Power Outage in Midnight, MS

This long track, violent tornado began over northern Issaquena County near Grant Rd, downing multiple trees and damaging two older outbuildings. It tracked northeastward, producing tree damage as it crossed the Steele Bayou Canal before crossing into Sharkey County. At this point, the tornado began to substantially increase in size and intensity. A very high percentage of trees were snapped along the path through a wooded area south of Bear Lake Rd. It was in this wooded area where the first indications of EF3 to EF4 damage were noted, with at least one tree and root ball and several more large tree pieces fully displaced into the downstream field. From this point along the path in Sharkey County, there was a well defined confluence zone in damage along the center of the tornado track. On the western outskirts of the city of Rolling Fork, homes began to be impacted with significant roof damage along Bear Lake Rd. Several tall wooden utility transmission poles were snapped along Bear Lake Rd and MS Highway 826. Along Pinkins Rd, each structure along the road, including several manufactured homes and two site built homes, was demolished. Structures on the west end of the road were scattered radially southeastward, and structures on the east end of the road were scattered northward. An occupant of one of the mobile homes was critically injured during the tornado and eventually passed away nearly four weeks later. Debarking was observed on several hardwood trees, with only stubs of the main branches of some trees remaining. Crossing MS 826 and along Fleetwood Rd, an older metal building was swept away, a small home was destroyed and numerous manufactured homes were destroyed. As the tornado moved into the western side of Rolling Fork, the tornadic wind field was broad, encompassing the area from Race St, where exterior damage occurred to the Sharkey Issaquena Hospital, to Bear Lake Rd on the south end where several utility poles were snapped. The corridor of greatest damage on the west side of the city, rated high end EF3, extended from 7th St between Martin Ave and Joor Ave to 3rd St between Southern Ave and Lewis Ave. In this area, multiple homes lost most exterior walls, several more lost roofs and some walls, and even more received at least minor damage. Two fatalities occurred along 7th St when a trailer truck was tossed into a home. Through this corridor, additional debarking of trees was noted near the center of the path. Brief and minor weakening occurred as the tornado moved east of 3rd St and began to approach Deer Creek, with EF2 damage still common. Along the creek, the fire station, Rolling Fork Elementary School, and South Delta High School all sustained roof and other exterior damage. After the tornado crossed Deer Creek and began to move into the downtown area of Rolling Fork, reintensification occurred. Additional EF4 damage was noted in the block between Sharkey St and Worthington Ave and north of Collette Ave where a home and a duplex apartment were entirely demolished, with the foundation of the duplex partially swept. Large metal buildings at an agriculture business at the intersection of East St and West Ave were destroyed. A fatality occurred when a mobile home along Worthington Ave was destroyed. On Parkway Ave, a Masonic lodge was leveled and a gas station was substantially damaged. The tornado then crossed Rolling Fork Creek, damaging and destroying several structures along McLaurin St and China St. A water tower east of Hicks Ave, which was in service at the time of the tornado, was felled in a southeastward direction, perpendicular to the tornado path. In the downtown area, the roof was removed from the Rolling Fork US Post Office, portions of Rolling Fork City Hall, and portions of the Rolling Fork Police Department. The Sharkey County Courthouse received damage to the roof and some windows, with the cupola removed. Additional EF4 damage was observed as the tornado crossed Walnut St, with multiple homes and businesses having all or most walls downed. One building in this corridor was compromised by two tossed tractor trailers and another was compromised by a southward facing metal door. A fatality occurred when a mobile home off Sidney Alexander St north of Walnut St was destroyed. The tornado reached its peak intensity as it approached US Highway 61 just north of Walnut St. Multiple brick homes along Mulberry St were leveled, with debris remaining on the foundations. A discount retail chain store was completely destroyed, with much of the debris swept to the downstream side of the foundation and rowed along the tornado path. Two people died at this location. A gift/floral shop was destroyed, with most debris swept from the foundation. Additional businesses, including a lumber/hardware store, two restaurants, a furniture store, and an insurance agency were also destroyed in this area. One occupant of a truck traveling along US 61 was killed when the tornado tossed his vehicle from the highway to near the lumber/hardware store. A mobile/manufactured home park on the east side of US 61 was devastated, with all 30-35 homes destroyed. Considerable debris from these homes was rowed 300-400 yards downstream along the tornado path into an adjacent field and stand of trees. Six occupants of these homes died in the tornado. The tornado remained strong to violent as it continued northeast of Rolling Fork across mainly open fields. Through these fields, aerial imagery revealed multiple areas of ground scarring. The tornado crossed Matthews Rd near a catfish farm, where several utility poles were snapped near the ground and covered in 1 to 2 inches of mud. Some of the poles were tossed into nearby ponds. Prolific tree damage occurred along Sandy Bayou, with a few buildings along the outer edges of the path damaged and a tractor trailer flipped. Another area of EF4 damage was observed from Widow Bayou and E River Rd northeastward through Dogwood Rd and Linsey Rd. Through this corridor, extraordinary hardwood tree damage occurred with most trees completely mangled and debarking noted. There was additional evidence of trees or large parts of trees being tossed or dragged a short distance. Several utility poles were snapped, with some tossed a short distance. An outbuilding type structure off Dogwood Rd was blown away, with a school bus from the property tossed into nearby trees. Ground scarring and cycloidal marks were observed in the field between Dogwood Rd and Linsey Rd, along with mulched tree debris which was rowed into a narrow line along the center of the tornado path. Tree damage continued across Keith Rd and Charlie Pitt Rd as the tornado approached MS Highway 14. East of Anguilla along MS Highway 14, a frame home was completely destroyed. Near the home, several power poles were snapped or broken. Tree damage was extensive with large areas mowed down. A tenth of a mile east, a mobile home was rolled into nearby trees. Moving into Humphreys County, along Prudent Rd, most of the roof was taken off of a home, where the garage collapsed along with a portion of the front porch. One vehicle was flipped and another was moved. A metal workshop was destroyed and structural beams were bent. Along the road, several power poles were snapped and thrown a couple hundred feet into a nearby field. As the tornado approached and crossed Seven Mile Rd, intensity increased. Here, several metal buildings were heavily damaged or destroyed with structural beams bent. Grain bins had sides collapsed and the tops blown off. A small brick home was completely destroyed with all of the exterior walls collapsed. The home next door had a large portion of the roof removed and part of a wall had collapsed. Debris from the home was thrown several hundred feet into a nearby field. Vehicles were moved out of the garage and a large grain storage cart was thrown into the field as well. For several miles, the tornado traveled along MS Highway 149 moving toward Silver City where large areas of hardwood trees were snapped and uprooted. Multiple center pivot irrigation systems were flipped. A mobile home was completely destroyed when it was rolled into a nearby field. A portion of the roof was blown off a school. A community along the same road had several homes with significant roof damage, and at least one home had decking material partially removed. Several homes and a large metal building were severely damaged when portions of the roof were blown off. A second metal building was completely destroyed with large structural posts bent. As the tornado came into Silver City from the west along Highway 149, an apartment complex was heavily damaged. Several buildings had sections of the roof removed and one building had portions of the western walls partially collapsed. A fatality occurred in one of the single story apartment buildings. In the nearby neighborhood, numerous homes had roof damage. At least two frame homes were destroyed where one or more exterior walls collapsed. A large number of old hardwood trees were snapped or uprooted. As the storm moved east toward US 49W, more trees were snapped and uprooted. Several homes and a church near the intersection of MS Highway 14 and US 49W had areas of the roof damaged or removed. Four mobile homes were completely destroyed. One person died when a mobile home was tossed into a house, and a child died in one of the mobile homes that was destroyed. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted, a few of which fell on homes. The rating in the Silver City area ranged from EF1-EF2. The tornado continued to track east where mostly tree damage occurred. In rural portions of Holmes County northeast of Tchula, there was substantial tree damage with swaths of snapped and uprooted trees. Several center pivot irrigation systems were overturned and grain bins were flipped or destroyed. The tornado continued to move northeast before dissipating in a wooded area north of Randall Road.