Damage Survey Results from March 31, 2021

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEMPHIS TN
805 PM CDT WED MAR 31 2021

...NWS MEMPHIS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 3/31/21 TORNADOES...

.OVERVIEW...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE PRE-DAWN HOURS OF MARCH 31 PRODUCED 
TWO TORNADOES IN NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.  

.TORNADO #1 VARDAMAN TORNADO…

RATING:                    EF0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:       85 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:     1.2 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   80 YARDS
FATALITIES:                0
INJURIES:                  0

START DATE:                03/31/2021
START TIME:                12:24 AM CDT
START LOCATION:            0.5 SW VARDAMAN / CALHOUN COUNTY / MS
START LAT/LON:             33.8714 / -89.1842

END DATE:                  03/31/2021
END TIME:                  12:26 AM CDT
END LOCATION:              0.6 ENE VARDAMAN / CALHOUN COUNTY / MS
END LAT/LON:               33.8806 / -89.1663

SURVEY SUMMARY:
THE TORNADO DEVELOPED SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 8, AND DOWNED TREES ALONG AND 
EAST OF DOBBS STREET. SOME TREES FELL ONTO HOMES AND VEHICLES. THE 
TORNADO CROSSED HIGHWAY 8, AND DAMAGED THE VARDAMAN SCHOOL COMPLEX. 
AWNINGS WERE DAMAGED, TREES BLOWN DOWN, AND A PORTION OF BRICK VENEER 
WAS REMOVED FROM A BUILDING. THE LAST OBSERVED DAMAGE WAS TO TREE LIMBS 
NEAR COUNTY ROAD 231.

.TORNADO #2 HATLEY AREA TORNADO…

RATING:                    EF1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:       95 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:     4.3 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:      200 YARDS
FATALITIES:                0
INJURIES:                  0

START DATE:                03/31/2021
START TIME:                01:49 AM CDT
START LOCATION:            0.7 W HATLEY / MONROE COUNTY / MS
START LAT/LON:             33.9764 / -88.4225

END DATE:                  03/31/2021
END TIME:                  01:57 AM CDT
END LOCATION:              3.5 ENE HATLEY / MONROE COUNTY / MS
END LAT/LON:               33.9963 / -88.3520

SURVEY SUMMARY:
THE FIRST OBSERVED DAMAGE WAS WEST OF HATLEY ROAD SOUTH. SEVERAL SHEDS 
WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. AS THE TORNADO CROSSED HATLEY ROAD, IT 
CAUSED MINOR ROOF DAMAGE AND DOWNED SEVERAL TREES. AFTER A BRIEF 
WEAKENING PERIOD, THE TORNADO INCREASED IN INTENSITY AS IT 
APPROACHED THORNTON LANE AND WEAVER CREEK DRIVE. NUMEROUS TREES 
WERE BLOWN DOWN, SOME TREE TRUNKS WERE SNAPPED, AND POWER POLES 
WERE DAMAGED. A PERMANENT HOME HAD ROOF AND SUNROOM DAMAGE, AND 
A MOBILE HOME LOST PART OF ITS ROOF. THE TORNADO DAMAGED HOMES 
AND DOWNED ADDITIONAL TREES ALONG NASH ROAD. THE LAST OBSERVED 
DAMAGE WAS TO TREE LIMBS ALONG STONEWALL ROAD.

&&

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...STRONG. ..111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...VIOLENT...> 200 MPH

NOTE: INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

$$