2023 Rolling Fork–Silver City tornado

An observed sounding from Jackson, Mississippi, launched less than an hour before the EF4 tornado began

A tornado watch was issued at 5:15 p.m. Central Daylight Time (UTC−5) for portions of eastern Arkansas, northeastern Louisiana, central and northern Mississippi, and western Tennessee. The watch mentioned the possibility of several strong to intense tornadoes with persistent supercells.[11] Clusters of storms evolved along the confluence bands in conjunction with improving wind shear profiles. However, given their displacement from the surface low and better forcing, there was some uncertainty as to whether they would become better organized.[12] A strengthening low-level jet and surface moisture increased confidence in the maturation of these cells,[13] but tornadic development had not yet begun in the area as of 00:00 UTC.

At their 01:00 UTC outlook, the SPC lowered the probability of tornadoes to a 10% (significant) tornado area, thus downgrading the moderate risk to an enhanced risk. The SPC cited weaker than expected instability in the area, with increased confidence in only limited buoyancy developing. However, the same update noted that "a couple of longer-track supercells" and "a few strong tornadoes" remained possible.[14]

A meso-gamma mesoscale discussion issued by the Storm Prediction Center while the EF4 tornado was ongoing

As the update was being issued, a strong supercell evolved near the Louisiana-Mississippi border. By 7:57 p.m. CDT, a strong velocity couplet formed at the base of the supercell, and at 8:04 p.m., as the storm approached the town of Rolling Fork, a tornado emergency was placed.[15] The storm then began producing the long-tracked and deadly high-end EF4 tornado that struck Rolling Fork, Midnight, and Silver City, inflicting catastrophic damage and causing over a dozen fatalities.[16][17] While the violent EF4 tornado was on the ground, Harry Weinman, a forecaster at the SPC, issued a special meso-gamma mesoscale discussion for the tornado.[18] In the discussion, the SPC stated that radar showed debris was being lofted at least 13,000 feet (4,000 m) into the air and that a vertical rotation of 70 knots (81 mph; 130 km/h) was also being detected. The SPC also indicated that this was likely an intense tornado, at least EF3, solely based on the Doppler radar data.[19][20] The discussion concluded by noting that the downstream atmospheric environment would allow the storm producing the violent EF4 tornado to persist for 30 to 60 minutes.[18]

A home along Pinkins Road, swept off its foundation at low-end EF4 intensity

The tornado first touched down in Issaquena County, southeast of Mayersville, which is east of the Mississippi River. It tracked northeastward, causing minor tree damage near Grand Road, before crossing over the Steele Bayou Canal and into Sharkey County, producing EF0 to EF1 damage to trees, power poles, and some outbuildings. The tornado then rapidly grew in size and reached EF2 strength as it approached Rolling Fork from the southwest. Violent rotation of radar, paired with a debris signature, prompted the issuance of a tornado emergency; it would remain under this tag for most of its existence. Power poles and large trees were snapped, and as the tornado reached a small subdivision on Ending Bar Road, a house lost its roof and exterior walls and two residences west of that home lost significant portions of their roof covering.

Tracking closer towards Rolling Fork, the tornado directly moved through the Indian Bayou subdivision along Pinkins Road at EF4 intensity. Every residence in the subdivision was destroyed—some completely swept from their slabs. Most of the homes in the area were poorly constructed or were manufactured homes. Large hardwood trees near the residences were debarked, and some denuded, at EF4 intensity. As the tornado crossed MS 826, a large metal building was swept away, as well as a small brick structure. Most trees across the highway were also uprooted or turned to stubs. The tornado would also destroy or significantly damage numerous homes east of the highway before crossing into Rolling Fork.[21]

Track and intensity map of the tornado through Rolling Fork.

As the tornado entered the main neighborhoods of Rolling Fork, it weakened, but remained strong, producing widespread EF2-EF3 damage throughout much of the town's west subdivisions. Frame homes were leveled or swept from their foundations, approximately 30 manufactured homes were obliterated, and large amounts of structural debris was scattered throughout the community. Many other houses sustained major structural damage, with roofs completely removed and exterior walls destroyed, while the Sharkey Issaquena Hospital sustained damage to its exterior.[22][23] A couple was killed near 6th St by a large semi-truck that was lofted and slammed into their home. Several structures at an agriculture business were also flattened. The tornado again increased to EF4 intensity near the center of Rolling Fork at MS 14. A large brick duplex was leveled and partially swept from its foundation and two warehouses near the center of town were obliterated. The local library was destroyed; the Rolling Fork Police Department sustained roof loss and some collapse of exterior walls; and the fire station, post office, city hall, Rolling Fork Elementary School, South Delta High School, and a church were significantly damaged.[22][23]

High-end EF4 damage to a flower shop along Walnut Street in Rolling Fork

Multiple older brick buildings in downtown Rolling Fork also sustained major structural damage. Several other well-built businesses and structures were leveled, with only piles of debris remaining; one of the structures had multiple tractor-trailers thrown into it. One of the town's water towers was toppled when flying debris compromised its base, leaving a crater where it impacted the ground. Water towers are not an official damage indicator on the Enhanced Fujita scale; however, the National Weather Service rated the damage done to the tower EF4 with no estimated wind speed. Mechanical engineer Ethan Moriarty determined—assuming that the tower was made from one single piece of metal that was properly anchored and had not suffered environmental corrosion—that winds up to 229 miles per hour (369 km/h) would be needed to cause the observed damage to the water tower.[24] Some of the most violent damage occurred in the northeastern part of town, where a flower shop housed in a well-built brick building was leveled at high-end EF4 strength, with its concrete foundation slab partially swept clean of debris. The National Weather Service determined that winds up to 195 miles per hour (314 km/h) would have been needed to cause the damage done to the flower shop. Several nearby homes were also obliterated; large metal-framed buildings, including a Family Dollar store along US 61/MS 14, were flattened as well. Chuck's Dairy Bar had a pickup truck thrown into it and was destroyed, but several people survived at the location by taking shelter in the business's walk-in cooler, the only part of the building left intact after the tornado's passage. Many vehicles were also thrown through the air and mangled. Numerous large trees in and around Rolling Fork were denuded and debarked, and a few of them were stripped clean of all bark.[25][26]

After exiting Rolling Fork, the tornado remained violent as it moved across several open fields, where severe ground scouring occurred and debris from the town was scattered long distances to the northeast. When it crossed Matthews Boulevard, several utility poles were snapped off at the base or pulled out of the ground, and some were left covered in up to 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) of mud. A few of the missing power poles were never found, and damage in this area was rated EF2 to EF3. Southeast of Anguilla, the tornado inflicted EF4-strength damage again to hardwood trees, with most mangled or debarked.[23] A mobile home was swept away and obliterated with very little debris remaining, and a bus on the property was tossed into trees. Numerous additional wooden power poles were snapped, a semi-trailer was overturned, and a few homes at the edge of the damage path had minor damage. Aerial imagery of this area also revealed ground scouring and the presence of cycloidal marks in open fields. The tornado then moved into a densely forested area, causing large amounts of EF2 to EF3 tree damage.[23][22] It crossed MS 14 east of Anguilla at EF2 strength, destroying a small, older frame home, snapping many trees and power poles, and rolling a mobile home.[22][23]

Maintaining EF2 strength, the tornado then crossed into Humphreys County and continued northeastward, where a home suffered partial destruction of its roof and garage. A truck inside the garage was overturned while another was moved, and a nearby shop building was destroyed, with its metal structural beams bent. The tornado then briefly strengthened to high-end EF3 strength as it leveled a small brick home along Seven Mile Road, and overturned a nearby grain loader. Another home had most of its roof removed and part of a wall collapsed, with vehicles blown out of its garage. Some metal buildings were damaged or destroyed. Grain bins were heavily damaged in this area as well; debris, including a grain cart, was scattered for hundreds of yards into a field. Passing through the small community of Midnight, the tornado produced EF2 damage: a home and a few barns were destroyed, trees and power poles were snapped, a sign was blown over, and a metal building and a small brick building sustained roof damage. The tornado then moved northeast along MS 149, causing EF2 to EF3 damage as it approached Silver City from the southwest. A mobile home was destroyed after being thrown 75 ft (23 m) into a nearby field, with only the porch being left behind. A portion of the roof was blown off a school, several homes suffered partial roof loss, and two metal buildings were destroyed, with large support beams bent and debris scattered across fields. Large areas of hardwood trees were snapped and uprooted, and multiple center pivot irrigation systems were flipped in this area as well.[23][22]

Track and intensity map of the tornado through Silver City

The tornado then weakened some but continued causing significant damage as it moved into Silver City, where multiple apartment buildings suffered heavy roof damage, including some that had portions of their roofs removed and one that had its walls partially collapsed. Many homes throughout the town had extensive roof damage; some lost their roofs completely, and a few sustained collapse of one or more exterior walls. Four manufactured homes were destroyed in the center of town, a church sustained roof damage, a large number of old hardwood trees were snapped or uprooted, and power lines were downed. Damage in Silver City was rated EF1 to EF2 in intensity. The tornado then weakened further and moved northeastward into rural forested areas, downing trees and causing roof and window damage to a few homes to the southeast of Belzoni, with damage in this area being rated EF0 to EF1. It then moved into Holmes County, where more trees were snapped and uprooted at EF1 strength as the tornado approached and crossed US 49E north of Tchula. The tornado produced a final small area of significant damage, snapping or uprooting large tree trunks at EF2 intensity in the Morgan Brake National Wildlife Refuge. Beyond this point, the tornado weakened again and produced additional EF0 to EF1 damage as it overturned pivot irrigation systems, damaged trees, and flipped or destroyed grain bins. It dissipated after crossing Randle Road.

In total, the tornado traveled 59.4 miles (95.6 km), killing 17 people and injuring 165 others.[22][23][27][28][3] The tornado moved with an average forward speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[29]

Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Governor Reeves touring the damage in Rolling Fork on March 26

Both state and national politicians responded to the devastation in Mississippi. On March 25, Governor of Mississippi Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency in Sharkey, Humphreys, Carroll, and Monroe counties.[39] Governor Reeves's request for a major disaster declaration was granted by President Joe Biden on March 26.[40] President Biden visited Rolling Fork on March 31 and announced that the federal government would fully cover the cost of the cleanup.[41] The Mississippi state legislature also later approved approximately $18.5 million in tornado relief funds.[28]