Tornado in Bolivar County, Mississippi

This tornado touched down as an F0 tornado in extreme northwest Washington County and moved across a cotton field. The tornado quickly moved into southwest Bolivar County about three miles west of Lamont. The storm moved across the community of Benoit and then about two miles west of Cleveland. The tornado continued on a northeasterly path until dissipating about one mile east of Merigold near the Sunflower County line. The tornado was rated as strong as an F2 in portions of Bolivar County. Damage in the tornado path in Bolivar County included: three houses destroyed, two houses with major damage, five houses with minor damage, and a mobile home destroyed. One small church was destroyed, about two miles east of Benoit. The airplane hangar on a small airstrip near Scott was destroyed, including four small planes inside the hangar. One of the planes was blown at least one half mile from where it had been located in the hangar. At least three businesses sustained serious damage. No serious injuries were reported in the county.

Four mobile homes were destroyed including eight with major damage. A number of other homes had heavy damage along the path, two metal frame buildings were destroyed, and several power poles were snapped. A 200 foot radio tower was blown down and mangled, a grain bin was blown away, and numerous trees and power lines were blown down. Maximum wind speeds were around 120 mph.

A long track tornado touched down along Highway 65 in Chicot County, Arkansas, where numerous power poles were snapped and two eighteen wheelers flipped over causing 2 minor injuries. Damage occurred to several homes and farm buildings and heavy roof damage occurred to the Yellow Bend Port facility. This tornado was initially in Chicot County, moved into Desha County, and then moved back into Chicot County. The tornado then crossed the Mississippi River into Bolivar County, Mississippi. The tornado was rated EF-1 in Chicot County and was given an overall rating of EF-2 due to damage in Mississippi.||In Bolivar County, Mississippi, numerous power poles were snapped. A well built tractor shed was destroyed and several farm buildings were damaged. This tornado remained in Bolivar County after it crossed into Mississippi. It did not cross back into Desha County, Arkansas a second time. Maximum wind speeds were estimated at 115 MPH with a total path length of 41 miles in Chicot, Desha, and Bolivar counties.