Bassfield-Soso Tornado Map
During the afternoon hours of Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020, an enormous and powerful high-end EF4 tornado struck the southeastern parts of Bassfield and directly struck the communities of Soso, Moss, and Pachuta, Mississippi, as well as rural areas near Seminary and Heidelberg. Along its 67.43 mi (108.52 km) track, the tornado killed eight people and injured 99 others, causing losses of up to $73 million. The tornado was part of the massive 2020 Easter tornado outbreak, which produced 141 tornadoes, and was one of the three violent tornadoes of the outbreak.
The path of the Bassfield-Soso tornado
On the afternoon of Sunday, April 12, 2020, a tornado touched down just southwest of Bassfield. Over the next 67.4 miles it traveled northeast, passing through Bassfield, Soso and Pachuta, before lifting just northeast of Pachuta, about 1 hour 16 minutes later.
At its widest the damage path was 3,960 yards (2.3 miles) across. It was rated EF4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, a violent tornado. It killed 8 people and injured 99.
The track, widths and figures on this map come from National Weather Service damage surveys, so they can differ slightly from totals published elsewhere.
What was the Bassfield-Soso tornado?
The Bassfield-Soso tornado was a violent EF4 vortex that struck southern Mississippi on the afternoon of April 12, 2020. The storm occurred during an Easter Sunday severe weather outbreak that produced 20 tornadoes across the region. It damaged the communities of Bassfield, Soso, and Moss along its track. The massive tornado became the widest on record in Mississippi history and caused extensive destruction across five counties.
What was the Bassfield-Soso tornado wind speed?
Meteorologists estimated the peak wind speed of the Bassfield-Soso tornado at 190 mph. This velocity placed the storm in the EF4 category on the Enhanced Fujita scale. The highest winds occurred east of Bassfield in southwestern Jefferson Davis County. Additional EF4 damage from extreme winds occurred near Soso in Jones County and at Moss in Jasper County.
What was the Bassfield-Soso tornado path?
The Bassfield-Soso tornado path began south of Bassfield in Jefferson Davis County at 3:12 p.m. CST. The vortex traveled 67.43 miles in a northeast direction across southern Mississippi. The track crossed through Jefferson Davis, Covington, Jones, Jasper, and Clarke counties. The storm ultimately lifted in a wooded area north of Pachuta in Clarke County at 4:28 p.m. CST.
How many people died in the Bassfield-Soso tornado?
Eight people died in the Bassfield-Soso tornado during its 67.43-mile track across Mississippi. Four of these fatalities occurred at a single location when the storm destroyed a small business building at the intersection of Graves Key Road and Harper Road. The storm also caused an undetermined number of injuries across the five affected counties. Additionally, farmers reported that the tornado killed approximately 60 cattle near Willie Fortenberry Road.
What did the Bassfield-Soso tornado destroy?
The Bassfield-Soso tornado destroyed numerous site-built homes, mobile homes, and businesses throughout its path. The storm leveled a large portion of the First Baptist Church of Moss and demolished a convenience store in Soso. It inflicted major damage on the John Thompson Complex in Bassfield and destroyed up to 30 chicken houses in Covington County. The vortex also leveled whole forests and snapped millions of trees across five counties.
What caused the Bassfield-Soso tornado?
The Bassfield-Soso tornado originated from a large supercell thunderstorm during the second wave of an Easter Sunday severe weather outbreak. This supercell developed following a line of thunderstorms that moved out of northeast Louisiana. The atmospheric environment supported a multifaceted event with strong lift and winds from an upper-level low. These conditions allowed the storm to produce a violent, long-track vortex that grew to record-breaking proportions.
What happened after the Bassfield-Soso tornado?
Following the Bassfield-Soso tornado, the state of Mississippi provided food and hotel rooms for displaced residents. Officials could not open traditional emergency shelters due to the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Governor Tate Reeves toured the damage by air and requested a federal emergency declaration for the affected counties. Local volunteers and professional athletes also distributed supply boxes and meals to survivors in the hardest-hit communities.