Recently, the Gulf Coast has experienced tornadic activity that caused widespread damage in Moss Point, Mississippi. A June 19 tornado ripped the roofs off of the First Baptist Church and Moss Point High School gym, downed power lines and trapped eight people inside a bank (they were all later brought to safety).
At least 100 homes were damaged or destroyed by the storm, and many residents were left without power. After conducting damage surveys, the National Weather Service officially rated the tornado an EF-2 with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and a path 2.14 miles long and 300 yards wide. With severe weather hitting so close to home, some might ask what factors contribute to these storms, especially in the Southeast.
Walker Ashley conducted a study (2007) that looked at tornadic activity in all 50 states from 1880-2005. He found that Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas had the highest number of killer tornadoes. In fact, his study showed that most states in the Southeast have standardized fatality rates higher than the mean for the country, illustrating enhanced tornado vulnerability in this region. So why does the Southeast region have both higher fatality rates and a greater concentration of killer events?
There are four main conclusions that Walker came to in his study:
- Many tornadoes occur at night and the fatality rate for nighttime tornadoes is much higher. Diagram (a) shows that both Mississippi and Alabama have nocturnal tornado fatalities that are above average in comparison to other areas of the country.
- There are a high number of mobile homes by county in the Mississippi and Alabama. These structures are not adequate for sheltering during tornadoes and put people at risk.
- We have a high percentage of forest cover in our two states. This makes it more difficult for radar to determine the exact formation of tornadoes and accurately make atmospheric measurements. The rolling hills and valleys also contribute to this challenge.
- There is a high percentage of poverty by county as seen in diagram (d). This means that if a storm hits these areas, there is a higher social vulnerability that may contribute to longer recovery times or no recovery at all.
Program brings severe weather info to communities
Considering all of these factors and the historical tornado tracks in the Southeast, it is imperative that we communicate these risks to those in harm’s way. The Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes EXperiment-Southeast (VORTEX-SE) Outreach and Engagement Program is focused on bringing the most recent science-based research to people on the ground that either have already experienced tornadic activity in their community or are highly likely to experience these storms in the future.
Severe weather trainings offer practical hands-on activities that prepare participants to be neighborhood captains, helping those in need right where they live. Skills taught in the trainings include: how to operate a chainsaw for debris removal, how to turn gas off outside your home in case of system failure from a storm, how to perform CPR and first aid until a first responder can get to your neighborhood, how to turn on emergency alerts on your phone, how to pack a “go kit,” and how to seek shelter in a safe location.
Partnering with churches, libraries, community-based organizations and other local entities, the VORTEX-SE Outreach and Engagement Program provides assistance for under-resourced communities with bringing science-based materials, risk communication messages and technical assistance to those in need.
New team member is based in Jackson
We have recently partnered with Jackson State University to hire a risk communication and learning specialist, Kristiana Allen. Kristiana is working with the National Weather Service office in Jackson as well as local community-based organizations to help people understand their risk, teach them skills to take action to reduce their risk and serve as neighborhood captains in times of severe weather.
You can learn more about VORTEX-SE Outreach and Engagement by visiting our website.