He checked on his family and is still going forward to help inform viewers. Land 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. [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. 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 warnings are in effect until 6 p.m. 3:55 p.m.: Tornado warning in northwest Georgia from same rotating storm that tracked across Alabama. [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. Tornado warnings are in effect about 30 miles south of Tuscaloosa, Ala. until 5 p.m. and 15 miles east of Rome until 4:45 p.m. (5:45 p.m. local time). 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. All rights reserved (About Us). Tornado now confirmed by radar, and some tree damage reported in the same area. 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. More than 50 million Americans are threatened by severe weather, including about 9 million within the two zones of highest risk. The tornado reached a maximum path width of 1.5 miles (2.4 km) during its track through Tuscaloosa, and once again when it crossed Interstate 65 north of Birmingham, and attained estimated winds of 190 mph (310 km/h) shortly after passing through the city. Due to the combination of rich low-level moisture, strong shear, and focused large-scale ascent, there was relatively high confidence across the outlined area for strong tornadoes a tornado rated EF2 or higher on the Enhanced Fujita scale and widespread damaging winds. The storm packed winds of 190 miles (310 kilometers per hour) and left a path of debris running southwest to northeast. 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. WATCH: Drone footage shows Alabama tornado devastation in Selma The weather service in Birmingham released some preliminary results early Friday afternoon. pic.twitter.com/CAk7Qq0afu. DEVELOPING: Cahaba Valley FD says multiple people pulled from their homes in Eagle Point subdivision and hospitalized. Path of the F4 tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa and the Birmingham, Alabama areas on April 27, 2011. Along the same stretch, the bodies of a man and woman were blown almost 100 feet from their mobile home. A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for twisters to form, but not a guarantee. 6:23 p.m. - The earlier supercell that devastated Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties, ignited back into an EF-4 tornado. 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. Long-track, strong to violent tornadoes are possible. The 2 mile wide tornado raced across the landscape at a groundspeed of 82 mph. Another tornado on Feb. 2, a deadly EF-2, had a 25.87-mile path through Greene and Hale counties. Unfortunately, the day is not over yet. [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 emergency includes Montevallo, Wilton, and Calera, Ala. as the confirmed destructive tornado heads east at 50 mph. A long-track, destructive tornado continues plowing east, south of Birmingham, where a tornado emergency, the most severe alert for twisters, is in effect until 6:30 p.m. Therefore, it was given a final rating of high-end EF4, with winds estimated at 190mph (310km/h). Alabama was hit the worst, with the first reported tornado hitting Marion and others hitting Tuscaloosa, Chilton County, and other locales. Reply. Fire Weather The National Weather Service on Friday said it is continuing to assess the damage across the state and is working to confirm just how powerful the storms were. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Everyone in northeast Bibb County needs to be in a safe location NOW! 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. Probably the closest video to the storm your going to see.. Police were using the Sawmeal Restaurant as a checkpoint for southbound travelers, turning back the majority who did not live in the area. - A large supercell beginning in Mississippi dropped an EF-4 tornado packing winds of up to 190 m.p.h. That was the F4 tornado that affected areas from Greensboro all the way to Mount Cheaha. Storms will swarm during much of the day before winding down and exiting east late Thursday night. 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. A total of 20 people were killed throughout Birmingham and its surrounding suburbs. Looking at the statistics gives only the barest idea of what occurred. One of the cities hit hardest was Tuscaloosa, Ala. A nearly mile wide tornado cut a path though the town, killing 53 people, and injuring 1200 more. #alwx #tornado @spann pic.twitter.com/qTVTJ1kHBe, 3:10 p.m.: Long-track tornado in Alabama nears border with Georgia. Weather service meteorologist Mark Linhares said a long-track tornado has a path that is typically 25 miles or longer. BE A HERO: You can really help us today. [10][18], The National Weather Service determined the path length of this violent tornado to be 80.68 miles (129.84km) with a maximum damage path width of 1.5 miles (2.4km), or 2,600 yards (2,400m). No Excuses! tweeted Dan Satterfield, a meteorologist who spent years in Birmingham covering severe weather outbreaks. 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. An hour later, the city of Newnan tweeted: The city experienced heavy damage in and around the historic downtown area due to tonights weather.. past few days tracing the path of Alabamas deadliest tornado, was one of 14 tornadoes that hit Alabama on Jan. 12, killed seven people and injured several others, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. By the time the tornado reachedInterstate 65, it was evident that the storm was losing its energy. (Video: The Washington Post), Video shows two Alabama drivers survive the extreme weather that tore through the state on March 25, killing five people. The deadliest tornado outbreak since 1974 hit the United States on April 27, 2011. 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. It was one of the 360 tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak, the largest tornado outbreak in United States history. Numerous homes sustained damage in this area, anda 2-story apartment complexhad a large portion of its roof lifted and removed. The tornado formed near Moundville, which was also hit by a tornado during the outbreak last week. It is one of the costliest tornadoes on record. Additional twister potential sets up into eastern Mississippi. The storm, at one point, was 1.5 miles wide. 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. 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. Storms will increase in areal coverage and intensity into early evening while shifting northeastward. If a tornado warning is issued, that means a rotating storm has been detected or a tornado spotted on the ground, and that action should be taken immediately. To the east of US-31, the damage quickly diminished from EF-2 intensity to EF-1 and EF-0. Daily Rainfall Plots Special Weather Statements The tornado continued northeast to County Road 42, causing massive tree damage along Autauga Creek. 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. DO NOT stay in a mobile home when a watch is issued. Meteorologists have rated the tornado that took seven lives in Autauga. Two waves of deadly storms battered the state over the course of one day, leaving broken cities, twisted wreckage and lost lives. Heres a look at tornado reports from Thursday from the National Weather Service. Tornadoes probably will not be readily visible because of heavy rain, fog and low overcast. 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. The zone most threatened by dangerous storms includes Birmingham and Huntsville, Ala., and Tupelo, Miss. Share. More EF-3 damage occurred along County Road 18, where the weather service said vehicles were moved or flipped, numerous trees were snapped, one site-built home was destroyed and others heavily damaged. [10] The nearby Cedar Crest subdivision was devastated as numerous block-foundation homes were leveled. The storm did regenerate itself and eventually put down the EF-4tornado in the Ohatchee area. 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 . It turns out another tornado from Thursday would also qualify as a long-track storm: The EF-1 twister that left a 30.4-mile-long track through parts of Lawrence, Morgan and Limestone counties in northwest Alabama. through north central Alabama to just northeast of Rome, Ga. (see 3:55 p.m. update) has generated several areas of rotation, prompting both tornado and flash flood warnings. NWS By the time the tornado lifted northeast of Birmingham, it had left behind a path of destruction of 80.7 miles (129.9km) through Greene, Tuscaloosa and Jefferson counties. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. made it through the collapse of a Hackleburg pharmacy. 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. #HUNwx pic.twitter.com/wyBjSkmRCp. 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. 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. Several apartment complexes were entirely destroyed in this area, and a few two-story apartment buildings were completely reduced to rubble. Tornado Safety Rules, Awareness Weeks East of Holt, the tornado path width widened from 0.5 mile to around 1 mile. On December 16, 2000, a destructive tornado outbreak hit the Southeastern United States, from Mississippi to North Carolina.The most significant tornado of the outbreak occurred in communities south and east of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.The F4 tornado killed 11 people and injured more than 125 others; it was the strongest tornado to hit the state of Alabama in the month of December since 1950. The Alberta Park Shopping Center was completely destroyed with no walls standing and a pile of debris on the foundation. The trail of damage stretched 80.3 miles (129.2 kilometers) long and as much as 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) wide. Alabama was hit the worst, with the first reported tornado hitting Marion and others hitting Tuscaloosa, Chilton County, and other locales. As the tornado approached Interstate 359, several buildings were destroyed including the Tuscaloosa County Emergency Operations Center. Satellite view of the long-track, tornadic supercell marching across Central Alabama. CoCoRaHS, Local Research and Outreach On April 23, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) began monitoring the potential for a substantial severe weather outbreak in the extended range. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The weather service said the tornado continued northeast into Chambers County, causing EF-0 to EF-1 damage. This is a terrifying image of debris on radar (blue dot on right), following the passage of a violent tornado right through Centreville, AL of the EF4-5 type #alwx pic.twitter.com/Aoeq3uZkpa. US Dept of Commerce The tornado crossed Highway 63 South and neared the Wind Creek State Park area. Randy Robbins, a survivor of the Tuscaloosa storm, made it through, with the storm ripping his jeans, watch, glasses, and shirt from his body, leaving only his boxers, a silver cross necklace and his iPhone remaining in his right hand. Ryan Phillips, Patch Staff. Winter Weather Warnings Multiple locations were found. Linhares added that using that definition, 95 of 2,505 tornadoes, or 3.8 percent, qualify as long-track tornadoes. April 27, 2011 Tornado outbreak remembered. By the time that tornado lifted just north of downtown Birmingham, it had covered 80.3 miles, reached up to about 1.5 miles wide, killed 64 people, injured over 1500, and caused . The tornado crossed Holt Peterson Rd just northwest of Clinker Rd, where two homes were completely destroyed. At least 7 now dead in Autauga County after storms, tornado strike Alabama, Did historic Selmas homes, monuments withstand possible tornado? 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. Severe Safety w/ ASL Near Union at 4:50p.m. CDT, footage of the wedge tornado was captured by meteorologist John Oldshue during a storm chase for Birmingham ABC affiliate WBMA-LD/WCFT-TV/WJSU-TV (channels 58, 33, and 40 "ABC 33/40"), which broadcast Oldshue's live video of the tornado as he was tracking it outside of town. It was a devastating F4 that pushed 18 miles through Tuscaloosa County. It was here in McDonald Chapel where evidence of a slight weakening of the tornado became clear. 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