EF1 tornado in Leake County, Mississippi

A wide but brief tornado produced some significant roof damage to two homes, although most other damage was limited to trees. Maximum wind speed was estimated at 95 mph.

A vigorous, fast-moving, early autumn storm system brought severe weather to portions of the ArkLaMiss region from the evening of October 17th, 2012 into the early morning hours of October 18th. The combination of intense wind shear, strong winds and adequate moisture and instability resulted in severe storms developing along and ahead of a strong cold front as it raced across the forecast area. Numerous reports of wind damage from supercell and bowing-type thunderstorms were received as the storms produced strong straight line winds and tornadoes from the Delta region, southeast into Central Mississippi, and reaching into parts of east central and southeast Mississippi. There were sporadic reports of hail, but with such fierce wind shear over the region, straight line winds and tornadoes were the primary modes of severe weather during this event.

To put some historical perspective on this rare early Fall severe weather event, the EF-3 that occurred across Scott and Newton counties was only the second F3 to occur in the month of October in Mississippi in recorded history. The three strong tornadoes for this event is second all time to the Oct 17, 1980 event where 7 tornadoes occurred (6 of which were strong (F2)). Additionally, there were eleven total tornadoes during this event which ties October 13, 2001 for the most tornadoes during any October event.