KENTWOOD - A National Weather Service survey team confirmed that a tornado touched down east of Kentwood in Tangipahoa Parish on Saturday afternoon around 12:15. Shortly after, the tornado proceeded into Pike and Walthall Counties in Mississippi. The preliminary rating for the tornado is EF-3, which indicate tornadic winds anywhere from 136 to 165 mph.

According to the NWS, the "rating is highly subject to change as the survey for this tornado will be ongoing for the next several days." Information on the exact estimate for peak winds, as well as path length and width have yet to be released. These details will be added to the survey results once the analysis is completed.

According to Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker, more than 20 homes were damaged after the storm raged through a neighborhood just outside of Kentwood.

The Storm Station was on-air tracking the storm which produced the twister as it happened. A tornado debris signature was evident during live coverage.

The NWS is also planning to survey additional damage in western St. Tammany Parish on Monday.