Meteorologists found "at least" EF-3. Just before noon, the Storm Prediction Center has issued a particularly dangerous situation tornado watch for central and eastern Mississippi, western and northern Alabama, southern middle Tennessee, and northwest Georgia until 8 p.m. central time. But weather forecasters were already warning of worse to come that afternoon. These are scenes from Ohatchee, which is about 50 miles northeast of Birmingham: Major destruction from tornado just Southwest of Ohatchee, AL. The supercell that produced the Tuscaloosa/Birmingham tornado may have had potentially record-breaking longevity as that particular storm traveled more than 280 miles across five states from Mississippi to North Carolina, with damage reported . Video from Ohatchee, AL where multiple fatalities have occurred. Social media photos show severe damage to homes in Eagle Point, which is near Meadowbrook, Ala. and about 10 miles southeast of Birmingham. The tornado strengthened as it crossed the Black Warrior River, north of Interstate 20 and approached Tuscaloosa to a violent EF4 with winds of 170 mph. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Many homes in this area were constructed by the method of pier and beam foundation, which led tosome of the major destruction, as this construction will not withstand winds of this magnitude. Spann also called for Alabamians to be a hero to call or text others to make sure theyre aware of the severe weather threat. A tornado killed at least five people in Calhoun County, Ala., located between Birmingham and the Georgia border. Any relatively discrete supercells will be capable of multiple tornadoes, some long-tracked/strong to violent (EF2-5 possible) w/considerable destructive potential, wrote the Storm Prediction Center. The swarm of storms came after roughly 50 tornadoes tore through the region last week. Show more. The storm packed winds of 190 miles (310 kilometers per hour) and left a path of debris running southwest to northeast. The tornado's damage path appeared to be about a half mile wide as it passed south of the two communities, a vast expanse of downed trees and wires visible. It continued on into Jefferson County, crossing Interstate 65, slamming into Pleasant Grove, Concord and McDonald Chapel in Jefferson County. The tornado has a history of producing damage as it tracked from just south of Tuscaloosa to just south and east of Birmingham. Alberta Elementary School suffered nearly complete destruction, with only a few portions of walls still standing. Severe Weather Videos The storm, at one point, was 1.5 miles wide. The Old Kingston-Lake Martin tornado was one of 14 tornadoes that hit Alabama on Jan. 12. It then crossed Interstate 65 and reached the Pine Level community, where several homes had roof damage and a manufactured home was rolled off its foundation and onto County Road 68 East. [10][13][16][17], After causing massive timber damage in rural areas, the tornado entered Jefferson County and rapidly intensified to its maximum intensity and width. The storm left more than 25 dead before crossing into Georgia. NWS Birmingham, Alabama465 Weathervane RoadCalera, AL 35040205-664-3010Comments? NOAA Weather Radio If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The tornado crossed McFarland Blvd, where destroyed additional stores and restaurants. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that the tornado was spawned by a supercell thunderstorm that lasted more than seven hours. [10] As the tornado exited the Alberta City section, the Chastain Manor Apartments (which were nailed, rather than bolted to their foundations) were completely destroyed and partially swept away. The Storm Prediction Centers language in its forecast discussion is even stronger compared with the high-risk event last week, signaling the significant potential for an extreme event. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [10][20][21][22] President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama visited Tuscaloosa on April 29, taking a ground tour of some of the affected areas. Reply. A well-anchored clubhouse on the property was mostly swept away and its remains were scattered into a pond, even though the structure had lacked interior walls. xmlns:xsl='http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform'">. Tornado Warnings for counties in Central Alabamawere in effect from338 pm until800 pm with this supercell. 6:23 p.m. - The earlier supercell that devastated Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties, ignited back into an EF-4 tornado. Meanwhile, the Weather Service issued a special bulletin cautioning the environment in eastern Mississippi and northwest Alabama would be turning more favorable for tornadic storms through the afternoon. 2:30 p.m.: Tornado warning for Meridian, Miss. Tornado Alley in the Plains is an outdated concept. Info: Tornado reports do not correspond to the number of tornadoes that occurred. This is from Lake Purdy, AL of homes totaled by the storm #ALwx #tornado pic.twitter.com/mIs1MClZJI. That was certainly the same parent storm that produced what is likely to be more than one tornado along its trek across our area, weather service meteorologist Gerald Satterwhite said Friday via email. The tornado then crossed the northern section of Lake Martin, damaging additional lakefront homes. Social media footage provides ground truth: Awful, awful, awful damage in Centreville, AL. Storm Data The supercell produced a large wedge tornado in rural Greene County, Alabama, which tracked towards the adjacent Tuscaloosa County at EF2 intensity, uprooting numerous trees and causing minor damage to structures. Yall please stay safe and vigilant!. BE A HERO: You can really help us today. Past Events The basics of personal finance, like How to save for a house. Figure out your next step toward financial freedom. A massive tornado . Severe Weather SPC Stats. May 16, 2011: NASA has released a unique satellite image tracing the damage of a monster EF-4 tornado that tore through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on April 27th. However, the longest tornado track on record in Alabama happened on May 27, 1973. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The watch indicates a near certainty (95 percent chance) of at least one strong tornado that produces EF2 or higher damage on the 0 to 5 Enhanced Fujita scale. Light poles were damaged along Interstate 65, and a Days Inn and several other commercial buildings sustained major damage along US 31 before the tornado began to rapidly narrow and weaken. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Tornadoes, large to very large hail, and damaging winds to hurricane force also are possible over a broad area from the central Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley and southern Appalachians, the Weather Services Storm Prediction Center warned. While uncertainty exists as to how intense individual storms will become and what specific areas will be hit, an extremely serious outbreak of severe weather is anticipated. Know how to get there quickly.. The storm travelled approximately 132 miles through six counties, killing 72 people and inflicting $1.2 billion in damage. The tornado weakened more as it neared Highway 77 and dissipated shortly after crossing County Road 114. It spawned a few tornadoes in Texas on Wednesday and is set to unleash vicious weather across the South. A confirmed tornado, about 30 miles southwest of Birmingham, was sweeping to the northeast at 40 mph and headed in the direction of Birminghams southern suburbs. The storm did regenerate itself and eventually put down the EF-4tornado in the Ohatchee area. The collected donations included toiletries, nonperishable food, bottled water, diapers, clean-up supplies and much more. Tuscaloosa, AL F4 Tornado - February 23, 1975 Published by Jen Narramore on February 23, 2019 Stats Path length: 14.4 miles Width: 500 yards Fatalities: 1 Injuries: 49 Rating: F4 County: Tuscaloosa Tornado Path Click Map To Enlarge SPC coordinates: Start: 33.08 / -87.60 End: 33.25 / -87.45 The tornado crossed Holt Peterson Rd just northwest of Clinker Rd, where two homes were completely destroyed. At least five people were killed as destructive tornadoes slammed north central Alabama on March 25. East of Holt, the tornado path width widened from 0.5 mile to around 1 mile. Local Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The weather service said the tornado touched down in Autauga County and remained on the ground until it reached Chambers County on Alabamas eastern border with Georgia. Severe Safety Rules The tornado crossed the intersection of 15th Street and McFarland Boulevard, and numerous businesses and restaurants near the University Mall were completely flattened at low-end EF4 strength, and vehicles were either tossed around or destroyed. Its a call to prepare. The first was an EF-2 tornado that carved a 35.17-mile path through parts of Choctaw and Marengo counties. Office History Flight Center. Housing type, which includes large numbers of mobile homes, and the structure of communities, coupled with population density, puts more people in harms way, while trees and thick vegetation, along with rain-wrapped storms, frequently make it impossible to see a tornado coming. WATCH: Drone footage shows Alabama tornado devastation in Selma. Numerous trees were completely denuded and debarked as the tornado passed near the rural communities of Searles and Mud Creek, and debris from Tuscaloosa was reported to be falling from the sky across Birmingham over 20 miles (32km) away in Jefferson County. #HUNwx pic.twitter.com/wyBjSkmRCp. Every tree was snapped in this area, including those within deep ravines. It was here in McDonald Chapel where evidence of a slight weakening of the tornado became clear. As of 615 pm , there are currently no active warnings in effect in central Alabama. Damage at the beginning of the path ranged from EF1 to EF2. 3:45 p.m.: Birmingham ABC affiliate reporter: multiple people pulled from their homes and hospitalized southeast of the city. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The Bethel Baptist Church also sustained significant damage to its roof, though the main structure of the building was still intact. Photos, video of damage, How bad will 2023 tornado season be? After the tornado moved through the McDonald Chapel area, it moved into the area of Smithfield Estates, with significant home damage along Cherry Avenue between Daniel Payne Drive and Veterans Memorial Drive. If you know your browser is up to date, you should check to ensure that made it through the collapse of a Hackleburg pharmacy. In Pratt City the tornado destroyed the library, damaged a fire station, and wiped away homes in several neighborhoods, such as Smithfield Estates. Other Research The weather service said the most severe damage was observed from County Road 43 to County Road 42, and wind speeds were estimated to have reached at least 150 mph. List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks, Bridge Creek, Moore, & Oklahoma City (Metro), OK, "Day 4-8 Severe Weather Outlook Issued on Apr 23, 2011", "Day 4-8 Severe Weather Outlook Issued on Apr 24, 2011", "Apr 25, 2011 0730 UTC Day 3 Severe Thunderstorm Outlook", "Apr 27, 2011 1200 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook", "Apr 27, 2011 1300 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook", "Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) Tornado Watch 235", "Storms, Tornadoes Leave Dozens Dead in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee", "Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF-4 Tornado April 27, 2011", "Tuscaloosa-Birmingham Tornado - April 27, 2011", "Discriminating EF4 and EF5 Tornado Damage", "Damage Survey of the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham Tornado on April 27, 2011", "THE AFTERMATH: Staff accounts of the tornado", "Obama In Tuscaloosa: 'I've Never Seen Devastation Like This', "Six UA students included in list of tornado deaths", Interview with Storm Chaser of April 27 Tuscaloosa Tornado, Full video of this tornado taken by the above storm chaser from Tuscaloosa University Mall parking lot, Full episode of Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers about the Tuscaloosa Tornado, "Normalized Damage from Major Tornadoes in the United States: 18901999", 10.1175/1520-0434(2001)016<0168:NDFMTI>2.0.CO;2, List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2011_TuscaloosaBirmingham_tornado&oldid=1141443200, 2011 natural disasters in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, April 27, 2011, 6:14p.m. CDT (UTC05:00), 64 fatalities (+8 indirect), 1,500+ injuries, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 02:47. Severe Storms. The weather service will have to analyze all the storm tracks to say for sure, but it appears that one storm held together -- possibly dropping tornadoes periodically along the way -- from Mississippi all the way across Alabama and into Georgia. Extensive wind-rowing of debris was noted in Concord and Pleasant Grove, numerous trees were debarked, and some homes were swept away (though much of the debris remained next to the foundations and was not scattered, and most vehicles were not moved more than 15 yards (14m)). Winter Products Description. Straight from a @NWSSPC forecaster on why they chose to use the word "violent" to describe today's #tornado potential over "intense" which was used last week. The National Weather Service has spent the past few days tracing the path of Alabamas deadliest tornado since 2019. The Autauga tornado was a dreaded long-track tornado, with a path that was 82 miles long. The tornado entered Tuscaloosa County just north of CR 60, west northwest of Ralph, and moved northeast causing tree damage and minor structural damage consistent with an EF2 rating and winds of 125 mph. Twenty-four tornadoes were confirmed on December 16, 2000. (NASA) Recent images of the April 27 storm damage path have been captured by NASA's Terra satellite, part of NASA's Earth Observing Satellite system, or EOS. 6:16 p.m. - An EF-4 tornado with multiple vortices ripped a 33-mile path of destruction through Fyffe, Rainsville and Sylvania, destroying businesses and the Rainsville Civic Center. As it crossed Hurricane Creek, it tore apart a large metal railroad trestle, and a 34-tonne (74,957lb) metal truss support structure was thrown 100ft (30m) up on a nearby hill. The 2 mile wide tornado raced across the landscape at a groundspeed of 82 mph. Regional Weather Roundup [17] A four-sided brick home in the area also had its roof torn off, but none of its exterior walls collapsed. 0:38 Nearly a decade has passed since the deadliest tornado in Tuscaloosa's history carved a 5.9-mile path of destruction through the city, though for most people who lived through that storm. The tornado developed in the southwestern part of the county on the west side of the . The weather service has a list of the longest tracks for tornadoes in Alabama. Tornado damage in Old Kingston and Marbury,AL. It was here in Pleasant Grove where evidence of vehicles being moved by the winds become obvious, though most were only tossed 10 to 15 yards if they were picked up at all. In all, 299 Alabamians were killed in the outbreak. Coverage of the April 27, 2011 Tuscaloosa, Alabama tornado. Severe Weather Preparedness The building was still intact Martin, damaging additional lakefront homes: awful, awful, awful, awful awful. 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