The Candlestick Park
Tornado
40th Anniversary
On March 3, 1966, one of the most devastating
tornadoes in Mississippi history occurred. This tornado would
come to be known as the “Candlestick Park” tornado,
named after a shopping center in south Jackson which was totally
destroyed by the tornado. One of only two documented F5 (the
most violent on the Fujita scale) tornadoes to strike Mississippi
in the 20th century, this tornado carved a path of destruction
across central and east central Mississippi. The worst damage
occurred in parts of Hinds, Rankin, Scott, and Leake counties,
where a total of 57 people were killed and over 500 were injured.
This was the deadliest, most damaging, and longest
track (202.5 miles) tornado in central Mississippi during the
20th century. To commemorate this event and help remember those
who were affected by this tragic tornado, the National Weather
Service in Jackson will be holding a Candlestick Park tornado
commemoration week the week of February 27th. Each day, the
NWS will be working with our partners in the media and emergency
management to publicize an aspect of the Candlestick Park tornado
and tornadoes in Mississippi. This week will then culminate
with a commemoration ceremony on March 3rd, the 40th anniversary
of the tornado.
Below are the writeups for the week:
Monday, February 27th
- Candlestick Park Tornado: The Impact
Tuesday, February 28th
– Socioeconomic Changes Along the Tornado’s Path:
1966 to 2006
Wednesday, March 1st
– Weather Technology: Then and Now
Thursday, March 2nd –
Other Violent Tornadoes in Mississippi History
Friday, March 3rd –
The 40th Anniversary Ceremony; 10 am at Candlestick Park Shopping
Center.
Ceremony Photos
For more information regarding this event, please
contact Alan Gerard or Jim Butch at the NWS in Jackson at 601-936-2189.
If you are a Candlestick Park survivor and would be interested
in sharing your memories of the Candlestick Park Tornado, please
call us or send an e-mail to sr-jan.webmaster@noaa.gov
Table of Contents |
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In the coming weeks, more information/data will
be added to the web page along with possible damage photographs,
personal accounts and tornado path maps. |
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