Severe weather charged through Newton County Saturday night, bringing heavy rain, wind, and at least four tornadoes that touched down in the county. The line of storms that reached the county Saturday night was part of a system that ripped its way through Texas and Louisiana before reaching the magnolia state and continuing east. As many as 44 tornadoes was reported in the Southeast with this storm system.
While the National Weather Service in Jackson is still in the process of surveying the damage throughout the state, survey teams have so far confirmed 5 tornadoes in our area, including the four that touched down in Newton County and one in neighboring Lauderdale County.
Ryan Hanner, Deputy Director with Newton County Emergency Management, said that damage reports in the county included a tree that fell on Friendship Baptist Church in Hickory, a home that lost its roof in Hickory, and some damage to the Newton County Beat 5 barn. Also reported were some power lines and trees that fell on roadways.
Four Confirmed Tornadoes in Newton County
According to the survey team reports, the first tornado, and EF-0 touched down in Lawrence near Gordy Road South and off of Moffett Road and traveled .65 miles, damaging a barn, and causing minor tree damage until lifting after crossing County Road 505.
Just south of Newton, a 700-yard-wide EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 95 mph touched down near the intersection of MS Highway 15 and Newton Calhoun Road, traveling northeast for 4.61 miles. The tornado damaged several barns and farm outbuildings, as well as uprooted and snapped many trees along the path before dissipating after crossing Peavy Road.
An EF-0 tornado touched down on the west side of Hickory and crossed U.S. Highway 80 and moved northeast for half a mile before lifting as it crossed MS Highway 503. A few buildings were reported damaged, while some minor tree damage occurred with this tornado.
In Chunky, a 650-yard EF-1 tornado, with peak winds at 90 mph, touched down west of Mount Pleasant Church Road and moved north. A home lost its roof, a shed was damaged, and numerous trees were damaged or uprooted along its 2.58-mile track. The tornado crossed Interstate 20 near mile marker 121 and then dissipated after it crossed Chunky Duffee Road.
