths
12
Injuries
194
F4 and above
3
Worst on record
EF4, April 27, 2011

The deadliest in Smith County

  1. EF4, Smith, Jasper, Clarke, Choctaw, Sumter, Marengo and Perry counties, Mississippi and AlabamaApril 27, 20117 killed, 17 injured
  2. F3, Simpson, Smith and Jasper counties, MississippiNovember 27, 19942 killed
  3. F3, Simpson, Smith and Jasper counties, MississippiApril 4, 19571 killed, 75 injured
  4. F2, Simpson, Smith and Jasper counties, MississippiApril 25, 19801 killed, 8 injured
  5. EF2, Jones, Smith and Jasper counties, MississippiApril 6, 20251 killed

The strongest

  1. F4, Copiah, Simpson, Rankin and Smith counties, MississippiMarch 29, 1976F4, 126.5 mi (204 km)
  2. EF4, Smith, Jasper, Clarke, Choctaw, Sumter, Marengo and Perry counties, Mississippi and AlabamaApril 27, 2011EF4, 122.0 mi (196 km)
  3. F4, Smith, Jasper and Newton counties, MississippiNovember 22, 1992F4, 40.0 mi (64 km)
  4. F3, Simpson, Smith and Jasper counties, MississippiApril 4, 1957F3, 40.2 mi (65 km)
  5. F3, Simpson, Smith and Jasper counties, MississippiNovember 27, 1994F3, 40.0 mi (64 km)
  6. F3, Smith, Jasper and Newton counties, MississippiMarch 12, 1986F3, 32.0 mi (51 km)
  7. F3, Covington, Smith and Jasper counties, MississippiApril 6, 2005F3, 28.0 mi (45 km)
  8. EF3, Simpson and Smith counties, MississippiDecember 16, 2019EF3, 18.6 mi (30 km)
  9. EF3, Simpson and Smith counties, MississippiMarch 26, 2009EF3, 17.4 mi (28 km)
  10. EF3, Smith County, MississippiApril 27, 2011EF3, 8.9 mi (14 km)

Every year with a tornado

The 45 years of the 76 in the record with a tornado in Smith County. Each year links to every tornado in Mississippi that year.

YearTornadoesDeathsInjuriesStrongest
20254111EF2
20243EF1
20237EF1
20221EF0
20202EF2
201962EF3
20182EF1
201721EF2
20164EF1
20151EF0
20141EF0
20131EF1
20115717EF4
20102EF2
2009525EF3
20083EF0
20071EF1
20061F0
20056F3
200424F2
200332F1
20023F1
199612F1
199511F1
199412F3
1992220F4
19871F1
198612F3
1980118F2
19781F1
19772F2
197618F4
197421F1
19722F2
1969111F2
19681F1
19662F1
19611F1
19592F2
19581F1
19571175F3
19551F2
195412F1
195322F2
19511F1

Every tornado that crossed Smith County

95 tornadoes, newest first.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 6, 20254:43 AM CDTEF2Jones12.42001$2.0 million
April 6, 20253:57 AM CDTEF2Smith3.2500$1.2 million
March 15, 20251:54 PM CDTEF2Covington16.175011
January 5, 20258:52 PM CSTEF1Smith6.2300$70,000
December 28, 20247:46 PM CSTEF1Smith13.0700$200,000
December 28, 20247:42 PM CSTEF0Smith0.675$3,000
December 28, 20247:39 PM CSTEF1Smith3.4200$30,000
December 9, 20239:44 PM CSTEF0Smith3.775$20,000
November 20, 20238:09 PM CSTEF1Smith2.9200$500,000
June 18, 202310:59 PM CDTEF1Smith4.5800$25,000
June 18, 202310:52 PM CDTEF1Smith2.5400$75,000
June 18, 202310:27 PM CDTEF0Smith2.6100$5,000
June 18, 202310:23 PM CDTEF0Smith0.5100$2,000
February 16, 20231:24 PM CSTEF1Smith0.250$140,000
March 22, 20222:34 PM CDTEF0Smith1.5100
December 24, 20201:07 AM CSTEF0Smith3.450$15,000
February 5, 20203:20 PM CSTEF2Smith2.6440$20,000
December 16, 20195:19 PM CSTEF3Simpson18.61,320$705,000
November 27, 201912:03 AM CSTEF1Rankin7.375$45,000
June 24, 20195:57 AM CDTEF0Smith0.850$15,000
April 18, 20193:20 PM CDTEF0Scott2.450$2,000
April 18, 20193:19 PM CDTEF1Smith3.5950$200,000
April 13, 20199:39 PM CDTEF1Covington4.12502$120,000
November 1, 20185:01 AM CDTEF1Smith4.0150$20,000
November 1, 20184:29 AM CDTEF1Rankin4.5300$35,000
January 19, 20177:53 AM CSTEF2Smith19.35001$2.3 million
January 2, 20172:43 PM CSTEF1Smith3.9275$110,000
March 10, 20164:04 PM CSTEF0Smith1.280$20,000
February 15, 20161:52 PM CSTEF1Smith14.6350$608,000
February 15, 20161:43 PM CSTEF1Smith2.7250$250,000
February 15, 20161:24 PM CSTEF0Smith2.1100$15,000
December 25, 20153:51 PM CSTEF0Smith0.750$12,000
December 15, 20145:02 PM CSTEF0Smith1.550$6,000
September 21, 20133:33 AM CDTEF1Smith0.750$50,000
September 4, 201110:45 PM CDTEF0Smith0.650$3,000
April 27, 20115:42 PM CDTEF4Smith to AL122.01,050717$26 million
April 27, 20114:27 PM CDTEF3Smith8.9440$300,000
April 15, 20112:23 PM CDTEF1Smith6.9150$15,000
April 15, 20111:47 PM CDTEF1Smith3.8100$18,000
November 30, 20102:44 AM CSTEF2Smith11.0600$900,000
April 24, 20108:43 AM CDTEF1Smith10.750$40,000
May 3, 200911:30 AM CDTEF1Smith4.8350$328,000
May 3, 200911:12 AM CDTEF1Covington20.1400$145,000
March 28, 20092:58 AM CDTEF1Smith0.8200$500,000
March 26, 20091:36 AM CDTEF3Simpson17.450025$5.0 million
January 3, 20091:13 PM CSTEF1Smith0.9175$40,000
September 2, 20087:40 AM CDTEF0Smith1.025
September 2, 20083:23 AM CDTEF0Smith0.325
February 12, 20081:45 PM CSTEF0Smith0.7150$25,000
February 13, 20073:52 AM CSTEF1Smith3.775$300,000
April 21, 200610:36 PM CDTF0Smith1.050$100,000
September 25, 20052:25 PM CDTF0Smith1.050$30,000
April 6, 20059:12 PM CDTF1Smith6.075$300,000
April 6, 20053:43 PM CDTF1Smith3.075$30,000
April 6, 200511:23 AM CDTF0Smith0.530$2,000
April 6, 200510:10 AM CDTF3Covington28.0600$8.0 million
April 6, 20059:42 AM CDTF2Smith13.5500$160,000
December 9, 20044:06 AM CSTF1Smith19.0300$1.0 million
November 24, 20041:53 AM CSTF2Smith38.06004$7.0 million
November 18, 20038:26 AM CSTF1Simpson23.52202$600,000
March 18, 200311:40 PM CSTF0Smith0.5100$30,000
February 15, 20034:43 PM CSTF0Smith3.575$20,000
October 3, 20023:59 PM CDTF1Smith1.0150$10,000
October 3, 20023:13 PM CDTF0Smith0.550$3,000
October 3, 20021:15 PM CDTF0Smith0.550$3,000
November 7, 199612:46 PM CSTF1Simpson13.04402$80,000
March 7, 199511:08 AM CSTF1Smith3.05001$50,000 to $500,000
November 27, 199410:15 PM CSTF3Simpson40.02002$500,000 to $5 million
November 22, 199212:14 AM CSTF4Smith40.01,76020$5 million to $50 million
August 26, 19927:40 PM CDTF0Smith2.0150$500 to $5,000
November 16, 19874:00 PM CSTF1Smith5.070
March 12, 198612:07 PM CSTF3Smith32.01232$500,000 to $5 million
April 25, 19806:50 PM CSTF2Simpson46.190018$500,000 to $5 million
April 18, 19781:00 AM CSTF1Smith45.8100$5,000 to $50,000
June 16, 19773:45 PM CDTF2Smith0.633$5,000 to $50,000
January 9, 197711:00 AM CSTF2Smith1.0200$5,000 to $50,000
March 29, 19762:05 PM CSTF4Copiah126.58808$500,000 to $5 million
October 29, 197410:00 AM CSTF1Smith0.1201$500 to $5,000
September 28, 197410:00 PM CDTF0Smith0.110$5,000 to $50,000
November 13, 19729:45 AM CSTF1Smith0.5200$5,000 to $50,000
January 9, 19729:05 PM CSTF2Simpson10.9200$5,000 to $50,000
April 13, 19693:00 PM GMT-6F2Covington8.025011$50,000 to $500,000
November 17, 19689:30 AM GMT-6F1Smith0.110$500 to $5,000
April 26, 19662:00 PM GMT-5F0Smith0.110
April 26, 19662:00 PM GMT-5F1Smith0.110$50,000 to $500,000
June 24, 19611:45 PM GMT-5F1Smith0.110$500 to $5,000
March 11, 19597:45 AM GMT-6F2Smith18.950
January 21, 195910:30 AM GMT-6F1Smith0.150$500 to $5,000
February 26, 19587:00 PM GMT-6F1Smith95.510$5,000 to $50,000
April 4, 19571:00 AM GMT-6F3Simpson40.2167175$50,000 to $500,000
April 12, 19556:00 PM GMT-6F2Simpson57.610$500 to $5,000
December 28, 19546:00 PM GMT-6F1Smith0.1102$5,000 to $50,000
May 4, 195311:30 AM GMT-5F2Smith1.52001$5,000 to $50,000
March 22, 19533:00 PM GMT-6F1Simpson101.3101
April 21, 195112:00 PM GMT-6F1Smith0.110$5,000 to $50,000

Nearby

Warnings in force in Smith CountyThe forecast for Smith CountyThe live radar over Smith CountyEvery county in Mississippi

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.