The U.S. state of Mississippi experiences several tornadoes per year. There have been at least 2,611 recorded tornadoes since 1950. At least 586 people have been killed and 7,593 people have been injured by these tornadoes. Many tornadoes took place within the state prior to 1950 as well, but only tornadoes that caused fatalities or were estimated to have been F2 or greater intensity on the Fujita scale were recorded in this period of time.
The deadliest tornado to impact Mississippi took place in 1840, when a tornado that was estimated to have been F4 intensity struck the city of Natchez and areas to the southwest along the Mississippi River, killing 317 people and injuring 109 others. An F5 tornado impacted the city of Tupelo on April 5, 1936, which destroyed many houses within the city and killed 216 people. During the 1908 Dixie tornado outbreak on April 24, 1908, two F4-rated tornadoes impacted the state, the first of which impacted multiple plantations and mansions near the communities of Pine Ridge and Church Hill, killing 52 people and injuring 250 more. The second F4 tornado impacted the city of Purvis, where the majority of structures were destroyed and 55 people were killed. A total of 96 people were killed along the tornado's path in Mississippi.
After 1950, several more deadly and destructive tornadoes took place in Mississippi, including an F5 tornado which destroyed numerous homes and businesses within Vicksburg in 1953, killing 38 people and injuring 270 others. Another F5 tornado destroyed many structures within Jackson and areas to the northeast in 1966, including a large shopping center which was mostly flattened, resulting in 57 fatalities. The 1971 Mississippi Delta tornado outbreak produced multiple destructive tornadoes within the state, including an F5 tornado which destroyed many buildings within the cities of Delta City and Inverness, killing 37 people within the state. During that outbreak, an F4 tornado caused destruction to neighborhoods within Cary and the town of Pugh City to the northeast, killing 57 people.
Multiple destructive tornado events have also impacted Mississippi in the 21st century, including two EF5 tornadoes that were produced during the 2011 Super Outbreak on April 27, 2011. The first EF5 tornado impacted the city of Philadelphia and areas to the northeast, killing three people as several homes were destroyed. The second EF5 tornado produced on that day caused devastating damage in the city of Smithville, resulting in 16 fatalities within Mississippi. The city of Rolling Fork and town of Silver City were also impacted by an EF4 tornado in 2023, resulting in many structures being destroyed and 17 people being killed along its path.
Climatology
Mississippi is located in Dixie Alley, an expanse of land stretching from eastern Texas to southwestern North Carolina. Tornadoes occur most frequently between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. in Mississippi, and tornado activity is highest during the spring months of March through May, while it is lowest during the summer month of August. Due to Dixie Alley's close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, storms in this region are often high-precipitation supercells that produce tornadoes which are rain-wrapped, making them more difficult to spot and increasing the risk of tornado-related deaths. Tornadoes in Dixie Alley are also more likely to occur during nighttime hours and move at faster speeds, making people less able to protect themselves ahead of their impact.
The number of tornadoes recorded within Mississippi is highest within the 21st century. This is partially due to improved detection and reporting of weak tornadoes resulting in the tendency of overall tornado counts to show higher numbers in more recent years. +Most active tornado years for MississippiYearMax F/EF#TornadoesDeaths2022 EF318602019 EF314732011 EF5136322008 EF312602005 F312012020 EF411513
Deadliest tornadoes