04/06/05 TALK : Gulf Coast

[Brett Adair]

Already at least 8 tornadoes that have touched down in the JAN CWA this morning and two that have been long track. The tornado that moved from Rankin-Scott-Leake Co.'s MS stayed on the ground at least an hour and a half. Some pretty nasty looking pictures coming out of WLBT-TV in Jackson from the Brandon area. A new high school has been heavily damaged and people have reportedly been trapped in cars and homes as well.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

No surprise that there are tornadic supercells with the 1000-1500 MLCAPE and awesome 300-400 m2/s2 0-1km SRHelicity. A glance at the JAN radar shows at least 3 strong low-level couplets (southeast of the radar), with two other possible couplets (northwest of the radar) (see the pic I saved at http://www.tornadocentral.com/now/4-6JANmesos.gif ). This certainly isn't a case of isolated, discrete supercells, since the storms currently appear to be embedded in a mess of weaker convection/showers.

 

[Brett Adair]

Looking at areal photos of the damage in Rankin/Scott County I would say at least strong F-3 to weak F-4 tornado. Demolished several homes, tossed cars like toys, and a few schools were hit in which fortunately students weren't in session.

 

[Sam Sagnella]

Looking at areal photos of the damage in Rankin/Scott County I would say at least strong F-3 to weak F-4 tornado. Demolished several homes, tossed cars like toys, and a few schools were hit in which fortunately students weren't in session.

The footage from KLBT of damage in Rankin County near Monterrey is incredible. Many homes completely destroyed though copter pilot states that many appear to be manufactured, however one sturdier structure appears to have sustained F3 damage "near Oak Street," as the reporter stated.

I really have no real idea of how the damaged structures were constructed (obviously), but after viewing the video several times, it is not out of the question at all for this to have been a violent tornado. In the majority of areas, the damage path appears to be 1-2 blocks wide.

http://www.wlbt.com/

Though only minor injuries are being reported attm, based on the video there are several homes whose inhabitants, if inside at the time, would likely have been critically injured or worse.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Yeah, most of that damage appears to be F2ish, since the only damage I've seen to substantial homes (not mobile homes) has been the removal of roofs. It does look like some garages have been collapsed, but I don't think it'd take much in the F2-F3 range to do that. I haven't really seen many outer walls knocked down, though it's tough to make out some of the damage that is scattered everywhere. We all know have damage can vary markedly over a very small distance, so it's not really worth it I suppose to look at copter damage and assess a hunch-rating.

 

[Glen Romine]

Storms are redeveloping again over much of central MS - and a few monsters are sliding through MS delta region. At last check 25 tornado reports by 18Z. Pretty impressive. Parameters remian favorable for the new development to lead to even more tornadoes over the same general area, maybe sliding east as the pacific front finally starts to move in. Could easily see another 25+ tornadoes reported by days end. What has amazed me is I've only seen a single injury report so far in a news report about the roof being torn off of the Maze high school. Hope that trend continues.

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll...NEWS01/50406014

Another article - may have to bump up the injuries by a few more:

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll...NEWS01/50406013

Glen

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Just a reminder to all... You can go to http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jan/warning_map.html to see the polygon warnings overlayed on the JAN radar if you are watching storms in central/southern MS. Clicking on a particular polygon brings up a zoomed-in radar shot and the warning text...

 

[Jeff Snyder]

Yeah, most of that damage appears to be F2ish, since the only damage I've seen to substantial homes (not mobile homes) has been the removal of roofs. It does look like some garages have been collapsed, but I don't think it'd take much in the F2-F3 range to do that. I haven't really seen many outer walls knocked down, though it's tough to make out some of the damage that is scattered everywhere. We all know have damage can vary markedly over a very small distance, so it's not really worth it I suppose to look at copter damage and assess a hunch-rating.

NWS JAN has done a very prelim assessment (that was quick!) of the Rankin county tornado as it was near Monterrey, and given it a very prelim F3 rating... Check out the PNS at http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KJAN/0504062129.nous44.html

Tornado reports up to 30 now... JAN NWSFO is reporting signficant damage in Union in southcentral MS earlier. Ah, just read the following:

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR JONES COUNTY...

AT 454 PM CDT...A TORNADO WAS REPORTED. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED
NEAR I-59 EXIT 80...OR ABOUT 7 MILES WEST OF ELLISVILLE...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

Not too often do you see so many tornado warnings in effect at one time for a single state...

 

[Bryce Stone]

Am I wrong, or hasn't that one part of the state been under tornado warnings almost constantly since about 8 this morning (or earlier?)? TOR warning right now, so that would make 14 hours straight. That's just crazy . . . so good to hear that no one's been killed. Is that unprecedented?

 

[Brett Adair]

What a DAY! Talking with some of my buddies this evening, looks like there is a bit of the damage that could be F-4 a little to the NE of Brandon and Monterey. Things really came together over there today....just a little west of my target area of Meridian, where actually a torando touched down only a few miles away from. Gotten 6 reported injuries from the Brandon area and one critical. Now, to wait on the next system around next Wednesday.