The 2018 Meridian tornado was a violent, deadly and destructive EF4 wedge tornado that occurred during the mid afternoon of February 3, 2018 during a larger outbreak, demolishing a large area of the town and killing 7 people in the process. Moving slowly towards the city, a tornado emergency was declared for the town, and the areas the twister effected were exposed to winds peaking at 185 mph for up to 5 minutes when the tornado was at its widest, prolonging the suffering for those in the horrific situation. The total damages from the tornado were $155 million, making it not only the strongest tornado to effect the area, but also the costliest as well.