EF3 Tornado — Walthall, Mississippi

2025-03-15 · near Lexie, Walthall, Mississippi

Event narrative

At 1:24 pm, approximately 45 minutes after a violent EF-4 tornado had passed through the nearby area, yet another tornado would develop in Walthall County, MS near Claude Smith Road. Patchy tree damage was identified on high resolution satellite imagery away from the road over largely inaccessible and uninhabited areas. The tornado gathered strength quickly, just like its predecessor, and began producing an increasingly large and destructive path as it crossed MS Hwy 48 near J. W. Lee Road. The tornado then crossed US Hwy 98 only 2 miles east of where the EF-4 tornado crossed 45 minutes earlier. Video recordings showed a large wedge tornado. The tornado continued to intensify from EF-2 to EF-3 strength as it crossed MS Hwy 583 producing widespread tree damage as well as severe damage to nearby structures. As the tornado crossed Union Church Road, exterior walls of a home were collapsed and complete destruction of a manufactured home occurred. EF-2 to EF-3 tornado damage continued to be identified along the path northeast through rural Walthall County. This included several more completely destroyed and lofted manufactured homes as well significant tree damage. The tornado damage path was at its widest at around a half-mile at this point, and was less than one mile east of the prior EF-4 track that had just occurred 45 minutes earlier. In its wake, one fatality was reported as well as other injuries that were unconfirmed or minor. The tornado continued to produce moderate to significant damage through Darbun before exiting Walthal county and entering Marion County, MS in the Jackson NWS office's area.

Satellite, drone, and ground survey analysis identified multiple locations along the damage path with a maximum width of approximately 0.5 mile (880 yards). Imagery review is now complete, and no further updates to this report are anticipated unless new data emerges. The maximum width will remain listed as 0.5 mile.

The Tylertown'Darbun EF-3 tornado, with estimated peak winds of 140 mph, remained on the ground for approximately 30 minutes and produced a 25.8-mile-long damage path. At its widest point, the tornado reached half a mile in width. The total number of injuries remains unknown, though one fatality has been confirmed.

Wider weather episode

A potent weather system impacted the local area, producing a rare EF-4 tornado. Only a few tornadoes that strong have developed in the local forecast area. Just as impressive. an EF-3 tornado tracked barely a mile to the east of the EF-4 and only 45 minutes later. The environment needed for violent and long lived tornadoes, were in place right as a cold front approached from the west. Unfortunately, there were 4 fatalities with the tornadoes that did develop.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (31.0900, -90.2200)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1256707. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.