Doppler radar tracked strong winds moving southeast at 25 mph at 6:38 p.m. CDT Wednesday, impacting parts of central Mississippi and prompting a weather alert for multiple counties, radar indicated.
The alert covered southeastern Rankin, Simpson, northern Smith, northern Lawrence, southeastern Copiah and northwestern Jefferson Davis counties through 7:45 p.m. CDT. Hazardous wind gusts were reported up to 50 mph, which could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.
Forecasters expected the line of strong winds associated with a frontal boundary to move through towns on a schedule that included Polkville, D’Lo, Puckett, Georgetown, Braxton, Johns, Cato, Rockport, Harrisville and Union around 6:45 p.m.; Mendenhall around 6:50 p.m.; Pinola, Oma and White Oak around 6:55 p.m.; Shivers and Martinville around 7:00 p.m.; New Hebron, Burns and Sanatorium around 7:10 p.m.; Magee around 7:15 p.m.; and Raleigh around 7:20 p.m., according to the alert.
Precautionary advice included seeking shelter indoors and exercising caution around older trees. The alert listed maximum hail size as 0.00 inches and maximum wind gusts as 50 mph. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
