More About Chilton County Storm

From NWS, Birmingham

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
555 PM CDT WED SEP 16 2009

..RARE NON-TROPICAL SEPTEMBER TORNADO CONFIRMED IN CHILTON COUNTY ..

(Photo by John Browning)

AN UNUSUAL WEATHER PATTERN…WITH A DEEP UPPER LOW OVER THE
ARKLATEX…AND A SURGE OF GULF MOISTURE…CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT
FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA…WITH A MARGINAL THREAT FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. CONDITIONS WERE ALSO FAVORABLE FOR ROTATING
THUNDERSTORMS…WHICH PRODUCED SEVERAL REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS…
AND ONE CONFIRMED TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN THE TOWN OF LOMAX IN
CHILTON COUNTY. THIS WAS A RATHER RARE OCCURRENCE…AS MOST
TORNADOES IN SEPTEMBER ARE TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH LANDFALLING
TROPICAL SYSTEMS.

..LOMAX TORNADO

EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 16 SEPTEMBER 2009
EVENT TYPE: EF-0 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 60 TO 70 MPH
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE
EVENT START TIME/ 1058 AM
LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.8737/-86.6605
EVENT END TIME/ 1100 AM
LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.8822/-86.6552
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.66 MILES
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 30 YARDS

A WEAK TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF REED ROAD AND
JUDGE AVE…WHERE IT REMOVED A FEW SHINGLES OFF OF A HOME AND PEELED
BACK THE TIN ROOF OF AN OUTBUILDING. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTH-
NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS OLD HENRY ROAD…TO THE INTERSECTION OF US
HIGHWAY 31 AND LOMAX DRIVE. AS THE TORNADO PASSED THIS LOCATION…
EYEWITNESSES SAW A FUNNEL IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND AS IT CROSSED
U.S. HIGHWAY 31…AND PHOTOGRAPHED THE TORNADO AS IT MOVED AWAY. A
METAL ROOF WAS TOTALLY LIFTED OFF OF AN OUTBUILDING…WITH
PORTIONS OF THIS DEBRIS DEPOSITED 0.4 MILES DOWNSTREAM. DAMAGE WAS
RELATIVELY MINOR AND LIMITED TO A VERY NARROW YET DISCERNIBLE
PATH. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY TWO-THIRDS OF A MILE LONG
AND WAS 30 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE
CHILTON COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY…THE CLANTON FIRE
DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THIS STORM.

A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
PROGRAM IS THE RECEIPT OF STORM REPORTS FROM ALL OUR CUSTOMERS AND
PARTNERS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. IF YOU WITNESSED OR ARE AWARE OF
ANY STORM DAMAGE DUE TO HIGH WINDS OR TORNADOES…PLEASE CONTACT
YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE…OR CALL OUR STORM
REPORTING HOTLINE AT 1-800-856-0758.

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