The tornado outbreak of April 27, 2011 cemented itself in the consciousness of every Alabamian who experienced it. Public Information Statement Satellite view of the long-track, tornadic supercell marching across Central Alabama. The tornado continued northeast to County Road 42, causing massive tree damage along Autauga Creek. One fatality was reported in Coweta County, home to Newnan, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. By the time the tornado reachedInterstate 65, it was evident that the storm was losing its energy. However, with only manufactured homes in the path, there appear to be no damage indicators that will allow a higher rating.. 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. Tree trunks were snapped relatively close to the ground, and the bark was ripped from them. 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. See all of AL.coms April 27, 2011 anniversary coverage here. 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. 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. 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. One fatality occurred at the destroyed mobile home seen at about :27 seconds in. Residents across the Deep South NEED to prepare for significant weather today, including the very real potential for violent, long track tornadoes, wrote the Weather Service office in Jackson, Miss. Numerous homes sustained damage in this area, anda 2-story apartment complexhad a large portion of its roof lifted and removed. Severe thunderstorms will break out in multiple zones shortly after lunchtime along the cold front near and east of the Mississippi River, and farther east across eastern Mississippi, northwest Alabama and Middle Tennessee. The tornado then struck the suburb of Fultondale, damaging homes and businesses in town. 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. Severe Weather Videos 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. Graphical Forecasts Tuscaloosa-area storm shelters, including those on the University of Alabama campus, will open when a tornado watch is issued, officials said. Ryan Phillips, Patch Staff. To the east of US-31, the damage quickly diminished from EF-2 intensity to EF-1 and EF-0. Aviation Weather, Climate and Past Weather [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. javascript is enabled. (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. Tornado Warnings for counties in Central Alabamawere in effect from338 pm until800 pm with this supercell. Please select one of the following: 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. *Note: This story was updated to reflect the adjusted path of the Autauga tornado, which upon further analysis from the National Weather Service had a path length of 82.31 miles. Vehicles were tossed 200 yards. The warning is in effect until 4:15 p.m. (or 5:15 p.m. local time). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. [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. It also was similar to the path. The flash flood warnings cover both Birmingham and Tuscaloosa where 2 to 3 inches of rain have fallen and flooding is underway or expected to begin. 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. [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. Heres a look at tornado reports from Thursday from the National Weather Service. 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. [12] The tornado then ripped through the neighborhoods of Rosedale and Forest Lake, leveling and sweeping away numerous poorly-anchored homes. [17] A four-sided brick home in the area also had its roof torn off, but none of its exterior walls collapsed. Not surprisingly, several of them happened during the superoutbreak of April 27, 2011. 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. It combines visible and infrared data to reveal damage unseen in conventional photographs. Local Climatology In all, 299 Alabamians were killed in the outbreak. This video is from the EF4 tornado that went through Tuscaloosa, AL on 4/27/11. Now, the full fury of the outbreak was showing its muscle throughout the state. 4:30 a.m.- Tornadoes begin crossing over from Mississippi and firing along a line stretching from Pickens County to Fayette County, causing damage to homes, power lines and felling trees. Severe Storms. Similar damage was seen in northwest Elmore County as the tornado neared the Coosa River. 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. It passed within a half mile of the Tuscaloosa Police Department Headquarters, forcing the evacuation of the dispatch personnel from the third floor offices until the storm passed. The swarm of storms came after roughly 50 tornadoes tore through the region last week. In fact, there were three just last year. The basics of personal finance, like How to save for a house. Figure out your next step toward financial freedom. 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. Several apartment complexes were entirely destroyed in this area, and a few two-story apartment buildings were completely reduced to rubble. The storm packed winds of 190 miles (310 kilometers per hour) and left a path of debris running southwest to northeast. Path of the F4 tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa and the Birmingham, Alabama areas on April 27, 2011. 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). Winter Weather Warnings The tornado continued northeastward out of the Concord area and into the Pleasant Grove community. View annotated composite image. Local Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data 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. Alberta Elementary School suffered nearly complete destruction, with only a few portions of walls still standing. 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 As the tornado approached Interstate 359, several buildings were destroyed including the Tuscaloosa County Emergency Operations Center. Alabama was hit the worst, with the first reported tornado hitting Marion and others hitting Tuscaloosa, Chilton County, and other locales. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. SPC Stats. A single tornado may account for multiple reports along its path. 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. Local first responders drill for these emergencies, but no amount of preparation can steel you for the real thing, he added. Meteorologists found "at least" EF-3. Running roughly parallel to the tornado track is a contrail from a plane. a tornado emergency is in effect until 6 p.m. a tornado warning is in effect until 4 p.m. The 2 mile wide tornado raced across the landscape at a groundspeed of 82 mph. The Weather Service had already received reports of 24 twisters, 59 instances of damaging winds, and 49 reports of large hail. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Images of tornado damage near Tuscaloosa, Ala., seen on May 4, 2011. Photos, video of damage, How bad will 2023 tornado season be? The Old Kingston-Lake Martin tornado was one of 14 tornadoes that hit Alabama on Jan. 12. 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. This was the first video evidence that the tornado had touched the ground; the video, along with NEXRAD evidence of a tornado debris signature, prompted the National Weather Service office in Birmingham to declare a tornado emergency. The tornado then moved toward Coven Abbett Road and then Elbert Road, damaging several homes and destroying several boat houses. A string of those tornado reports likely came from one storm, one long-lived supercell storm. At least 30 people were injured as the tornado carved a 10-mile (16-kilometer) path through Birmingham's northern suburbs, an area severely damaged by a much larger tornado a decade ago. Unfortunately, the day is not over yet. Additional twister potential sets up into eastern Mississippi. Everyone in northeast Bibb County needs to be in a safe location NOW! 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). Tornado Alley in the Plains is an outdated concept. 11:20 a.m. - An EF-1 tornado touched down in Decatur Industrial Park, damaging roofs and leaving damage. At least five people were killed as destructive tornadoes slammed north central Alabama on March 25. Alabama saw 62 tornadoes. Thursday morning and afternoon, a warm front was lifting north through Mississippi and Alabama, ushering in an unstable and dangerous air mass. in Greene County. [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. The tornado formed near Moundville, which was also hit by a tornado during the outbreak last week. Cinder block construction homes in the surrounding neighborhood were completely destroyed, and in a few cases debris was swept away from the site. About Radar December 16, 2012 Tony Lyza. #alwx pic.twitter.com/U6DpeZeXIq, 6:00 p.m.: Tornado emergency extended into Columbiana and Wilsonville, about 30 miles southeast of Birmingham. University of Alabama Tuscaloosa 301 ROSE ADMIN BLDG TUSCALOOSA AL US 35487-0001 (205)348-5152: Sponsor Congressional District: 07: Primary Place of Performance: University of Alabama Tuscaloosa 801 University Blvd. He checked on his family and is still going forward to help inform viewers. The tornado rapidly strengthened as it approached the Old Kingston community and reached EF-3 intensity. Many stations, including WIAT, the WBMA trimulcast, CBS affiliate WTVY (channel 4) in Dothan and NBC affiliate WSFA (channel 12) in Montgomery, showed television cameras capturing the event as the tornado which appeared wider than its estimated width during that section of the path as the condensation funnel was partially obscured by a debris cloud and a dense rain shaft moved east-northeast across the western and northern suburbs of Birmingham at high-end EF4 strength around 6:00p.m. CDT (23:00 UTC). Tuscaloosa 2011 Tornado Path Google Earth - Then and now Posted on 1/14/23 at 6:41 pm 16 5 The yellow drawn off area in the second set was Alabama long snapper Carson Tinker's Home. The final rating of this tornado was a source of controversy, as some survey teams concluded EF5 damage, while others did not. A small club house that was anchored to a foundation, but with apparently no interior walls, was completely destroyed and swept from its foundation. Based on the damage scene and contextual evidence, it is plausible that winds were stronger, the weather service said. Yet to be added to the list is the Jan. 12, 2023, Old Kingston-Lake Martin tornado, with an updated track length of 82.31 miles. Words matter. There have been reports of downed trees and damaged homes and businesses in Calhoun County and across the state, with some houses reduced to rubble. All-Hazards Awareness Booklet The weather service said numerous homes were damaged -- some significantly -- on River Run Road and the adjacent side streets. The tornado warning for Shelby and Talladega Counties has been cancelled. Please Contact Us. The tornado continued northeast, causing sporadic EF-1 timber damage as it crossed U.S. Highway 280. A massive tornado tears through the town of Tuscaloosa, destroying everything in its path (from Tornado Rampage 2011) Show more. 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. Also, to Gene Bussell and his crew with the AlabamaNational Guard for their cooperation with aerial surveys along this track. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The weather service said that the damage intensified as the tornado neared the Autauga-Elmore county line, where several site-built homes lost most of their roofs along County Road 68 East near Poplar Springs Road. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. On March 1932, 33 tornadoes ripped through the southeastern United States and killed 359 people in six states over the course of two days. He also recommended having multiple ways to receive storm warnings and not to rely on tornado sirens, which often cannot be heard indoors. Thats an ominous atmospheric signal of a violent weather day. 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. Show more. National Weather Service meteorologists have surveyed the massive damage associated with this long track violent tornado, by ground and air. But even the interlude between the two waves produced damage. Initially over West and Southwest Alabama Monday, and statewide Monday night and Tuesday." The National Weather Service in Birmingham issues the following guidelines for our coverage area. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The same rotating storm that produced numerous tornado touch downs in north central Alabama crossed the border into northwest Georgia, prompting a tornado warning for the area around Rome and just to the south. It is surrounded by a larger zone, which includes Memphis, Nashville, and Jackson, Miss.., where the threat is rated at level 4 out of 5, and there is also a serious risk for severe weather. It then went on to impact parts of Birmingham at high-end EF4 intensity before dissipating. Along 15th St E. and McFarland Blvd E., several small restaurants and stores were destroyed, with only a wall or two still standing. Severe Weather Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States on April 29, 2011 The scar across Tuscaloosa, one of two metropolitan areas this tornado devastated. The tornado devastated the Cedar Crest neighborhood just north of 15th St, leveling many cinder block homes and causing at least 3 fatalities. Social media footage provides ground truth: Awful, awful, awful damage in Centreville, AL. Tornado now confirmed by radar, and some tree damage reported in the same area. We dug out, Dobbs said. In Florence, in the northwest corner of the state, a police officer was struck by lighting while setting up street barricades. The greatest risk exists across portions of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, where the moderate and high-risk categories are drawn. Twenty-nine of them left storm tracks covering more than 690 miles. [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. 4.1K. By the time the tornado reachedInterstate 65, it was evident that the storm was losing its energy. Current Hazards The weather service said its unclear whether the damage in Selma and Autauga came from the same tornado or two separate ones. 3:06 p.m. - An EF-4 tornado struck in Pickensville and Cordova, killing 10 people and destroying homes and vehicles along a 123-mile path. The warning for the tornado south of Tuscaloosa, Ala. (see 4:30 p.m. update below) was upgraded to a tornado emergency, the most serious alert, due to a confirmed large and destructive tornado about 8 miles southwest of Mertz or 25 miles southeast of Tuscaloosa, shown in the image above. The tally would only mount as the sun rose. The tornado occurred between 8:09 AM to 8:45 AM this morning and had a path length of just over 30 miles! @NWSBirmingham @spann #alwx pic.twitter.com/0QhnzMfgRZ. 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. He was thrown 100 yards into the field next to his home. If you cant do that in just three or four minutes, relocate to somewhere you can high-risk days are when you want to be close to a shelter at all times. 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. 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). [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. On April 27, 2011, a devastating tornado tore through Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Lee Branch businesses need to expedite their tornado plans NOW! 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. On one road after another, pieces of buildings, furniture, appliances and trees were strewn about and vehicles came to rest in awkward positions . It is one of the costliest tornadoes on record. Know the location of the nearest shelter, or business that is open 24/7, wrote James Spann, a veteran meteorologist at ABC 33/40 in Birmingham known for walking Alabamians through scores of historic outbreaks. Storm chaser footage provided confirmation of the large, dangerous tornado. To get the best experience possible, please download a compatible browser. The mayor of Tuscaloosa estimated the cost of clearing the debris to be between $70 and $100 million. 4 p.m. - An EF-3 tornado touched down in Marion County, gaining strength west of Hamilton, killing six people and damaging scores of homes. The watch, reserved for the most serious severe weather situations, calls for numerous tornadoes and several intense tornadoes, widespread damaging wind gusts up to 80 mph, and widespread large hail. Along the way, it stripped a school bus down to its chassis. See here and here. Storms will swarm during much of the day before winding down and exiting east late Thursday night. 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. Know how to get there quickly.. Outreach Materials (Video: Cesar Villasenor via Storyful), Storm updates between Thursday afternoon and evening. #alwx pic.twitter.com/0lqKYP5OwS. 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. NOAA Weather Radio Noon: Particularly dangerous situation tornado watch issued. More than a dozen tornadoes were reported across Alabama on Thursday. Clarence Davis, 73, was standing outside his house on Closhire Drive after debris was dumped in his yard. 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. ON TV: Witness: Tornado Swarm 2011 airs Sunday, May 29, 9 p.m. ET/PT >>. According to the National Weather Service in Birmingham, the Autauga tornado was on the ground for an hour and 20 minutes. The tornado continued to Holt Lock and Dam Road near its intersection with Recreation Area Road. Damage at the beginning of the path ranged from EF1 to EF2. No Excuses! tweeted Dan Satterfield, a meteorologist who spent years in Birmingham covering severe weather outbreaks. Severe Weather Preparedness Severe Thunderstorm Warnings The Bethel Baptist Church also sustained significant damage to its roof, though the main structure of the building was still intact. Winter Products Description. The tornado that killed seven people in Autauga County had a path that was 82 miles long and stretched through several counties. The weather service in Birmingham released some preliminary results early Friday afternoon. Image of the Day Contact Us A warning is in effect for the storm until 2:45 p.m. Late Thursday afternoon into early evening, a second long-track, destructive tornado was on the ground for about 100 miles in north central Alabama before it lifted, only about 10 miles south of the first tornadic storm. 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. The storm travelled approximately 132 miles through six counties, killing 72 people and inflicting $1.2 billion in damage. 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. 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. 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