Tornado hits Gulfport, Ms

[MGC]

Yet another tornado struck north Gulfport Ms in the Orange Grove section of town. Moderated damage, no injuries......MGC

[mikey mike]

Saw the damage MGC.Live about 3 miles SW of there and it got pretty rough here for a few minutes!

[MGC]

glad you are safe.....MGC

[mikey mike]

Thanks.Dodged a bullet this time.

[senorpepr]

According to the NWS, it was a downburst rather than a tornado.

[mikey mike]

Well what does it matter what it was? It caused destruction and was terrifying to the ones experiencing it.Is the Nws infallible? Were you an eyewitness?

[Skywatch_NC]

Wind Reports (in CSV format)

Time Speed Location County State Lat Lon Comments

1215 UNK 5 N GULFPORT HARRISON MS 3046 8907

MAJOR DAMAGE TO 3 HOMES AND 5 BUSINESS IN ORANGE GROVE AREA NEAR INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAY 49 AND DEDAUX RD. 20 HOMES MINOR DAMAGE. DAMAGE MOSTLY IN A FOUR BLOCK AREA. DA (LIX)

[MGC]

I just looked at the damaged area. Don't look like a microburst to me. Too much debris in trees, damage area is along a mile long swath. All damage looks typical of an F-1 tornado........MGC

[Brent]

The damage sounds like a tornado but 100 mph winds could also do that. Might be hard for the NWS to distinguish between the two.

[mikey mike]

There were two large oak trees on O'Neal RD that got uprooted that no one reported. That was about a mile and a half NE of the church.There were shingles blown off apartments about a half mile from the church.The church is at Three Rivers Rd.Hiway 49 is much farther than 4 blocks from 3 Rivers Rd.I agree with MGC.It was at least an F-1 tornado.When the rain is blowing horizontally and lightening is striking continously,that is a sure sign of a tornado.

[MGC]

I'll have to check out some of that damage also. I just drove along Dedeaux road. The church at 3 rivers and Dedeaux really took a big hit...MGC

[MScoast]

according to this person it was a tornado....

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/10267794.htm

[senorpepr]

Well what does it matter what it was? It caused destruction and was terrifying to the ones experiencing it.Is the Nws infallible? Were you an eyewitness?

I'm not saying it was one or the other. I was simply passing along what the NWS was classing it as.

Too much debris in trees, damage area is along a mile long swath. All damage looks typical of an F-1 tornado

It's possible. However, an aerial observation would best give an idea of rather it was a tornado or microburst. A similar situation occurred in Kansas City a few years ago. A very small area of damage in a thin swath. Many believed it was a tornado, but after observation via helicopter it was determined it was a microburst with the damage amplified by how the neighborhood was build. All the damage in the KC microburst was in straight lines rather than whichever direction like a tornado would have produced.


Once again, I'm not saying it was a tornado or a microburst, I'm just presenting the possibility. I actually left the area a few days prior to the event so I have no visual idea of the situation.

[mikey mike]

Didn't mean to sound snippety or anything Senorpepr,just whatever it was did some major damage.Were you here on business or pleasure?

[Wnghs2007]

Hmmmmmmm...I havent been keeping up. I have read this post and have gotten confused. Did they call it a Tornado or a Damaging Strait line wind gust?

[senorpepr]

Didn't mean to sound snippety or anything Senorpepr,just whatever it was did some major damage.Were you here on business or pleasure?

Oh, no problem

Actually, I was there on business from the 7th through the 20th.

[MGC]

I guess we will have to wait for an offical report. Outside chance it could be a microburst. I'm still hedging my bets on a weak tornado.....MGC

[SouthernWx]

A rapidly moving weak tornado can mimic the damage pattern of a downburst....I've seen it occur here in Georgia on numerous occasions (when downburst type damage occurred with a small tornado confirmed by spotters and indicated by Nexrad doppler data).

[Skywatch_NC]

Looks like the NWS needs to do a re-assessment.

Eric

[mikey mike]

The tornados that I have actually seen down here are quite small and move very rapidly.I mean if you blink,you might miss it.