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I Watched in Horror as a Tornado Bore Down on Rolling Fork, Mississippi
The town was destroyed on Friday night, March 24, 2023
It is the most extreme warning the weather service has. It is a Tornado Emergency Warning. Its message is clear — TAKE SHELTER NOW!
It is issued when a tornado has been spotted, confirmed, and is bearing down on a populated area.
Unfortunately, this warning was broadcast at night, when people settled in for the evening. Many people didn’t hear the alarm. Or if they did, their options were limited as the storm had taken on monstrous characteristics.
Tornados at night are challenging. They are hard to see, but they can be heard. The only way to see a funnel is by the light created by lightning and power transformers exploding or lines shorting out.
The picture below is from a storm chaser outside of Rolling Fork. The image can be confusing as the funnel width could be mistaken for rain. But combined with local radar information, conditions in the area, and communications with various local agencies, the image confirmed a monster tornado spawned by a relentless supercell thunderstorm.
