In the pre-dawn hours of January 21, a complex of strong thunderstorms affected the Gulf Coast states, where the SPC had issued an Enhanced risk of severe weather.
The possibility of discrete cells forming ahead of this complex was mentioned, and one such cell led to the formation of a large and destructive EF3 tornado from 09:35 UTC to 10:13 UTC across Lamar, Forrest, and Perry counties in Mississippi.
Traveling along a 31.3-mile (50.4 km) path, the EF3 heavily affected sections of Hattiesburg, where 4 deaths occurred.
Later that day, a Moderate risk was issued across portions of southern Arkansas, northeastern Louisiana, and western Mississippi.
Although the risk area was issued explicitly for the threat of large hail, several tornadoes were assessed to have touched down, including two EF2 tornadoes that impacted areas east of Plain Dealing and Natchez, Louisiana.
During the early morning hours of January 22, a devastating EF3 tornado impacted portions of Brooks, Cook, and Berrien counties—most notably in areas around Adel—killing 11 people.

Later that day, a severe weather and tornado outbreak was expected to occur across northern Florida and southern Georgia, prompting the SPC to issue their first High risk since June 3, 2014, and the first in the winter months since the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak.
An extremely large EF3 wedge tornado affected the southern and eastern reaches of Albany, killing 4 people and injuring more than 50 others.
Another person in Albany succumbed to her injuries and died on January 26.
This outbreak killed 20 people and injured many more, making it the second deadliest January tornado outbreak since 1950, behind the 1969 Hazlehurst, Mississippi tornado outbreak.
In the pre-dawn hours of January 21, a complex of strong thunderstorms affected the Gulf Coast states, where the SPC had issued an Enhanced risk of severe weather. The possibility of discrete cells forming ahead of this complex was mentioned, and one such cell led to the formation of a large and destructive EF3 tornado from 09:35 UTC to 10:13 UTC across Lamar, Forrest, and Perry counties in Mississippi. Traveling along a 31.3-mile (50.4 km) path, the EF3 heavily affected sections of Hattiesburg, where 4 deaths occurred. Later that day, a Moderate risk was issued across portions of southern Arkansas, northeastern Louisiana, and western Mississippi. Although the risk area was issued explicitly for the threat of large hail, several tornadoes were assessed to have touched down, including two EF2 tornadoes that impacted areas east of Plain Dealing and Natchez, Louisiana. During the early morning hours of January 22, a devastating EF3 tornado impacted portions of Brooks, Cook, and Berrien counties—most notably in areas around Adel—killing 11 people.
Later that day, a severe weather and tornado outbreak was expected to occur across northern Florida and southern Georgia, prompting the SPC to issue their first High risk since June 3, 2014, and the first in the winter months since the 2008 Super Tuesday tornado outbreak. An extremely large EF3 wedge tornado affected the southern and eastern reaches of Albany, killing 4 people and injuring more than 50 others. Another person in Albany succumbed to her injuries and died on January 26. This outbreak killed 20 people and injured many more, making it the second deadliest January tornado outbreak since 1950, behind the 1969 Hazlehurst, Mississippi tornado outbreak.
Tornadoes of 2017