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The 2013 Hattiesburg, Mississippi tornado was a large and violent EF4 multiple-vortex wedge tornado that devastated portions of West Hattiesburg, Hattiesburg, and Petal, Mississippi, as well as surrounding locations on Sunday, February 10, 2013. It was one of eight tornadoes that touched down in southern Mississippi and southwestern Alabama that day. The tornado reached a maximum path width of during its path through the Hattiesburg area and reached estimated maximum sustained winds of in the Oak Grove community of West Hattiesburg. It destroyed many structures and impacted University of Southern Mississippi and two high schools: Oak Grove High School and Hattiesburg High School.〔〔〔〔 Mississippi was declared a federal disaster area by President Barack Obama,〔 and a state of emergency was issued by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.〔 ==Meteorological synopsis== The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) had stated as early as February 8 that a few supercells may develop on the 10th and could result in large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes. When the thunderstorm outlook was issued for the 10th, the SPC stated that only a marginal chance for severe supercell thunderstorms existed and only a few storms would develop. Most of the severe activity was expected to develop along the cold front in the form of a squall line. A 10 percent chance of isolated tornadoes was introduced as the instability remained marginal for the event. During the morning of February 10, a squall line developed along a cold front that stretched from western Arkansas, down through northwest Louisiana, and into east Texas. At the same time, a warm front was ascending northward through Mississippi and Louisiana. The area between the fronts became increasingly unstable as the day progressed, and four tornado watches were issued across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama throughout the day as the storms progressed eastward. The watches were issued as very strong wind shear and instability engrossed the area, allowing for the development of supercell thunderstorms. These watches were issued through the day, with the first being posted at 7 a.m. CST (1300 UTC) and the last coming out at 5:35 p.m. CST (2335 UTC). As the afternoon progressed, the cold front and squall line began to stall over Louisiana and Arkansas. The supercells that developed during the afternoon ahead of the squall line originated across Louisiana and southern Mississippi. Around 4 p.m. (2200 UTC), a supercell developed and produced a tornado (rated EF2) in Marion County, Mississippi. That tornado tracked northeast and into Lamar County, where it lifted. The supercell quickly produced another tornado – this one was a large wedge tornado that would go on to hit the Hattiesburg area.〔 The tornado touched down west-southwest of West Hattiesburg at 5:03 p.m. CST (2303 UTC), causing EF0-strength tree damage near the Oak Grove community. The tornado rapidly intensified as it moved through northeast Lamar County, where Oak Grove High School, its baseball fields, and a housing area near the school sustained the most intense damage of any structures impacted by the tornado, with one well-built brick home being leveled and the school sustaining substantial roof damage. Extensive denuding and debarking of trees occurred in this area. Several well-constructed buildings around the athletic stadiums at the school were destroyed, with twisting/buckling of steel girders noted. Several steel light poles with concrete reinforcement were snapped as well. Vehicles were thrown considerable distances, one of which was taken from a parking lot at the high school, rolled up a hill and across the baseball field, and then deposited onto the pitcher's mound. Damage at and around Oak Grove High School was rated as low-end EF4. Just before crossing Interstate 59, it either damaged or destroyed numerous homes and caused significant roof damage to an apartment complex. It then moved into Forrest County and the northwest side of Hattiesburg. In Forrest County, roughly 300 homes and other buildings, including a large church and several brick buildings in downtown Hattiesburg, were either damaged or destroyed. The University of Southern Mississippi sustained damage across the southern portion of the campus, including at least six buildings that were damaged and two more that were completely destroyed. Many trees, metal traffic lights, and power lines were downed as well, with some of the trees being debarked. The tornado moved into the northern part of downtown Hattiesburg, where it caused significant damage to the American Red Cross and Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi buildings.〔 Large metal poles were bent at the athletic fields of Hattiesburg High School, and the third base wall at the baseball field was destroyed. The basketball gymnasium sustained considerable roof damage. Damage in and around downtown Hattiesburg was rated EF2 to EF3. The tornado maintained its strength as it continued into Petal, where an ACE Hardware store was completely leveled and numerous homes were destroyed.〔〔〔http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/jan/Weather_Events/2013/0210severe/forrest_pix/Ace_hardware_Petal.jpg〕 To the northeast of Petal, the tornado began to weaken, causing EF1 to EF2-strength damage to numerous roofs and downing many trees.〔〔 The tornado weakened to EF1-strength in Perry County before weakening rapidly and lifting in a wooded area just east of the Forrest/Perry County line west-northwest of Richton at 5:36 p.m. CST (2336 UTC).〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「2013 Hattiesburg, Mississippi tornado」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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