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Minute by minute video of the April 27, 2011 Smithville, MS tornado.

Posted on 4/27/26 at 10:36 am
Posted by CleverUserName
Member since Oct 2016
17374 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 10:36 am
One of the most violent in recorded history.



A man in the early phases of this tornado unfortunately holds the record for distance traveled in a vehicle carried in a tornado. Thomas Lynn Davis was in a vehicle thrown about 3,000 yards in what had to be a terrifying 90 seconds. The tornado scoured the ground so deep in places it was almost like it dug a trench.

A dent is still in the town of Smithville's water tower to this day where a red Ford Explorer was picked up and slammed into the tower.
Posted by Hback
Member since Aug 2017
13402 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 11:05 am to
Haven't seen that before, thanks for posting. God bless Carla Jones, gave her life to save those 3 children. Wow.
This post was edited on 4/27/26 at 11:20 am
Posted by tide06
Member since Oct 2011
22990 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 12:03 pm to
The fact that the storm dug a foot of soil out of the ground and threw an suv a full mile in the air into a water tower 150' up and then smashed it into the ground so hard it was partially buried kind of speaks for itself.

Its also why its so hard to give honest advice as to what to do if something like this is headed your way.

If you cant get to a storm cellar and an F4-F5 like that hits your house you're probably going to die.

Its also true that it was going 60mph so its not like if its traveling parallel to a road without many options to turn off its easy to just drive away either.
This post was edited on 4/27/26 at 12:34 pm
Posted by deltaland
Member since Mar 2011
102407 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 12:16 pm to
quote:

Its also why its so hard to give honest advice as to what to do if something like this is headed your way.


Get underground or try to get out of its path if you have time. A hallway or closet won’t help much if you get a direct hit by that thing

Otherwise you just pray it misses you
Posted by tide06
Member since Oct 2011
22990 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 12:22 pm to
quote:

Get underground or try to get out of its path if you have time. A hallway or closet won’t help much if you get a direct hit by that thing

Its kind of like a terror event where you have to decide whether to flee or hide, if I see a hook like you see on that radar and I can get out of the way ahead of time Im not staying.

Its just hard when its moving at 60mph and those roads in some areas dont give you anywhere to go if its tracking you.
Posted by SidewalkTiger
Member since Dec 2019
70116 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 12:24 pm to
The granulation of debris in Smithville was incredible to see.
Posted by Jrv2damac
KS
Member since Mar 2004
73148 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 12:39 pm to
Southeast tornadoes are generally worse because there’s more for them to destroy and a lot more visual obstruction due to trees.

We get more of them, but our setup lets us watch a good bit of them from far away like a show.
Posted by SidewalkTiger
Member since Dec 2019
70116 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 12:51 pm to
quote:

Southeast tornadoes are generally worse because there’s more for them to destroy and a lot more visual obstruction due to trees.



More trees, homes are generally of poorer construction, the storms also move faster, and are generally longer tracked, ultimately due to tropical type moisture off the Gulf (simple explanation).

Also, Dixie Alley storms are generally more nocturnal.
Posted by Roll Tide Ravens
Birmingham, AL
Member since Nov 2015
51651 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 2:00 pm to
quote:

Also, Dixie Alley storms are generally more nocturnal.

Many times tornadoes in this part of the country are also rain-wrapped. 4/27/11 had a number of photogenic tornadoes, obviously, but a lot of times that isn’t the case with tornadoes here.
Posted by SidewalkTiger
Member since Dec 2019
70116 posts
Posted on 4/27/26 at 2:04 pm to
quote:

Many times tornadoes in this part of the country are also rain-wrapped. 4/27/11 had a number of photogenic tornadoes, obviously, but a lot of times that isn’t the case with tornadoes here.


Good point.

As a completely random aside, the 2022 Andover tornado was one of the most photogenic I've ever seen




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