Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Jackson, MS
Issued by NWS Jackson, MS
309 NOUS44 KJAN 160229 PNSJAN ARZ074-075-LAZ007>009-015-016-023>026-MSZ018-019-025>066-072>074- 161430- Public Information Statement National Weather Service Jackson MS 929 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026 ...NWS Damage Survey for 5/6/26 Tornado Event - Update #3... .Update...Following additional ground surveys and analysis of aerial imagery, the beginning point of the Garden City to Monticello EF3 tornado path has been extended westward into far southwestern Adams County, making the tornado path over 81 miles long. The injury count was also increased. Additional analysis of survey data is still ongoing, and further revisions are possible. The survey summary will be updated in the future to include more detail. Additionally, an EF0 tornado path was identified in aerial imagery in Concordia Parish near Deer Park. Surveys earlier this week in Neshoba and Kemper identified scattered straight line wind and large hail damage, but nothing else of significance. .Overview...Six tornadoes have been confirmed across the NWS Jackson forecast area, including one EF3, one EF2, two EF1s, and two EF0s. No further ground surveys are planned at this time, but additional adjustments are still possible as analysis of existing aerial imagery continues and as new imagery becomes available. Additional details will be added for the EF3 tornado path in the coming days. .Deer Park Tornado... Rating: EF0 Estimated Peak Wind: 85 mph Path Length /statute/: 1.2 miles Path Width /maximum/: 50 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 5/6/2026 Start Time: 4:03 PM CDT Start Location: 11 SSW Ridgecrest / Concordia Parish / LA Start Lat/Lon: 31.4499 / -91.6008 End Date: 5/6/2026 End Time: 4:06 PM CDT End Location: 10 SSW Ridgecrest / Concordia Parish / LA End Lat/Lon: 31.4563 / -91.5821 Survey Summary: This tornado downed multiple trees along a path in a wooded area west of LA Hwy 15 just north of the Deer Park community. The tornado was observed from LA 15 by a storm chaser. .Garden City/Lincoln County/Monticello Tornado... Rating: EF3 Estimated Peak Wind: 137 mph Path Length /statute/: 81.9 miles Path Width /maximum/: 1.17 miles Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 23 Start Date: 5/6/2026 Start Time: 6:22 PM CDT Start Location: 5 WNW Dolorosa / Adams County / MS Start Lat/Lon: 31.338 / -91.4368 End Date: 5/6/2026 End Time: 8:31 PM CDT End Location: 1 S Monticello / Lawrence County / MS End Lat/Lon: 31.5361 / -90.1129 Survey Summary: This tornado began in the St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Adams County, then tracked near the Homochitto River across northern Wilkinson County and far southeastern Adams County before moving across southern Franklin County, central Lincoln County, and into Lawrence County, lifting on the south side of Monticello. Communities along and near the path of the tornado included Possum Corner, Garden City, West Lincoln, Bogue Chitto, Enterprise, East Lincoln, and Harmony. The first instance of EF3 damage was an area of nearly complete devastation to mixed forest east of the Garden City community. A second area of EF3 damage was identified in western Lincoln County between W Lincoln Drive and Rowan Lane, where another intense area of tree damage occurred. A third corridor of EF3 damage occurred just east of I-55 between Brookhaven and Bogue Chitto. In this area, tree damage was extensive with some debarking, a home was heavily damaged with exterior walls collapsed, and a mobile home park was devastated with debris and vehicles rowed along a center vortex path. Additional heavy tree damage occurred along the entire path. There were also multiple instances of EF2 structural damage in Wilkinson, Franklin, Lincoln, and Lawrence counties. Special thanks to the SR GIS Mutual Aid team for assistance with post event imagery acquisition and analysis. .Coal Town - Purvis Tornado... Rating: EF2 Estimated Peak Wind: 135 mph Path Length /statute/: 13.4 miles Path Width /maximum/: 600 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 4 Start Date: 5/6/2026 Start Time: 6:51 PM CDT Start Location: 10 WSW Purvis / Lamar County / MS Start Lat/Lon: 31.1171 / -89.591 End Date: 5/6/2026 End Time: 7:13 PM CDT End Location: 3 NNE Purvis / Lamar County / MS End Lat/Lon: 31.1767 / -89.3794 Survey Summary: This tornado began near or just west of the intersections of Tatum Salt Dome Road and R Thompson Road where it produced damage to trees crossing Tatum Salt Dome Road with a narrow swath of damage produced just north of R Thompson Rd. The tornado moved eastward through the Half Moon Creek lower wooded areas before crossing Beach Road, retaining a consolidated core that could be observed transecting the roadway twice as the tornado track roughly paralleled the roadway. The tornado produced mostly vegetative damage until it approached western Purvis in the Boggy Hollow areas where outbuildings were damaged or destroyed and trees were blown onto homes. A mobile home was blown off of its blocks just north of Purvis-to-Columbia Road, which the tornado approximately moved along as it traveled east-northeast. The tornado intensified to its maximum intensity, producing damage that suggests maximum winds were at least 135 mph as several residences had roofs removed as well as some exterior walls blown inward near Coal Town Road and Highway 589. Significant damage was also observed along Central Industrial Row where several metal building system (MBS) warehouse and commercial buildings had walls and internal structures including pillars/columns and roofing purlins destroyed. Numerous other facilities suffered substantial loss of roofing materials including the Lamar County Multi-Purpose Center. The tornado continued eastward downing numerous trees and causing widespread damage to roofs and outbuildings before dissipating just east of US Highway 11. .Prentiss Tornado... Rating: EF0 Estimated Peak Wind: 85 mph Path Length /statute/: 3.7 miles Path Width /maximum/: 200 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 5/6/2026 Start Time: 8:54 PM CDT Start Location: 2 SSW Prentiss / Jefferson Davis County / MS Start Lat/Lon: 31.5755 / -89.888 End Date: 5/6/2026 End Time: 9:00 PM CDT End Location: 2 ESE Prentiss / Jefferson Davis County / MS End Lat/Lon: 31.5784 / -89.8337 Survey Summary: This tornado began on the south side of Prentiss near MS Hwy 13, tracking across Old Highway 13, Tom Bullock Rd, and MS Hwy 42. A storm chaser observed turbulent debris and power flashes. As it approached the Lake Jeff Davis area, it began to occlude tracking along Ed Parkman Rd before lifting. Along this path, several small trees and various tree limbs were downed. .Wilson Road Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 90 mph Path Length /statute/: 2 miles Path Width /maximum/: 300 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 5/6/2026 Start Time: 9:10 PM CDT Start Location: 7 NNE Bassfield / Covington County / MS Start Lat/Lon: 31.6015 / -89.7073 End Date: 5/6/2026 End Time: 9:14 PM CDT End Location: 7 NNE Bassfield / Covington County / MS End Lat/Lon: 31.5914 / -89.6759 Survey Summary: This tornado began east of Blackjack New Chapel Rd and tracked across Wilson Rd near Burkhalter Rd, lifting shortly thereafter. Along the path, several large hardwoods were uprooted and part of the roof was blown off of a shed. .Darbun Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 88 mph Path Length /statute/: 7.7 miles Path Width /maximum/: 100 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 5/6/2026 Start Time: 10:55 PM CDT Start Location: 5 N Salem / Walthall County / MS Start Lat/Lon: 31.3036 / -90.1114 End Date: 5/6/2026 End Time: 11:11 PM CDT End Location: 8 ENE Salem / Marion County / MS End Lat/Lon: 31.2756 / -89.9874 Survey Summary: This information reflects the entire path of this tornado across both NWS Slidell and NWS Jackson areas. The tornado damage path began near MS Hwy 27 where numerous trees were leaning in a confluent pattern with large branches down. Minor tree damage continued with uproots and large branches predominantly occurring along the damage path on Jordan, Sauls, and Dan Holmes roads. The tornado moved into Marion County, producing additional tree damage as it crossed Reid Rd, Bracey Rd, and Rowley Rd before lifting near Circle Bar Road. Special thanks to NWS Slidell for their assistance with this damage survey. && EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: EF0.....65 to 85 mph EF1.....86 to 110 mph EF2.....111 to 135 mph EF3.....136 to 165 mph EF4.....166 to 200 mph EF5.....>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS Storm Data. $$ MH/LP/CE/SW/BP/DL