news
Tippah Electric Power Association worked to remove a fallen tree limb from a power line on Hwy 4 West, near Dead Man's Curve in Ripley. Outages were reported throughout Ripley. (Kedrick Storey, Southern Sentinel)
A toppled tree on City Ave. North in Ripley caused traffic to be diverted though the parking lot of Farrow-Ward Ford. (Kedrick Storey, Southern Sentinel)
Severe weather caused a tree to fall on a power line in New Albany. Power outages were reported in the north side of the city. (Submitted by Tracy Vainisi.)
Storm clouds approach Tupelo Monday. (C. Todd Sherman)
The storms produced quarter-size hail and destructive winds in excess of 70 mph. At 5:30 p.m., the storms were along a line extending east to west along the Lee, Chickasaw and Monroe County lines.
They moved southeast at 45 mph.
Other updates:
Storm damage this evening is reported as widespread in Lee and Tishomingo counties, with trees and power lines down from one end of the counties to the other.
In Lee County E911 Director Paul Harkins said there have been reports of power lines down, power lines in roadways, trees fallen on structures from Baldwyn to Saltillo, into Tupelo, Palmetto, Verona, Plantersville – all over.
“I don’t think there is an area that wasn’t affected,” Harkins said.
In Tishomingo County Highway 25 was temporarily blocked, but it had been cleared as of about 6:50 p.m., said Tishomingo County E911 Coordinator Ricky Cummings.
However, work continues in Belmont, which was hardest hit with trees and power lines down, and lots of house damage, roofs blown off. About eight volunteer fire departments are still at work in rural areas trying to get trees off roads, Cummings said.
Along with Belmont, Tishomingo and Paden at the southern end of the county were hard hit.
Prentiss County had a tree fall across Highway 45 in the southbound lanes at Prentiss C.R. 8200, near the Lee County line. An 18-wheeler overturned on northbound Highway 45 at the Highway 30/Wheeler exit at Frankstown, blocking lanes. Both blockages should be clear soon, said Prentiss County Emergency Management Director Ralph Lauderdale.
Lauderdale said he also has had reports of four houses in Baldwyn that had trees fall on them, and a number of other trees down, many across power lines.
In Alcorn County, a large tree fell across Shiloh Road near Browder’s Florist at North Parkway, falling on a popular large gorilla statue. That tree and a few other smaller trees, one across the street at Cruise and Proper Streets, have been cleared, said Street Department Superintendent Jim Bynum.
Reader Tracy Vainisi (@tracyvainisi) at 7:15 p.m. said the historic north side of New Albany is out of power. She said a resident's tree fell on the power line.
At 7 p.m., Tupelo Water & Light said it has four to five crews restoring power throughout the city. The outages are across the city from east to west Tupelo. The outages are mainly from tree damage. Traffic lights are working. The outages are primarily residential right now.
At 7 p.m., Tupelo PD said everything appears to have calmed down in Tupelo. The officer said there are no major accidents in Tupelo right now or power lines down that he knew of.
All of Northeast Mississippi is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Flash flood warning for Alcorn, Benton, Itawamba, Lee, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union counties until 8 p.m., according to MEMA.
We're hearing reports that an 18-wheeler was blown off the road at the intersection of Highway 78 and Highway 30 in New Albany.
Severe thunderstorm warning for Carroll, Chickasaw, Grenada, Itawamba, Lee, Leflore and Monroe counties until 6:45 p.m., according to MEMA.
At 6 p.m., MDOT said fallen trees are blocking roadways in Tippah, Tishomingo, Alcorn and Prentiss counties. MDOT expects to have the roadways clear by 1 a.m.
The state Department of Transportation at 5:30 p.m. reported that multiple fallen trees are blocking roadways in Lee and Union counties. MDOT expects to have the roadways clear by 1 a.m. Tuesday.
At 6 p.m., reader Ben White (@benjaminlamar) said a pole is down on Jackson Extended by the furniture market. He said it's jutting into road a foot or so.
Officials at 5:30 p.m. barricaded roads in Ripley due to flooding. The National Weather Service said showers and thunderstorms produced 2 to 4 inches of rain from 4:30 to 5:30 and another 1 to 3 inches are expected.
Tornado warning for Itawamba and Tishomingo counties until 6 p.m.
Around 5 p.m., there was a tree blocking the southbound lanes of Highway 45 in Prentiss County.
Tonight's forecast for Tupelo from the National Weather Service: Showers and thunderstorms. Some storms could be severe, with large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain. Low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming east. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
---
Click here to see the radar. Click here to send us your weather photos of video.