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4/27-4/28 Tornado Outbreak Damage Assessment Thread


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047

NOUS44 KJAN 290220 CCA

PNSJAN

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...CORRECTED TIME FOR SMITH COUNTY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON MS

920 PM CDT THU APR 28 2011

..PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY INFORMATION

TEAMS REMAIN OUT SURVEYING STORM DAMAGE AND ADDITIONAL UPDATES WILL

BE ISSUED WHEN INFORMATION COMES IN.

COUNTY: COPIAH/HINDS

BEGINNING POINT: 5 NW CRYSTAL SPRINGS AT 311 PM

ENDING POINT: 2 SSW TERRY AT 324 PM

RATING: EF-2 MAX ESTIMATED WINDS 115 MPH

PATH LENGTH: 7 MI

MAXIMUM WIDTH: 1/4 MILE

INJURIES: 2

SUMMARY OF DAMAGE: THIS TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST W OF GALLITON RD

AND TRACKED NE ACROSS HWY 27...MITCHEL LN AND MITCHEL RD...INTO

HINDS CO WHERE IT CROSSED HALEY RD THEN MIDWAY RD AT THE

INTERSECTION OF HALEY RD BEFORE CROSSING I-55 AND DISSIPATING JUST

EAST OF CHERRY GROVE RD. THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE WAS AROUND MITCHEL

LN/RDS WHERE ONE WOOD FRAMED HOME WAS PUSHED OFF THE FOUNDATION AND

DESTROYED. ANOTHER WOOD FRAMED HOME WAS PUSHED OFF THE FOUNDATION. 3

TO 4 MOBILE HOMES WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED AS THEY WERE PUSHED OFF THE

FOUNDATIONS. IN HINDS CO...A WELL BUILT HOME HAD A LARGE SECTION OF

THE ROOF REMOVED AND CARPORT WAS BLOWN APART. MAJOR TREE DAMAGE

OCCURRED ALONG THE PATH...ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE 3 MILES OF HEAVIEST

DAMAGE.

COUNTY: SMITH

BEGINNING POINT: 3.6 S POLKVILLE AT 427 PM

ENDING POINT: 2.6 N BURNS AT 438 PM

RATING: EF-3 MAX ESTIMATED WINDS 130 MPH

PATH LENGTH: 8.2 MI

MAXIMUM WIDTH: 1/4 MILE

INJURIES: 0

SUMMARY OF DAMAGE: THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR COUNTY ROAD 131 TO

THE SOUTH OF POLKVILLE...CAUSING TREE DAMAGE. IT ALSO CAUSED TWO

MOBILE HOMES TO MOVE OFF THEIR FOUNDATION. THE TORNADO TRACKED TO

THE NORTHEAST AND CAUSED MAJOR TREE DAMAGE ALONG COUNTY ROAD 559 TO

THE EAST OF TRENTON. TWO CHICKEN HOMES WERE DESTROYED...A MOBILE

HOME WAS DESTROYED...A HOME HAD ROOF DAMAGE. AN 18 WHEELER CAB AND

TRAILER WAS ALSO THROWN ABOUT 300 YARDS.

JAN

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533

NOUS44 KHUN 290319

PNSHUN

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-291530-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL

1019 PM CDT THU APR 28 2011

...PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY INFORMATION FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY ALABAMA...

AN ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY OF DAMAGE INCURRED ACROSS

SOUTH CENTRAL FRANKLIN COUNTY ALABAMA HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY NATIONAL

WEATHER SERVICE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. INITIAL

FINDINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

* EVENT TYPE: TORNADO

* EVENT DATE: 04/27/11

* ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 120 MPH

* PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-2

* PATH LENGTH: 2 MILES /IN FRANKLIN COUNTY/

* MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 150 YARDS

* SUMMARY: A TORNADO MOVED INTO SOUTH CENTRAL FRANKLIN COUNTY ALONG

ALABAMA HIGHWAY 187 SOUTH OF THE HODGES COMMUNITY. /FOR ADDITIONAL

INFORMATION ON THE TORNADO IMPACT IN MARION COUNTY...PLEASE CONSULT

STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM./

THE TORNADO SNAPPED SEVERAL TREES AS IT MOVED INTO THE COUNTY...

THEN COLLAPSED TWO CHICKEN HOUSES...AND TORE ROOFING MATERIAL OFF

TWO OTHERS NEARBY. AS THE TORNADO APPROACHED ALABAMA HIGHWAY 172...

IT TORE MUCH OF THE ROOF OFF OF A WELL BUILT HOME AND TOSSED DEBRIS

CLOSE TO 100 YARDS. THE TORNADO SNAPPED NUMEROUS TREES AFTER

CROSSING THE HIGHWAY.

DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS...THE SURVEY TEAM WAS NOT ABLE TO GET A

PRECISE ENDING POINT FOR THE TORNADO. IT DID NOT CROSS HIGHWAY 187

A SECOND TIME OR ACTUALLY ENTER THE HODGES COMMUNITY...SO A

PRELIMARY PATH LENGTH FOR THE FRANKLIN COUNTY PORTION OF THE

TORNADO IS SET AT 2 MILES.

THESE FINDINGS ARE PRELIMINARY AND ARE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT. FURTHER

DETAILS...SUCH AS TIMING...WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION.

INFORMATION REGARDING THIS SURVEY WILL BE PLACED ON THE NWS

HUNTSVILLE INTERNET PAGE ONCE ACCESS HAS BEEN RESTORED.

SURVEYED BY: CARCIONE/LATIMER

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC

1113 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

...TORNADO CONFIRMED BETWEEN LAKE BURTON AND MOUNTAIN CITY IN RABUN

COUNTY GEORGIA...

LOCATION...LAKE BURTON TO MOUNTAIN CITY IN RABUN COUNTY GEORGIA

DATE...APRIL 27 2011

ESTIMATED TIME...11 PM TO 1135 PM EDT

MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF3

ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...165 MPH

MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...1/2 MILE

PATH LENGTH...14 MILES

* FATALITIES...1 KNOWN

* INJURIES...UNKNOWN

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO

CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS

STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC HAS

CONFIRMED A TORNADO FROM LAKE BURTON TO MOUNTAIN CITY IN RABUN

COUNTY GEORGIA ON APRIL 27 2011.

THE TORNADO STARTED AT LAKE BURTON CAUSING EF3 DAMAGE ACROSS THE

NORTHERN PORTION OF THE LAKE (POSSIBLY HIGHER PENDING WEATHER

SERVICE HEADQUARTERS EVALUATION). THE TORNADO STARTED NEAR THE

LAPRADES MARINA OFF OF HIGHWAY 197 AROUND 11 PM. SHORTLY AFTER

TOUCHDOWN THE TORNADO HIT THE WILDCAT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND

THE OLD FIRE HOUSE BUILDING...BOTH BUILDINGS WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED.

THE TORNADO TRACKED ACROSS MOCCASIN CREEK AND INTENSIFIED

SIGNIFICANTLY. THE DAMAGE PATH ALONG MOCCASIN CREEK WAS A HALF MILE

WIDE...TWO TO THREE WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED.

ONE LARGE HOME WAS TRANSPORTED FROM IT/S SLAB FOUNDATION INTO THE

LAKE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED ACROSS THE MOCCASIN CREEK PENINSULA TO

THE BURTON ISLAND TIMPSON CREEK ROAD AREA...THEN TRACKED DOWN THE

NORTH SHORE OF THE LAKE PARALLEL TO MEETING HOUSE MOUNTAIN ROAD.

FOUR TO FIVE RESIDENCES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH MULTIPLE

HOMES WITH MAJOR DAMAGE TO EXTERIOR WALLS. THE TORNADO MOVED JUST

NORTH OF THE ANCHORAGE MARINA NEAR HIGHWAY 76 AND CONTINUED UP A

RIDGELINE NORTHEAST OF THE LAKE.

THE TORNADO WEAKENED TO EF1 ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE. THE PATH

REMAINED ALONG AND NORTH HIGHWAY 76...REACHING THE BLACK ROCK

MOUNTAIN STATE PARK AT 1133 PM EDT. WIDESPREAD TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED

ACROSS THE STATE PARK...INCLUDING A COUPLE OF TREES DOWN ON

VEHICLES. THE TORNADO INTENSIFIED TO AN EF2 ACROSS A RESIDENTIAL

AREA BETWEEN THE STATE PARK AND HIGHWAY 441 AROUND 1135 PM. THE

DAMAGE PATH RANGED FROM 50 TO 75 YARDS. A CONDOMINIUM BUILDING HAD

HALF OF THE ROOF BLOWN OFF WITH SEVERAL SURROUNDING HOMES WITH

LIFTED ROOF PANELS AND STRIPPED SHINGLES. THE TORNADO PROCEEDED

ACROSS HIGH 441 NEAR MOUNTAIN CITY AND WAS LOST IN A FORESTED AREA

ON OAKEY MOUNTAIN.

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550

NOUS44 KMOB 290249

PNSMOB

ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-300000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL

948 PM CDT THU APR 28 2011

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM FINDS EF-3 TORNADO TRACK ACROSS NORTHERN

CHOCTAW COUNTY ALABAMA...

EVENT OCCURRED THE EVENING OF APRIL 27, 2011

* EVENT LOCATION: FROM 4 MI SW OF YANTLEY, AL TO NEAR OAKCHIA, AL

* STORM CLASSIFICATION: EF-3 INTENSITY TORNADO (MAX WINDS: 150 MPH)

* BEGINNING LAT/LON: 32.216N / -88.432W

* ENDING LAT/LON: 32.308N / -87.978W

* PATH LENGTH: 27.3 MILES

* MAXIMUM WIDTH: 1000 YARDS

* NOTES: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM FOUND EVIDENCE

THAT THE TORNADO WAS ALREADY ON THE GROUND AS IT MOVED OUT OF

EXTREME NORTHEASTERN CLARKE COUNTY MISSISSIPPI INTO NORTHERN CHOCTAW

COUNTY APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE COMMUNITY OF

YANTLEY. THE TORNADO THEN REMAINED ON THE GROUND AS IT MOVED EAST

ACROSS THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF EXTREME NORTHERN CHOCTAW COUNTY...BEFORE

EXITING THE COUNTY BY CROSSING THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER NEAR THE

COMMUNITY OF OAKCHIA. THE TORNADO NEARLY PARALLELED COUNTY ROAD 32

AS IT MOVED EAST ACROSS THE COUNTY...PRODUCING EF-2 AND SPORADIC

EF-3 DAMAGE ALONG IT'S PATH. CONSIDERABLE TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED

ALONG THE ENTIRE PATH...WITH MANY TREES SNAPPED OFF ABOVE GROUND

LEVEL AND SOME TREES COMPLETELY UP ROOTED. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO HOMES

AND OTHER STRUCTURES WAS ALSO NOTED...WITH EF-3 DAMAGE TO ONE HOME

THAT HAD IT'S ROOF TAKEN OFF AND EXTERIOR WALLS COLLAPSED. SEVERAL

MOBILE HOMES ALONG THE PATH OF THE TORNADO WERE ALSO COMPLETELY

DESTROYED.

SHEPHERD/GARMON/CACERES

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BINGHAMTON, NY

1011 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

...EF2 TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR ERIN IN CHEMUNG COUNTY NEW YORK...

LOCATION...ERIN IN CHEMUNG COUNTY NEW YORK

DATE...APRIL 28 2011

ESTIMATED TIME...1:25 AM EDT

MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF2

ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...130 MPH

MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...0.25 MILES

PATH LENGTH...0.7 MILES

BEGINNING LAT/LON...42.18N / -76.70W

ENDING LAT/LON...42.19N / -76.69W

* FATALITIES...0

* INJURIES...0

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO

CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS

STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BINGHAMTON, NY HAS CONFIRMED AN EF2

TORNADO NEAR ERIN IN CHEMUNG COUNTY NEW YORK ON APRIL 28 2011.

THE TORNADO STARTED JUST WEST OF THE ERIN TOWN HALL SOUTH OF ROUTE

223. IT BEGAN JUST SOUTHWEST OF THE LOCAL CEMETERY AND TRACKED

TOWARD THE NORTHEAST. NUMEROUS PINE TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF AND

UPROOTED IN THE CEMETERY.

IMMEDIATELY TO THE WEST OF THE CEMETERY A WELL-CONSTRUCTED BARN

WAS DESTROYED WITH ALL FOUR WALLS COMPLETELY COLLAPSED. THE

TORNADO TRACKED NORTHEAST AND ACROSS ROUTE 223. THE TORNADO

LOFTED DEBRIS INTO THE YARD ACROSS THE STREET WITH DEBRIS FROM THE

DESTROYED BARN IMPALED INTO THE FRONT LAWN. DEBRIS ALSO BLEW ALL

WINDOWS OUT OF THE FRONT OF THE HOME WITH SOME DEBRIS PENETRATING

THE SIDING AND THROWN INTO THE HOME. AT THIS SITE...ALL THREE

VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED WITH A BEAM FROM THE DESTROYED BARN IMPALED

THROUGH THE DASHBOARD OF ONE VEHICLE. AN 11,000 POUND CAMPER WAS

FLIPPED UP OVER A FIVE FOOT FENCE AND TOPPLED ONTO ITS SIDE BEFORE

COMING TO REST.

THE TORNADO CONTINUED TRACKING TO THE NORTHEAST WITH DAMAGE TO A

BARN ROOF AND DEBRIS WRAPPED IN TREES. A GARAGE AND MOBILE HOME

AT THE SITE WAS COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED. HEAVY DEBRIS FROM THE

MOBILE HOME WAS STREWN APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS DOWNSTREAM FROM THE

SITE...WITH LIGHTER MATERIAL FOUND SEVERAL MILES AWAY.

THE TORNADO TRACKED AN ADDITIONAL ONE-HALF MILE UP THE HILL WITH

NUMEROUS TREES UPROOTED OR SNAPPED AND TWO HORSES KILLED ON THE

FARM. AT THIS POINT THE TORNADO LIFTED AND NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE

WAS FOUND.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT

WEATHER.GOV/BGM.

FOR REFERENCE...THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO

THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

EF0...WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.

EF1...WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.

EF2...WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.

EF3...WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.

EF4...WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.

EF5...WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION

TO LOCAL OFFICIALS...LOCAL MEDIA AND ESPECIALLY EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS

FOR HELP DURING THIS SURVEY.

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC

1113 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

...TORNADO CONFIRMED BETWEEN LAKE BURTON AND MOUNTAIN CITY IN RABUN

COUNTY GEORGIA...

LOCATION...LAKE BURTON TO MOUNTAIN CITY IN RABUN COUNTY GEORGIA

DATE...APRIL 27 2011

ESTIMATED TIME...11 PM TO 1135 PM EDT

MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF3

ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...165 MPH

MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...1/2 MILE

PATH LENGTH...14 MILES

* FATALITIES...1 KNOWN

* INJURIES...UNKNOWN

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO

CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS

STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC HAS

CONFIRMED A TORNADO FROM LAKE BURTON TO MOUNTAIN CITY IN RABUN

COUNTY GEORGIA ON APRIL 27 2011.

THE TORNADO STARTED AT LAKE BURTON CAUSING EF3 DAMAGE ACROSS THE

NORTHERN PORTION OF THE LAKE (POSSIBLY HIGHER PENDING WEATHER

SERVICE HEADQUARTERS EVALUATION). THE TORNADO STARTED NEAR THE

LAPRADES MARINA OFF OF HIGHWAY 197 AROUND 11 PM. SHORTLY AFTER

TOUCHDOWN THE TORNADO HIT THE WILDCAT VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT AND

THE OLD FIRE HOUSE BUILDING...BOTH BUILDINGS WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED.

THE TORNADO TRACKED ACROSS MOCCASIN CREEK AND INTENSIFIED

SIGNIFICANTLY. THE DAMAGE PATH ALONG MOCCASIN CREEK WAS A HALF MILE

WIDE...TWO TO THREE WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED.

ONE LARGE HOME WAS TRANSPORTED FROM IT/S SLAB FOUNDATION INTO THE

LAKE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED ACROSS THE MOCCASIN CREEK PENINSULA TO

THE BURTON ISLAND TIMPSON CREEK ROAD AREA...THEN TRACKED DOWN THE

NORTH SHORE OF THE LAKE PARALLEL TO MEETING HOUSE MOUNTAIN ROAD.

FOUR TO FIVE RESIDENCES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH MULTIPLE

HOMES WITH MAJOR DAMAGE TO EXTERIOR WALLS. THE TORNADO MOVED JUST

NORTH OF THE ANCHORAGE MARINA NEAR HIGHWAY 76 AND CONTINUED UP A

RIDGELINE NORTHEAST OF THE LAKE.

THE TORNADO WEAKENED TO EF1 ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE LAKE. THE PATH

REMAINED ALONG AND NORTH HIGHWAY 76...REACHING THE BLACK ROCK

MOUNTAIN STATE PARK AT 1133 PM EDT. WIDESPREAD TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED

ACROSS THE STATE PARK...INCLUDING A COUPLE OF TREES DOWN ON

VEHICLES. THE TORNADO INTENSIFIED TO AN EF2 ACROSS A RESIDENTIAL

AREA BETWEEN THE STATE PARK AND HIGHWAY 441 AROUND 1135 PM. THE

DAMAGE PATH RANGED FROM 50 TO 75 YARDS. A CONDOMINIUM BUILDING HAD

HALF OF THE ROOF BLOWN OFF WITH SEVERAL SURROUNDING HOMES WITH

LIFTED ROOF PANELS AND STRIPPED SHINGLES. THE TORNADO PROCEEDED

ACROSS HIGH 441 NEAR MOUNTAIN CITY AND WAS LOST IN A FORESTED AREA

ON OAKEY MOUNTAIN.

That tornado might get upgraded. It sounds like low-end EF4 damage. We will find out soon.

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090

NOUS44 KHUN 290234

PNSHUN

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-291445-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL

934 PM CDT THU APR 28 2011

...PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY INFORMATION FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY ALABAMA...

A PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY OF THE DAMAGE INCURRED ACROSS FRANKLIN

COUNTY ALABAMA HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND

FRANKLIN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. INITIAL FINDINGS ARE

AS FOLLOWS:

* EVENT TYPE: TORNADO

* EVENT DATE: 04/27/2011

* ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 175 MPH

* PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-4

* PRELIMINARY PATH LENGTH: 12 MILES (EXPECTED TO INCREASE)

* MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 1/2 MILE

* FATALITIES: AT LEAST 20...EXACT NUMBER UNKNOWN

* INJURIES: UNKNOWN

* SUMMARY: FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SURVEY, THE PATH BEGAN AT THE

SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY LINE WITH MARION COUNTY NEAR HACKLEBURG.

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE TORNADO PATH IN MARION COUNTY...CONSULT

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

THE SURVEY TEAM TRAVELED THROUGH PHIL CAMPBELL AND WITNESSED

CONTINUOUS SIGNIFICANT DEVASTATION THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THE MOST

PROLIFIC DAMAGE OCCURRED FROM THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY ROAD 51

AND ALABAMA HIGHWAY 237...TO THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY ROAD 81 AND

COUNTY ROAD 75. WITHIN THIS CORRIDOR, MANY HOUSES WERE COMPLETELY

DESTROYED WITH LITTLE EVIDENCE THAT A HOUSE EXISTED AT THAT

LOCATION OTHER THAN THE SLAB AND A DEBRIS PILE. SOME OF THESE

HOUSES WERE WELL CONSTRUCTED. AT LEAST 3 CHURCHES ALONG THE PATH

SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. ONE CHURCH IN PHIL CAMPBELL WAS

COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH ONLY THE SLAB REMAINING. MULTIPLE MOBILE

HOMES THROUGHOUT THE PATH WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED...AND THEIR

MANGLED FRAMES WERE TOSSED AT LEAST 25 TO 50 YARDS. CARS WERE

TOSSED AND DESTROYED THROUGHOUT THE PATH OF THE TORNADO...WITH ONE

CAR WRAPPED AROUND A DEBARKED TREE IN PHIL CAMPBELL. ALL ALONG THE

PATH LENGTH...THOUSANDS OF HARDWOOD AND SOFTWOOD TREES WERE

SNAPPED. HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE ALSO DEBARKED AND TWISTED...AND HAD

ONLY STUBS OF LARGEST BRANCHES REMAINING. EF-4 DAMAGE CONTINUED

SIMILARLY NORTHEAST FROM PHIL CAMPBELL...ROUGHLY ALONG COUNTY ROADS

81 AND 82. SEVERAL HIGH VOLTAGE TVA POWER LINE TRUSSES WERE TWISTED

AND TOPPLED...PARTICULARLY NEAR HIGHWAY 243. SIX CHICKEN HOUSES

WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED NEAR THE FRANKLIN LAWRENCE COUNTY LINE.

THE SURVEY TEAM HAS NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO SURVEY DAMAGE IN LAWRENCE

COUNTY WHERE THIS TORNADO CONTINUED ON ITS PATH. FURTHER DETAILS...

SUCH AS TIMING OF THE TORNADO AND PATH LENGTH...WILL REQUIRE

ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION.

INFORMATION REGARDING THIS SURVEY WILL BE PLACED ON THE INTERNET ONCE

ACCESS HAS BEEN RESTORED.

SURVEYED BY: CARCIONE/LATIMER

I am sure there probably wanting another experts opinion in which I dont blame them. EF5 tornadoes < .1% of all tornadoes. I would do the same if I were in there position they want to make sure its right.

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Huntsville - Dekalb County EF-4 so far

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL

1100 PM CDT THU APR 28 2011

...PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY INFORMATION FROM DEKALB COUNTY...

A PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED TODAY /THURSDAY/ BY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PERSONNEL IN RESPONSE TO WIDESPREAD DAMAGE

THAT OCCURRED WEDNESDAY /APRIL 27/ ACROSS WESTERN DEKALB COUNTY.

INITIAL FINDINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

* EVENT TYPE: TORNADO

* EVENT DATE: 04/27/2011

* ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 170 MPH

* PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-4

* PRELIMINARY PATH LENGTH: 16 MILES

* MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 1/2 MILE

* FATALITIES: AT LEAST 30...EXACT NUMBER UNKNOWN

* INJURIES: UNKNOWN

* SUMMARY: THE TORNADO PATH IS LIKELY TO HAVE BEGUN IN THE LAKEVIEW

COMMUNITY NORTHEAST OF GERALDINE. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED

NORTHEASTWARD GENERALLY PARALLEL AND JUST EAST OF STATE ROUTE

75 THROUGH FYFFE...RAINSVILLE...AND SYLVANIA. DAMAGE HAS ALSO BEEN

REPORTED FARTHER TO THE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE HENAGAR AND

IDER AREAS...ALTHOUGH THESE LOCATIONS HAVE NOT BEEN SURVEYED

YET. THUS...THIS TORNADO TRACK MAY LENGTHEN.

THE SURVEY TEAM NOTICED INITIAL DAMAGE ALONG A LINE STARTING IN

THE LAKEVIEW COMMUNITY. THE PATH WIDTH HERE WAS GENERALLY AROUND

50 YARDS AND INITIAL DAMAGE INCLUDED MOSTLY FELLED AND SNAPPED

TREES AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO SMALL BUILDINGS. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE

WAS NOTED ESPECIALLY IN THE RAINSVILLE AND SYLVANIA COMMUNITIES

WHERE THE PATH WIDTH WAS ESTIMATED TO BE UP TO 1/2 MILE. DAMAGE IN

RAINSVILLE INCLUDED HOUSES THAT WERE COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM

FOUNDATIONS...WITH DEBRIS SCATTERED FOR ABOUT ONE MILE. NEAR THIS

LOCATION...TREES WERE DEBARKED AND A FEW MOBILE HOMES WERE

COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH DEBRIS STREWN FOR ABOUT A MILE

DOWNSTREAM. IN THE SYLVANIA COMMUNITY...A SIMILAR SITUATION

OCCURRED WITH HOUSES COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM FOUNDATIONS AND

DEBRIS BLOWN FAR DOWNSTREAM. SOME OF THESE HOUSES CONTAINED ANCHOR

BOLTS AND FOUNDATION STRAPS.

FURTHER SURVEYS WILL BE CONDUCTED ALONG POINTS BETWEEN FYFFE AND

LAKEVIEW...AND EVENTUALLY BEYOND SYLVANIA...WHERE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE

OCCURRED. OTHER INFORMATION ON THIS TORNADO...INCLUDING PATH WIDTH

AND LENGTH IS STILL SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OF DEKALB COUNTY...AND OTHER CITIZENS WHO

VOLUNTEERED INFORMATION TO HELP IN CONDUCTING THIS STORM SURVEY.

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Another high-end EF4

0829 PM TORNADO 4 SE COLLEGEDALE 35.00N 85.00W

04/27/2011 HAMILTON TN NWS EMPLOYEE

EF4. MAX WIND SPEED 190 MPH. PATH WIDTH 800 YARDS. PATH

LENGTH 15 MILES. CONTINUOUS NORTHEAST TRACK LEADING INTO

EASTERN PORTIONS OF CLEVELAND.

Probably part of same track as Ringgold.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN

1045 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

...EF-4 TORNADO CONFIRMED IN HAMILTON...BRADLEY...AND POLK COUNTIES OF

SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS COMPLETED AN ASSESSMENT

OF THE STORM DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED IN HAMILTON...BRADLEY...AND POLK

COUNTIES. THE TORNADO REACHED AN INTENSITY OF A STRONG EF4 IN SOUTHEAST

HAMILTON COUNTY WITH A MAXIMUM WIND SPEED OF 190 MPH. THE TORNADO

COMPLETELY LEVELED SEVERAL HOMES IN HAMILTON COUNTY...AND PRODUCED

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN BRADLEY COUNTY BEFORE DISSIPATING IN POLK COUNTY.

150 HOMES WERE ESTIMATED TO HAVE DAMAGE IN HAMILTON...AND BRADLEY

COUNTIES...WITH NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN POLK. THE PATH WIDTH OF THIS

TORNADO WAS 800 YARDS OR ROUGHLY ONE HALF OF A MILE. THE TOTAL LENGTH

OF ITS TRACK WAS 35 MILES. PRELIMINARY REPORTS INDICATE 13

FATALITIES...8 IN HAMILTON COUNTY...AND 5 IN BRADLEY COUNTY.

STORM SURVEY COMPLETED BY: TIM TROUTMAN...WARNING COORDINATION

METEOROLOGIST...AND METEOROLOGIST ERIC HOLWEG.

$$

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If I recall correctly, the determination of an EF-5 rating for any tornado is made by a special survey team from NOAA which includes people experienced in determining how well constructed a structure was. In the case of the Moore OK tornado of 1999, this survey team included Tim Marshall.

Steve

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If I recall correctly, the determination of an EF-5 rating for any tornado is made by a special survey team from NOAA which includes people experienced in determining how well constructed a structure was. In the case of the Moore OK tornado of 1999, this survey team included Tim Marshall.

Steve

This is true...EF4s and EF5s are determined by regional rapid response teams. It's not really that they are more qualified to make the determination, but they can more readily work with higher ups in fed relief agencies like FEMA and state governments, etc. This is why you'll sometimes see EF3s get upgraded after preliminary reports.

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PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN

1045 PM EDT THU APR 28 2011

...EF-4 TORNADO CONFIRMED IN HAMILTON...BRADLEY...AND POLK COUNTIES OF

SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS COMPLETED AN ASSESSMENT

OF THE STORM DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED IN HAMILTON...BRADLEY...AND POLK

COUNTIES. THE TORNADO REACHED AN INTENSITY OF A STRONG EF4 IN SOUTHEAST

HAMILTON COUNTY WITH A MAXIMUM WIND SPEED OF 190 MPH. THE TORNADO

COMPLETELY LEVELED SEVERAL HOMES IN HAMILTON COUNTY...AND PRODUCED

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN BRADLEY COUNTY BEFORE DISSIPATING IN POLK COUNTY.

150 HOMES WERE ESTIMATED TO HAVE DAMAGE IN HAMILTON...AND BRADLEY

COUNTIES...WITH NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN POLK. THE PATH WIDTH OF THIS

TORNADO WAS 800 YARDS OR ROUGHLY ONE HALF OF A MILE. THE TOTAL LENGTH

OF ITS TRACK WAS 35 MILES. PRELIMINARY REPORTS INDICATE 13

FATALITIES...8 IN HAMILTON COUNTY...AND 5 IN BRADLEY COUNTY.

STORM SURVEY COMPLETED BY: TIM TROUTMAN...WARNING COORDINATION

METEOROLOGIST...AND METEOROLOGIST ERIC HOLWEG.

$$

I believe this is the Cleveland, TN tornado? I really curious as to the exact track of this one. My friends sister goes to school at Lee University in downtown Cleveland and her and her friends shot a video, I'm not sure what time and where it was exactly but they were in a car but by the looks of it, they were in the forward flank hail core.

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PNSBMX

ALZ011>015-017>050-291800-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL

1155 PM CDT THU APR 28 2011

...UPDATED FOR MARION AND WINSTON COUNTY TORNADOES...

...EVENT OVERVIEW...

THERE WERE TWO WAVES OF WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER. THE FIRST MOVED

THROUGH DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF

CENTRAL ALABAMA PRODUCING WIDESPREAD DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS

AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THE SECOND WAVE INVOLVED NUMEROUS SUPERCELL

THUNDERSTORMS AND PRODUCED LONG LIVED...STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES

ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH WIDESPREAD

AND CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. AT THIS TIME ALL

RATINGS ARE PRELIMINARY.

TORNADO 1...SHOTSVILLE TORNADO (MARION COUNTY)...

PRELIMINARY DATA...

EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011

EVENT TYPE: EF-3 TORNADO OR POTENTIALLY HIGHER

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 140

INJURIES/FATALITIES: AT LEAST 6 FATALITIES.

EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 34.2869/-88.1529 AT 357 PM

EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 34.1208/-87.7437 AT 420 PM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 19.1 MILES (CONTINUED INTO HUN WFO)

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 3/4 MILE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED ACROSS MARION

COUNTY IMPACTING SHOTSVILLE. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE

WAS CONSISTENT WITH A TORNADO. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT LEAST 140

MPH. THE TORNADO POSSIBLY BEGAN IN MISSISSIPPI AND WILL NEED TO

COORDINATE WITH MEMPHIS WFO TO SEE IF THE PATH DID BEGIN FURTHER

WEST. ALONG THE PATH...HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE DOWNED...25 STRUCTURES

WERE DAMAGED. FIVE OF THESE STRUCTURES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED.

THIS TORNADO DAMAGE PATH CONTINUED INTO FRANKLIN COUNTY. THERE WILL

BE ANOTHER EVALUATION DONE ON THE WORST DAMAGE POINTS ON FRIDAY TO

DETERMINE IF THE RATING NEEDS TO BE INCREASED.

TORNADO 2...HACKLEBURG TORNADO (MARION COUNTY)...

PRELIMINARY DATA...

EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011

EVENT TYPE: EF-3 TORNADO OR POTENTIALLY HIGHER (FURTHER EVALUATION

IS NEEDED)

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AT LEAST 140

INJURIES/FATALITIES: AT LEAST 25 FATALITIES.

EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 34.0433/-87.8225 AT 305 PM

EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 34.0739/-87.7219 AT 402 PM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 25.2 MILES (CONTINUED INTO HUN WFO)

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 3/4 MILE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED ACROSS MARION

COUNTY IMPACTING HACKLEBURG. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE

WAS CONSISTENT WITH A LARGE TORNADO. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT LEAST

140 MPH. ALONG THE PATH...HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE DOWNED...200

STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED. 100 OF THESE STRUCTURES WERE COMPLETELY

DESTROYED. THIS TORNADO DAMAGE PATH CONTINUED INTO FRANKLIN COUNTY.

THERE WILL BE ANOTHER EVALUATION DONE ON THE WORST DAMAGE POINTS ON

FRIDAY TO DETERMINE IF THE RATING NEEDS TO BE INCREASED.

TORNADO 3...HALEYVILLE (MARION/WINSTON COUNTIES)...

PRELIMINARY DATA...

EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011

EVENT TYPE: EF-3

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 140

INJURIES/FATALITIES: 10 INJURIES.

EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 34.1065/-87.7906 AT 510 PM

EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 34.3050/-87.4976 AT 551 PM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 12.75 MILES (CONTINUED INTO HUN WFO)

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 1/2 MILE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED ACROSS MARION AND

WINSTON COUNTIES. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS

CONSISTENT WITH A TORNADO. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 140

MPH. ALONG THE PATH...HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE DOWNED...AT LEAST 45

STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED. AT LEAST 18 OF THESE STRUCTURES WERE

COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THIS TORNADO DAMAGE PATH POSSIBLY CONTINUED

INTO LAWRENCE COUNTY.

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...

SURVEYS WILL CONDUCTED ONCE AGAIN ON FRIDAY AS WELL SATURDAY. THE

ENTIRE PROCESS MAY TAKE UPWARDS OF TWO WEEKS. ANOTHER PLAN OF THE

DAY WILL ISSUED EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.

MEDIA INQUIRIES CAN BE DIRECTED TOWARD WARNING COORDINATION

METEOROLOGIST JOHN DE BLOCK AT 205-664-3010...OR METEOROLOGIST IN

CHARGE JIM STEFKOVICH AT 205-585-8635.

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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THE SURVEY TEAM NOTICED INITIAL DAMAGE ALONG A LINE STARTING IN

THE LAKEVIEW COMMUNITY. THE PATH WIDTH HERE WAS GENERALLY AROUND

50 YARDS AND INITIAL DAMAGE INCLUDED MOSTLY FELLED AND SNAPPED

TREES AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO SMALL BUILDINGS. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE

WAS NOTED ESPECIALLY IN THE RAINSVILLE AND SYLVANIA COMMUNITIES

WHERE THE PATH WIDTH WAS ESTIMATED TO BE UP TO 1/2 MILE. DAMAGE IN

RAINSVILLE INCLUDED HOUSES THAT WERE COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM

FOUNDATIONS...WITH DEBRIS SCATTERED FOR ABOUT ONE MILE. NEAR THIS

LOCATION...TREES WERE DEBARKED AND

That sounds like an EF-5 to me if I ever heard one. Even so, EF-4 or EF-5... doesn't matter, the number of fatalities from this tornado outbreak is just beyond anything I've ever imagined in this modern day and age.

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Got a chance to take a look at the Tornado damage just south of Brooks GA today. Took some pictures from my plane. Apologize for the light level and focus, was shooting through my window and it was getting close to sunset. My map is rough....but I think the track is pretty close. This was only a few miles south of where I live and took only a few minutes to get to by air. I'd estimate the width of damage at about a 1/4-1/2 mile in some places. My estimate of this one would be that it looks to be an EF-2 and possibly slightly stronger. Some significant damage to some homes in the path..one or two completely obliterated. Most homes near the path had at least the entire second floor destroyed or moved completely OFF the first floor. significant percentage of large Oaks in the path completely flattened. Saw a few cars tossed also.

The link brings you to a slide show with a map....track was almost 20 miles on the ground that I could tell, we might have missed just a bit up by Hampton, GA. Red arrow is my educated guess at the likley path and direction of the Tornado in the photos.

http://s1085.photobu...mview=slideshow

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One thing I find interesting is everyone keeps saying "nowadays a death toll like this is basically impossible". At the end of the day though the fact of the matter is it seems just as likely because despite our numerous advances in technology there is really nothing to be done about an EF-3 or greater really. I mean what saved people in my town last year from an EF4 was a basement and I don't believe many people have one in bama because of the high water table. What else could you do really to protect yourself except get in an interior room and hope to god you make it?

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One thing I find interesting is everyone keeps saying "nowadays a death toll like this is basically impossible". At the end of the day though the fact of the matter is it seems just as likely because despite our numerous advances in technology there is really nothing to be done about an EF-3 or greater really. I mean what saved people in my town last year from an EF4 was a basement and I don't believe many people have one in bama because of the high water table. What else could you do really to protect yourself except get in an interior room and hope to god you make it?

1. Community Shelter or Personal Shelter (safe room)

2. Flee the path.

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One thing I find interesting is everyone keeps saying "nowadays a death toll like this is basically impossible". At the end of the day though the fact of the matter is it seems just as likely because despite our numerous advances in technology there is really nothing to be done about an EF-3 or greater really. I mean what saved people in my town last year from an EF4 was a basement and I don't believe many people have one in bama because of the high water table. What else could you do really to protect yourself except get in an interior room and hope to god you make it?

Seems like support for another round of VORTEX missions to me.

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..PRELIMINARY RARE EF-5 TORNADO IN MONROE COUNTY MISSISSIPPI

AFTER A REVIEW OF THE DAMAGE PHOTOS TAKEN DURING THURSDAY/S GROUND

SURVEY AND CONSULTATION WITH NATIONAL EXPERTS...THE NATIONAL

WEATHER SERVICE IN MEMPHIS HAS UPGRADED THE SMITHVILLE TORNADO

RATING TO EF-5 DAMAGE. THIS IS THE HIGHEST RATING FOR TORNADO

DAMAGE AND THE FIRST EF-5 OR F-5 IN MISSISSIPPI SINCE THE

CANDLESTICK PARK TORNADO NEAR JACKSON ON MARCH 3RD 1966.

* COUNTY/COUNTIES: MONROE

* LOCATION/TIME OF EVENT: SMITHVILLE AT 344 PM EDT

* BEGINNING POINT: 34.0517, -88.4236

* ENDING POINT: 34.0731, -88.3814

* RATING: EF-5

* ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 205 MPH

* PATH LENGTH: 2.82 MILES

* MAXIMUM WIDTH: 1/2 MILE

* FATALITIES: 14

* INJURIES: 40

* SUMMARY OF DAMAGES: 18 HOMES DESTROYED...2 BUSINESSES /POST

OFFICE AND POLICE STATION/ DESTROYED...8 HOMES WITH MAJOR

DAMAGE...7 BUSINESSES WITH MAJOR DAMAGE...44 HOMES WITH MINOR

DAMAGE...AND WATER SYSTEM DESTROYED. MOST TREES EITHER SNAPPED

OR TWISTED AND DEBARKED. MOST THE HOMES DESTROYED WERE WELL

BUILT...TWO STORIES...LESS THAN TEN YEARS OLD AND BOLTED DOWN TO

THEIR FOUNDATIONS. AN 1965 CHEVY PICKUP TRUCK PARKED IN FRONT

ONE OF THE DESTROYED HOMES HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. ALL APPLIANCES

AND PLUMBING FIXTURES IN THE MOST EXTREME DAMAGE PATH SHREDDED

OR MISSING.

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Seems like support for another round of VORTEX missions to me.

Vortex seems like an excellent idea, but because of the logistics, speed of storms, and terrain, they chase later in the season and in the Plains, and I don't know how much data would carry over to Dixie Alley tornadoes.

I was noting in the Central forum thread, unlike most Dixie Alley tornadoes, the big Tuscaloosa one wasn't rain wrapped. It also seemed like the density of tornadic supercells, how many tor-warned cells were occuring simulataneously in a fairly small area, seemed higher than Plains outbreaks.

I just don't know if higher based and slower moving Plains supercells in mid May compares apples to apples to rapidly moving April cells located much closer to the GOMEX moisture source.

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I was actually agreeing with the original high-end EF4 rating. Talk about a short-lived EF5. It looks like it bombed Smithfield quickly and lifted. The damage looks eerily similar to Parkersburg, Iowa from aerials.

I posted the aerial, we've seen the damage... Smithville deserved the EF5 for sure. The damage from Hackleburg looks almost EF5-ish as well from the aerials (if the homes were well bolted, then for sure... I've never seen such a high concentration of cleaned slabs since Jarrell). No doubt the "panel of experts" will be working their butts off today in multiple locations.

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This might sound funny coming from someone that worked on V2 both years, but I'm not all that optimistic that V2 or even a V3 would change anything that went on here all that much. Let's say we know exactly how tornadoes form. Ok, what's changed really? Maybe an extra few minutes lead time on warnings (but probably not since the main observing tool only samples a location every 300 sec)? I don't think warning time was the problem here.

Even if you know everything there is to know about tornadoes, they're still chaotic and they still are being affected by small spatial and temporal scale changes in the environment that aren't going to be observed, even if you had a national mesonet.

Everyone wants answers when something like this happens, which I totally get, but there's no easy answers here and very little guarantee that this won't happen again in the future.

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This might sound funny coming from someone that worked on V2 both years, but I'm not all that optimistic that V2 or even a V3 would change anything that went on here all that much. Let's say we know exactly how tornadoes form. Ok, what's changed really? Maybe an extra few minutes lead time on warnings (but probably not since the main observing tool only samples a location every 300 sec)? I don't think warning time was the problem here.

Even if you know everything there is to know about tornadoes, they're still chaotic and they still are being affected by small spatial and temporal scale changes in the environment that aren't going to be observed, even if you had a national mesonet.

Everyone wants answers when something like this happens, which I totally get, but there's no easy answers here and very little guarantee that this won't happen again in the future.

I think this is absolutely true, we're about maxed out with lead time given our current technology.

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