MIssissippi tornado rated a violent EF-4
The devastating tornado that ripped through Mississippi on Saturday April 24, killing ten, was a violent EF-4 twister with 170 mph winds when it hit Yazoo City, according to a preliminary damage survey by the National Weather Service in Jackson, Mississippi. The tornado touched down near Tallulah, Louisiana, crossed the Mississippi River into Mississippi, and traversed nearly the entire state of Mississippi, carving a 149-mile long path of destruction. It is extremely rare for a tornado to stay on the ground this long. The world record longest path by a tornado is the 219-mile long path of the deadliest tornado in U.S. history, the violent F-5 Tri-State Tornado of 1925, which killed 695 people in Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana.
Figure 1. A church in Yazoo City works to restore its toppled steeple after Saturday's tornado. Image credit: J.A.
Saturday's tornado was strong almost from its initial stage of development in northeast Louisiana. EF-2 and EF-3 damage was common all along the tornado's path into central Mississippi with areas of EF-4 damage observed in both Yazoo and Holmes counties. After crossing Interstate 55, the tornado weakened with EF-1 and occasional EF-2 damage being common as the tornado moved across Attala County. The tornado re-intensified as it moved into Choctaw County, with at least high end EF-3 damage occurring northwest of the Weir community. The tornado remained strong before rapidly weakening and then dissipating just after moving into Oktibbeha County. It was the first violent EF-4 tornado of 2010. Over the past decade, the U.S. has averaged five violent EF-4 or EF-5 tornadoes per year. Our severe weather expert, Dr. Rob Carver, has a more detailed analysis of Saturday's tornado.
Figure 2. One mile wide wedge tornado from near Yazoo City, Mississippi on April 24, 2010. Tornadovideos.net intercepted the tornado near Holly Bluff just east of the Mississippi River, and tracked the huge wedge to the damage path in Yazoo City, after which they assisted with the rescue effort until emergency personnel gained control of the situation.
Portlight assesses needs after the Mississippi tornado
Portlight.org volunteer Riki Chomsky (AKA "kitchengypsy") paid a visit to tornado-ravaged Yazoo City, Mississippi on Sunday to assess whether or not Portlight should mount a response effort. Her report:
At this time, Portlight has decided not to deploy an emergency feeding unit to Yazoo City. We base this decision on 3 factors:
1) Scope. Although the scenes of devastation are terrible, by our estimate, more than half the city is relatively unharmed. With several restaurants, gas stations and other services open for business in such close proximity to the command center, we have faith that continuity of operations will soon be established for the whole city.
2) Current efforts: All current relief teams, with special emphasis on the Red Cross and Salvation Army, are doing an excellent job of handling the situation. They have taken pains to ensure food distribution across the affected areas, and we have confidence that they are truly the best organizations for this type of situation.
3) Anticipated Need / Speed of Recovery: although the extent of the damage will most likely require outside work crews, we saw very encouraging signs of progress. Work crews were active at almost every damaged site, which is highly impressive for less than 24 hours after the storm. Even when volunteer crews are brought in, we anticipate their needs being more than adequately met by the existing local churches, who have already started feeding work crews and rescue personnel. In addition to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, Portlight extends our appreciation to all members of this exemplary community response. While the damage is significant, the Salvation Army and local Red Cross seem to be doing a great job meeting the needs there, and Portlight recommends supporting one of these organizations.
Portlight continues aid efforts in Haiti
Portlight continues to focus its energy and funds on the situation in Haiti, where the rainy season is fast approaching the needs for shelter, medical supplies, food and water remain urgent. Their latest effort is a shipment of 10 pallets of Durable Medical Equipment, 30 pallets of water, 7,000 pounds of rice, a number of tents, tarps and various building supplies totaling some 14,000 pounds of goods. The supplies were loaded onto the schooner Halie and Mathew. The schooner was slowed by bad weather on its way to Haiti, and was forced to dock in Jamaica to make repairs. The ship is expected to land in Haiti later this week to deliver its supplies. Please visit the Portlight.org web site or the Portlight blog to learn more and to donate to this worthy cause.
Figure 3. Relief supplies for Haiti earthquake victims being loaded onto the schooner Halie and Mathew.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 — Blog Index
Maybe we should start a grassroots boycott of BP gas until they get the leak stopped and the mess cleaned up. That might get their attention.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, with all the post-Katrina stuff that had happened and keeps going on.
I just hope some loony coona$$ doesn't go out there with a match. I that that would be just as crazy.
(back to lurking mode til June)
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW ORLEANS LA
514 AM CDT THU APR 29 2010
...HIGH TIDES MAY POSE A COASTAL FLOOD THREAT LATER THIS WEEK...
.A PERSISTENT SOUTH FLOW PATTERN IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TODAY AND
INCREASE WIND SPEEDS LATE TONIGHT. THIS WILL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT
RISES IN TIDE LEVELS FRIDAY MORNING. TIDE LEVELS OF 2 TO 3 FEET
ABOVE NORMAL ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY AS THE SOUTH FLOW
PERSISTS.
LAZ038-040-058-060>064-066>070-MSZ080>082-292000-
/O.CAN.KLIX.CF.S.0004.000000T0000Z-100501T0200Z/
/O.NEW.KLIX.CF.A.0001.100430T0500Z-100503T0000Z/
TANGIPAHOA-ST. TAMMANY-ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST-ST. CHARLES-
UPPER JEFFERSON-ORLEANS-UPPER PLAQUEMINES-UPPER ST. BERNARD-
LOWER TERREBONNE-LOWER LAFOURCHE-LOWER JEFFERSON-
LOWER PLAQUEMINES-LOWER ST. BERNARD-HANCOCK-HARRISON-JACKSON-
514 AM CDT THU APR 29 2010
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY
EVENING...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SLIDELL HAS ISSUED A COASTAL
FLOOD WATCH...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY
EVENING.
A PERSISTENT MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTH WIND FLOW IS EXPECTED TO
INCREASE TODAY AND CONTINUE UNTIL SUNDAY. ADDITIONALLY...THE
ASTRONOMICAL TIDE CYCLE WILL BE AT LARGE SPRING TIDE RANGES THIS
WEEKEND. THESE CONDITIONS WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE UNUSUALLY HIGH
WATER LEVELS THAT MAY CAUSE COASTAL FLOODING OUTSIDE THE HURRICANE
PROTECTION LEVEE SYSTEMS.
TIDES MAY REACH 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS AT SOME LOCATIONS
FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY DUE TO THE PERSISTENCE OF SOUTH FLOW. INUNDATION
WILL BE MOST NOTABLE DURING THE HIGH TIDE PORTIONS OF THE DAILY
TIDE CYCLE.
PERSONS ALONG THE COAST SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS AND STATEMENTS REGARDING THIS POTENTIAL EPISODE OF
COASTAL FLOODING. BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IF COASTAL FLOOD WATCHES AND WARNINGS
ARE ISSUED LATER THIS WEEK AND OVER THE WEEKEND.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR
FLOODING ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP. COASTAL RESIDENTS SHOULD BE
ALERT FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS...AND TAKE ACTION TO
PROTECT PROPERTY.
&&
Zero Tolerance for this sort of mess.
This land is my land.
This land is your land.
From California to the New York Highlands...
From the redwood forests to the gulf stream waters, this land was made for you and me,
the birds, fishes and wildlife.
Not BP.
sums it ALL up. I don't believe a WORD of what BP says. Fox and CNN, well they have dollar bills floating around too. They don't really care about the gulf shores. Any reporter who tries to tell the TRUTH will be shut down.
Coast Guard and NOAA are mad as hell about this and I don't think any amount of money's gonna shut THEM up.
Really?
linguistic spin doctors, covering their tails.
Sorry, don't have a clue, what little I know about this situation I've picked up from reading the info everyone has posted here and from what we read on the news. I spent 25 years as an Airborne Ranger in the Army. My speciality is jumping out of perfectly good planes and living off the land in the jungles, mountains, and forests of the world. We always planned for the worst case scenario before an operation, I don't understand why they used a remote unit rather than one of the deep water submersibles the Navy uses. Probably because the remote units were equiped with a wrench unit that could turn the valve handles.
I 2nd that motion, we really need some good rain.
5-day plot - Wind Direction Wind Direction (WDIR): SE ( 130 deg true )
5-day plot - Wind Speed Wind Speed (WSPD): 9.7 kts
5-day plot - Wind Gust Wind Gust (GST): 11.7 kts
5-day plot - Wave Height Wave Height (WVHT): 0.7 ft
5-day plot - Average Period Average Period (APD): 4.0 sec
5-day plot - Atmospheric Pressure Atmospheric Pressure (PRES): 30.02 in
5-day plot - Pressure Tendency Pressure Tendency (PTDY): +0.01 in ( Rising )
5-day plot - Air Temperature Air Temperature (ATMP): 68.2 °F
5-day plot - Water Temperature Water Temperature (WTMP): 71.4 °F
5-day plot - Dew Point Dew Point (DEWP): 54.1 °F
With a strong southerly to southeasterly fetch for days...doesn't look good.
can they see it from space yet? hmmmm satelite photos maybe? anything?
Link
Viewing: 1051 - 1086
Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 — Blog Index