This remarkable warning from the NWS Jackson gave about a twenty minute lead time to the people of FLorence, Mississippi, south southeast of Jackson.

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS
640 AM CDT WED APR 6 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...

RANKIN COUNTY IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF BRANDON

NORTHWESTERN SIMPSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI

* UNTIL 745 AM CDT

* AT 640 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 21 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FLORENCE...OR ABOUT NEAR HAZLEHURST...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...

FLORENCE BY 700 AM CDT
STAR AND 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF PINEY WOODS BY 705 AM CDT BRANDON BY 715 AM CDT
PELAHATCHIE BY 730 AM CDT

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

The tornado caused serious damage at Florence and struck Brandon around 725 a.m.

Turning in my homework late on this Wednesday night, even as additional strong to severe thunderstorms move across the area...

The action started early in Mississippi today, with the first confirmed tornado touchdown in the Florence area, about 12 miles SSE of Jackson on US-49. Damage was heavy. At 7:25 a,m., the tornado was reported in the Monterey area, just to the northeast of Florence. What appears to be the same tornado roared on to the northeast toward the city of Brandon, just east of Jackson.

This tornado caused severe damage at the Brandon High School that was under construction on MS highway 18. There is a dramatic photo of the tornado on the Clarion-Ledger website, snapped by a Brandon policeman as it tracked southeast of the city in the Shiloh Park area. The tornado was reported to be 7 miles north of Pelahatchie, or twelve miles NE of Brandon at 7:53 a.m. It caused more damage five miles southeast of Carthage.

This was the last damage I was able to track from this long lived tornado. If the tornado was on the ground continuously, the path length will be over fifty miles. At least six people were injured, one critically in this storm. An excellent warning from the NWS Jackson probably saved countless lives. As the tornado moved along its path, the NWS Jackson called it a “tornado emergency.”

Another tornado touched down near the Mississippi/Louisiana border south of McComb at 7:55 a.m. It continued to a point east of McComb at 8:10 a.m., when debris was observed to be falling from the sky. That is never good.

At 10:27 a.m., storm spotters reports a tornado on the ground near Mize, MS in Smith County. This tornado struck the Mize High School. Quick thinking by school administrators saved lives as they moved the 650 students to the lowest floor just before the tornado removed the roof.

Additional tornadoes touched down near Union in Newton County around 4:30 in the afternoon. Details are sketchy from that area, but people were reported to be trapped in a building. Our friend Josh Johnson at WTOK in Meridian reports that the damage might rate as F1.

Brian Peters counted up the number of warnings issued by the National Weather Service in Jackson yesterday. As of 10:30 p.m., it was a total of 228 warnings, including 131 tornado warnings and 97 severe thunderstorms warnings.

Here in Alabama, a brief tornado touchdown may have occurred at Aliceville in Pickens County around 6 p.m. One house was heavily damaged and numerous trees and power lines were reported down. At the time, a significant bow echo was moving across the county, with radar indications of rotation. Another reason that you have to be vigilant during severe thunderstorm warnings for possible spin-up tornadoes.

We dodged another bullet here in Alabama today. Our friends in Mississippi were not so lucky. Let’s all be thankful.

NWS/BHM now has a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Pickens County until 10:45

...and a warning (Severe Thunderstorm) for Sumter until 11:15

The story goes on

Just got back with Little Miss Molly from her last walk of the night.

Time for more fresh coffee...

Life goes on...

Still too early to totally relax. Another line of strong to severe thunderstorms across East Central Mississippi moving eastward, Severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for the Meridian area. NWS, Birmingham, is watching closely in case a new warning is needed for West Alabama's Sumter County.

The Tornado Watch continues until 1 am, CDT and the Flash Flood Watch all night.

Multiple roads were closed tonight across Lauderdale County in Extreme NW Alabama due to high water.

Five inches or more of rain across South Lamar County so far in the last 24 hours.

Every square inch of soil in Alabama has to be soaked.

Sure would like to know how many warnings were issued today from the National Weather Service in Jackson!

Thanks to Bill Murray for handling the Thursday morning forecast package... I actually have a few moments to collect my thoughts here...

That rogue storm that showed strong signs of rotation through Greene, Hale, and southeast Tuscaloosa counties was a little surprise, but otherwise the day has pretty turned out as expected. We simply could not get the higher dewpoints in here... and this large mass of rain tonight is keeping the air nice and stable; I really don't expect many more severe weather reports tonight.

Flooding remains a concern... rain totals around our weathernet include:

Hamilton 2.18
Tuscaloosa 1.24
Cullman 1.07
Clanton 0.62"
Riverchase 0.41"

Winds have been strong today down in Chilton county; the weathernet site at the Peach water tower recorded a peak wind gust of 41 mph. Even had a few reports of trees down due to these non-thunderstorm winds.

Some observations before I begin working on the long morning radio feed:

*There is no doubt the hate mail is increasing when we go on the air with tornado coverage. Got some dandy messages today from people not very happy. We really do live in a world of constant negativity. If I get to be a negative, cranky old geezer, just take me out and bury me.

*Jason Simpson is a great addition to our weather operation. A real team player, excellent knowledge of the science, and can communicate very clearly. It was great having him with us today during the west Alabama tornado warnings.

*Congrats to the Mercedes facility in Vance... they got 3,500 employees into a safe place today as the rotation passed right over the plant. I wish all Alabama industries are that prepared!

Late report from the NWS Birmingham:

Dallas County EMA has several reports of trees down...trees on powerlines...and trees across roads in and near Selma.

And, from the NWS Jackson:

nwsjanco (7:25:46 PM): I wanted to give everyone a heads up about survey plans for tomorrow...
nwsjanco (7:25:58 PM): We will have 3 survey teams going out early tomorrow
nwsjanco (7:26:12 PM): Team 1 will go to Rankin, Scott and Leake counties
nwsjanco (7:26:26 PM): Team 2 will go to Simpson, Smith, Covington and Jefferson Davis Counties
nwsjanco (7:26:44 PM): Team 3 will go to Copiah, Lincoln, Lawrence and Franklin Counties
nwsjanco (7:27:39 PM): It is unclear whether all damage will be able to be assessed in one day. I would make the assumption that it may take longer than one day to complete these surveys.

These guys have a very busy day tomorrow. What an outbreak over Mississippi today....

Gotta begin work on radio!

Severe Thunderstorm Warning, Sumter County, in West Alabama until 8 PM. Scan down to previous posts to get other information that is still current.

Strong winds developed in the center of Alabama, not directly connected with thunderstorms. Gusts to 41 at the 3340 Weathernet site at the peach tower in Clanton.

Trees reported down on Chilton County Roads 15 and 22.

Looking at radar at 7:40, I would estimate that it is raining over 90% of Alabama!

Based on radar estimates, about 5 inches of rain has fallen over South Lamar County in West Alabama in the last 24 hours. About 2.5 inches across NW Walker County.

Down on the coast, Pensacola has already received 27.75 inches of rain so far in 2005. This is a whopping 17.38 inches above normal. In only the last five weeks, they have received 20.60 inches.

ABC 33/40 WeatherNet Rainfall:
2.18 inches in Hamilton
1.07 in Cullman
A mere 0.38 at the studios in Riverchase

Looks like the Alabama situation is evolving into a widespread rain event. Flooding may become the main item instead of severe storms.

Because of all the storms and damage in Mississippi today, The National Weather Service, jackson is dispatching three survey teams tomorrow to determine paths and arrive at F ratings of the various tornadoes.

We're hanging in there...

Looks like a long night without sleep again but at least I will enjoy the coffee--the miracle drug.

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings until 7:30 or so for Franklin and Tuscaloosa County in West Alabama.

A new Tornado Watch all the way across the south half of the state replacing the earlier watch.

And our Tornado Watch for North central Alabama continues until 1 am CDT. San down to a previous post for the list of counties.

At least seven Mississippi counties under Tornado Warnings.

A lot of the thunderstorms now inside Alabama. Lots of strong stuff over in East Mississippi also but further west, not as many storms over West Mississippi.

On the next post, will try to report some rainfall totals. We are more concerned now about flash-flooding.

Will also try to gather some reports on the Mississippi damage.

Stay safe...

Here we go again. Our troubles are not over. The National Weather Service has issued a new Tornado Watch that goes until 1:00 a.m. CDT. It includes all of the greater Birmingham area. Here are some of the counties: Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, Marion, Lamar, Pickens, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Tuscaloosa, Bibb.

Already more severe thunderstorms are moving into West Alabama and will be advancing eastward across the state. In addition, numerous thunderstorms remain over Mississippi that still have to move through. Because of this, a Flash Flood Watch has been extended overnight for the entire area. There is a possibility that many communities will receive 1-3 inches of rain by tomorrow.

To the west, Tornado Watches also cover much of Mississippi. Around 5:45 this afternoon, at least 7 Mississippi counties were under Tornado Warnings and at least 6 others under Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.

Late this afternoon a Tornado Warning was also issued for Green, Hale and South Tuscaloosa Counties. We don't have a confirmed report of a touchdown during that event, but trees were uprooted at Eutaw and large hail was reported SW of Moundville.

As this new batch of thunderstorms moves in from the west, Severe Thunderstorm Warnings have been issued for Lamar, Pickens, Green and Sumter Counties.

Looks like a long night ahead.

A few short notes...

The Tornado Warning for SE Tuscaloosa expired at 3:45 pm as the parent thunderstorm moved up into SW Jefferson County and weakened. Don't know of a confirmed touchdown. This one came across Eutaw in Greene County and noved across NW and Extreme North Hale County before moving into South Tuscaloosa County.

Funnel cloud and nickel size hail SW of Moundville

Dime size hail in Moundville according to Moundville Police.

Trees down in Eutaw

Now what?

It's not over.

Flash Flood Watch has been extended to last all night.
Tornado Watch for South half of Alabama until 7.

I count at least 14 Mississippi Counties now under a tornado warning. We will have another round of storms to deal with well into the night.

Tornado Watch continues until 7 o'clock this evening for 31 of Alabama's 67 counties. All of the counties are over the central and south--actually about the south half. Here is a list:

Autauga, Baldwin, Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Chilton, Choctaw, Clarke, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, Dallas, Elmore, Escambia, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Lowdnes, Macon, Marengo, Mobile, Monroe, Montgomery, Pike, Perry, Russell, Sumter, Washington and Wilcox.

The severe weather situation in Central Mississippi has been very serious today including several strong and long-track tornadoes. Scan down and see the posts by Jason Simpson and James Spann for more information on those.

The Storm Prediction Center has the entire state of Alabama under a severe weather risk this afternoon and tonight. For most areas it is a slight risk. However, a moderate risk continues for about the south half of Mississippi and the SW part of Alabama.

A Flash Flood Watch also continues for most of the state. Here in Central Alabama, there is still a chance that we could receive 1 to 3 inches of rain later today, overnight, and into Thursday.