Rains Bring at Least 4 Tornadoes Through Mississippi
At least four tornadoes were part of a rainy system that moved across Mississippi Friday night and Saturday morning.
Officials reported tornadoes in Adams, Rankin, Simpson and Smith counties. Weather Service officials said they know of no injuries from any of the storms.
In Adams County, a tornado estimated to have top winds of 115 mph cut a path a mile long and 200 yards wide in the Kingston community, southeast of Natchez. Two houses had their roofs substantially damaged.
In Rankin County, a tornado estimated to have top winds of 100 mph destroyed on chicken house and damaged another just before 3 a.m. Saturday. The storm was 100 yards wide and left a path on the ground for about half a mile in an area along Gaddis Myers road, 6 miles west of Polkville.
In Simpson County, a twister estimated to have top winds of 75 mph tracked 2.3 miles leaving a path 50 yards wide. It snapped a number of trees in an area 4 miles south of White Oak, just before 10 p.m. Friday.
In Smith County, a tornado estimated to have top winds of 95 mph damaged chicken houses, a hay barn and a trailer just about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. The twister had a path three-quarters of a mile long and 50 yards wide, affecting an area along Smith County Road 504 about 3 miles west of the Pineville community.
The weather system also produced significant rain, but brought little flooding after two months of dry conditions.
Some of the heaviest rain fell after midnight Saturday in an area northeast of Jackson, National Weather forecasters said, including 6.21 inches by Saturday morning at Goshen Springs, on the Ross Barnett Reservoir in eastern Rankin County. That band continued into Madison, Leake and Attala counties.
The Weather Service reported nearly 5 inches of rain at Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport from noon Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday.
There were isolated reports of flooded roads overnight, including near Hinds Community College in Raymond. No flood warnings are issued. Stormy conditions did lead to the postponement of some high school football games Friday night.
Forecasters in Memphis, Tenn., say about 4 inches of rain fell around Sardis and Batesville, the highest totals in northern Mississippi.