EF-1 tornado reported last week

RIDGELAND — An EF1 tornado was on the ground for about six minutes last Tuesday that mostly downed trees, the National Weather Service has confirmed.

The tornado appeared and touched down around 12:42 p.m. west of I-55 along the Natchez Trace and traveled in a northeasterly direction to just below the Sam’s in Madison, officials said.

“The tornado was around 250 yards wide and on the ground for around five miles,” said David Cox, a meteorologist with the Jackson Weather Service. “This one was the type to spin up quickly but not last long. It was an EF1 with winds around 90 miles per hour.”

Coxx said the tornado touched the ground on Rouser Road near the Natchez Trace and continued northeast through a few subdivisions.

He noted the only damage the tornado caused were some downed trees and snapped branches.

“After additional investigation, we found it continued to the Highland Colony area and crossed Interstate 55 into a group of trees, where it weakened and dissipated near Dominican Drive,” Coxx said. “It also knocked over some trees near the Horne Building.”

He said three other tornadoes developed southwest of Ridgeland, and they went down into Hinds County (EF1), Warren County (EF1), and Bolton (EF2).

For more information visit the National Weather Service Jackson, Mississippi website at www.weather.gov/jan/, and look under hazards for the public information statement.