SPC Stats
Path length: 128 miles
Width: 880 yards
Fatalities: 12
Injuries: 122
Rating: F4
County: Copiah, Simpson, Rankin, Scott, Leake, Attala, Choctaw
A total of 15 tornadoes crossed through parts of Mississippi during the November 21-23, 1992 outbreak. Most occurred late on the 21st into the week hours of the 22nd. A total of 15 fatalities occurred in the state, 12 of which occurred in the tornado event documented in this summary.
This tornado developed in northeast Copiah County, MS, one mile north of Hopewell at 1127pm CST. It crossed through parts of seven counties and ended four miles SW of Mathiston, MS in Choctaw County at 201am CST. Per the NWS Storm Data entry, the tornado reached maximum strength, F4 in the town of Brandon. There were several points though along that path that F3 damage was found. Here are some of the hardest hit communities:
Florence (Rankin County):
- A mobile home park was hit on the south side.
- Two people were killed in one mobile home.
Brandon (Rankin County):
- Another mobile home park hit destroying 30 homes.
- Four were killed and many injured.
- A large, well built, brick house in the East Haven subdivision was demolished, four people killed, three of which were Cub Scouts at a sleepover.
Ludlow (Scott County):
- Several houses damaged.
Leake County:
- Three homes destroyed, nine others damaged.
- One fatality in the Pine Tree Community west of Carthage.
Attala County:
- 36 homes destroyed/severely damaged.
- 12 people injured.
Choctaw County:
- 101 homes damaged/destroyed.
- One fatality in a mobile home in Weir.
- 12 injuries.
In the midst of such tragedy, there were stories of hope, survival and miracles. A 6-day-old baby survived after her family’s mobile home was tossed by the tornado in Florence. Here is the story from the November 23, 1992 Clarion-Ledger:
In Loving Memory
Donna Jene Hancock Overstreet, 31
Sarah Lou West, 67
Vivian Mae Wallace Thomas, 32
Flora Dell Weekley Parker, 73
Van Willard Alexander, 63
Brandy Elizabeth Alexander, 4
Terry L. Smith, 39
Justin Taylor Smith, 7
Joseph Lee Warrington, 10
Jeremy Chaz Blackwell Warrington, 7
Bonnie Sue Barton, 58
Renardo Bradley, 5
Tornado Path
SPC coordinates: Start: 31.97 / -90.23 End: 33.48 / -89.17
Corrected Coordinates based on Storm Data Entry:
Start: 31.961654/90.216422 End: 33.501861/-89.174193
Veers in path: 32.151814/-90.105246, 32.489241/-89.760655, 32.733893/-89.636144, 33.058742/-89.411116, 33.271921/-89.286223.
Note: Exact tornado path may not be straight and/or continuous.
Images Via NWS Jackson
Image via NWS via Natural Disaster Survey Report
Videos
Newspaper Clippings
Sources:
November 1992 Storm Data Publication
Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. Page 1342.
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