Day 2 of damage surveys completed by NWS Huntsville and NWS Birmingham yielded 5 more confirmed tornadoes that impacted parts of North and Central Alabama, bringing the grand total up to 14 confirmed tornadoes that touched down on Monday. To see the completed surveys from Tuesday’s damage surveys, please check out my post from Wednesday morning.
Please remember, we have just entered into the spring tornado season in Alabama. Have a plan ready and have a reliable way of receiving warnings.
NWS Birmingham Damage Surveys From Central Alabama
Overview…
Five tornadoes and hail up to 3 inches in diameter affected the northern areas of Central Alabama on the afternoon and evening hours of March 19th, with a rare PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Tornado Watch issued for a large chunk of Central Alabama. An environment favorable for significant severe thunderstorms developed as a low-amplitude upper-level trough moved into the region and a weak surface low passed by toward the north. These two features resulted in a deep column of wind shear. Additionally, moist southerly flow, warm surface temperatures, and colder temperatures aloft yielded a moderately unstable air mass. The evolution of the atmosphere in Central Alabama was captured through several special weather balloon releases during the afternoon and evening hours. Weather research teams were also working on the ground and in the air to collect data for future studies. Initially, thunderstorms were producing large to very large hail. However, the tornado threat ramped up into the late-afternoon and evening hours as wind speeds at low-levels increased. Additional severe thunderstorms produced large hail and tornadoes during the evening, mainly focused across the northeast portions of Central Alabama. The worst storm of the event was a cyclic supercell that produced three separate tornadoes, with tracks stretching from near Ashville to/beyond the Georgia state line. One of those tornadoes was significant and long-track, producing EF-3 damage to structures at several points along its path. Thankfully, there were no fatalities with this storm system and limited injuries. We credit this to the residents of Central Alabama heeding watches and warnings issued during the event, which was forecast days in advance.
Thomas Yates Road Tornado (Blount County)
Rating: EF-0
Estimated Peak Wind: 80 mph
Path Length (Statute): 0.93 miles
Path Width (Maximum): 100 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Start Time: 7:09 PM CDT
Start Location: 1 S Strawberry / Blount County / AL
End Time: 7:11 PM CDT
End Location: 2 SSE Strawberry / Blount County / AL
Summary:
A brief tornado began on the west side of Highway 53/231, just south of Berry Road, in extreme northern Blount County. The tornado tracked toward the southeast, impacting all four chicken houses on the east side of Highway 53/231, just north of Thomas Yates Road. Sections of metal roofing were blown off the buildings. As the tornado continued southeast, some small trees were snapped, along with large branches broken. The tornado ended on the east side of Hopewell Road. All damage was consistent with a tornado intensity of EF-0. The tornado damage path was 0.93 miles long and was 100 yards wide at its widest point.
Centre Tornado (Cherokee County)
Rating: EF-1
Estimated Peak Wind: 90 mph
Path Length (Statute): 1.07 miles
Path Width (Maximum): 400 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Start Time: 8:20 PM CDT
Start Location: 3 SSE Centre / Cherokee County / AL
End Time: 8:22 PM CDT
End Location: 3 SE Centre / Cherokee County / AL
Summary:
A short-lived tornado began near Highway 9 and the Cherokee County Country Club Golf Course. The tornado moved northeast along County Road 163. At the intersection of Highway 9 and County Road 163, a home sustained damage to the garage door and an adjacent pine tree was snapped. Just east of this location, at least ten pine trees were snapped along portions of the golf course. One-half mile to the northeast, shingles were blown off several apartment buildings. Just north of the apartment complex, a farm outbuilding was completely destroyed and the metal panels were thrown 300 yards downstream across a field. The tornado dissipated shortly thereafter before it reached Highway 411. The tornado damage path was 1.07 miles long and was 400 yards wide at its widest point.
NWS Huntsville Damage Surveys From Central Alabama
Mount Hope Tornado (Lawrence County)
Rating: EF-0
Estimated Peak Wind: 80 mph
Path Length /statute/: 1.16 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 250 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Start Time: 05:54 PM CDT
Start Location: 11 N Pebble / Lawrence County / AL
End Time: 05:56 PM CDT
End Location: 11 WSW Moulton / Lawrence County / AL
Summary:
A weak tornado touched down on Spruell Farm on County Roads 35/36 in western Lawrence County. At this location, several small fertilizer containers were blown over, and one was blown for more than 1000 yards to the east-southeast. Further east in Mount Hope, trees were uprooted and branches snapped along County Road 23 between Mount Hope Baptist Church and Mount Hope School. Minor damage was noted to the bleachers at Mount Hope School as they were dragged a couple of feet from their original location. EF-0 damage was assessed at these locations with a maximum wind here of 80mph.
Speake Tornado (Lawrence County)
Rating: EF-1
Estimated Peak Wind: 100 MPH
Path length /Statute/: TBD
Path width /Maximum/: 50 Yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Start time: 6:18 PM CDT
Start Location: 4 WNW Speake / Lawrence County / AL
End time: 6:21 PM CDT
End location: Speake / Lawrence County / AL
Summary:
Further south and east of Moulton, damage was again noted in the community of Speake. One cluster of damage occurred near the intersection of Highway 36 and County Road 183. Farther east-southeast, trees were snapped and uprooted along the path near Speake School on Highway 36 just south of the intersection of County Road 81 and Highway 157. Due to the trees snapped at this location, the tornado was at its peak intensity, EF-1, with winds around 100 mph noted. Tornado width was approximately 50 yards. From there, the tornado lifted just SE of Speake, continuing on to eventually produce another tornado across the Morgan County line. No damage was noted from Speake to the Lawrence/Morgan County line as the supercell cycled.
It has yet to be determined if the damage in Speake was the result of one or two tornadoes. There are two distinct areas of damage across a 4.5-mile area with a brief break between the two approaching the damage lastly noted on County Road 81. Further investigation will be done to finalize this decision.
Coondog Cemetery Tornado (Colbert County)
Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Wind: 70 mph
Path Length /statute/: 3.9 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 120 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 0
Start Time: 05:05 PM CDT
Start Location: 8 S Cherokee / Colbert County / AL
End Time: 05:15 PM CDT
End Location: 9 SSE Cherokee / Colbert County / AL
Summary:
A damage assessment team from the University of Alabama-Huntsville observed damage associated with a weak tornado in Southwest Colbert County. The assessment was verified by NWS Huntsville meteorologists.
From UAH: The first area of damage was along Coondog Cemetery Rd. where a large pine tree was uprooted and fell South of due East and other trees losing branches around it. The tornado then crossed Coondog Cemetery Rd. moving into a region of extensive clear-cutting and no open access. The next and more extensive damage area was along Mt. Mills Rd. Several large trees were observed uprooted in a ravine on the west side of Mt. Mills Rd., and more uprooted trees were found on a property on the SE corner of Mt. Mills Rd. and Bald Knob Rd. The last damage was found on the east end of the property, with another tree uprooted and limbs down. No damage was noted along Hwy 247.
from The Alabama Weather Blog http://www.alabamawx.com/?p=155571
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