Meteorologist: Deadly storm likely started in La. before hitting multiple Miss. cities

Deadly Miss. tornado likely started in Louisiana

JACKSON, Miss. — The National Weather Service says it appears the deadly tornado that swept across Mississippi formed to the west in Louisiana before hitting a string of cities.

Meteorologist Mark McCallister says it appears the storm started in Tallulah, La., and went on to Yazoo City, Miss. There was also a strike north of Vicksburg, just over the state line from Tallulah. Strikes at Durant, Starkville and Columbus Air Force Base are almost in a northeastern line from those three and may have been from the same tornado.

McCallister says it will be several days before storm surveys can confirm the path, and if it was one long-lasting tornado or several shorter ones.

It’s also not clear if the storm maintained contact with the ground the entire time or touched down multiple times.