The Smithville, Mississippi Tornado of April 27, 2011

The Smithville tornado of April 27, 2011 was one of four EF5 tornadoes that touched down during the historic 2011 Super Outbreak. It virtually destroyed the small town of Smithville, Mississippi (pre-tornado population: 900), killing 16 of its residents in less than two minutes.

Formation and Path

The tornado touched down at approximately 3:41 PM CDT in Monroe County, Mississippi. Over the next 34 minutes it traveled a 25-mile path northeast, hitting Smithville near the peak of its intensity around 3:47 PM. Peak winds were estimated at 205 mph based on damage indicators surveyed after the storm.

The tornado then continued into Itawamba County and eventually crossed into Alabama before dissipating.

Destruction of Smithville

Damage in Smithville was near-total in the tornado's direct path:

• Approximately 150 homes destroyed — many reduced to bare foundations, a hallmark EF5 damage indicator
• The town's water tower was toppled and thrown
• Piggly Wiggly grocery, United Methodist Church, and town hall — all destroyed
• An SUV was thrown approximately half a mile and left virtually unrecognizable
• Asphalt was scoured from roads; grass was stripped from lawns down to bare soil
• Anchor bolts holding well-built homes to their foundations were sheared clean off

Of the town's 900 residents, 16 were killed and dozens more injured. The town's population dropped significantly in the years after the disaster as many families relocated rather than rebuild.

Warning Time

The National Weather Service in Memphis issued a tornado warning with approximately 15 minutes of lead time before the tornado struck Smithville. However, the outbreak had produced continuous severe weather across Mississippi and Alabama for hours, and some residents reported difficulty distinguishing between the many warnings issued that day.

Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak

April 25–28, 2011 produced 360 tornadoes across the southeastern US. April 27 alone saw 216 confirmed tornadoes, including four rated EF5:

• Hackleburg–Phil Campbell, AL — 72 killed
• Tuscaloosa–Birmingham, AL — EF4 (some EF5-caliber damage), 64 killed
• Rainsville, AL — EF5, 25 killed
• Smithville, MS — EF5, 23 killed
• Philadelphia, MS — EF5, 3 killed

Total outbreak fatalities: 324. It remains the deadliest US tornado outbreak since the 1974 Super Outbreak.

Aftermath

Smithville's rebuild has been slow. The community adopted stricter building requirements for safe rooms and community shelters. FEMA supported the construction of a community storm shelter and the rebuilding of essential infrastructure. Many surviving homes were rebuilt with FEMA-rated in-home safe rooms.