tuscaloosa alabama tornado path

May 15, 2023 0 Comments

On April 27, 2011, one of the most devastating tornado outbreaks in the history of Alabama left an unprecedented path of destruction through the City of Tuscaloosa. The damage sustained in this area is consistent with EF-2 wind damage. in Greene County. Between 7:00 a.m. CDT on April 25 and 7:00 a.m. on April 28, a total of 305 tornadoes struck the southeastern and central United States, according to a preliminary estimate from NOAA released May 4. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. His girlfriend, Ashley Harrison, who was huddle in a closet with him was ripped from his arms. It continued through a dense forest towards Birmingham, this time downing thousands of trees and flattening more rural homes. Graphical Forecasts The tornado then moved toward Coven Abbett Road and then Elbert Road, damaging several homes and destroying several boat houses. Share. Just downstream, several manufactured homes in a cluster were shredded and thrown considerable distances, the weather service said. Several vehicles were picked up and thrown, and one pickup truck had its cab separated from the bed. 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. It touched down near Argo, and cleared at 72-mile path, rolling through Shoal Creek Valley in St. Clair County, packing winds of more than 180 mph and killing 22 people all the way to the Georgia line, obliterating homes along the way. On May 2, 2011, the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA's Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite captured this natural-color image of the . 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. Severe weather was also occurring outside Alabama with severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings in effect in northwest Georgia, and a line of severe thunderstorms was sweeping east through western Tennessee. Extent of injuries unknown. At least five manufactured homes were blown away with their frames thrown considerable distances, the weather service said. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Life The storms had cut power to over 35,000 customers in Alabama. Then he saw the storm wall headed straight for him. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. This article was published more than1 year ago. Our Office, Education A tornado warning is in effect until 2 p.m. for the general area. We dug out, Dobbs said. On May 2, 2011, the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASAs Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite captured this natural-color image of the tornado track through Tuscaloosa. Every tree was snapped in this area, including those within deep ravines. The storm was racing off to the northeast at 45 mph, in the general direction of Birminghams southern suburbs, which it may approach in about 45 minutes. #alwx pic.twitter.com/U6DpeZeXIq, 6:00 p.m.: Tornado emergency extended into Columbiana and Wilsonville, about 30 miles southeast of Birmingham. The warning is in effect until 5:30 p.m. and the storm is racing northeast at 60 mph and headed in the direction of the town of Brent. Six dead as destructive tornadoes cut across Alabama, Georgia. See here and here. Hurricane Preparedness Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The tornado occurred between 8:09 AM to 8:45 AM this morning and had a path length of just over 30 miles! Zoom in on the map above and click or tap the icons to get more information about each reported tornado. Only piles of debris were left on the foundation. To the east of US-31, the damage quickly diminished from EF-2 intensity to EF-1 and EF-0. One fatality was reported in Coweta County, home to Newnan, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Non-Precipitation Warnings Help is needed #ALwx pic.twitter.com/UVRV6lOXRB, 4:50 p.m.: Tornado emergency south of Tuscaloosa due to large twister, while new tornado warning issued for northeast Birmingham, Massive tornado west of Greensboro, AL pic.twitter.com/KjFAG2bJfB. [3] By the morning of April 27, the SPC upgraded to a high risk of severe weather,[4] noting that a dangerous tornado outbreak capable of producing several violent EF4 tornado or stronger on the Enhanced Fujita scale and long-track tornadoes was expected. The National Weather Service has spent the past few days tracing the path of Alabama's deadliest tornado since 2019. The tornado continues to loft massive amounts of debris into the air, which is being detected by radar. He was thrown 100 yards into the field next to his home. After three hours of peril, the first wave of storms begin dissipating around 7:30 a.m., with barns, homes and structures reporting damage as far east at DeKalb County. [10][13][14], The tornado then grew from 0.5 miles (0.80km) to 1 mile (1.6km) wide and ripped through the suburb of Holt, leveling and sweeping away homes while still at low-end EF4 strength. #HUNwx pic.twitter.com/wyBjSkmRCp. - A large supercell beginning in Mississippi dropped an EF-4 tornado packing winds of up to 190 m.p.h. The first was an EF-2 tornado that carved a 35.17-mile path through parts of Choctaw and Marengo counties. The same tornadic thunderstorm which caused damage southeast of Birmingham had charged into northeast Alabama, near the border with Georgia where a tornado warning is in effect until 4 p.m. Latest update on Tuscaloosa from Mayor Maddox. (Patch.com) TUSCALOOSA, AL The National Weather Service has issued a . A line of thunderstorms, stretching from near Meridian, Miss. In all, 299 Alabamians were killed in the outbreak. DO NOT stay in a mobile home when a watch is issued. 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. The start point is based on aerial survey, while the end location was determined by a ground crew. Questions? A single tornado may account for multiple reports along its path. @abc3340 @spann @TaylorSarallo #alwx pic.twitter.com/t5Aq29BkMX, 3:15 p.m.: Severe damage about 50 miles northeast of Birmingham. 1:40 p.m.: Tornado emergency southeast of Birmingham for destructive twister with history of producing damage, The Weather Service in Birmingham declared a tornado emergency for Shelby County, which is just to the south and southeast of the city, for a confirmed large and destructive tornado, heading northeast at 45 mph. The tornado reached a maximum path width of 1.5 miles (2.4km) during its track through Tuscaloosa, and once again when it crossed Interstate 65 north of Birmingham, and attained estimated winds of 190mph (310km/h) shortly after passing through the city. 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. Also, to Gene Bussell and his crew with the AlabamaNational Guard for their cooperation with aerial surveys along this track. By the time the tornado reachedInterstate 65, it was evident that the storm was losing its energy. Other Research 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. That chilly upper-level air will foster rising motion and widespread storms, while a change of wind speed and/or direction with height imparted by the jet stream will cause them to spin. This tornado was produced by a supercell thunderstorm that began in Newton County Mississippi at 2:54 pm CDT, and finally dissipated in Macon County, North Carolina at approximately 10:18 pm CDT. No vehicles were tossed, only pushed slightly from their original position. Severe Safety Rules Storms laid waste to state parks at Guntersville and Bucks Pocket, with an EF-2 tornado crossing the lake, toppling trees and destroying cabins, a chalet, a wing of the lodge, campers, cars and boats. [5][6], Shortly before 12:00 CDT, the probability of tornadoes within 25 miles of a location was increased even further to 45%, a level exceeding even typical high risk standards, for an area including Tuscaloosa. The volume of snapped trees was enough to assign an EF-3 rating for this segment of the tornados path, the weather service said. 6:14 a.m. - The damage reached Odenville in St. Clair County, where an EF-2 tornado damaged several homes, including multi-story brick structures. In April 2011, one of the most devastating tornado outbreaks in the history of Alabama left an unprecedented path of destruction through the City of Tuscaloosa. The storm left more than 25 dead before crossing into Georgia. Aviation Weather, Climate and Past Weather National Weather Service Words simply can't adequately describe what . Yall please stay safe and vigilant!. To get the best experience possible, please download a compatible browser. 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)). Please try another search. Acquired May 4, 2011, this false-color image shows a tornado track near Birmingham, Alabama. The storm travelled approximately 132 miles through six counties, killing 72 people and inflicting $1.2 billion in damage. Alabama was hit the worst, with the first reported tornado hitting Marion and others hitting Tuscaloosa, Chilton County, and other locales. Flash Flood Warnings The tornado moved parallel to Hannah Creek Rd where it caused extensive tree damage and destroyed at least one mobile home. 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. Radar indicates a possible tornado developing just west of Meridian, Miss., which is under a tornado warning until 3:30 p.m. 2:15 p.m.: Dangerous long-track tornado racing east of Birmingham; Meteorologist James Spanns house damaged. In [your] safe places, have helmets for everybody, a portable air horn first responders can hear that a mile a way hard sole shoes [for] walking over tornado debris, said Spann in a morning video posted to his Facebook page. The zone most threatened by dangerous storms includes Birmingham and Huntsville, Ala., and Tupelo, Miss. A four-sided brick home in the same areaonly lost a roof and no exterior walls, which is indicative of EF-2 damage. [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. Thats an ominous atmospheric signal of a violent weather day. #alwx pic.twitter.com/Kfgmey9oKW, 12:30 p.m.: "[C]onfirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado south of Tuscaloosa. The National Weather Service has spent the past few days tracing the path of Alabamas deadliest tornado since 2019. However, this was revised to 64 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries. #alwx pic.twitter.com/0lqKYP5OwS. Stephen Quinn, a reporter for the Birmingham ABC television affiliate, tweeted that, according to the local fire department, multiple people [were] pulled from their homes in Eagle Point subdivision and hospitalized from the tornado that passed about 10 miles southeast of the city in the Eagle Point subdivision. (Video: Cesar Villasenor via Storyful), Storm updates between Thursday afternoon and evening. 5:54 a.m. - An EF-2 tornado cut a swath of damages for almost eight miles in the Cahaba Heights area near U.S. 280 in Jefferson County, wrecking trees, homes and businesses, crossing Interstate 459 near Liberty Park. The tornado struck a marina on Holt Lake at the end of Recreation Area Road where it caused significant damage to a restaurant as well as numerous boats. [2] Two days before the event, on April 25, the SPC issued a moderate risk of severe weather encompassing portions of central and eastern Kentucky, middle and eastern Tennessee, northeast Mississippi, central and northern Alabama, and northwest Georgia. That is until about 5 p.m., when a monster tornado emerged in the southwest corner of Tuscaloosa and quickly began a mile-wide path of carnage. A tornado warning was in effect about 25 miles north of the border with Mississippi and Alabama. 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. The tornado continued northeast to County Road 42, causing massive tree damage along Autauga Creek. Social media photos show severe damage to homes in Eagle Point, which is near Meadowbrook, Ala. and about 10 miles southeast of Birmingham. Several apartment complexes were entirely destroyed in this area, and a few two-story apartment buildings were completely reduced to rubble. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Cinder block construction homes in the surrounding neighborhood were completely destroyed, and in a few cases debris was swept away from the site. Along 15th St E. and McFarland Blvd E., several small restaurants and stores were destroyed, with only a wall or two still standing. 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. The tornado continued northeast, causing sporadic EF-1 timber damage as it crossed U.S. Highway 280. a tornado emergency is in effect until 6 p.m. a tornado warning is in effect until 4 p.m. The tornado warning for Shelby and Talladega Counties has been cancelled. 2:30 p.m.: Tornado warning for Meridian, Miss. An extremely volatile atmospheric setup prompted the National Weather Service to declare a rare level 5 out of 5 high risk for severe thunderstorms, focused in Alabama but touching several surrounding states. NOAA National Weather Service. Multiple rounds of intense supercell thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and early evening, with the potential for long-track strong to violent tornadoes, the Storm Prediction Center wrote. 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tuscaloosa alabama tornado path