NWS Confirms EF-2 & EF-3 Tornados Hit Hardeman County
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed an EF-2 and EF-3 tornado hit Hardeman County during the severe weather event on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, and Thursday, April 3, 2025.
The EF-2 tornado started out around Walnut Lake, Mississippi, and traveled approximately 13 miles toward Middleton, Tennessee. It produced estimated wind speeds of 125 miles per hour. Three injuries were reported with this tornado.
Walnut Lake/Middleton NWS Survey Summary:
The tornado began along Highway 72, south of Hopewell, and moved northeast towards Jones Road, uprooting trees and damaging a
manufactured home. As the tornado crossed into Tippah County, more trees were uprooted and trunks were snapped along County Road 104, 105, and 107. A home was shifted off its foundation along County Road 101, along with additional tree damage. The tornado continued along County Road 122, snapping tree trunks and destroying a manufactured home. Tree damage continued along County Road 113 before the tornado crossed into southeast Hardeman County in Tennessee. In Hardeman County, the tornado moved through an inaccessible forested area south of Kennedy Road. Observed damage returned along Nubbin Ridge Road and Gentry Chapel Road, where numerous trees were uprooted and snapped. More trees were downed as the tornado crossed Highway 125 near Winwood Farms Loop and along Neely Road, where a home sustained minor roof damage and a small barn suffered major loss of roof panels. The last damage was observed on Neely Road just south of Highway 57.
The EF-3 tornado began around Slayden, Mississippi, and traveled approximately 40 miles in total, toward Grand Junction, Tennessee, and continuing on into the Hebron area. It produced estimated wind speeds of 160 miles per hour. Two injuries and two deaths were reported with this tornado.
Slayden/Grand Junction NWS Survey Summary:
A tornado touched down near Highway 311, southwest of Slayden, uprooting trees and snapping trunks near Drew Road. As the
tornado moved northeast, additional tree damage and some roof damage to a home occurred along Isom Chapel Road. The tornado began to intensify, causing all exterior walls of a home to collapse along Hurdle Club Road in addition to the continuation of uprooting trees. Uprooted trees and snapped tree trunks were widespread across Hogan Road before causing another home's exterior walls to collapse along South Slayden Road. The tornado continued northeast across Marshall County before crossing Highway 72 on the east side of Slayden. Near Kennedy Road, the metal trusses supporting high-tension power lines and a homes exterior walls collapsed, as well as widespread, significant tree
damage.
Continuing northeast, Early Grove Road had additional tree damage, and another home was damaged. Just before crossing the county line into Benton County, Rice Chapel Road had widespread tree damage with snapped tree trunks. Once the tornado crossed into Benton County, widespread tree damage could be found along Bryan Road and Breedlove Road. Homes along Dorse Road had
exterior walls collapse, roof damage, and uprooted trees. The tornado then crossed into Tennessee in Fayette County, along
Sweet Road and Yager Road, where a manufactured home was destroyed, as well as more uprooted trees and snapped trunks.
More sporadic tree damage was observed south of La Grange along Highway 18 before crossing into Hardeman County. This large
tornado caused widespread damage across Grand Junction, including rail cars being blown off the tracks, downed trees, and roofs of homes. Along Highway 57, large sections of roofs were blown off. This tornado then continued northeast through a heavily wooded area in Hardeman County before causing more damage along West Fork Road, north of Saulsbury. High-resolution satellite imagery tracked a sporadic tree damage path across remote areas between West Road and Sain Road, with a more defined track picking up at Lake Hardeman Road and Maxwell Road. Additional damage was found to the east-northeast, with the tornado crossing Highway 125 and causing significant damage to a small community on Lake Vonda. The tornado lifted just before reaching Hebron.
Many communities are still reeling from the tornado damage. Information on helping these communities may be found here.
Read more local news by clicking here.
Stay informed on what’s happening in Hardeman County by subscribing to Hatchie Press e-mail updates.
Do you have community news you’d like to share? E-mail us at news@hatchiepress.com.
