Twin States Weather Blog

Odds and Ends...

* The NWS has determined that the tornado that hit Smith County was an F3 on the Fujita scale. Here's their official report:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
515 PM CST WED APR 7 2005

...PRELIMINARY DAMAGE ASSESSMENT ON MIZE AREA OF SMITH COUNTY...

HERE IS SOME UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING THE TORNADO IN THAT AFFECTED THE MIZE AREA IN SMITH COUNTY.

THE TORNADO PRODUCED MAXIMUM DAMAGE OF F3...A STRONG TORNADO ON THE FUJITA SCALE WITH WINDS IN THE RANGE OF 158 TO 206 MPH. THE TORNADO TRACK STARTED IN NORTHWEST COVINGTON COUNTY...JUST SOUTH OF THE SMITH COUNTY LINE AND ABOUT 1 MILE NORTH OF MOUNT OLIVE. START TIME IS ABOUT 1010 AM CDT. THE TORNADO MOVED INTO SMITH
COUNTY AROUND 1013 AM...THEN MOVED THROUGH THE SOUTH AND EAST SIDE OF MIZE.

THE MIZE ATTENDANCE CENTER (SCHOOL) WAS AFFECTED BY BASEBALL SIZED HAIL ABOUT 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE TORNADO STRUCK AT 1025 AM. THE TOP FLOOR OF THE BRICK STRUCTURE WAS NEARLY DEMOLISHED. THREE MOBILE BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED. NEARLY EVERY TREE IN THE AREA WAS EITHER SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. SMALL OUTBUILDINGS WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED.

SCHOOL OFFICIALS STATED THAT THEY RECEIVED PLENTY OF ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE APPROACHING TORNADO FROM THE NWS WARNING ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT THE STUDENTS/STAFF.

ADDITIONAL STRONG TORNADO DAMAGE WAS FOUND TO THE NORTHEAST OF MIZE...WITH ANOTHER SMALL AREA OF F3 DAMAGE TO TREES AND FARM BUILDINGS ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF CENTER RIDGE. EXTENSIVE F1 AND F2 DAMAGE WAS SEEN ALONG MOST OF THE PATH AT IT EXTENDED TO JUST SOUTH OF SYLVARENA...AND THE PATH REACHED A WIDTH OF AT LEAST 600 YARDS.

NORTHEAST OF SYLVARENA...DAMAGE BECAME MUCH LESS...BUT F0 DAMAGE CONTINUED TO BE OBSERVED UP TO THE SMITH/JASPER COUNTY LINE ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF SYLVARENA. THE TOTAL PATH LENGTH FOR THIS TORNADO WAS ABOUT 27 MILES.

NWS SURVEY CREWS ALSO FOUND A PATH OF F1 TORNADO DAMAGE FROM ABOUT 4 MILES WEST OF SYLVARENA TO ABOUT 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF SYLVARENA. THIS TORNADO OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 915 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING. MOST OF THIS DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO TREES...BUT ONE LARGE TREE WAS UPROOTED AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO A HOME WHEN IT FELL ON IT.

NWS CREWS WILL CONTINUE OUR SURVEYS OF THIS AND OTHER TORNADO TRACKS THROUGH FRIDAY. THE NWS WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR PARTNERS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...UTILITY COMPANIES...AND THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS HELP IN CONDUCTING THESE SURVEYS.

* Again, I would like to say what a great job the NWS did Wednesday in issuing good, timely warnings. There actions saved many lives! If you have time, drop them a thank-you note via e-mail! Here's an e-mail address to send your word of thanks:

Alan.E.Gerard@noaa.gov

* Starting to definitely get the idea that we could see a very rough time late Monday into Tuesday. A deep, negative tilt trough - strong instability - strong low level jet - the setup seems classic. I would be surprised if we were not placed under a Moderate or perhaps even a High Risk. Now is the time to review your severe weather safety plan. If you don't have a NOAA Weather Radio, now is the time to purchase one. They are available online also. I'm not advocating any one site, but here are a few places you can find a weather radio:

Buy.com - SAME (programmable for your county) for $40!

The Weather Store

Amazon.com

Let me reiterate that I'm not advertising for any of the above companies. Just trying to make it easier on those looking to buy one online.

posted by WTOK Weather Staff @ 9:54 AM