[24] It caused approximately $2.4 billion of property damage, surpassing the 1999 Bridge CreekMoore tornado as the costliest single tornado in United States history at that time. Weather service meteorologist Mark Linhares said a long-track tornado has a path that is typically 25 miles or longer. Please Contact Us. The supercell started in Newton County, Mississippi, at 2:54 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT), and finally ended in Macon County, North Carolina, at 10:18 p.m. CDT. But even the interlude between the two waves produced damage. His girlfriend, Ashley Harrison, who was huddle in a closet with him was ripped from his arms. At 12:30 p.m. the Weather Service issued a particularly dangerous situation tornado warning for a confirmed large and very dangerous tornado about 15 miles southeast of Tuscaloosa. A tornado ripped the steeple from a Marshall County church, destroyed chicken houses near Albertville, and damaged homes and trailers in more than five counties in northeast Alabama. a tornado emergency is in effect until 6 p.m. a tornado warning is in effect until 4 p.m. It is even more at risk from high-end tornadoes than the traditional Great Plains Tornado Alley, with swifter-moving storms that cover more ground. This is a particularly dangerous situation, the Weather Service warned. The greatest risk exists across portions of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, where the moderate and high-risk categories are drawn. The damage sustained in this area is consistent with EF-2 wind damage. The tornado then struck the suburb of Fultondale, damaging homes and businesses in town. State highways 45, 20 and 72 in Mississippi, as well as the Natchez Trace Parkway, Highways 43 and 72 in Alabama, and Highways 64, 43 and 412 in Tennessee are among the major routes that could be impacted by especially dangerous weather. Linhares added that using that definition, 95 of 2,505 tornadoes, or 3.8 percent, qualify as long-track tornadoes. Rapidly intensifying, the tornado moved towards the southern and eastern portions of Tuscaloosa at around 5:10p.m. CDT (22:10 UTC). 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. A total of 44 people were killed in the Tuscaloosa area. 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. The storm, at one point, was 1.5 miles wide. Zoom in on the map above and click or tap the icons to get more information about each reported tornado. 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. The tornado quickly moved out of the Pleasant Grove area and into the McDonald Chapel community. More than 50 million Americans are threatened by severe weather, including about 9 million within the two zones of highest risk. Only piles of debris were left on the foundation. Now, the full fury of the outbreak was showing its muscle throughout the state. All NOAA, Tuscaloosa-BirminghamEF-4 Tornado The storm that spawned that tornado had an even longer track. Dont let paying for a funeral add to your grief, Beware of these pitfalls when planning your own funeral, 401(k) balances are up, but the number of millionaires is down, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Weather Service had already received reports. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The threat wanes into Louisiana, as well as north into the Ohio Valley, but an isolated tornado, as well as instances of wind, hail and localized flooding are still concerns. Elsewhere, only one other tornado warning was active, about 30 miles west of Tuscaloosa, until 2:30 p.m. Specific threats will depend on where one is in relation to the overarching storm system, but storms are expected to be both unusually widespread and intense across a large swath of area. The weather service has a list of the longest tracks for tornadoes in Alabama. The tornado then moved toward Coven Abbett Road and then Elbert Road, damaging several homes and destroying several boat houses. To the east of US-31, the damage quickly diminished from EF-2 intensity to EF-1 and EF-0. The following detailed information was obtained fromNWS survey teamdamage experts. If you know your browser is up to date, you should check to ensure that Flood Products Description n EF-4 tornado with multiple vortices ripped a 33-mile path of destruction through Fyffe, Rainsville and Sylvania, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The tornado was radar-indicated with no confirmation as of yet. Even a decade later, it seems hard to believe. Throughout the afternoon hours, in the wake of an earlier mesoscale convective system, the airmass across western and northern portions of Alabama began to quickly destabilize, with mixed layer convective available potential energy (CAPE) estimated in the 25004000 j/kg range and low-level dewpoints of 7072F surging northward from Louisiana. By the time the tornado reachedInterstate 65, it was evident that the storm was losing its energy. Several suburbs in the area sustained catastrophic damage from the tornado as it tore through the west side of Birmingham, resulting in twenty fatalities. One fatality was reported in Coweta County, home to Newnan, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The tan-toned, debris-filled path passes through the center of town, affecting both commercial and residential properties. East of Holt, the tornado path width widened from 0.5 mile to around 1 mile. Drought Monitor But weather forecasters were already warning of worse to come that afternoon. Heres a look at tornado reports from Thursday from the National Weather Service. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. No vehicles were tossed, only pushed slightly from their original position. Severe Safety Rules One fatality occurred at the destroyed mobile home seen at about :27 seconds in. The Weather Service had already received reports of 24 twisters, 59 instances of damaging winds, and 49 reports of large hail. Extent of injuries unknown. The path was a familiar one to Tuscaloosa County residents, as it followed closely to that of a tornado that had struck in March 2000 and killed one person. Acquired May 4, 2011, this false-color image shows a tornado track near Birmingham, Alabama. The weather service said numerous homes were damaged -- some significantly -- on River Run Road and the adjacent side streets. Theres also a cap in place a few thousand feet up a layer of warm, dry desert air that will prevent air near the ground from rising most of the day. The warning is in effect until 4:15 p.m. (or 5:15 p.m. local time). ON TV: Witness: Tornado Swarm 2011 airs Sunday, May 29, 9 p.m. ET/PT >>. As of 7 p.m., there were no tornado warnings in effect over Alabama but scattered storms continued, some severe. Radar suggested the storm crossed Interstate 65 around 1:30 p.m. and was between Meadowbrook and Chelsea at 1:40 p.m. A tornado emergency is issued in the most urgent particularly dangerous situations which the Weather Service deems life-threatening., TORNADO EMERGENCY! (Patch.com) TUSCALOOSA, AL The National Weather Service has issued a . The weather service noted that the damage here, rated high-end EF-2, could be partly due to the interaction of the tornado with the lake surface, as well as the exposed nature of these homes.. Late Thursday evening, a third long-track tornadic storm developed near Wadley, Ala., about 60 miles northwest of Montgomery, and raced east-northeast into north Georgia, south of Atlanta. Acquired May 2, 2011, this natural-color image shows a tornado track through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the wake of a series of violent storms in the U.S. Southeast. Other Research The warning is in effect until 6 p.m. as the radar-confirmed tornado potentially tracks just north of the twister earlier in the afternoon that passed near Pell City and Ohatchee. He's covering tornadoes in Alabama and his house just got hit. Additional twister potential sets up into eastern Mississippi. The tornados 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. Average tornado warning lead time is around 10 minutes at best, meaning its vital to have a plan in place before you need it. Summer Safety Campaign The storm will likely across Interstate 65 south of Birmingham a little before 1:30 p.m. Tornado debris signature has returned, near West Blocton. In all, 299 Alabamians were killed in the outbreak. In Florence, in the northwest corner of the state, a police officer was struck by lighting while setting up street barricades. WATCH: Drone footage shows Alabama tornado devastation in Selma The weather service in Birmingham released some preliminary results early Friday afternoon. Microbursts Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Meteorologists found at least EF-3 damage in the Kingston area of Autauga County, where seven people have died, and at least EF-2 damage in the Selma area. The weather service said that radar showed a debris ball in southern Coosa County which matched ground observation of a wide area of snapped pine trees on either side of McKissick Road between the communities of Speed and Equality. Overview of the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF4 Tornado - April 27, 2011 Published by Jen Narramore-Nelson Tucker-Nick Wilkes on July 18, 2021 I've never seen devastation like this. Heres a look at the updated track of Thursdays deadly tornado from the preliminary storm report from the National Weather Service in Birmingham: The tornado touched down at 12:40 p.m. Jan. 12 west of U.S. Highway 82 near Independence, causing damage to nearby farms. [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. More damage continued to the northeast along County Road 140, where two people were killed in separate homes at the eastern end of the road. Reply. Half of those were in the state of Alabama including the strongest of the day. The storm left more than 25 dead before crossing into Georgia. NASA Earth Observatory image created by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using EO-1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO-1 team. (Video: Cesar Villasenor via Storyful), Storm updates between Thursday afternoon and evening. The forecast continued to emphasize the risk of strong/violent and very damaging tornadoes, as confidence increased even further regarding the risk for an extreme, high-end tornado outbreak. All-Hazards Awareness Booklet Kay Ivey said in a statement that she has received reports of loss of life., Significant and dangerous weather continues to impact portions of Alabama, and I urge all folks in the path of these tornadoes and storm systems to remain on high alert, she said. A typical tornado track is 1 to 2 miles long, according to weather service data. The storm packed winds of 190 miles (310 kilometers per hour) and left a path of debris running southwest to northeast. Local Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data The effects of the tornado arguably contributed to a decrease in affordable housing in what has been called "an uneven recovery" for Tuscaloosa.[25]. The tornado killed 64 people, including six University of Alabama students. Based on the damage scene and contextual evidence, it is plausible that winds were stronger, the weather service said. The weather service said its unclear whether the damage in Selma and Autauga came from the same tornado or two separate ones. One of the survivors, Kelly Dobbs, made it through the collapse of a Hackleburg pharmacy where she worked that day, summing up the fine line between devastation and survival. It continued through a dense forest towards Birmingham, this time downing thousands of trees and flattening more rural homes. [19] The structures that were swept away by this tornado were either improperly anchored, lacked interior walls, or were surrounded by contextual damage not consistent with winds exceeding 200mph (320km/h), and as a result an EF5 rating could not be applied. According to the National Weather Service in Birmingham, the Autauga tornado was on the ground for an hour and 20 minutes. As the tornado moved across a coal yard in this area, a 35.8-tonne (78,925lb) coal car was thrown 391ft (119m) through the air. The tornado formed near Moundville, which was also hit by a tornado during the outbreak last week. Tornado Alley in the Plains is an outdated concept. The weather service in Birmingham released some preliminary results early Friday afternoon. The tornado continued northeast and struck the Chastain Manor Apartments at the north end of 34th Ave E. Buildings on the east side of this new 2 story apartment complex were completely destroyed, with only a pile of debris remaining and a few walls set into the hillside. Among the dead are a family of three that lived in a wood-frame house in the small town of Ohatchee, along with a man and a woman who lived in mobile homes in Ohatchee and Wellington, respectively, county coroner Pat Brown told The Washington Post. In addition, several cinder block homes were completely destroyed with debris swept away (EF-4). pic.twitter.com/efdr6wVo9S. 5:17 a.m. - Tornadoes touched down from the Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa to Lake Guntersville. Numerous mobile homes and several cinder block homes were destroyed in this area, which resulted in several fatalities. The South is an area known for systematic vulnerability to severe weather and tornadoes. NOAA National Weather Service. in Greene County. Nine were in central Alabama, one was in north Alabama, one was in southeast Alabama and three were in southwest Alabama. This individual was pulled from the debris alive. Less than a month later, however, this number was surpassed by the Joplin, Missouri EF5 tornado, which caused $2.8 billion in damage. Numerous homes, apartment buildings, and a large church sustained significant damage as the tornado entered Birmingham's city limits and impacted the neighborhood of Pratt City. Thats why meteorologists stress on days such as Thursday that its imperative to stay weather-aware, have a plan and know what to do. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Forecast Discussion [10][13][14][15] The tornado exited the Tuscaloosa area and weakened to low-end EF3 status while contracting back to .5 miles (0.80km) wide.