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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Jackson MS
506 PM CDT Tue Jun 6 2023

...ROLLING FORK-SILVER CITY TORNADO RATED EF4 195 MPH...

.UPDATE...Based on additional ground and aerial surveys and 
consultation from tornado damage and structural engineering experts, 
the estimated intensity of the Rolling Fork-Silver City tornado 
has been increased to a high end EF4 with a maximum wind speed of
195 MPH. In addition, fatality and injury information has been 
updated. More details follow below in the survey summary section. 
This is the final update planned for this tornado survey.

National Weather Service Jackson would like to express special 
thanks to NSSL/CIWRO, NIST, and Haag Engineering for their 
assistance and expertise with this survey.

.Rolling Fork-Silver City Tornado...

Rating:                 EF4
Estimated Peak Wind:    195 mph 
Path Length /statute/:  59.4 miles 
Path Width /maximum/:   3/4 mile 
Fatalities:             17 
Injuries:               165

Start Date:             3/24/2023
Start Time:             7:57 PM CDT
Start Location:         4 SE Mayersville / Issaquena County / MS
Start Lat/Lon:          32.8414 / -90.9993

End Date:               3/24/2023
End Time:               9:08 PM CDT
End Location:           8 ESE Cruger / Holmes County / MS
End Lat/Lon:            33.2636 / -90.1126

Survey Summary: This long track, violent tornado began over northern 
Issaquena County near Grant Rd, downing multiple trees and damaging 
two older outbuildings. It tracked northeastward, producing tree 
damage as it crossed the Steele Bayou Canal before crossing into 
Sharkey County. At this point, the tornado began to substantially 
increase in size and intensity. A very high percentage of trees were 
snapped along the path through a wooded area south of Bear Lake Rd. 
It was in this wooded area where the first indications of EF3 to EF4 
damage were noted, with at least one tree and root ball and several 
more large tree pieces fully displaced into the downstream field. 
From this point along the path in Sharkey County, there was a well 
defined confluence zone in damage along the center of the tornado 
track. 

On the western outskirts of the city of Rolling Fork, homes began to 
be impacted with significant roof damage along Bear Lake Rd. Several 
tall wooden utility transmission poles were snapped along Bear 
Lake Rd and MS Highway 826. Along Pinkins Rd, each structure along
the road, including several manufactured homes and two site built
homes, was demolished. Structures on the west end of the road 
were scattered radially southeastward, and structures on the east 
end of the road were scattered northward. An occupant of one of 
the mobile homes was critically injured during the tornado and 
eventually passed away nearly four weeks later. Debarking was 
observed on several hardwood trees, with only stubs of the main 
branches of some trees remaining. Crossing MS 826 and along 
Fleetwood Rd, an older metal building was swept away, a small home
was destroyed and numerous manufactured homes were destroyed. 

As the tornado moved into the western side of Rolling Fork, the 
tornadic wind field was broad, encompassing the area from Race St, 
where exterior damage occurred to the Sharkey Issaquena Hospital, to 
Bear Lake Rd on the south end where several utility poles were 
snapped. The corridor of greatest damage on the west side of the 
city, rated high end EF3, extended from 7th St between Martin Ave 
and Joor Ave to 3rd St between Southern Ave and Lewis Ave. In this 
area, multiple homes lost most exterior walls, several more lost 
roofs and some walls, and even more received at least minor damage. 
Two fatalities occurred along 7th St when a trailer truck was tossed 
into a home. Through this corridor, additional debarking of trees 
was noted near the center of the path. Brief and minor weakening 
occurred as the tornado moved east of 3rd St and began to approach 
Deer Creek, with EF2 damage still common. Along the creek, the 
fire station, Rolling Fork Elementary School, and South Delta High
School all sustained roof and other exterior damage.

After the tornado crossed Deer Creek and began to move into the 
downtown area of Rolling Fork, reintensification occurred. 
Additional EF4 damage was noted in the block between Sharkey St and 
Worthington Ave and north of Collette Ave where a home and a duplex 
apartment were entirely demolished, with the foundation of the 
duplex partially swept. Large metal buildings at an agriculture 
business at the intersection of East St and West Ave were destroyed. 
A fatality occurred when a mobile home along Worthington Ave was 
destroyed. On Parkway Ave, a Masonic lodge was leveled and a gas 
station was substantially damaged. 

The tornado then crossed Rolling Fork Creek, damaging and destroying 
several structures along McLaurin St and China St. A water tower 
east of Hicks Ave, which was in service at the time of the tornado, 
was felled in a southeastward direction, perpendicular to the 
tornado path. In the downtown area, the roof was removed from the 
Rolling Fork US Post Office, portions of Rolling Fork City Hall, and 
portions of the Rolling Fork Police Department. The Sharkey County 
Courthouse received damage to the roof and some windows, with the 
cupola removed. Additional EF4 damage was observed as the tornado 
crossed Walnut St, with multiple homes and businesses having all or 
most walls downed. One building in this corridor was compromised by 
two tossed tractor trailers and another was compromised by a 
southward facing metal door. A fatality occurred when a mobile home 
off Sidney Alexander St north of Walnut St was destroyed.

The tornado reached its peak intensity as it approached US Highway 
61 just north of Walnut St. Multiple brick homes along Mulberry St 
were leveled, with debris remaining on the foundations. A discount 
retail chain store was completely destroyed, with much of the debris 
swept to the downstream side of the foundation and rowed along the 
tornado path. Two people died at this location. A gift/floral shop 
was destroyed, with most debris swept from the foundation. 
Additional businesses, including a lumber/hardware store, two 
restaurants, a furniture store, and an insurance agency were also 
destroyed in this area. One occupant of a truck traveling along US 
61 was killed when the tornado tossed his vehicle from the highway 
to near the lumber/hardware store. A mobile/manufactured home park 
on the east side of US 61 was devastated, with all 30-35 homes 
destroyed. Considerable debris from these homes was rowed 300-400
yards downstream along the tornado path into an adjacent field 
and stand of trees. Six occupants of these homes died in the 
tornado.

The tornado remained strong to violent as it continued northeast of 
Rolling Fork across mainly open fields. Through these fields, aerial 
imagery revealed multiple areas of ground scarring. The tornado 
crossed Matthews Rd near a catfish farm, where several utility poles 
were snapped near the ground and covered in 1 to 2 inches of mud. 
Some of the poles were tossed into nearby ponds. Prolific tree 
damage occurred along Sandy Bayou, with a few buildings along the 
outer edges of the path damaged and a tractor trailer flipped. 
Another area of EF4 damage was observed from Widow Bayou and E River 
Rd northeastward through Dogwood Rd and Linsey Rd. Through this 
corridor, extraordinary hardwood tree damage occurred with most 
trees completely mangled and debarking noted. There was additional 
evidence of trees or large parts of trees being tossed or dragged a 
short distance. Several utility poles were snapped, with some tossed 
a short distance. An outbuilding type structure off Dogwood Rd was 
blown away, with a school bus from the property tossed into nearby 
trees. Ground scarring and cycloidal marks were observed in the 
field between Dogwood Rd and Linsey Rd, along with mulched tree 
debris which was rowed into a narrow line along the center of the 
tornado path. Tree damage continued across Keith Rd and Charlie Pitt 
Rd as the tornado approached MS Highway 14.

East of Anguilla along MS Highway 14, a frame home was completely
destroyed. Near the home, several power poles were snapped or 
broken. Tree damage was extensive with large areas mowed down. A 
tenth of a mile east, a mobile home was rolled into nearby trees. 
Moving into Humphreys County, along Prudent Rd, most of the roof 
was taken off of a home, where the garage collapsed along with a 
portion of the front porch. One vehicle was flipped and another 
was moved. A metal workshop was destroyed and structural beams 
were bent. Along the road, several power poles were snapped and 
thrown a couple hundred feet into a nearby field. As the tornado 
approached and crossed Seven Mile Rd, intensity increased. Here, 
several metal buildings were heavily damaged or destroyed with 
structural beams bent. Grain bins had sides collapsed and the tops
blown off. A small brick home was completely destroyed with all 
of the exterior walls collapsed. The home next door had a large 
portion of the roof removed and part of a wall had collapsed. 
Debris from the home was thrown several hundred feet into a nearby
field. Vehicles were moved out of the garage and a large grain 
storage cart was thrown into the field as well. 

For several miles, the tornado traveled along MS Highway 149 
moving toward Silver City where large areas of hardwood trees were
snapped and uprooted. Multiple center pivot irrigation systems 
were flipped. A mobile home was completely destroyed when it was 
rolled into a nearby field. A portion of the roof was blown off a 
school. A community along the same road had several homes with 
significant roof damage, and at least one home had decking 
material partially removed. Several homes and a large metal 
building were severely damaged when portions of the roof were 
blown off. A second metal building was completely destroyed with 
large structural posts bent. 

As the tornado came into Silver City from the west along Highway 
149, an apartment complex was heavily damaged. Several buildings 
had sections of the roof removed and one building had portions of 
the western walls partially collapsed. A fatality occurred in one
of the single story apartment buildings. In the nearby 
neighborhood, numerous homes had roof damage. At least two frame 
homes were destroyed where one or more exterior walls collapsed. A
large number of old hardwood trees were snapped or uprooted. As 
the storm moved east toward US 49W, more trees were snapped and 
uprooted. Several homes and a church near the intersection of 
MS Highway 14 and US 49W had areas of the roof damaged or 
removed. Four mobile homes were completely destroyed. One person 
died when a mobile home was tossed into a house, and a child died
in one of the mobile homes that was destroyed. Numerous trees 
were snapped and uprooted, a few of which fell on homes. The 
rating in the Silver City area ranged from EF1-EF2. 

The tornado continued to track east where mostly tree damage 
occurred. In rural portions of Holmes County northeast of Tchula, 
there was substantial tree damage with swaths of snapped and 
uprooted trees. Several center pivot irrigation systems were 
overturned and grain bins were flipped or destroyed. The tornado 
continued to move northeast before dissipating in a wooded area 
north of Randall 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:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

$$

BP/DL/CE/LM/LP/CR/AJ