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

[Stebo]

TORNADO 11...LAKE MARTIN TORNADO (ELMORE/TALLAPOOSA/CHAMBERS

COUNTIES)

PRELIMINARY DATA...

EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011

EVENT TYPE: POTENTIALLY GREATER THAN EF-3 (FURTHER EVALUATION

UNDERWAY)

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): POTENTIALLY UP TO 170

INJURIES/FATALITIES: SEVERAL INJURIES/9 FATALITIES

EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 32.6174/-86.193 AT 812 PM

EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 32.9196/-85.523 AT 909 AM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 44.1 MILES

DAMAGE WIDTH: 1/2 MILE

NOTE:

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE FROM CENTRAL

ELMORE COUNTY...EXTENDING EASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL TALLAPOOSA COUNTY

AND THE LAKE MARTIN AREA...TO WESTERN CHAMBERS COUNTY. IT HAS BEEN

DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A VIOLENT TORNADO.

WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE POTENTIALLY UP 170 MPH. THE TORNADO

TOUCHED DOWN ALONG COUNTY ROAD 209 NEAR MEADOWVIEW DRIVE WHERE A FEW

SNAPPED TREES WERE NOTED. FROM THERE...THE TORNADO QUICKLY

INTENSIFIED AS IT MOVED NORTHEAST THROUGH DEXTER WIDENING AND

PRODUCING EF-2 DAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES. FROM THERE...IT CONTINUED

ACROSS HIGHWAY 9 DAMAGING SEVERAL HOMES...DESTROYING A FEW MOBILE

HOMES ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO AN AGRICULTURAL NURSERY. AS

THE TORNADO MOVED ACROSS THE MOUNT HEBRON ROAD AREA...IT INTENSIFIED

TO EF-3 INTENSITY AND DESTROYING SEVERAL HOMES...BUSINESSES...AND 2

CHURCHES. FROM HERE...THE TORNADO CROSSED LAKE MARTIN...JUST SOUTH

OF THE HIGHWAY 63 BRIDGE...DOING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO NUMEROUS

HOMES AROUND THE WYNDERMERE AREA. AT THIS POINT...THE TORNADO WAS

NEAR 1/4 MILE WIDE. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED INTO TALLAPOOSA COUNTY

JUST SOUTH OF COUNTY ROAD 34...WIDENING TO NEAR 1/2 MILE AND

STRENGTHENING TO POTENTIALLY GREATER THAN EF-3 INTENSITY. HERE THE

DAMAGE WAS THE MOST WIDESPREAD AND SEVERE WITH SEVERAL WELL BUILT

MULTI-STORY HOMES TOTALLY DESTROYED. THE TORNADO CONTINUED AT THIS

STRENGTH BUT BECAME MORE NARROW TO NEAR 400 YARDS WIDE AS IT CROSSED

HIGHWAY 49 JUST NORTH OF JONES ROAD WHERE IT DESTROYED 2 HOMES AND

ROLLED A PICK-UP TRUCK 120 YARDS. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST

CROSSING U.S. HIGHWAY 280 JUST EAST OF DADEVILLE PRODUCING

SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES AND BUSINESSES. FROM HERE THE

TORNADO CROSSED INTO WESTERN CHAMBERS COUNTY PASSING JUST TO THE

NORTH OF SIKES. ALONG COUNTY ROAD 54 NORTH OF SIKES...1 HOME WAS

COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE TORNADO WEAKENED AS IT MOVED NORTHEAST

ACROSS COUNTY ROAD 66 AND ENDED JUST NORTH OF COUNTY ROAD 51.

[Stebo]

A continuation of the Cullman tornado into Marshall County.

SEGMENT #3: MARSHALL COUNTY

* EVENT TYPE: TORNADO

* EVENT DATE: 04/27/10

* ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 190 MPH

* PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-4

* PATH LENGTH: 16 MILES (ESTIMATED)

* MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 1/2 MILE

* FATALITIES: 5

* INJURIES: UNKNOWN

* SUMMARY: SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE FROM A LONG TRACK TORNADO CONTINUED

INTO NORTHWEST MARSHALL COUNTY. THE WORST OF THE DAMAGE OCCURRED

FROM THE MORGAN/MARSHALL COUNTY LINE...ALONG HOG JAW ROAD...

NORTHEAST TO HIGHWAY 231 /ABOUT 3 MILES NORTH OF ARAB/.

ALONG HOG JAW ROAD...A LARGE STORAGE SHED WITH FARM EQUIPMENT WAS

DESTROYED WITH SOME OF THE LARGE MACHINERY TOSSED 10 TO 20 YARDS

AROUND THE SHED. MOUNT OAK AND FRONTIER ROAD WERE HARDEST HIT WHERE

A CINDER BLOCK/CEMENT HOME WAS NEARLY WIPED CLEAN. DEBRIS FROM THIS

HOME WAS THROWN ABOUT 50-100 YARDS AWAY. A TRAILER WAS MISSING AND

A METAL BOLTED GARAGE WAS WIPED CLEAN OF ITS FOUNDATION.

ALONG FRONTIER ROAD...A LARGE BRICK HOME WAS NEARLY WIPED CLEAN OFF

ITS FOUNDATION WITH SEVERAL LARGE TREES RIPPED OUT OF THE GROUND

AND MISSING. FURTHER NORTHEAST ALONG THE PATH...ALONG WALNUT RIDGE

...A ONE-STORY HOME WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED WITH THE ROOF MISSING

AND A TRAILER THAT WAS TOSSED INTO A TREE. SEVERAL CONCRETE POWER

POLES WERE BENT OVER AS THE TORNADO CROSSED HWY 231...SOME BENT AT

THE BASE. ON THE EAST SIDE OF HWY 231...A JET PEP GAS STATION

BUILDING WAS COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED AND TWO GAS PUMPS WERE RIPPED

FROM THE GROUND AND MISSING. THE CANOPY OVER THE PUMPS REMAINED

MOSTLY INTACT.

THE TORNADO CONTINUED TOWARD UNION GROVE. THE DEGREE OF DAMAGE

WEAKENED SOMEWHAT BUT SEVERAL HOMES HAD SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WHERE

THE TOP STORIES AND ROOFS WERE DESTROYED ALONG WITH SOME EXTERNAL

WALLS COLLAPSED. ALONG COUNTY ROAD 240...A DOUBLE WIDE MANUFACTURED

HOME WAS DESTROYED AND LARGE GARAGE COLLAPSED BUT THE WELL-BUILT

ROOF REMAINED INTACT.

THE TORNADO THEN SIGNIFICANTLY WEAKENED AS IT CROSSED THE TENNESSEE

RIVER. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER...THE TORNADO SNAPPED AND

UPROOTED NUMEROUS TREES AS IT CROSSED WALKER ROAD AND JUST ACROSS

HWY 431 BEFORE FINALLY LIFTING JUST NORTHEAST OF 431.

THESE FINDINGS ARE PRELIMINARY AND ARE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT.

PICTURES AND SUMMARY MATERIALS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB

PAGE AT WEATHER.GOV/HUNTSVILLE /ALL LOWER CASE/.

[isohume]

Or maybe the "Great Dixie Outbreak"?

I like the way that sounds. I work in branding, and that sounds like a durable brand to me.

We may as well call it the Royal Wedding Outbreak since nature interfered w/ the media's wedding plans.

Those poor reporters had to report in the middle of the night from England about what was going on in the US.

How about the Finishing What Sherman Started Outbreak?

Maybe Neil Youngs Outbreak

The Alabama Slammer

Or Obamas Katrina (Fox news's pick.)

However I perfer the 2011 Super Outbreak. That way 10 years from now people won't be claiming it caused the Space Shuttle Columbia to crash or the Columbine shooting.

Yeah, this tragic event needs a cute tag. lol

I'm working on a fun one for Japan. Hmmmm let's see....the "Great Rising Water Over The Rising Sun"

[Master of Disaster]

Why would windrows be indicative of EF5 winds? Never heard of that and ive seen windrows on the ocean in a gale, but trying to understand how this would indicate EF5 winds.

[OHWxWatcher]

.......TWO GAS PUMPS WERE RIPPED

FROM THE GROUND AND MISSING. THE CANOPY OVER THE PUMPS REMAINED

MOSTLY INTACT.........

That is a fascinating display of power to me. I don't know how well a gas pump is anchored to the ground (I would assume somewhat substantially?) but the wind forces must be incredibly erratic to have left the canopy largely intact like that.

[HurricaneJosh]

Yeah, this tragic event needs a cute tag. lol

I'm working on a fun one for Japan. Hmmmm let's see....the "Great Rising Water Over The Rising Sun"

Not sure why you included my post in your response, since my recommendation-- the "Great Dixie Outbreak"-- wasn't meant to be "cute". Obviously, an event of this magnitude needs a name for future discussions, and my recommendation very plainly captures the magnitude of the event ("great") and the geographical focus of it ("Dixie"). No humor was intended.

[DaculaWeather]

That is a fascinating display of power to me. I don't know how well a gas pump is anchored to the ground (I would assume somewhat substantially?) but the wind forces must be incredibly erratic to have left the canopy largely intact like that.

Or how this happens:

"ONE WELL BUILT BLOCK FOUNDATION HOME LITERALLY EXPLODED AS THE

TORNADO STRUCK...LIFTING AND SWEEPING ALL ITS STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS

DOWNWIND...IN SOME CASES SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS. A PROPANE TANK WAS

LIFTED AND DROPPED SEVERAL FEET AWAY. HOWEVER...MIRACULOUSLY...A

MOTHER AND THREE CHILDREN TAKING REFUGE IN A HALLWAY WERE COMPLETELY

UNHARMED."

[09-10 analogy]

"The Killer Outbreak of 2011". Just about everyone was shocked by the death toll of this thing, so why not emphasize it?

[Hoosier]

With adding the tornadoes from VA and NC on Thursday because there was a less than 6 hour break and with new survey results, here are the current totals:

EF?: 2

EF0: 45

EF1: 46

EF2: 32

EF3: 18

EF4: 7

EF5: 2

Total: 152

If it's not a lot of trouble, could you figure out how many of these occurred on the 27th?

[HurricaneJosh]

"The Killer Outbreak of 2011". Just about everyone was shocked by the death toll of this thing, so why not emphasize it?

I dunno-- the death toll isn't really a differentiator from the other great tornado catastrophes in USA history-- they all killed lots of people, some more than this one (like 1925). Also, that sounds a tad cheesy to me-- like a title for a B-horror movie.

[machetemoonlight]

the bible belt smackdown

[HurricaneJosh]

the bible belt smackdown

Naughty.

[icebreaker5221]

Been busy lately so I'm a bit out of the loop... so there have been 2 EF5s so far? Are there any pics online of the EF5 damage?

[isohume]

The Epic Outbreak^TM

[Down The Rabbit Hole]

I'd say either "Dixie Outbreak of 2011," "Southern Super Outbreak" or "Super Outbreak II."

[Amped]

Alright, time to make an OT naming thread and vote on it. I think we can all agree we want a short noncreative name (Snowmageddon was annoying) that contains 2011 and possiby somthing about the area where it occured.

[SharonA]

FFC's latest update ... another confirmed tornado, an EF-3 in Rabun County, and pointing to GSP for details

(I'll be going back and deleting my earlier message since this is a cumulative update)

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA

507 PM EDT SUN MAY 1 2011

...PRELIMINARY NWS DAMAGE ASSESSMENT REPORT ON THE APRIL 27 AND

28TH TORNADO OUTBREAK...

...FIFTEEN TORNADOES CONFIRMED SO FAR IN NORTH AND CENTRAL

GEORGIA...

...FOURTEEN IN NWS PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA FORECAST AREA...

...EF4 TORNADO IN CATOOSA COUNTY...

...EF3 TORNADO IN MERIWETHER...SPALDING AND HENRY COUNTIES...

...EF3 TORNADO IN DADE AND WALKER COUNTIES...

...EF3 TORNADO IN PIKE...LAMAR...MONROE AND BUTTS COUNTIES...

...EF3 TORNADO IN BARTOW...CHEROKEE AND PICKENS COUNTIES...

...EF2 TORNADO IN POLK...FLOYD AND BARTOW COUNTIES...

...EF2 TORNADO IN TROUP COUNTY...

...EF2 TORNADO IN HARRIS...MERIWETHER AND UPSON COUNTIES...

...TWO EF1 TORNADOES IN DADE COUNTY...

...EF1 TORNADO IN TROUP...HEARD AND COWETA COUNTIES...

...EF1 TORNADO IN NEWTON...MORGAN AND GREENE COUNTIES...

...EF1 TORNADO IN PUTNAM AND HANCOCK COUNTIES...

...EF1 TORNADO IN WARREN COUNTY...

...ONE IN NWS GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG, SC FORECAST AREA WITHIN

NORTHEAST GEORGIA...

...EF3 TORNADO IN RABUN COUNTY (SEE CAEPNSGSP)...

SUMMARY INFORMATION FOR EACH TORNADO...SORTED BY EF RATING...FOLLOWS.

...EF4 TORNADO IN CATOOSA COUNTY...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF4

TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 175 MPH OCCURRED IN CATOOSA COUNTY. IT TOUCHED

DOWN APPROXIMATELY 815 PM EDT WEDNESDAY EVENING ALONG DAVIS RIDGE

ROAD...TRAVELING THROUGH RINGGOLD TO COHUTTA AND INTO TENNESSEE

AROUND 828 PM EDT. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 13 MILES WITH A WIDTH OF ONE

THIRD OF A MILE. SEVEN FATALITIES AND 30 INJURIES OCCURRED WITH THIS

TORNADO. 75 TO 100 HOMES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THE WORST DAMAGE

WAS LOCATED ON CHEROKEE VALLEY ROAD WHERE 12 HOMES WERE OBLITERATED.

...EF3 TORNADO IN MERIWETHER...SPALDING AND HENRY COUNTIES...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF3

TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 140 MPH TOUCHED DOWN 6 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST

OF GAY IN MERIWETHER COUNTY AT APPROXIMATELY 1203 AM EDT THURSDAY

MORNING. IT TRACKED ACROSS SPALDING COUNTY AND LIFTED 2 MILES SOUTH

OF HAMPTON IN HENRY COUNTY AT APPROXIMATELY 1228 AM EDT. THE TORNADO

HAD A PATH LENGTH OF 20 MILES AND A WIDTH OF A HALF OF A MILE. TWO

FATALITIES OCCURRED IN THE SUNNY SIDE COMMUNITY WHEN A MOBILE HOME

PARK WAS DESTROYED.

...EF3 TORNADO IN DADE AND WALKER COUNTIES...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN

EF3 TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 150 MPH TRACKED ACROSS DADE COUNTY

WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE TORNADO MOVED ACROSS THE STATE LINE INTO DADE

COUNTY AROUND 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TRENTON AT APPROXIMATELY 535 PM

EDT...AND LIFTED JUST WEST OF FORT OGLETHORPE IN WALKER COUNTY

AROUND 557 PM EDT. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 18 MILES AND WIDTH WAS SIX

TENTHS OF A MILE. NOTE THIS PATH LENGTH ONLY INCLUDES THE AREA

IN GEORGIA. THE TORNADO THOUGH DID TRACK INTO THE STATE FROM

ALABAMA. HOMES WERE DESTROYED...18 WITH MAJOR DAMAGE AND TENS OF

THOUSANDS OF TREES WERE DOWNED. THERE WERE 2 FATALITIES AND 12

INJURIES WITH THIS STORM.

...EF3 TORNADO IN PIKE...LAMAR...MONROE AND BUTTS COUNTIES...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF3

TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 140 MPH CROSSED PIKE...LAMAR...MONROE AND

BUTTS COUNTIES EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT

APPROXIMATELY 1238 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING ALONG HIGHWAY 19 ABOUT 4

MILES SOUTH OF MEANSVILLE IN SOUTH CENTRAL PIKE COUNTY. THREE HOUSES

WERE DESTROYED ALONG PIEDMONT ROAD ABOUT THREE MILES WEST OF

BARNESVILLE. TWO FATALITIES OCCURRED WHEN A HOUSE WAS DESTROYED

ALONG GROVE STREET IN LAMAR COUNTY. A CHEVRON GAS STATION AND A

CHURCH WERE DESTROYED IN BARNESVILLE. THREE TRACTOR TRAILERS WERE

BLOWN OFF THE ROAD NEAR I75 AT APPROXIMATELY 102 AM. 3 HOUSES WERE

DAMAGED...ONE OF WHICH WAS DESTROYED. THREE PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN

THE DAMAGED HOUSE. THE TORNADO LIFTED IN SOUTHEAST BUTTS COUNTY AT

APPROXIMATELY 115 AM. THE TORNADO HAD A PATH LENGTH OF APPROXIMATELY

30 MILES AND A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF SIX TENTHS OF A MILE.

...EF3 TORNADO IN BARTOW...CHEROKEE AND PICKENS COUNTIES...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM ALONG WITH CHEROKEE

COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DETERMINED THAT AN EF3 TORNADO WITH

MAXIMUM WINDS OF 150 MPH TOUCHED DOWN AROUND 920 PM EDT WEDNESDAY

EVENING. IT TRACKED FROM 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF KINGSTON IN BARTOW

COUNTY...CROSSING NORTHWEST CHEROKEE COUNTY...AND LIFTED

APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES WEST OF JASPER IN PICKENS COUNTY NEAR THE

INTERSECTION OF JERUSALEM CHURCH ROAD AND STATE HIGHWAY 53 AT

APPROXIMATELY 945 PM EDT. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 23 MILES AND WIDTH

WAS A HALF MILE. SEVERAL CHICKEN HOUSES WERE DESTROYED ALONG

INTERSTATE 75...SEVERAL OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED AND HUNDREDS OF

TREES WERE DOWNED IN BARTOW COUNTY. THE HARDEST HIT AREA IN BARTOW

COUNTY WAS AROUND 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF WHITE OFF OF CROWE SPRINGS

ROAD. AROUND 10 HOMES WERE DESTROYED WITH MANY OTHERS HAVING HEAVY

DAMAGE TO MINOR DAMAGE. THERE WERE AT LEAST 2 INJURIES. HUNDREDS

OF TREES WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED IN CHEROKEE COUNTY. EXTENSIVE

DAMAGE WAS REPORTED ALONG HENDERSON MOUNTAIN ROAD AND BRYANT ROAD

IN PICKENS COUNTY WHERE SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES WERE DESTROYED. AT

LEAST 3 INJURIES WERE REPORTED WITH THIS TORNADO...TWO IN BARTOW AND

ONE IN PICKENS.

...EF2 TORNADO IN POLK...FLOYD AND BARTOW COUNTIES...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF2

TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 125 MPH ENTERED GEORGIA FROM ALABAMA

AROUND 845 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING. IN GEORGIA...IT TRACKED FROM 6

MILES SOUTHWEST OF CAVE SPRING IN POLK COUNTY TO 4 MILES SOUTHWEST

OF KINGSTON IN BARTOW COUNTY WHERE IT LIFTED AROUND 911 PM. THE PATH

LENGTH WAS 26 MILES AND THE WIDTH WAS A HALF MILE. 10 CHICKEN

HOUSES WERE DESTROYED. MORE THAN 13 STRUCTURES WERE DESTROYED.

...EF2 TORNADO IN TROUP COUNTY...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF2

TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 120 MPH DEVELOPED 5 MILES SOUTH OF

LAGRANGE AROUND 1120 PM WEDNESDAY NIGHT. IT TRACKED FOR 7 MILES

BEFORE LIFTING AROUND 6 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF LAGRANGE AT 1130 PM.

THE PATH LENGTH WAS 7 MILES AND THE WIDTH WAS UP TO ONE QUARTER

MILE. AROUND 15 HOMES WERE DESTROYED AND AROUND 50 HOMES SUSTAINED

HEAVY TO MINOR DAMAGE ALONG ITS PATH. THOUSANDS OF TREES WERE

SNAPPED AND UPROOTED WITH MANY POWERLINES DOWN. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT

DAMAGE OCCURRED NEAR HIGHWAY 219 AND MURPHY ROAD ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTH

OF THE CITY LIMITS OF LAGRANGE. ABOUT 12 HOMES WERE DESTROYED IN

THIS AREA. ONE HOME WAS PICKED UP AND THROWN 50 FEET AND ITS SUNROOM

WAS THROWN 300 YARDS. A WELL BUILT LOG CABIN ON A HILL TOP WAS BLOWN

OFF ITS FOUNDATION IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE TORNADO/S

MOVEMENT AND DESTROYED. THERE WERE AT LEAST 5 INJURIES IN THIS AREA

AS WELL.

...EF2 TORNADO IN HARRIS...MERIWETHER AND UPSON COUNTIES...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF2

TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 130 MPH DEVELOPED 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF

PINE MOUNTAIN VALLEY AROUND 1150 PM WEDNESDAY NIGHT. IT TRACKED FOR

24 MILES BEFORE LIFTING AROUND 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF THOMASTON ALONG

HIGHWAY 74 AT APPROXIMATELY 1225 AM THURSDAY MORNING. THE WIDTH

AVERAGED A HALF A MILE WIDE WITH ITS WIDEST POINT BEING CLOSE TO

THREE QUARTERS OF A MILE WIDE ALONG HIGHWAY 354...JUST NORTH OF PINE

MOUNTAIN VALLEY. THOUSANDS OF TREES WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED WITH

MANY POWERLINES DOWN. WHILE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS EXPERIENCED ALONG

MOST OF THE PATH WITH HOUSES DAMAGED AND BARNS DESTROYED...THE MOST

EXTENSIVE WAS LOCATED WITHIN FRANKLIN DELANO STATE PARK. WITHIN THE

PARK...IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 30 PERCENT OF THE 40 STRUCTURES LOCATED

IN A CAMPGROUND WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED INCLUDING A LARGE

ASSEMBLY SHELTER. DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE LIMITING ACCESS

WITHIN THE PARK...ASSESSMENTS FOR THE PRECISE NUMBER OF HOMES AND

CABINS AFFECTED ARE ONGOING.

...EF1 TORNADO IN DADE COUNTY...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF1

TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 100 MPH TRACKED ACROSS DADE COUNTY AROUND

840 AM. THE LENGTH OF THE TORNADO WAS 7 MILES AND IT HAD A WIDTH OF

50 YARDS. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO HOMES AND AN ELEMENTARY

SCHOOL.

...ANOTHER EF1 TORNADO IN DADE COUNTY...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF1

TORNADO WITH 110 MPH WINDS TRACKED ACROSS DADE COUNTY FROM NEAR

FOX MOUNTAIN TO RISING FAWN. THIS TORNADO TRACKED INTO THE STATE

FROM ALABAMA AROUND 750 PM. THE TORNADO WAS 100 YARDS WIDE AND THE

PATH LENGTH WAS 3 MILES LONG.

...EF1 TORNADO IN TROUP...HEARD AND COWETA COUNTIES...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF1

TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 90 MPH DEVELOPED 3 MILES WEST OF

HILLCREST AROUND 1045 PM WEDNESDAY NIGHT. IT TRACKED FOR 17

MILES THROUGH SOUTHEAST HEARD COUNTY TO 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF

GRANTVILLE BEFORE LIFTING AT 1110 PM. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 17 MILES

AND THE MAXIMUM WIDTH WAS AROUND 100 YARDS. A HAULING TRAILER AND

HORSE TRAILER WERE THROWN AROUND 20 FEET AND ABOUT 5 HOMES WERE

DAMAGED IN SOUTHEAST HEARD COUNTY IN AND NEAR MILLER RD...ONE

HEAVILY DAMAGED AS IT LOST TWO EXTERIOR WALLS AND PART OF ITS ROOF.

AROUND A THOUSAND TREES WERE ESTIMATED TO BE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED

ALONG ITS PATH. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

...EF1 TORNADO IN NEWTON...MORGAN AND GREENE COUNTIES...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF1

TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 105 MPH OCCURRED EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. IT

TOUCHED DOWN 1 MILE WEST OF NEWBORN IN NEWTON COUNTY AT

APPROXIMATELY 111 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING AND LIFTED 6 MILES WEST OF

GREENSBORO IN GREENE COUNTY AT APPROXIMATELY 138 AM EDT. IT HAD A

PATH LENGTH OF 25 MILES AND A WIDTH OF A HALF OF A MILE. A SHOPPING

CENTER IN MADISON HAD A TIN ROOF PEELED BACK. THOUSANDS OF TREES

WERE DOWNED. APPROXIMATELY 50 STRUCTURES SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM

DOWNED TREES. ONE TRAILER HAD PART OF THE BACK RIPPED OFF. TWO

TRAILERS SUSTAINED TREE DAMAGE. THREE OTHER TRAILERS THAT WERE NOT

TIED DOWN WERE FLIPPED.

...EF1 TORNADO IN PUTNAM AND HANCOCK COUNTIES...

THE PUTNAM AND HANCOCK EMERGENCY MANAGERS HAVE SURVEYED AND HELPED

CONFIRM AN EF1 TORNADO WITH MAXIMUM WINDS OF 90 MPH. THE TORNADO

DEVELOPED 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF EATONTON NEAR FLAT ROCK AROUND 230 AM

THURSDAY MORNING. IT TRACKED FOR 7 MILES INTO WEST HANCOCK COUNTY TO

8 MILES WEST TO NORTHWEST OF DEVEREUX LIFTING AROUND 305 AM. THE

PATH LENGTH WAS 7 MILES AND THE WIDTH WAS AROUND 200 YARDS. THE ROOF

OF AN OUTBUILDING WAS LIFTED OFF AND 4 HOMES WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR

DESTROYED BY FALLING TREES. OTHERWISE...NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED

OR UPROOTED ALONG ITS PATH WITH SEVERAL POWERLINES DOWN.

...EF1 TORNADO IN WARREN COUNTY...

A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED THAT AN EF1

TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 105 MPH TOUCHED DOWN 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF

NORWOOD AT APPROXIMATELY 339 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING AND LIFTED 1

MILE NORTHEAST OF CAMAK IN WARREN COUNTY AT APPROXIMATELY 351 AM

EDT. IT HAD A PATH LENGTH OF 8 MILES AND A WIDTH OF A QUARTER OF A

MILE. EIGHT STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED DUE TO FALLEN TREES AND HUNDREDS

OF TREES WERE DOWNED.

[isohume]

Here's the one in the GSP CWFA the previous post alludes to. It almost made EF4.

000

NOUS42 KGSP 290313 RRA

PNSGSP

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-

068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-290530-

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.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT

WEATHER.GOV/GSP.

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.

$

NED

[Master of Disaster]

By total coincidence, passed the damage path of the EF2 that struck Ono PA this afternoon where is crossed Rt 22. Splintered trees and the high tension towers mentioned below are visible from the road. The path came within 50 feet of a home, destroyed the trees in the yard but left the home itself intact. Thought the cow comment below was kind of comical.

...TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR ONO IN LEBANON COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA...LOCATION...NEAR ONO IN LEBANON COUNTY PENNSYLVANIADATE...04/28/2011ESTIMATED TIME...630 AM EDTMAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF2ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...115 MPHMAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...200 YARDSPATH LENGTH...2 MILESBEGINNING LAT/LON... 40.4041,-76.5589ENDING LAT/LON... 40.4178, -76.5494FATALITIES...0INJURIES...0* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TOCHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWSSTORM DATA....SUMMARY...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STATE COLLEGE PA HAS CONFIRMED ANEF2 TORNADO NEAR ONO IN LEBANON COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA AROUND 630 AMAPRIL 28, 2011.THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR JONESTOWN ROAD AND REED`S CREEK ANDTRAVELED UP TO APPROXIMATELY INTERSTATE 81.4 HOMES WERE DAMAGED...2 MODERATELY1 BARN WAS DESTROYED...2 OTHERS WERE DAMAGED1 FARM OUTBUILDING WAS DESTROYED...2 OTHERS WERE DAMAGED ALONG WITH A SILO.2 HIGH TENSION TOWERS WERE TOPPLED.APPROXIMATELY 200 TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN.

1 COW WAS INJURED

[tornadotony]

Here's the one in the GSP CWFA the previous post alludes to. It almost made EF4.

000

NOUS42 KGSP 290313 RRA

PNSGSP

GAZ010-017-018-026-028-029-NCZ033-035>037-048>053-056>059-062>065-

068>072-082-501>510-SCZ001>014-019-290530-

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.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT

WEATHER.GOV/GSP.

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.

$

NED

Has that expert team come in yet?

[isohume]

Has that expert team come in yet?

Nope. In their infinite wisdom they decided it wasn't worth the trip down after looking at the pics. Many of us think that was a mistake. The final classification will be an EF3.

[Amped]

It would be interesting to see the gory details in some of these tornado deaths. I'd like to see how they break down into the following categories.

Sharp Projectiles: as in you get speared with the jagged edge a broken 2x4

Blunt force trauma: As in a lawnmower is slammed into your head at 100MPH

Vertical human Projectile: as in you get caught in the updraft and launched 500ft in the air, at which point gravity takes over with no possible happy ending.

Horizontal Human Projectile: As in you get thrown into the side of a building.

Downward collapse: as in The structure your in collapses on top of you, you die from either the impact or suffocate from the weight on top of you.

I also would like to know if the majority of people killed were in cars, walking around outside, or taking cover in their basements like they were supposed to.

I don't know where I'd find this, and I don't need pictures, just a general description of where the person was and objects involved.

[thewxmann]

HUN's preliminary tornado map (link: http://www.srh.noaa....2011-04-27_main) indicates that the Franklin/Lawrence Co track (Phil Campbell/Hackelsburg) connects with the Limestone/Madison track (Athens/Tanner). Connecting the segments yields a tornado that killed 25 in Hackelsburg, 41 in Franklin/Lawrence Counties, and 11 in Limestone/Madison Cos = 77 fatalities, matching the total number of fatalities in AL from the Super Outbreak.

[blackjack123]

Nope. In their infinite wisdom they decided it wasn't worth the trip down after looking at the pics. Many of us think that was a mistake. The final classification will be an EF3.

I am sure the people of these NWS offices are just really exhausted from all these surveys. I do see your guys point though.

[Gorky]

HUN's preliminary tornado map (link: http://www.srh.noaa....2011-04-27_main) indicates that the Franklin/Lawrence Co track (Phil Campbell/Hackelsburg) connects with the Limestone/Madison track (Athens/Tanner). Connecting the segments yields a tornado that killed 25 in Hackelsburg, 41 in Franklin/Lawrence Counties, and 11 in Limestone/Madison Cos = 77 fatalities, matching the total number of fatalities in AL from the Super Outbreak.

And this would make it the 3rd EF5/F5 tornado to strike the town of Tanner (hit twice in '74). I'm pretty sure it is the same tornado. You can see the continuous track on satellite images which when compared them to Google maps, it appears the same track goes through Hacklesburg and Phil Campbell and towards Tanner - though the track is not easy to follow near the river.

[isohume]

I am sure the people of these NWS offices are just really exhausted from all these surveys. I do see your guys point though.

As far as I know we we're the only office in eastern region that requested a rapid response team. They weren't exhausted because they didn't go anywhere. Even if ours was a southern region event...the RRT should have given this more consideration based on the accounts of our survey team, MIC and WCM. They may have been tired, but surveying for the official record is their job. Working overtime a couple times a year will not kill them.

[isohume]

I don't know where I'd find this, and I don't need pictures, just a general description of where the person was and objects involved.

Call all the hospitals and coroner offices.

[Amped]

Call all the hospitals and coroner offices.

Or maybe I'll just go work at one of them. Dead bodies are creepy though.

It is important information for the future of tornado saftey, so I think some of that info has to be made public.

[isohume]

Or maybe I'll just go work at one of them.

Just tell them you're with the FBI.

[Chicago Storm]

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL

959 PM CDT SUN MAY 1 2011

...LONG TRACK EF-5 TORNADO CONFIRMED ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY...

THIS IS UPDATED INFORMATION CONCERNING CUMULATIVE STORM SURVEY

INFORMATION OF THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE INCURRED ACROSS FRANKLIN

AL...FRANKLIN TN...LAWRENCE...LIMESTONE...AND MADISON COUNTIES. THIS

INFORMATION IS THE COMBINED EFFORT BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER

SERVICE...LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...A STORM SURVEY EXPERT FROM

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE AND COLLABORATION WITH A

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER AND SURVEY EXPERT. DETAILED FINDINGS HAVE FOUND

ONE COMPLETE TORNADO TRACK FROM SOUTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY ALABAMA TO

NEAR HUNTLAND IN FRANKLIN COUNTY TENNESSEE. THE UPDATED INFORMATION

IS AS FOLLOWS:

* EVENT TYPE: TORNADO

* EVENT DATE: 04/27/11

* ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 210 MPH

* PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-5

* PATH LENGTH: APPROXIMATELY 106.9 MILES (FOR THE HUNTSVILLE CWA -

CONTINUATION FROM MARION COUNTY ALABAMA). TOTAL PATH LENGTH 132.1

MILES.

* MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 1.25 MILES

* FATALITIES: UNKNOWN TOTAL

* INJURIES: UNKNOWN TOTAL

FRANKLIN AND LAWRENCE ALABAMA:

FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SURVEY, THE PATH BEGAN AT THE SOUTHERN

FRANKLIN COUNTY LINE WITH MARION COUNTY NORTH OF 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. PROLIFIC

DAMAGE WAS NOTED FROM THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY ROAD 51 AND ALABAMA

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

75. WITHIN A 2 MILE CORRIDOR EITHER SIDE OF THE RAILROAD TRACKS THE

DAMAGE WAS SIGNIFICANT. WITHIN THIS CORRIDOR...SEVERAL WELL

CONSTRUCTED HOUSES WERE DESTROYED. ALONG BROWN STREET...BLOCK HOMES

WERE LEVELED TO THE GROUND. ALONG BONNER STREET...MULTIPLE BLOCK

HOMES WERE LEVELED TO THE GROUND WITH THE BLOCK FOUNDATIONS DESTROYED.

A 25 FOOT SECTION OF PAVEMENT WAS SUCKED UP AND SCATTERED. CHUNKS OF

THE PAVEMENT WERE FOUND IN A HOME OVER 1/3 MILE DOWN THE ROAD. THE

DAMAGE IN THIS AREA WAS DEEMED TO BE EF-5.

IN ADDITION...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 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-5

DAMAGE CONTINUED SIMILARLY NORTHEAST FROM PHIL CAMPBELL...ROUGHLY

ALONG COUNTY ROADS 81 AND 82 TOWARD THE COMMUNITY OF OAK GROVE.

IN OAK GROVE...THE TORNADO MAY HAVE REACHED A RELATIVE MAXIMUM IN

INTENSITY WELL INTO THE EF-5 CATEGORY AS THE DAMAGE WAS SLIGHTLY

MORE INTENSE AND THE PATH WIDTH WAS AT A MAXIMUM OF GREATER THAN ONE

MILE. A LARGE SWATH OF COMPLETE DEVASTATION WAS NOTED IN OAK GROVE

ALONG COUNTY ROADS 38 AND SMITH LANE. A LARGE WELL CONSTRUCTED HOME

WITH EXTENSIVE ANCHORING WAS RAZED WITH DEBRIS CARRIED WELL AWAY

FROM THE SITE. A CORVETTE WAS MANGLED AND THROWN A MEASURED 641

FEET. ANOTHER LARGE VEHICLE IS STILL MISSING. A BLOCK HOME NEXT DOOR

WAS ALSO DISINTEGRATED. ALONG SMITH LANE A BLOCK HOME WAS WIPED OUT

AND THE ONLY REMAINS OF A NEARBY CHICKEN HOUSE WAS A SMALL PIECE OF A

METAL TRUSS. IN THIS SAME AREA...THE TREE DAMAGE WAS COMPLETE AND A

LARGE PERCENTAGE OF TREES WERE STRIPPED BARE.

THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO TRACK NORTHEAST INTO LAWRENCE COUNTY AS AN

EF-5 NEAR THE MT. HOPE AREA WHERE SIGNIFICANT DEVASTATION WAS

INCURRED TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND A RESTAURANT. NOTHING BUT THE

FOUNDATION AND A PILE OF DEBRIS REMAINED IN THIS AREA...AND A SMALL

PORTION OF THE RESTAURANT FOUNDATION BUCKLED. THOUSANDS OF HARDWOOD

AND SOFTWOOD TREES WERE SNAPPED...WITH A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TREES

TWISTED AND DEBARKED WITH ONLY STUBS OF BRANCHES REMAINING. MANY

MOBILE HOMES WERE ALSO DESTROYED WITH THE FRAMES MANGLED...AND A

SINGLE FAMILY HOME WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH THE WALLS AND

CONTENTS STREWN OVER A HUNDRED YARDS.

FURTHER NORTHEAST THE DAMAGE WAS SLIGHTLY LESS INTENSE (HIGH END

EF-3 TO LOW END EF-4)...WITH MORE TREES SNAPPED AND TWISTED AS THE

TORNADO REACHED HIGHWAY 24. AT THIS LOCATION 4 CHICKEN HOUSES WERE

DESTROYED WITH MUCH OF THE DEBRIS WRAPPED AROUND DEBARKED TREES. TVA

HIGH VOLTAGE POWER LINE TRUSSES WERE ALSO DESTROYED AT THIS LOCATION.

AS THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST MORE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED

IN AND AROUND THE LANGTOWN COMMUNITY NORTH OF MOULTON. ON THE WEST

SIDE OF ALABAMA HIGHWAY 33...SEVERAL HOMES SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT

DAMAGE WITH ROOFS MISSING OR ONLY INTERIOR ROOMS REMAINING. A NEARBY

STORE AND GAS STATION ALSO SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE.

THE TORNADO STRENGTHENED AGAIN TO A HIGH END EF-4 AS IT MOVED INTO

COUNTY ROADS 214 AND 298...WHERE MULTIPLE HOUSES AND MOBILE HOMES

WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. SEVERAL CARS WERE TOSSED INTO FIELDS AND

WRAPPED AROUND TREES ALONG COUNTY ROAD 291 AND 292. ONE VEHICLE WAS

TOSSED INTO A LARGE HARDWOOD TREE THAT WAS ALSO DEBARKED. TREE AND

MOBILE HOME DAMAGE CONTINUED ALONG COUNTY ROADS 217 AND 222...WHERE A

HANDFUL OF LARGE HIGH TENSION TVA POWER POLES WERE DESTROYED.

SUSTAINED EF-4 DAMAGE CONTINUED NORTHEAST TOWARDS ALABAMA HIGHWAY

20...WHERE A RESTAURANT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TWO SINGLE

FAMILY HOUSES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED. TREE DAMAGE APPEARED TO

CONTINUE INTO EXTREME NORTHWESTERN MORGAN COUNTY.

LIMESTONE AND MADISON ALABAMA:

AN INITIAL AERIAL SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ON THURSDAY MORNING FROM THE

TENNESSEE RIVER ALONG THE LAWRENCE/LIMESTONE COUNTY LINE NORTHEAST

THROUGH TANNER AND INTO MADISON COUNTY BEYOND THE ANDERSON HILLS

SUBDIVISION. SEVERAL AREAS OF INTENSE DAMAGE WERE NOTED ALONG A SOLID

TRACK WITH THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE NOTED NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF TANNER

AND NEAR ANDERSON HILLS IN MADISON COUNTY. HOMES WERE COMPLETELY

OBLITERATED ALONG A WIDE SWATH IN BOTH OF THESE AREAS. NEARLY A DOZEN

HIGH TENSION POWER LINES WERE SNAPPED OR TAKEN TO THE GROUND IN

LIMESTONE COUNTY. CONCRETE POWER POLES WERE ALSO SNAPPED OFF AT THEIR

BASE.

A SUBSEQUENT GROUND TEAM...AIDED BY A STORM SURVEY EXPERT FROM THE

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA IN HUNTSVILLE...SURVEYED THE MOST INTENSE

DAMAGE IN LIMESTONE COUNTY. HIGH END EF-3 DAMAGE WAS NOTED OVER A

LARGE AREA IN EASTERN LIMESTONE COUNTY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE EAST

LIMESTONE HIGH SCHOOL. IN THE COMMUNITY OF TANNER...THE INTENSITY

WAS MAXIMIZED IN LIMESTONE COUNTY WITH A LARGE SWATH OF EF-4 DAMAGE

AND A NARROW CORRIDOR OF HIGH END EF-4 TO NEAR EF-5 DAMAGE. SEVERAL

WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES WITH ANCHOR BOLTING WERE COMPLETELY WIPED

CLEAN. ONE HOME HAD THE DEBRIS LOFTED OVER 300 HUNDRED YARDS WITH

LARGE ITEMS CARRIED COMPLETELY AWAY. INTENSE GROUND SCARRING WAS

NOTED IN THIS AREA. IN ADDITION...A LARGE CARGO CONTAINER WAS PICKED

UP AND BLOWN APPROXIMATELY 600 YARDS AND SEVERAL CARS WERE CARRIED

AIRBORNE FOR HUNDREDS OF YARDS. IN ALL...HUNDREDS OF HOMES RECEIVED

MODERATE TO MAJOR DAMAGE ALONG THE PATH WITH MANY OF THESE BEING

TOTAL LOSSES.

THE TORNADO CROSSED INTO MADISON COUNTY EAST OF THE LIMESTONE COUNTY

PRISON...ALONG ORVIL SMITH ROAD WITH A PATH WIDTH OF 1/2 MILE. THE

TORNADO MAINTAINED AN EF-3 STRENGTH WITH WINDS OF 140 TO 160 MPH AND

A PATH WIDTH OF 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE FOR MUCH OF ITS TRACK EAST-NORTHEAST

ACROSS OLD RAILROAD BED ROAD AND FORD CHAPEL ROAD...BEFORE NARROWING

TO AROUND 300 YARDS IN ANDERSON HILLS. DOZENS OF WELL CONSTRUCTED

HOMES WERE DESTROYED...IN SOME CASES WITH ALL EXTERIOR WALLS

COLLAPSING IN BOTH SINGLE AND TWO STORY HOMES. AT LEAST 3-5 MOBILE

HOMES WERE EITHER DESTROYED OR SWEPT COMPLETELY. AT LEAST 2 OTHER

WELL CONSTRUCTED HOMES HAD COMPLETE WALL COLLAPSE IN ANDERSON HILLS

AND WERE SHIFTED OFF THEIR FOUNDATION. THIS DAMAGE WAS ONCE AGAIN

CONSISTENT WITH LOW END EF-4 WIND SPEEDS OF AROUND 170 MPH.

NUMEROUS TALL PINES AND OTHER HARDWOOD TREES WERE SNAPPED...UPROOTED

AND DEBARKED ALONG THE ENTIRE PATH. THE PATH WIDTH WIDENED ONCE

AGAIN TO UP TO 1/2 MILE AS THE TORNADO TRACKED THROUGH RESIDENTIAL

AREAS ALONG BALD EAGLE LANE...OLD ELI ROAD...AND GINNERY ROW. AT

LEAST TWO OF THESE HOMES HAD COMPLETE WALL COLLAPSE...BUT THESE

STRUCTURES HAD FOUNDATION STRAPS AND NAILS IN LIEU OF BOLTS. AT

LEAST ONE FATALITY WAS CONFIRMED AT ONE OF THESE RESIDENCES. THIS

DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH HIGH END EF-3 WIND SPEEDS OF 140 TO 160

MPH. THE TORNADO LIFTED JUST SOUTH OF PATTERSON LANE AFTER TWISTING

IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT AND SNAPPING ADDITIONAL TREES. AN EF0 TORNADO

WITH PEAK WIND SPEEDS OF 70 MPH REDEVELOPED ALONG GRIMWOOD ROAD AND

WALKER LANE SOUTH OF HAZEL GREEN...UPROOTING OR SNAPPING A FEW

TREES. THE TORNADO WEAKENED OR MAY HAVE LIFTED VERY BRIEFLY ACROSS

NORTHEAST MADISON COUNTY BEFORE STRENGTHENING AGAIN AS IT ENTERED

FRANKLIN COUNTY TENNESSEE.

DURING MUCH OF THE LIFECYCLE OF THIS TORNADO ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA...

THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE SATELLITE VORTICES WHICH CAUSED

POINTS OF MORE SEVERE DAMAGE AS COMPARED TO ADJACENT RESIDENCES.

THERE WERE ALSO SEVERAL TREES KNOCKED DOWN JUST OUTSIDE THE PERIPHERY

OF THE TORNADIC CIRCULATION WHICH WERE LIKELY DUE TO MESOCYCLONE

WINDS WHICH WERE CONVERGENT TOWARD THE TORNADO.

FRANKLIN COUNTY TENNESSEE:

MORE STORM DAMAGE WAS SURVEYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PERSONAL

ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ACROSS SOUTHWEST FRANKLIN COUNTY TENNESSEE.

THE LONG TRACKED TORNADO THAT AFFECTED PARTS OF NORTHERN ALABAMA

CREATED MORE DAMAGE SOUTH OF HUNTLAND. ISOLATED AND MINOR EF-0 TREE

DAMAGE WAS NOTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF JOHN HUNTER HIGHWAY (STATE

ROUTE 122) AND LIMESTONE ROAD NEAR THE LINCOLN/FRANKLIN COUNTY LINE.

MORE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS NOTED...STARTING ABOUT 1.4 MILES SOUTH

SOUTHWEST OF HUNTLAND. A CINDER BLOCK BUILDING SUFFERED DAMAGE TO

ITS FLAT ADOBE ROOF...WITH SOME OF BLOCKS NEAR THE ROOF (AROUND 20

FEET OFF OF THE GROUND) PUSHED OUT...RESULTING IN EF-2 DAMAGE.

SURVEYORS COULD NOT DIRECTLY EXAMINE THE ROOF GIVEN THIS BUILDING

WAS ON THE HIGHEST GROUND IN THE VICINITY. NEARBY...A SINGLE FAMILY

HOME OF CINDER BLOCK CONSTRUCTION HAD ITS ROOF TOTALLY REMOVED...WITH

ANOTHER HOME ABOUT 1000 FEET AWAY HAVING SIGNIFICANT ROOF

DAMAGE...WITH OVER ONE HALF OF ITS ROOF REMOVED...AND SOME SHIFTING

OFF OF ITS FOUNDATION. DAMAGE WITH THE LATTER WAS CONSISTENT WITH

HIGH END EF-2 DAMAGE. A CHICKEN BUILDING NEARBY THE SECOND

HOME...WITH METAL GIRDING WAS COMPLETELY FLATTEN...CONSISTENT WITH

EF-2 DAMAGE.

A FARM COMPLEX SOUTH OF HICKORY GROVE ROAD HAD DAMAGE TO A NUMBER OF

STRUCTURES THERE. THE HOME AND THE MAIN CAR GARAGE HAD PART OF THEIR

ROOFS REMOVED. A BARN THAT WAS PROTECTING BALES OF HAY WAS

DESTROYED...WITH A FEW OF BALES BLOWN FROM 100-200 FEET FROM THEIR

ORIGINAL LOCATION. THE WORST DAMAGE WAS NOTED WITH LOWER END EF-3

DAMAGE TO A CINDER BLOCK UTILITY BUILDING ABOUT 200 FEET SOUTH OF

THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE. MOST OF ITS ROOF WAS REMOVED...WITH OVER HALF

OF ITS DOWNWIND WALL PUSHED OUTWARD. AN OLDER BARN NEARBY SUFFERED

LESSER EF-0 DAMAGE TO IT ROOF...WHILE THE TOP HALF OF A SILO NEAR

THAT BARN WAS MISSING. ANOTHER BARN STRUCTURE WAS COMPLETELY

DESTROYED NORTHWEST OF THE PRIMARY HOME. THE WIDTH AT THIS POINT WAS

APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE.

OTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HICKORY GROVE ROAD

AND SUGAR COVE ROAD...WITH EF-1 DAMAGE TO SOME HEAVY FARM EQUIPMENT

AND EF-0 ROOF DAMAGE TO A NEARBY BARN. SCATTERED TREES WERE DOWNED

TO THE NORTHEAST...WITH 8 INCH FENCE POSTS 18 INCHES DEEP PULLED UP

NEAR HICKORY GROVE AND BUNCOMBE ROAD. THERE WAS EVIDENT THE TORNADO

CONTINUED TOWARD MOUNTAINS A FEW MILES FURTHER EAST...WITH SOME

TREES DAMAGED ALONG THE RIDGE.

SURVEYED BY: WFO HUNTSVILLE STAFF AND DR. KEVIN KNUPP/UAH