2013 Hattiesburg tornado
EF4 tornado | |
---|---|
Formed | February 10, 2013,[1][2] 5:03 p.m. CST[1][3][4][5] |
Duration | 33 minutes |
Dissipated | February 10, 2013,[1][2] 5:36 p.m. CST[1][3][4][5] |
Highest winds |
|
Max. rating1 | EF4 tornado |
Fatalities | 0 fatalities, 71 injuries[1] |
Damage | $38.525 million[3][4][5] |
Areas affected | Hattiesburg, West Hattiesburg, and Petal, Mississippi (part of a larger outbreak) |
Part of the tornado outbreaks of 2013 1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale |
On Sunday, February 10, 2013, a large
Meteorological synopsis
The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) had stated as early as February 8 that a few supercells would possibly develop on the 10th and could produce large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes.[8] When the thunderstorm outlook was issued for the 10th, the SPC stated that only a marginal chance for severe thunderstorms existed and that only a few storms would develop. Most of the severe weather activity was expected to develop along the cold front in the form of a squall line. A 10% chance of isolated tornadoes was introduced as the instability remained marginal for the event.[9]
During the morning hours of February 10, a
Throughout the afternoon hours, the cold front and the squall line began to stall over portions of Louisiana and Arkansas. The supercells that developed that afternoon ahead of the squall line originated across Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Around 4 p.m. (2200 UTC), a newly developed supercell produced an EF2 tornado in Marion County, Mississippi. That tornado tracked northeast and entered Lamar County, where it dissipated. Later, that same supercell quickly produced another tornado – this was a large wedge tornado that hit the Hattiesburg area.[3]
Tornado summary
The tornado touched down west-southwest of
In Forrest County, roughly 300 homes and other structures were damaged/destroyed as the tornado moved through various neighborhoods and business districts. The
Traveling to the northeast of Petal, the tornado began to weaken, causing EF1 to EF2 strength damage to numerous roofs and downing many trees.[1][4] It weakened to EF1-strength in Perry County before weakening rapidly and lifting in a wooded area just west of Runnelstown at 5:36 p.m. CST (2336 UTC).[2][5]
The tornado was on the ground for 33 minutes, traveled 22.5 miles (36.2 km), had a maximum path width of 0.75 miles (1.21 km), and was rated low-end EF4, with winds up to 170 mph (270 km/h).[1][2][13] It damaged many buildings and athletic fields at University of Southern Mississippi, Oak Grove High School, and Hattiesburg High School. In Lamar County (where the tornado first touched down and was rated EF4), 51 homes were destroyed and another 170 suffered major damage.[1][3] The tornado was slightly weaker in Forrest County (EF3); however, 192 homes were destroyed and 338 suffered major damage.[1][4] The tornado injured 71 people (8 in Lamar County and 63 in Forrest County)[1] and caused damage amounting to $38.525 million.[3][4][5]
This was the first violent tornado to occur in Lamar and Forrest Counties since April 24, 1908, in which 143 people were killed. 64 deaths occurred in Lamar and Forrest Counties alone with that tornado.[1]
Other tornadoes
A total of eight tornadoes touched down on February 10, including one in northeast Texas, five in southeast Mississippi, and two in southwest Alabama. The tornadoes caused a total of 86 injuries.[14][15][16]
In Texas, an EF0 tornado touched down east of Livingston in Polk County. A trailer was destroyed and trees and power lines were downed, injuring one person.[14] In Mississippi, an EF1 tornado touched down southeast of Arm in Lawrence County, causing damage to several barns and mobile homes and downing many trees. In nearby Marion County, an EF2 touched down south of the Columbia area and traveled into Lamar County, causing significant damage to many trees and numerous structures and injuring three people. This tornado lifted and the parent supercell quickly produced another tornado, which impacted the Hattiesburg area (See above), injuring 71 people.[1][15] The same supercell would later produce two EF1 tornadoes across Wayne County, causing damage to many trees and structures, before moving into Alabama and dissipating.[16]
Two EF1 tornadoes touched down across Washington and Clarke Counties in Alabama. These tornadoes removed roofs from homes, severely damaged a few mobile homes, and downed many trees, including numerous pine trees that were snapped.[16]
Aftermath
President
Rain hampered cleanup efforts in the city during the days following the tornado.[17] Schools remained closed in the Hattiesburg area until February 14, 2013, including the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). When schools reopened, school buses had to be borrowed from neighboring school districts as most of Hattiesburg's had been damaged by the tornado. USM had to move classes that were previously held in the eight damaged buildings.[13] USM officials estimated that it would take over 10 million dollars to repair the school.[18] Oak Grove High School in West Hattiesburg lost its athletic facilities as well as a few other buildings. The Lamar County School Superintendent said that it would take months and millions of dollars to repair. Hattiesburg High School also suffered destruction of some of its athletic facilities, including the basketball gym that had undergone renovations just a few weeks before.[19]
In the early morning hours of January 21, 2017, a destructive
See also
- List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
- Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017 – A deadly EF3 tornado followed a similar path to this tornado four years later.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Lamar and Forrest County Tornado". National Weather Service Jackson, Mississippi. February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
- ^ a b c d "Perry County (Continuation of Hattiesburg Tornado)". National Weather Service Mobile, Alabama. February 12, 2013. Retrieved February 13, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Mississippi Event Report: EF4 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Asheville, North Carolina: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mississippi Event Report: EF3 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Asheville, North Carolina: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f Mississippi Event Report: EF1 Tornado. National Climatic Data Center (Report). Asheville, North Carolina: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2013. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
- ^ a b "Obama declares disaster in Miss. after tornado". Boston.com. February 13, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ a b "Gov. Bryant declares emergency after tornado hits". WDAM.com. February 10, 2013. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
- ^ Feb 8, 2013 0830 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook. Storm Prediction Center (Report). Norman, Oklahoma: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. February 8, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
- ^ Feb 10, 2013 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook. Storm Prediction Center (Report). Norman, Oklahoma: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. February 10, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
- ^ "SPC Severe Weather Event Review for Sunday February 10, 2013". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
- ^ "Building destroyed, but pieces of Girl Scout history saved". Jackson Clarion-Ledger. February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 12, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b "Weather Service finds 3 tornadoes hit Pine Belt". Sunherald.com. February 12, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Preliminary Severe Weather Report February 10, 2013". National Weather Service Houston, Texas. February 13, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "Pine Belt Tornado Event". National Weather Service Jackson, Mississippi. February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
- ^ a b c "Preliminary NWS Damage Survey Information For 10 February 2013 Tornado Event In Perry And Wayne Counties In Southeast Mississippi And Washington And Clarke Counties In Southwest Alabama". National Weather Service Mobile, Alabama. February 11, 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2013.
- ^ "No deaths reported in wake of tornado; cleanup crews hampered by rain". Sunherald.com. February 11, 2013. Archived from the original on February 14, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ "USM tornado damage estimated in tens of millions". EnquirerHerald.com. February 13, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Tornado totals Oak Grove, Hattiesburg High athletic facilities". WLOX.com. February 11, 2013. Archived from the original on February 15, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ "Sempra U.S. Gas & Power Donates $100,000 To Assist Hattiesburg, Miss., Tornado Victims". WLOX.com. February 12, 2013. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved February 14, 2013.
- ^ Stanglin, Doug (January 22, 2017). "Tornado rips through southern Mississippi, leaving 4 dead". USA Today. Retrieved November 30, 2022.