2019 set a new record for tornadoes in Mississippi

2019 was a year for the record books in Mississippi weather.

The number of tornadoes last year hit an all-time high of 115 twisters since the National Weather Service officially began keeping records of tornadoes and other weather phenomena in 1950. The previous record for tornadoes was set in 2008 when the NWS recorded 109.

For such an unsettled year, the number of casualties was low. Three deaths occurred as a result of tornadoes in addition to 48 injuries.

The highest number of tornadoes in a single month last year occurred in April, with 67 confirmed twisters, 58 percent of the year’s total. The number ties with the April 2011. December came in at No. 2 with 24, eight more than the previous December record of 16.

More than half of 2019’s tornadoes were EF2s, with winds from 86 to 110 mph. Five reached EF3 levels, with 135-165 mph winds.

Most of the tornadoes occurred in the east-central portion of the state. Warren County saw six confirmed twisters last year.

See more information on the NWS website and the tornado database site.