NWS LIX - December 16, 2019 Smithdale, MS Tornado

A National Weather Service Damage Assessment Team has surveyed the storm damage near Smithdale, MS. It has been determined the damage was the result of a tornado. The tornado has been rated an EF-3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Damage estimates were consistent with winds of 140 mph.

The tornado first touched down on Judge Rd, 1.4 miles north of Mississippi State Highway 24 near Compromise, MS. It lifted the metal roof structure, back porch, and carport roof off of a single family home. This roof was thrown over 300 yards downstream of the tornado. The tornado quickly expanded to around 200 yards, uprooting many trees along Judge Road as it moved northeast.

It then traveled northeastward crossing County Road 567. At this point, the tornado had substantially expanded and now covered approximately 0.5 miles in width. Social media video around this time and general location showed a very large tornado as well. In addition, the tornado intensified, producing high end EF-2 damage. The most intense damage occurred on County Road 567 between Freeman Road and Graves Road. It tore the roofing material off of a few single family homes. Hundreds of trees were snapped and/or uprooted. In some portions of the path, all softwood and hardwood trees were either snapped or uprooted. A strapped single wide mobile home was shifted 90 degrees, flipped and and completely destroyed. On the east side of the road from that mobile home, the roof structure of a home was ripped off.

The tornado, then moved northeastward across Freeman Rd and continued to the intersection near Dixon Road and Pecan Road. It is here that the most intense damage occurred with the still very large tornado. A strapped double wide manufactured home with cypress exterior and interior walls as well as roofing similar to that of a slab home was destroyed. It was blown approximately 100 yards into a tree. The mangled frame was wrapped around the tree, pinning individuals between the frame and tree. The walls, floor, and roof of the home were scattered downstream beyond what could be seen. Multiple half-ton trucks and livestock trailers filled with thousands of pounds of tools were flipped and moved across the yard. The expected wind speed for a strapped double wide that was destroyed with debris blown away is 134 mph. This type of damage occurred to that type of structure but with an even more substantial exterior, interior and roof. Taking in consideration the damage above as a whole scope of what occurred, the wind speed damage rating was bumped up from the expected to 140 mph, EF-3.

The tornado then progressed northeastward, crossing Pecan Orchard Rd and damaging a historical family home built in 1834. Portions of the roof were completely removed including an exterior. It also moved and turned the cars near the house a few feet. The tornado continued northeastward, snapping trees near Meadville Rd and Coleman Rd. It also snapped trees in its path northeastward near Fenn Rd and Reeves Rd. On Fenn Rd, it tore half of the metal roof and carport off of a single family home. It continued snapping trees as it moved along Butler Rd SE. As it moved northeastward, crossing Branch Rd, it snapped additional trees. It then continued northeastward into Lincoln County, MS, where our county warning area ends.

Surveyed damage track near Liberty and Smithdale, MS