JACKSON, Miss. - Thunderstorms produced large hail and tornadoes across parts of Mississippi on Tuesday, as officials warned that severe weather could threaten the state through the night.
The National Weather Service in Jackson said late Tuesday that it had counted six confirmed tornadoes so far in the areas of the state it monitors.
Eric Carpenter, a meteorologist with the weather service's Jackson office responsible for central Mississippi, said the office would send out teams Wednesday to survey the damage.
He said one tornado extended from eastern Rankin to Scott County. One stretched from Winston to Noxubee County. Others touched down in Noxubee, Oktibbeha, Lowndes and Clay counties.
He said some major roof damage was reported to homes, but so far that appeared to be the worst of the damage.
Greg Flynn, from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, cautioned that with the weather still causing problems it would be a "long night."
"The most important part is that no injuries are reported so far," Flynn said.
Memphis, Tennessee-based National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Johnson said authorities reported minor damage and trees down near Aberdeen, where a UPS truck and a FedEx semitractor-trailer jack-knifed in separate incidents. He said all of the damage is being attributed to straight-line winds.
State officials said Tuesday that homes were damaged in Grenada, Scott and Winston counties and there were reports of widespread power outages in Calhoun County.
State officials urged residents to remain alert as a second round of severe storms were forecast to move through the state later Tuesday.
The severe weather forced officials in one north Mississippi county to stop counting votes on election night.
Paula Cooper, a deputy circuit clerk in Itawamba County, said storms had damaged buildings in Fulton and the county remained under severe weather warnings, so elections officials were sent home. Cooper said they will count votes Wednesday. Itawamba is one of 33 counties where a Supreme Court runoff was being held.
National Weather Service meteorologist Brad Bryant said observers reported baseball- and golf ball-sized hail hitting central and north Mississippi as several powerful storms moved across the state.
"Hail of that size is more usual with storms in the Plains, but not rare in central Mississippi. November is our secondary severe weather season, and any time you get a super cell, you've got the potential for hail, and in this case, we're seeing it," Bryant said.
Forecasters also said storms could produce straight-line winds above 60 mph, while officials warned people to monitor weather alerts and for mobile home residents to spend the night elsewhere.
Windy storms downed trees across the state Monday, producing isolated damage. More than an inch of rain fell throughout the northern parts of Mississippi, peaking at nearly 3 inches in Meridian.
In Eden, a tree plunged through the roof of the town hall.
Eden Mayor Lekisha Hogan says she and City Clerk Sarah Taylor were inside Monday afternoon when Taylor heard a tree crack. Seconds later, a branch speared through the ceiling.
Hogan said the 126-resident town has no property insurance and has little income except from water sales. She said she's seeking assistance, as well as temporary quarters.