Severe weather outbreak hits Mississippi and the Memphis area

                 Severe thunderstorm approaches Downtown Jackson

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A severe weather outbreak unfolded across the Mid South, including the states of Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Alabama, Thursday afternoon and evening.

Thunderstorms began to rapidly intensify shortly after 3 pm across Western Mississippi and Eastern Arkansas.

These storms would become severe with damaging winds and isolated tornadoes as they progressed northeast across the state of Mississippi.

Widespread wind damage was reported across the state, with numerous reports of trees and powerlines down.  Some trees were blocking roads and reportedly down on homes.

The roof was blown off a building in Winona, with trees falling on 2 cars. (no reported injuries)

The roof was partially peeled off a house in Grenada,  with a tree down on a car. (no reported injuries)

Over 25 Mississippi Counties reported wind damage, Thursday afternoon and evening.

(Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds race northeast across the state, Thursday afternoon and evening)

(Blue triangles: Wind Damage Reported)

(Red triangles: Tornado reports)

(Large tree blown down in Choctaw County, MS, Thursday evening)

The most severe damage in the state was due to a EF 2 tornado, with 115 mph winds in Desoto County, near the Memphis area, where 8 homes were destroyed, with 50 other homes damaged.  Vehicles were also overturned and numerous trees and powerlines were blown down across the county. No reported injuries. 

A EF 2 touched down inside the Mississippi River Levee in Coahoma County, MS, where cabins were damaged. This was a long-tracked tornado, which first touched down in Phillips County, Arkansas and tracked 32.1 miles, tracking across statelines into Coahoma County, Mississippi, affecting Burke Landing.  Thousands of trees were snapped in the White River Wildlife Refuge and structural damage occurred in Burke Landing.  No reported injuries.

Mississippi was not the only state impacted by severe weather in the South; Tennessee, was especially hard hit, specifically in the Memphis area, where a confirmed EF1 tornado caused significant damage in Shelby County.  (Damage occurred to a car dealership and restaurant; numerous trees and powerlines were blown down)

Two tornadoes caused significant damage in Henderson County, Tennessee, with numerous trees and powerlines down, with structural damage reported, Thursday evening.

A EF 1 tornado was confirmed in Eastern Arkansas, with numerous trees uprooted and blown down.

The National Weather Service confirmed a EF0 tornado just southeast of Shreveport, Louisiana, that was associated with the same system that produced the tornadoes and wind damage in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Northwestern Alabama, Thursday evening.

(Tree branches blocking one lane of a street in Oktibbeha County, MS)