Thunderstorm Wind — Rankin, Mississippi

2024-05-09 · near Luckney, Rankin, Mississippi

Event narrative

A swath of scattered wind damage began as a line of severe thunderstorms pushed southeast into Rankin County with a few downed trees and power lines. The corridor of more continuous and significant damage began near the west side of Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers Airport and spread southeastward across the southern potion of the airport property where many trees trees were snapped or uprooted. A peak wind gust of 60 mph was measured at the airport's ASOS station before it stopped reporting, and it is estimated the wind speeds would have been greater. The swath continued across the East Metro Parkway and El Dorado Road areas where widespread tree damage occurred as well as minor roof damage. An apartment building had a portion of its north facing roof and third story wall blown in, and several trees at the complex were blown down or damaged. The swath of worst damage ended in the Crossgates subdivision where the tree damage became more scattered to isolated, but some isolated downed trees and tree limbs occurred even as far southeast as Louis Wilson Drive in southeast Brandon. Peak winds were estimated to be around 100 mph. The corridor of most intense damage was approximately 1.5 miles wide by 5 miles long. A 57-year old woman was killed outside her home on Summerwood Drive when a tree fell on her. Two other minor injuries occurred - one due to wind-borne debris which hit an individual's head in Pearl and one due to a tree downed on a house in the Crossgates subdivision of Brandon.

Wider weather episode

Severe thunderstorms moved across the state of Mississippi and produced damaging wind gusts, hail, and one tornado. Two swaths of wind produced significant damage.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.3350, -90.1130)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1192430. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.