The 2037 Thaxton, Mississippi tornado was a deadly, highly destructive, and extremely long-tracked tornado, rated EF5, which left a path across much of central Mississippi in the afternoon of Wednesday, April 22, 2037. The tornado touched down at 3:02 pm CDT in Panola County between the towns of Tocowa and Courtland and tracked northeast at roughly 60 miles per hour. The tornado reached EF5 strength in Lafayette and Pontotoc Counties, then continued across east-central Mississippi and into Franklin County, Alabama before dissipating.
The tornado left a path 114 miles in length and 1,460 yards in width at its peak, and remained on the ground for nearly two hours. Along its path, the tornado caused 24 deaths and 187 injuries, with all but one of the fatalities occurring in Thaxton and Taylor, Mississippi. The tornado was rated EF5 based on damage in these two towns, and estimated to have reached peak intensity in Thaxton, with estimated wind speeds of 265 miles per hour. Within the areas of worst damage, the fatality-to-injury rate was nearly 70%; well above average even among EF5 tornadoes.
The Thaxton tornado was the longest-tracked tornado in the state of Mississippi since the Yazoo City tornado of April 24, 2010, as well as the deadliest in the state since February 21, 1971. The Thaxton tornado was the third EF5-rated tornado to touch down during the 2037 Super Outbreak, making April 22, 2037 the fourth day since reliable record-keeping began on which more than two F5 or EF5 tornadoes were confirmed (the others being April 3, 1974, April 27, 2011, and May 31, 2024). The Thaxton tornado occurred simultaneously with five other violent tornadoes in the states of Mississippi and Alabama; possibly setting the record for the greatest number of violent tornadoes occurring at once in the United States.
