Completed NWS Storm Surveys from Tuesday’s Storms, So Far

NWS Damage Survey for 04/05/22 Tornado Event Update #2

Update… Storm surveys were conducted in southeastern Montgomery County and northern Pike County today. Two additional tornadoes were confirmed in these areas, bringing the total to three confirmed tornadoes thus far. Additional storm surveys are
planned for tomorrow, 04/07/22. These surveys will focus on additional damage paths in Elmore, Tallapoosa, Chambers, and Macon Counties.

Overview… An upper-level disturbance moved across the Deep South in the early morning hours of April 5, 2022. This fostered the development of a surface low which moved across Central Mississippi into Central Alabama. A broad area of strong to severe thunderstorms impacted the region as a result of an increasingly unstable air mass and favorable wind shear. Thunderstorms in the morning initially posed a threat of large hail and damaging winds. Hail up to baseball size was reported from one such storm in Marengo County. Later in the morning, storms became more surface-based and a tornado threat resulted, mainly impacting the southern and southeastern portions of Central Alabama. Several areas of damage were reported across southern and southeastern Central Alabama as a result of severe weather on April 5, 2022.

Tornado #1: Harrogate Springs Road Tornado (Elmore County)…

Rating:………………… EF1
Estimated Peak Wind:…….. 100 mph
Path Length /statute/:…… 3.62 miles
Path Width /maximum/:……. 350 yards
Fatalities:…………….. 0
Injuries:………………. 0

Start Date:…………….. 04/05/2022
Start Time:…………….. 10:55 AM CDT
Start Location:…………. 1 SSE Wetumpka / Elmore County / AL
Start Lat/Lon:………….. 32.5239 / -86.1934

End Date:………………. 04/05/2022
End Time:………………. 11:00 AM CDT
End Location:…………… 4 E Wetumpka / Elmore County / AL
End Lat/Lon:……………. 32.5399 / -86.1344

Survey Summary:
NWS Birmingham storm survey team found damage consistent with an EF-1 tornado in south central Elmore County, east of Hwy 231 in Wetumpka. The tornado touched down on Harrogate Springs Road traveling east northeast snapping and uprooting trees. The tornado crossed Wildwood Lane and Jimshill Road and entered a heavily wooded area. The tornado emerged and crossed Firetower Road and dissipated before crossing Marshell Road as no further damage was observed.

Tornado #2: Little Patsaliga Creek Tornado (Pike and Montgomery Counties)…

Rating:………………… EF2
Estimated Peak Wind:…….. 120 mph
Path Length /statute/:…… 12.67 miles
Path Width /maximum/:……. 1100 yards
Fatalities:…………….. 0
Injuries:………………. 0

Start Date:…………….. 04/05/2022
Start Time:…………….. 11:03 AM CDT
Start Location:…………. 1 NW Ansley / Pike County / AL
Start Lat/Lon:………….. 31.896 / -86.1267

End Date:………………. 04/06/2022
End Time:………………. 11:19 AM CDT
End Location:…………… 3 ESE Pine Level / Montgomery County / AL
End Lat/Lon:……………. 32.0474 / -86.0047

Survey Summary:
The tornado touched down just south of County Road 1101 to the west of Ansley where it produced minor damage to vegetation. As it moved northeast, it crossed County Road 1101 where several softwood trunks were snapped. The tornado then moved nearly parallel to County Road 1107 where it began to topple and snap swaths of softwood trees, some of which fell on and caused significant damage to a residence. The tornado also produced minor roof damage to additional nearby homes and shifted a manufactured home off of its block piers. The tornado then continued tracking northeast through mostly wooded area, where it likely began to intensify. A guyed transmission tower was toppled, followed by widespread and continuous swaths of snapped pine trees as the tornado continued towards then crossed AL 94. A home on Chandler Road sustained roof damage, and a metal barn was also destroyed. The tornado continued to produce extensive tree damage and minor damage to homes as it crossed Highway 231. The tornado began to weaken as it crossed Meriwether Trail and snapped a few large branches before eventually lifting in the woods near Crooked Creek.

Tornado #3: Old US 231 Tornado (Pike and Montgomery Counties)…

Rating:……………… EF1
Estimated Peak Wind:….. 100 mph
Path Length /statute/:… 7.62 miles
Path Width /maximum/:…. 550 yards
Fatalities:………….. 0
Injuries:……………. 0

Start Date:………….. 04/05/2022
Start Time:………….. 11:34 AM CDT
Start Location:………. 2 NW Orion / Montgomery County / AL
Start Lat/Lon:……….. 31.9833 / -86.0358

End Date:……………. 04/06/2022
End Time:……………. 11:45 AM CDT
End Location:………… 3 ESE China Grove / Pike County / AL
End Lat/Lon:…………. 32.0056 / -85.9095

Survey Summary:
Minor tree damage was observed on AL 94 and determined to be the starting point of a tornado. Several trees were uprooted along Highway 231 as the tornado continued east. An extensive amount of trees were snapped in the front yard of a home on Old Highway 231 where the greatest degree of tree damage was found, but this home was not able to be accessed due to the amount of trees covering the driveway. Other nearby homes only received minor roof or siding damage. The tornado continued east, where it uprooted multiple trees on Lockheed Martin Circle and snapped a few large branches on County Road 7708 and Davis Road as it was dissipating.

Category: Alabama's Weather, ALL POSTS, Severe Weather