Eight Tornadoes Identified In Alabama

Looks like our final number could be 8…

NOUS44 KBMX 250428
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ALZ011>015-017>050-261800-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1027 PM CST TUE JAN 24 2012

…LONG TRACK SUPERCELLS PRODUCE MULTIPLE TORNADOES…

…UPDATED FOR DAMAGE INFORMATION FROM PERRY…CHILTON AND
TALLAPOOSA COUNTIES…

A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHED THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTERACTED
WITH A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT ALREADY IN PLACE.
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ALONG AND OUT AHEAD
OF THE FRONT ACROSS ARKANSAS AND MISSISSIPPI AND PUSHED EASTWARD
ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO MONDAY MORNING.
THERE WERE SEVERAL SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCED TORNADOES
AS THEY TRACKED ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF
STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE AND SEVERAL REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL AND
FLASH FLOODING WERE ALSO RECEIVED DURING THE EVENT.

DAMAGE SURVEYS ARE COMPLETED FOR TODAY. HOWEVER…ADDITIONAL SURVEYS
ARE PLANNED OVER THE COMING DAYS. WE WILL BE SENDING SURVEY
TEAMS OUT TO SURVEY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES AS
TIME PERMITS…JEFFERSON…TALLADEGA AND CHILTON. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC
INFORMATION STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED PERIODICALLY…AS SURVEY TEAMS
REPORT BACK THEIR FINDINGS.

TORNADO #1…KOFFMAN TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-3
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 140
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3257/-87.6579 AT 242 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3305/-87.6526 AT 243 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.45
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 400

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 231 AM UNTIL 315 AM.
WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE JUST EAST
OF AL HWY 171 IN THE KOFFMAN AREA AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE
RESULT OF AN EF-3 TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF AL HWY 171 AND KOFFMAN RANCH RD WHERE
APPROXIMATELY TWO DOZEN PINE TREES WERE UPROOTED AND ORIENTED IN
MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS. THE TORNADO THEN TRAVELED NORTHEAST
DESTROYING ONE OUTBUILDING ALONG KOFFMAN SPUR. JUST TO THE
NORTHEAST OF KOFFMAN SPUR…A BARN WAS DESTROYED AND THE ENTIRE
ROOF WAS TORN OFF OF A WELL-CONSTRUCTED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
THE TORNADO LIFTED BEFORE REACHING CARROLL CREEK. THE TORNADO DAMAGE
PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 0.46 MILES LONG AND WAS 400 YARDS WIDE AT
ITS WIDEST POINT.

TORNADO #2…WATERMELON ROAD TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 115
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3961/-87.4440 AT 300 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.4038/-87.4395 AT 301 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.56
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 300

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 231 AM UNTIL 315 AM.
WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE
JUST WEST OF THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER ALONG WATERMELON RD AND
DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-2 TORNADO. THE TORNADO
TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT A QUARTER MILE WEST OF WATERMELON RD SNAPPING
AND UPROOTING A FEW SMALL PINE TREES. FROM THERE…THE TORNADO
TRAVELED NORTHEAST AND HIT A HUNTING CAMP WHERE APPROXIMATELY
TWENTY SMALL PINE TREES WERE SNAPPED AND EIGHT CAMPERS WERE
ROLLED. THREE OF THE CAMPERS WERE DESTROYED AND THE OTHER FIVE
RECEIVED DIFFERING DEGREES OF DAMAGE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED
NORTHEAST CROSSING WATERMELON RD WHERE IT SNAPPED 3 WOODEN
H-FRAME TRANSMISSION LINES BEFORE LIFTING JUST TO THE EAST OF
WATERMELON RD. THE TORNADO DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 0.56
MILES LONG AND WAS 300 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT.

TORNADO #3…OAK GROVE TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA AND JEFFERSON)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 130
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NA/1
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.4316/-87.3071 AT 309 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.5290/-87.1405 AT 327 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 13.00
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 880

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 231 AM UNTIL 315 AM.
A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 302 AM UNTIL 345 AM.

WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE
JUST EAST OF THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER NEAR THE TUSCALOOSA AND
JEFFERSON COUNTY LINE. THE DAMAGE WAS WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-2
TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 1 MILE WEST OF GROUNDHOG ROAD. THE
TORNADO THEN MOVED NORTHEAST ACROSS LOCK 17 ROAD…CAMP OLIVER
ROAD…AND TOADVINE ROAD. THE TORNADO LIFTED ALONG TOADVINE ROAD
JUST SOUTHWEST OF SHORT CREEK. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED AND
UPROOTED ALONG THE DAMAGE PATH. ONE FATALITY OCCURRED ALONG TOADVINE
ROAD WHERE A MOBILE HOME WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. SEVERAL OTHER
STRUCTURES RECEIVED VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE ALONG THE PATH.

TORNADO #4…PARKER TORNADO (SUMTER)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 75
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.6567/-88.1705 AT 321 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.6718/-88.1639 AT 324 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 1.1
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 50

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 304 AM UNTIL 345 AM.
WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.

COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND FIRE OFFICIALS HAVE SURVEYED THE
DAMAGE JUST WEST OF STATE HIGHWAY 11 AND COUNTY ROAD 39 AND
DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-0 TORNADO. THE TORNADO
TOUCHED DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 11 ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF LIVINGSTON
DAMAGING AND UPROOTING A FEW SMALL SOFT AND HARDWOOD TREES. THE
TORNADO THEN TRAVELED NORTHEAST TOWARDS COUNTY ROAD 39 AND
MCCAINVILLE ROAD WHERE ADDITIONAL TREES WERE DAMAGED ALONG WITH
MINOR DAMAGE TO AN OUTDOOR SHED AS THE TORNADO WAS LIFTING. THE
TORNADO DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILES LONG AND WAS 50
YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. SPECIAL THANKS TO SUMTER COUNTY
OFFICIALS FOR THEIR HELP WITH THE DAMAGE SURVEY.

TORNADO #5…CENTER POINT TORNADO (JEFFERSON AND ST CLAIR)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-3
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 150
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 100/1
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.6228/-86.7411 AT 358 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.7197/-86.4963 AT 420 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 15.5
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 800

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 332 AM UNTIL 430 AM.
A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 415 AM UNTIL 515 AM.

WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.
TORNADO WATCH #11 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 245 AM UNTIL 10 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE
BETWEEN TARRANT…CENTER POINT…CLAY…AND ARGO. THE DAMAGE WAS THE
RESULT OF AN EF-3 TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG PAWNEE
VILLAGE ROAD ABOUT 3.25 MILES NORTHEAST OF TARRANT WHERE SEVERAL
BUSINESSES SUSTAINED ROOF AND WALL DAMAGE. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED
FURTHER NORTHEAST ACROSS PINSON VALLEY PARKWAY WHERE SEVERAL
ADDITIONAL BUSINESSES WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THE
TORNADO THEN MOVED THROUGH DOWNTOWN CENTER POINT CROSSING CENTER
POINT PARKWAY WHERE NUMEROUS HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE DAMAGED OR
DESTROYED. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST TO OLD SPRINGVILLE ROAD
TOWARDS THE CITY OF CLAY WHERE MORE HOMES AND BUSINESSES SUSTAINED
MAJOR DAMAGE WITH MOST EXTERIOR WALLS COLLAPSED AS THE TORNADO
REACHED MAXIMUM INTENSITY. FURTHER NORTHEAST THE TORNADO CONTINUED
AT ITS MAXIMUM STRENGTH NEAR DEERFOOT PARKWAY WHERE ADDITIONAL HOMES
WERE DESTROYED. THE TORNADO BEGAN TO WEAKEN AS IT APPROACHED
INTERSTATE 59 CROSSING INTO ST CLAIR COUNTY JUST NORTH OF ARGO
WHERE SEVERAL ADDITIONAL HOMES SUSTAINED DAMAGE ALONG WITH NUMEROUS
TREES DAMAGED. THE TORNADO BEGAN TO LIFT NEAR HIDDEN VALLEY DRIVE
AND COUNTRY LIVING CIRCLE. ONE FATALITY OCCURED WITH THIS
TORNADO…IN THE CITY OF CLAY. AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT SEVERAL
HUNDRED HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THE TORNADO
DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 15.5 MILES LONG AND WAS 800 YARDS WIDE
AT ITS WIDEST POINT. SPECIAL THANKS TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE IN HUNTSVILLE FOR THEIR HELP WITH THE DAMAGE SURVEY.

TORNADO #6…COUNTY ROAD 7 TORNADO (PERRY)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 110
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.7068/-87.3096 AT 433 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.7216/-87.2786 AT 437 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 2.1
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 300

WARNINGS: TORNADO WARNINGS WERE IN EFFECT BEGINNING AT 333 AM.

WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #11 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 245 AM UNTIL 10 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE IN
CENTRAL PERRY COUNTY…NORTH OF MARION. AN EF-1 TORNADO WITH
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS OF 110 MPH BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN ALONG COUNTY
ROAD 7 AND MOVED NORTHEAST CROSSING COUNTY ROAD 16 AND ALABAMA
HIGHWAY 5…AND LIFTED JUST AFTER CROSSING ALABAMA ROAD 175. THE
TORNADO WAS STRONGEST AS IT CROSSED COUNTY ROAD 16. ALONG ITS
PATH…SCORES OF HARDWOODS AND SOFTWOODS WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED.

TORNADO #7…MAPLESVILLE (PERRY AND CHILTON)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 130
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 1 INJ
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.7159/-87.2748 AT 437 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.8764/-87.6322 AT 530 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 39.5
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 880

WARNINGS: TORNADO WARNINGS WERE IN EFFECT BEGINNING AT 427 AM.

WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #11 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 245 AM UNTIL 10 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE IN
EASTERN PERRY AND CHILTON COUNTIES AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE RESULT
OF AN EF-2 TORNADO. THE SUPERCELL WHICH PRODUCED THE COUNTY ROAD 7
EF-1 TORNADO IN CENTRAL PERRY COUNTY QUICKLY GENERATED A SECOND
TORNADO JUST SOUTH OF THE FIRST TORNADO PATH. THIS TORNADO CONTINUED
INTO CHILTON COUNTY…CAUSING DAMAGE IN MAPLESVILLE AND LIFTING NEAR
LOMAX…NORTH OF CLANTON. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG COUNTY ROAD
16…EAST OF ALABAMA ROAD 175 IN PERRY COUNTY AND MOVED NORTHEAST
INTO THE TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST. ALONG COUNTY ROAD 9…THE
SANCTUARY OF HISTORIC EPHESUS CHURCH WAS DESTROYED AS THE ROOF AND
STEEPLE WERE PARTIALLY BLOWN AWAY. HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE SNAPPED OR
ROOTED IN THIS AREA OF WIDESPREAD DAMAGE. THE TORNADO MOVED ALONG
ALABAMA HIGHWAY 183 FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MILES CAUSING EXTENSIVE TREE
DAMAGE. THE TORNADO CROSSED MAT MOORE ROAD AND INTO CHILTON COUNTY
SOUTH OF ALABAMA HIGHWAY 183…CAUSING EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE IN THE
NATIONAL FOREST. ALONG US HIGHWAY 82 TO THE WEST OF MAPLESVILLE…16
HOMES RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT ROOF DAMAGE, EITHER PARTIALLY OR
COMPLETELY REMOVED. THE TORNADO TRACKED JUST NORTH OF DOWNTOWN
MAPLESVILLE…DAMAGING HOMES AND BUSINESSES. IN MAPLESVILLE…150
CITIZENS TOOK SHELTER IN A COMMUNITY SHELTER…WHICH HAD TREES FALL
ON IT BUT CAUSED NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OR INJURIES. AS THE TORNADO
TRACKED ALONG ALABAMA HIGHWAY 22…NUMEROUS TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN
AND A RADIO TOWER COLLAPSED. THE TORNADO TOOK A NOTICEABLE TURN TO
THE LEFT AND MOVED JUST SOUTH OF LOMAX. WIDESPREAD AND INTENSE TREE
DAMAGE RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES. HOWEVER…ONE WELL
DESIGNED AND BUILT HOME LESS THAN 50 YARDS FROM THE TRACK ESCAPED
WITH ONLY SUPERFICIAL DAMAGE. THE TORNADO WEAKENED RAPIDLY AS IT
CROSSED US HIGHWAY 31 AND DISSIPATED BEFORE CROSSING ALABAMA HIGHWAY
145 AND INTERSTATE 65.

TORNADO #8…NORTH MILLBROOK TORNADO (ELMORE)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 100
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.5209/-86.4119 AT 748 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.5309/-86.3437 AT 755 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 4.02
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 200

WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #11 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 245 AM UNTIL 10 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE
BETWEEN MILLBROOK…DEATSVILLE…AND ELMORE. THE DAMAGE WAS THE
RESULT OF AN EF-1 TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG COUNTY
ROAD 39 NEAR THE AUTAUGA COUNTY LINE. THE TORNADO MOVED EASTWARD AND
CROSSED HIGHWAY 7 NEAR THE PINES GOLF CLUB. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED
ALONG HIGHWAY 14 AND LIFTED JUST BEFORE THE WETUMPKA MUNICIPAL
AIRPORT. TEN TO FIFTEEN HOMES SUFFERED SHINGLE AND SIDING DAMAGE.
DOZENS OF TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN. ONE APARTMENT HAD ITS METAL ROOF
BLOWN OFF. ONE AUTO CENTER HAD ITS DOORS BLOWN IN.

STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE (TALLAPOOSA)…

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE IN WIND
CREEK STATE PARK…AND DETERMINED IT WAS A RESULT OF STRAIGHT-LINE
WINDS. WIND DAMAGE BEGAN ONE MILE SOUTHWEST OF HIGHWAY 63 ON WALKER
FERRY ROAD WHERE A FEW TREES WERE UPROOTED. THE MOST HEAVILY DAMAGED
AREA WAS ALONG A SMALL STRIP OF LAND ON THE WEST SIDE OF LAKE MARTIN
AT WIND CREEK STATE PARK. NUMEROUS PINE TREES WERE SNAPPED OR
UPROOTED CAUSING DAMAGE TO SEVERAL CABINS. MAXIMUM WIND SPEEDS WERE
ESTIMATED AT 90 MPH AT WIND CREEK STATE PARK. THE SWATH OF WIND
DAMAGE ENDED 1.6 MILES NORTH OF JACKSONS GAP ON ROCK SPRINGS ROAD.

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.

Tags: storm survey

Category: Severe Weather