2013 Hattiesburg tornado#Other tornadoes

The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) had stated as early as February 8 that a few supercells would possibly develop on the 10th and could produce large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes.{{cite report|work=Storm Prediction Center|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|date=February 8, 2013|access-date=June 2, 2013|title=Feb 8, 2013 0830 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook|url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2013/day3otlk_20130208_0830.html|location=Norman, Oklahoma}} When the thunderstorm outlook was issued for the 10th, the SPC stated that only a marginal chance for severe thunderstorms existed and that only a few storms would develop. Most of the severe weather activity was expected to develop along the cold front in the form of a squall line. A 10% chance of isolated tornadoes was introduced as the instability remained marginal for the event.{{cite report|work=Storm Prediction Center|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|date=February 10, 2013|access-date=June 2, 2013|title=Feb 10, 2013 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook|url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2013/day1otlk_20130210_1200.html|location=Norman, Oklahoma}}

During the morning hours of February 10, a squall line developed along a cold front that stretched from western Arkansas, down through northwest Louisiana, and into east Texas. Simultaneously, a warm front was ascending northward through Mississippi and Louisiana. The area between the fronts became increasingly unstable as the day went on, and four tornado watches were issued across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama throughout the day as the storms tracked eastward. The watches were issued as very strong wind shear and instability engrossed the area, causing the development of supercell thunderstorms. These watches were issued through the day, with the first being posted at 7 a.m. CST (1300 UTC) and the last one coming out at 5:35 p.m. CST (2335 UTC).{{cite web |title=SPC Severe Weather Event Review for Sunday February 10, 2013 |url=https://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/archive/event.php?date=20130210 |website=www.spc.noaa.gov |access-date=26 April 2022}}

Throughout the afternoon hours, the cold front and the squall line began to stall over portions of Louisiana and Arkansas. The supercells that developed that afternoon ahead of the squall line originated across Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Around 4 p.m. (2200 UTC), a newly developed supercell produced an EF2 tornado in Marion County, Mississippi. That tornado tracked northeast and entered Lamar County, where it dissipated. Later, that same supercell quickly produced another tornado – this was a large wedge tornado that hit the Hattiesburg area.

File:Hattiesburg leveled house feb 2013.JPG

The tornado touched down west-southwest of West Hattiesburg at around 5:03 p.m. CST (23:03 UTC), causing EF0 damage to tree limbs at the western edge of the community. It rapidly widened and intensified as it moved through residential subdivisions of the city, snapping numerous trees and power lines, severely damaging homes, and expanding to one half-mile wide. Further northeast, it narrowed as it struck Oak Grove High School, causing major damage to the school's athletic complex. Several well-constructed buildings around the school's athletic stadiums were destroyed, with twisting and buckling steel girders noted. Several steel light poles with concrete reinforcement were snapped as well. Vehicles were thrown in considerable distances, one of which was taken from a parking lot of the high school, rolled up a hill and across the baseball field, and then deposited onto the pitcher's mound. Much of the damage in this area ranged from EF2 to EF3 intensity, though an isolated pocket of EF4 damage occurred just to the southwest of the high school, as a well-built brick home was completely flattened with debris scattered downwind. Nearby trees were denuded and debarked. As it then approached I-59, the tornado heavily damaged numerous homes and apartment buildings at EF2 to EF3 strength, and snapped more trees and power lines. It crossed the interstate and entered Forrest County, tearing through densely populated areas of Hattiesburg, resulting in major damage.{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.gov/jan/2013_02_10_tor_lamar_forrest|title=Lamar and Forrest County Tornado|publisher=National Weather Service Jackson, Mississippi|date=February 11, 2013|access-date=February 13, 2013}}{{cite report|work=National Climatic Data Center|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|year=2013|access-date=June 1, 2013|title=Mississippi Event Report: EF4 Tornado|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=433413|location=Asheville, North Carolina}}

File:Alumni House tornado damage.jpg

In Forrest County, roughly 300 homes and other structures were damaged/destroyed as the tornado moved through various neighborhoods and business districts. The University of Southern Mississippi sustained significant damage to the southern portion of its campus; at least six buildings were damaged and two others were destroyed there. Near the university, a gas station, a strip mall, a church, an apartment building, and multiple homes were damaged/destroyed, and some metal traffic light poles were mangled. The tornado continued through residential areas to the east of U.S. 49, where many trees were uprooted, homes were heavily damaged, and a church's steeple was blown off. Large metal light poles at the athletic fields of Hattiesburg High School were snapped, and the third base wall at the baseball field was destroyed. The gymnasium sustained considerable damage to its roof as well. Near the high school, the American Red Cross Building lost its roof and some of its exterior walls, and the Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi building had its roof torn off as well.{{cite report|work=National Climatic Data Center|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|year=2013|access-date=June 1, 2013|title=Mississippi Event Report: EF3 Tornado|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=433414|location=Asheville, North Carolina}}{{cite news|url=http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130211/NEWS/302110051/Building-destroyed-pieces-Girl-Scout-history-saved|title=Building destroyed, but pieces of Girl Scout history saved|publisher=Jackson Clarion-Ledger|date=February 11, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2013}} The tornado then impacted the northern fringes of downtown Hattiesburg, damaging or destroying several more homes, snapping numerous power lines, and causing heavy damage to several large brick buildings, three of which were leveled. Damage intensity throughout the city of Hattiesburg ranged from EF2 to EF3. The tornado maintained its strength as it continued into Petal, where an ACE Hardware store was completely leveled and more homes were damaged or destroyed.{{Cite web |url=http://www.weather.gov/images/jan/Weather_Events/2013/0210severe/forrest_pix/Ace_hardware_Petal.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=March 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312050044/http://www.weather.gov/images/jan/Weather_Events/2013/0210severe/forrest_pix/Ace_hardware_Petal.jpg |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}

Traveling to the northeast of Petal, the tornado began to weaken, causing EF1 to EF2 strength damage to numerous roofs and downing many trees. It weakened to EF1-strength in Perry County before weakening rapidly and lifting in a wooded area just west of Runnelstown at 5:36 p.m. CST (2336 UTC).{{cite report|work=National Climatic Data Center|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|year=2013|access-date=June 1, 2013|title=Mississippi Event Report: EF1 Tornado|url=http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=434571|location=Asheville, North Carolina}}

The tornado was on the ground for 33 minutes, traveled {{convert|22.5|mi|km}}, had a maximum path width of {{convert|0.75|mi|km}}, and was rated low-end EF4, with winds up to {{convert|170|mph|kph|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.gov/mob/20130210_tornadoes|title=Perry County (Continuation of Hattiesburg Tornado)|publisher=National Weather Service Mobile, Alabama|date=February 12, 2013|access-date=February 13, 2013}} It damaged many buildings and athletic fields at University of Southern Mississippi, Oak Grove High School, and Hattiesburg High School. In Lamar County (where the tornado first touched down and was rated EF4), 51 homes were destroyed and another 170 suffered major damage. The tornado was slightly weaker in Forrest County (EF3); however, 192 homes were destroyed and 338 suffered major damage. The tornado injured 71 people (8 in Lamar County and 63 in Forrest County) and caused damage amounting to $38.525 million.

This was the first violent tornado to occur in Lamar and Forrest Counties since April 24, 1908, in which 143 people were killed. 64 deaths occurred in Lamar and Forrest Counties alone with that tornado.

File:US Extatropical System 10 Feb 2013.JPG

{{see also|List of United States tornadoes from January to February 2013#February 10 event}}

A total of eight tornadoes touched down on February 10, including one in northeast Texas, five in southeast Mississippi, and two in southwest Alabama. The tornadoes caused a total of 86 injuries.{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.gov/hgx/severe_2013_02_10|title=Preliminary Severe Weather Report February 10, 2013|publisher=National Weather Service Houston, Texas|date=February 13, 2013|access-date=February 15, 2013}}{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.gov/jan/2013_02_10_11_tor|title=Pine Belt Tornado Event|publisher=National Weather Service Jackson, Mississippi|date=February 11, 2013|access-date=February 15, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.weather.gov/mob/20130210_tornadoes|title=Preliminary NWS Damage Survey Information For 10 February 2013 Tornado Event In Perry And Wayne Counties In Southeast Mississippi And Washington And Clarke Counties In Southwest Alabama|publisher=National Weather Service Mobile, Alabama|date=February 11, 2013|access-date=February 15, 2013}}

In Texas, an EF0 tornado touched down east of Livingston in Polk County. A trailer was destroyed and trees and power lines were downed, injuring one person. In Mississippi, an EF1 tornado touched down southeast of Arm in Lawrence County, causing damage to several barns and mobile homes and downing many trees. In nearby Marion County, an EF2 touched down south of the Columbia area and traveled into Lamar County, causing significant damage to many trees and numerous structures and injuring three people. This tornado lifted and the parent supercell quickly produced another tornado, which impacted the Hattiesburg area (See above), injuring 71 people. The same supercell would later produce two EF1 tornadoes across Wayne County, causing damage to many trees and structures, before moving into Alabama and dissipating.

Two EF1 tornadoes touched down across Washington and Clarke Counties in Alabama. These tornadoes removed roofs from homes, severely damaged a few mobile homes, and downed many trees, including numerous pine trees that were snapped.

President Barack Obama declared Mississippi a federal disaster area following the tornado.{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/education/2013/02/13/obama-declares-disaster-miss-after-tornado/nAy5NGvj9OISdBmPFKq4CJ/story.html|title=Obama declares disaster in Miss. after tornado|publisher=Boston.com|date=February 13, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2013}} Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant issued a State of emergency for Forrest, Lamar, Lawrence, and Marion Counties due to the impact of the severe storms and tornadoes in those counties.{{cite news|url=http://www.wdam.com/story/21097178/gov-bryant-declares-emergency-after-tornado-hits |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130412035506/http://www.wdam.com/story/21097178/gov-bryant-declares-emergency-after-tornado-hits |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 12, 2013 |publisher=WDAM.com |title=Gov. Bryant declares emergency after tornado hits |date=February 10, 2013 |access-date=February 11, 2013 }}

Rain hampered cleanup efforts in the city during the days following the tornado.{{cite news|url=http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/11/4462362/storm-recovery-in-hub-city-hampered.html#storylink=botnext|title=No deaths reported in wake of tornado; cleanup crews hampered by rain|publisher=Sunherald.com|date=February 11, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214051818/http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/11/4462362/storm-recovery-in-hub-city-hampered.html#storylink=botnext|archive-date=February 14, 2013|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} Schools remained closed in the Hattiesburg area until February 14, 2013, including the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). When schools reopened, school buses had to be borrowed from neighboring school districts as most of Hattiesburg's had been damaged by the tornado. USM had to move classes that were previously held in the eight damaged buildings.{{cite news|url=http://www.sunherald.com/2013/02/12/4465070/hattiesburg-schools-usm-set-to.html|title=Weather Service finds 3 tornadoes hit Pine Belt|publisher=Sunherald.com|date=February 12, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2013}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} USM officials estimated that it would take over 10 million dollars to repair the school.{{cite news|url=http://www.enquirerherald.com/2013/02/13/2317809/usm-tornado-damage-estimated-in.html|title=USM tornado damage estimated in tens of millions|publisher=EnquirerHerald.com|date=February 13, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2013}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Oak Grove High School in West Hattiesburg lost its athletic facilities as well as a few other buildings. The Lamar County School Superintendent said that it would take months and millions of dollars to repair. Hattiesburg High School also suffered destruction of some of its athletic facilities, including the basketball gym that had undergone renovations just a few weeks before.{{cite news|url=http://www.wlox.com/story/21130209/tornado-destroys-oak-grove-hattiesburg-high-athletic-facilities|title=Tornado totals Oak Grove, Hattiesburg High athletic facilities|publisher=WLOX.com|date=February 11, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215072206/http://www.wlox.com/story/21130209/tornado-destroys-oak-grove-hattiesburg-high-athletic-facilities|archive-date=February 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}

Sempra U.S. Gas & Power donated $100,000 to Hattiesburg area schools and the American Red Cross branch based in Hattiesburg.{{cite news|url=http://www.wlox.com/story/21189798/sempra-us-gas-power-donates-100000-to-assist-hattiesburg-miss-tornado-victims|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130412063402/http://www.wlox.com/story/21189798/sempra-us-gas-power-donates-100000-to-assist-hattiesburg-miss-tornado-victims|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 12, 2013|title=Sempra U.S. Gas & Power Donates $100,000 To Assist Hattiesburg, Miss., Tornado Victims|publisher=WLOX.com|date=February 12, 2013|access-date=February 14, 2013}}

In the early morning hours of January 21, 2017, a destructive EF3 tornado destroyed many homes and businesses in Hattiesburg and Petal. This tornado was not as powerful as the 2013 event, though it resulted in four fatalities and many injuries.{{cite news |last1=Stanglin |first1=Doug |title=Tornado rips through southern Mississippi, leaving 4 dead |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/01/21/twister-kills-four-hattiesburg-area-mississippi/96877096/ |access-date=November 30, 2022 |publisher=USA Today |date=January 22, 2017}}

{{Portal|Mississippi|Weather}}

• Weather of 2013
• List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
• List of F4 and EF4 tornadoes
• List of F4 and EF4 tornadoes (2010–2019)
• Tornado outbreak of January 21–23, 2017 – A deadly EF3 tornado followed a similar path to this tornado four years later.

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{{reflist}}

• [http://www.weather.gov/jan/2013_02_10_11_tor February 10, 2013 Pine Belt tornado outbreak]
• [http://www.weather.gov/mob/20130210_tornadoes Tornado Event Across Southeast Mississippi and Southern Alabama]

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{{2013 tornado outbreaks}}

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2013-02-10

Category:Tornadoes in Mississippi

02-10

2013-02-10 tornado

Tornado, 02-10

Hattiesburg Tornado

Tornado, 10