7 things Mississippians should know to prepare for severe weather in the Magnolia State
The state’s Severe Weather Awareness Week runs from Feb. 14-19
How Mississippi readies for severe weather
Kelly Richardson of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency discusses preparation for severe storms heading into the Spring season.
Mississippi has no shortage of severe thunderstorms, and the state is marking a weeklong campaign aimed at helping people prepare for the spring storm season.
From Feb. 14-19, the Magnolia State will observe Severe Weather Awareness Week. Each day, officials will work to educate people about a different type of severe weather. On Wednesday, a statewide tornado drill will be conducted.
Here are a list of the topics being covered this week:
- Monday: Severe thunderstorms.
- Tuesday: Flash flooding and tornadoes.
- Wednesday: Statewide tornado drill at 9:15 a.m. Central.
- Thursday: Lightning.
- Friday: Alerts and warnings.
- Saturday: Mobile home safety.
"Knowing the precautions to take in advance of severe weather saves lives," Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement. "I encourage all Mississippians to review their existing severe whether preparedness plan or create one if you haven’t already done so. The best way to stay safe is to have a plan in place before disaster strikes."
Some statistics
Severe weather, which includes damaging winds, hail and tornadoes, can happen any time of the year, but these types of storms are most common in the spring and fall in the South.
In Mississippi, there are an average of 33 tornadoes each year. There was a total of 76 tornadoes in the state last year. The most tornadoes reported in a single year in Mississippi is 115 in 2019.
The largest tornado ever reported in Mississippi happened on Feb. 21, 1971. The F-4 twister with winds of at least 207 mph touched down in Issaquena and Grenada counties, killing 58 people and injuring 795 others.
7 things to know before storms hit
Here are some helpful resources from FOX Weather to help you prepare for severe weather.
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