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User:Cyclonebiskit/Smithville

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2011 Smithville, Mississippi, tornado
EF5 tornado
FormedApril 27, 2011, 3:42 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
DissipatedApril 27, 2011, 4:23 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00)
Highest winds
  • Estimated in excess of 200 mph (320 km/h)
Max. rating1EF5 tornado
Fatalities24 fatalities, 180–200 injuries
Damage$14.4 million (2011 USD)
Areas affectedMonroe and Itawamba counties in Mississippi and Marion, and Franklin counties in Alabama
1Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale
Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak

During the afternoon of April 27, 2011, a violent EF5 tornado largely destroyed the town of Smithville, Mississippi.

Meteorological synopsis

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The environmental conditions leading up to the April 2011 Super Outbreak were among the "most conducive to violent tornadoes ever documented".[1] On April 25, a vigorous upper-level shortwave trough that moved into the Southern Plains states.[2] Ample instability, low-level moisture, and wind shear fueled a significant tornado outbreak from Texas to Tennessee; at least 64 tornadoes touched down on this day.[1] An area of low pressure consolidated over Texas on April 26 and traveled east while the aforementioned shortwave trough traversed the Mississippi River and Ohio River valleys.[3] Another 50 tornadoes touched down on this day.[1] The multi-day outbreak culminated on April 27 with the most violent day of tornadic activity since the 1974 Super Outbreak. Multiple episodes of tornadic activity ensued with two waves of mesoscale convective systems in the morning hours followed by a widespread outbreak of supercells from Mississippi to North Carolina during the afternoon into the evening.[1]

Activity on April 27 was precipitated by a 995 mbar (hPa; 29.39 inHg) surface low situated over Kentucky and a deep, negatively tilted (aligned northwest to southeast) trough over Arkansas and Louisiana. A strong southwesterly surface jet intersected these systems at a 60° angle, an ageostrophic flow that led to storm-relative helicity values in excess of 500 m2s-2—indicative of extreme wind shear and a very high potential for rotating updrafts within supercells. Ample moisture from the Gulf of Mexico was brought north across the Deep South, leading to daytime high temperatures of 77 to 81 °F (25 to 27 °C) and dewpoints of 66 to 72 °F (19 to 22 °C). Furthermore, convective available potential energy (CAPE) values reached 2,500–3,000 J/kg-1.[1]

additional specifics on Smithville supercell in BAMS paper

Tornado summary

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Preceding tornado

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Doppler radar imagery of the supercell thunderstorm at 3:10 p.m. CDT. A well-defined debris ball is apparent along the storm's hook echo.

At 2:48 p.m. CDT, a tornado touched down over northern Webster County, about 4 miles (6.4 km) west-northwest of Montevista. Tracking through a primarily forested area, it reached EF1 strength, snapping several trees, before moving into Calhoun County around 2:50 p.m. CDT.[4] Continuing to intensify and enlarge, the tornado reached EF3 strength and a diameter of 0.75 miles (1.21 km) in southeastern Calhoun; one home sustained major damage and a barn was destroyed. Around 2:56 p.m. CDT, the tornado moved into southwestern Chickasaw County.[5] Traversing the southern half of Chickasaw County, the strong tornado caused widespread damage. The small community of Anchor and areas east of Houston were particularly hard-hit; one person died in the former and two in the latter. All three deaths took place in permanent homes. Twenty-five people were injured. Throughout the county, 74 homes and 25 mobile homes were destroyed, a further 92 homes and 15 mobile homes sustained major damage, and numerous others experienced minor damage. Continuing northeast, the tornado entered Monroe County at 3:26 p.m. CDT.[6] The community of New Wren sustained major damage with 20 homes destroyed or severely damaged; one person was killed in a vehicle. Hundreds of trees were snapped, uprooted, and/or debarked in the area. The tornado finally lifted around 3:38 p.m. CDT roughly 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Bigbee as it passed north-northwest of Amory.[7]

Smithville disaster

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Remainder of the track

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Aftermath

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Reconstruction

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Kevin R. Knupp; et al. (July 2014). "Meteorological Overview of the Devastating 27 April 2011 Tornado Outbreak" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. American Meteorological Society: 1, 041–1, 062. doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-11-00229.1. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  2. ^ Ryan E. Jewell (April 25, 2011). Apr 25, 2011 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook (Report). Norman, Oklahoma: Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  3. ^ Ryan E. Jewell (April 26, 2011). Apr 26, 2011 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook (Report). Norman, Oklahoma: Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved May 17, 2016.
  4. ^ Mississippi Event Report: EF1 Tornado. National Weather Service office in Jackson, Mississippi (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  5. ^ Mississippi Event Report: EF3 Tornado. National Weather Service office in Memphis, Tennessee (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  6. ^ Mississippi Event Report: EF3 Tornado. National Weather Service office in Memphis, Tennessee (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
  7. ^ Mississippi Event Report: EF3 Tornado. National Weather Service office in Memphis, Tennessee (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2016.
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