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Jan 22nd/23rd Severe Weather Outbreak


andyhb

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Mr. Spann is the most passionate guy in what he does of anyone in his field. Who goes on a live feed an hour plus before the severe weather even reaches his viewing area? Also in the middle of the night between Sunday and Monday? Its kind of bittersweet to see him as much as we have the last couple years because he is very informative and you can learn so much but its usually bad weather when he does his thing.

As for ABC saying nobody had any warning these storms where coming, that can't be used as an excuse anymore. With all the weather radios, cell phone apps, social media sites, and message boards such as this one available for use, you should at least recognize a potential or eminent threat of hazardous weather in your area. In my opinion people choose to ignore the warnings and watches and have the attitude of it won't hit me, I'm invincible.

Spann is the Skilling of the South, IMO. You see someone who really is passionate about the weather when he's on air...and I think it's a credit to his employers that they give him as much latitude as they do in terms of coverage...going on live an hour before the system even reaches the area.

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JoMo, did you buy an underground shelter? I've looked at a few.

I made a blog post yesterday about how we've been lucky here... and at some point that luck is going to run out. Atlanta is a big place that really includes 13 counties and there are a LOT of people scattered all over. All it would take is one big long track right through this area and perhaps 1000's would be killed or injured.

The clock is ticking...

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JoMo, did you buy an underground shelter? I've looked at a few.

I made a blog post yesterday about how we've been lucky here... and at some point that luck is going to run out. Atlanta is a big place that really includes 13 counties and there are a LOT of people scattered all over. All it would take is one big long track right through this area and perhaps 1000's would be killed or injured.

The clock is ticking...

Nope, above ground steel. A pic and more information about it on the Joplin thread here:

http://www.americanwx.com/bb/index.php/topic/18858-devastating-tornado-strikes-joplin-missouri/page__st__1190__p__1232754#entry1232754

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Nope, above ground steel. A pic and more information about it on the Joplin thread here:

http://www.americanw...54#entry1232754

Nice, can you provide me with a link as far as where I can get one?

And I know I've said this before but thank you for your tremendous reporting of the disaster there in Joplin. I know it must have been extremely difficult for you and everyone else but you were the voice of Joplin for everyone here. Glad your safe and now have a safe place to go if or when the next event happens there.

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Nice, can you provide me with a link as far as where I can get one?

And I know I've said this before but thank you for your tremendous reporting of the disaster there in Joplin. I know it must have been extremely difficult for you and everyone else but you were the voice of Joplin for everyone here. Glad your safe and now have a safe place to go if or when the next event happens there.

The one I got was from TwisterSafe since they have been producing them here for years and had at least 3 that were hit by the Joplin tornado and survived. All of them are built to exceed the FEMA specifications. There are various producers across the country that build these types of shelters. National Storm Shelter Association is probably a good place to look for shelters in your area. I see they have numerous Installer/Producers in Alabama and a producer in Georgia:

http://www.nssa.cc/InstallerRoster.php

http://www.nssa.cc/ProducerRoster.php

This TwisterSafe was just west of the hospital that was hit, (he lost his wife in the 2008 Picher, OK tornado, they didn't have a shelter then, but when he and his daughter moved to Joplin, they got one and they were hit again but were safe inside the shelter) he has since unbolted it and moved it to his new house:

tom%20cook.jpg

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Looks like they are going to have a story on ABC News tonight.

Also, looks like the NWS has preliminary strength and tracks of the tornadoes:

Note: 880 yards = 1/2 mile

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL

520 PM CST TUE JAN 24 2012

...LONG TRACK SUPERCELLS PRODUCE MULTIPLE TORNADOES...

...CORRECTED INFORMATION FOR JEFFERSON AND ST CLAIR TORNADO...

A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHED THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTERACTED

WITH A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT ALREADY IN PLACE.

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ALONG AND OUT AHEAD

OF THE FRONT ACROSS ARKANSAS AND MISSISSIPPI AND PUSHED EASTWARD

ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO MONDAY MORNING.

THERE WERE SEVERAL SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCED TORNADOES

AS THEY TRACKED ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF

STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE AND SEVERAL REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL AND

FLASH FLOODING WERE ALSO RECEIVED DURING THE EVENT.

DAMAGE SURVEYS ARE ONGOING TODAY AND WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED INTO

WEDNESDAY. WE WILL BE SENDING THREE SURVEY TEAMS OUT TO SURVEY

DAMAGE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES AS TIME PERMITS

TODAY...JEFFERSON...PERRY... CHILTON...ELMORE...COOSA AND

TALLAPOOSA.

TORNADO #1...KOFFMAN TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA COUNTY)...

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012

EVENT TYPE: EF-3

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 140

INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0

EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3257/-87.6579 AT 242 AM

EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3305/-87.6526 AT 243 AM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.45

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 400

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

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

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE JUST EAST

OF AL HWY 171 IN THE KOFFMAN AREA AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE

RESULT OF AN EF-3 TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE

INTERSECTION OF AL HWY 171 AND KOFFMAN RANCH RD WHERE

APPROXIMATELY TWO DOZEN PINE TREES WERE UPROOTED AND ORIENTED IN

MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS. THE TORNADO THEN TRAVELED NORTHEAST

DESTROYING ONE OUTBUILDING ALONG KOFFMAN SPUR. JUST TO THE

NORTHEAST OF KOFFMAN SPUR...A BARN WAS DESTROYED AND THE ENTIRE

ROOF WAS TORN OFF OF A WELL-CONSTRUCTED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.

THE TORNADO LIFTED BEFORE REACHING CARROLL CREEK. THE TORNADO DAMAGE

PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 0.46 MILES LONG AND WAS 400 YARDS WIDE AT

ITS WIDEST POINT.

TORNADO #2...WATERMELON ROAD TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA COUNTY)...

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012

EVENT TYPE: EF-2

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 115

INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0

EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3961/-87.4440 AT 300 AM

EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.4038/-87.4395 AT 301 AM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.56

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 300

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

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

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE

JUST WEST OF THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER ALONG WATERMELON RD AND

DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-2 TORNADO. THE TORNADO

TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT A QUARTER MILE WEST OF WATERMELON RD SNAPPING

AND UPROOTING A FEW SMALL PINE TREES. FROM THERE...THE TORNADO

TRAVELED NORTHEAST AND HIT A HUNTING CAMP WHERE APPROXIMATELY

TWENTY SMALL PINE TREES WERE SNAPPED AND EIGHT CAMPERS WERE

ROLLED. THREE OF THE CAMPERS WERE DESTROYED AND THE OTHER FIVE

RECEIVED DIFFERING DEGREES OF DAMAGE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED

NORTHEAST CROSSING WATERMELON RD WHERE IT SNAPPED 3 WOODEN

H-FRAME TRANSMISSION LINES BEFORE LIFTING JUST TO THE EAST OF

WATERMELON RD. THE TORNADO DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 0.56

MILES LONG AND WAS 300 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT.

TORNADO #3...OAK GROVE TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA/JEFFERSON COUNTY)...

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012

EVENT TYPE: EF-2

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 130

INJURIES/FATALITIES: NA/1

EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.4316/-87.3071 AT 309 AM

EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.5290/-87.1405 AT 327 AM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 13.00

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 880

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

A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 302 AM UNTIL 345 AM.

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

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE

JUST EAST OF THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER NEAR THE TUSCALOOSA AND

JEFFERSON COUNTY LINE. THE DAMAGE WAS WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-2

TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 1 MILE WEST OF GROUNDHOG ROAD. THE

TORNADO THEN MOVED NORTHEAST ACROSS LOCK 17 ROAD...CAMP OLIVER

ROAD...AND TOADVINE ROAD. THE TORNADO LIFTED ALONG TOADVINE ROAD

JUST SOUTHWEST OF SHORT CREEK. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED AND

UPROOTED ALONG THE DAMAGE PATH. ONE FATALITY OCCURRED ALONG TOADVINE

ROAD WHERE A MOBILE HOME WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. SEVERAL OTHER

STRUCTURES RECEIVED VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE ALONG THE PATH.

TORNADO #4...PARKER TORNADO (SUMTER COUNTY)...

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012

EVENT TYPE: EF-0

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 75

INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0

EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.6567/-88.1705 AT 321 AM

EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.6718/-88.1639 AT 324 AM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 1.1

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 50

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 304 AM UNTIL 345 AM.

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

COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND FIRE OFFICIALS HAVE SURVEYED THE

DAMAGE JUST WEST OF STATE HIGHWAY 11 AND COUNTY ROAD 39 AND

DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-0 TORNADO. THE TORNADO

TOUCHED DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 11 ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF LIVINGSTON

DAMAGING AND UPROOTING A FEW SMALL SOFT AND HARDWOOD TREES. THE

TORNADO THEN TRAVELED NORTHEAST TOWARDS COUNTY ROAD 39 AND

MCCAINVILLE ROAD WHERE ADDITIONAL TREES WERE DAMAGED ALONG WITH

MINOR DAMAGE TO AN OUTDOOR SHED AS THE TORNADO WAS LIFTING. THE

TORNADO DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILES LONG AND WAS 50

YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. SPECIAL THANKS TO SUMTER COUNTY

OFFICIALS FOR THEIR HELP WITH THE DAMAGE SURVEY.

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

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012

EVENT TYPE: EF-3

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 150

INJURIES/FATALITIES: 100/2

EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.6228/-86.7411 AT 358 AM

EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.7197/-86.4963 AT 420 AM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 15.5

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 800

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

A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 415 AM UNTIL 515 AM.

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

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

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE

BETWEEN TARRANT...CENTER POINT...CLAY...AND ARGO. THE DAMAGE WAS THE

RESULT OF AN EF-3 TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG PAWNEE

VILLAGE ROAD ABOUT 3.25 MILES NORTHEAST OF TARRANT WHERE SEVERAL

BUSINESSES SUSTAINED ROOF AND WALL DAMAGE. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED

FURTHER NORTHEAST ACROSS PINSON VALLEY PARKWAY WHERE SEVERAL

ADDITIONAL BUSINESSES WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THE

TORNADO THEN MOVED THROUGH DOWNTOWN CENTER POINT CROSSING CENTER

POINT PARKWAY WHERE NUMEROUS HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE DAMAGED OR

DESTROYED. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST TO OLD SPRINGVILLE ROAD

TOWARDS THE CITY OF CLAY WHERE MORE HOMES AND BUSINESSES SUSTAINED

MAJOR DAMAGE WITH MOST EXTERIOR WALLS COLLAPSED AS THE TORNADO

REACHED MAXIMUM INTENSITY. FURTHER NORTHEAST THE TORNADO CONTINUED

AT ITS MAXIMUM STRENGTH NEAR DEERFOOT PARKWAY WHERE ADDITIONAL HOMES

WERE DESTROYED. THE TORNADO BEGAN TO WEAKEN AS IT APPROACHED

INTERSTATE 59 CROSSING INTO ST CLAIR COUNTY JUST NORTH OF ARGO

WHERE SEVERAL ADDITIONAL HOMES SUSTAINED DAMAGE ALONG WITH NUMEROUS

TREES DAMAGED. THE TORNADO BEGAN TO LIFT NEAR HIDDEN VALLEY DRIVE

AND COUNTRY LIVING CIRCLE. TWO FATALITIES OCCURED WITH THIS VIOLENT

TORNADO...ONE IN CENTER POINT AND THE OTHER IN THE CITY OF CLAY. AT

THE TIME OF THIS REPORT SEVERAL HUNDRED HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE

DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THE TORNADO DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 15.5

MILES LONG AND WAS 800 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. SPECIAL

THANKS TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HUNTSVILLE FOR THEIR

HELP WITH THE DAMAGE SURVEY.

TORNADO #6...NORTH MILLBROOK TORNADO (ELMORE COUNTY)...

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012

EVENT TYPE: EF-1

ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 100

INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0

EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.5209/-86.4119 AT 748 AM

EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.5309/-86.3437 AT 755 AM

DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 4.02

DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 200

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

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE

BETWEEN MILLBROOK...DEATSVILLE...AND ELMORE. THE DAMAGE WAS THE

RESULT OF AN EF-1 TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG COUNTY

ROAD 39 NEAR THE AUTAUGA COUNTY LINE. THE TORNADO MOVED EASTWARD AND

CROSSED HIGHWAY 7 NEAR THE PINES GOLF CLUB. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED

ALONG HIGHWAY 14 AND LIFTED JUST BEFORE THE WETUMPKA MUNICIPAL

AIRPORT. TEN TO FIFTEEN HOMES SUFFERED SHINGLE AND SIDING DAMAGE.

DOZENS OF TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN. ONE APARTMENT HAD ITS METAL ROOF

BLOWN OFF. ONE AUTO CENTER HAD ITS DOORS BLOWN IN.

...PERRY AND CHILTON COUNTIES (SURVEY ONGOING)...

A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM MOVED ACROSS A LARGE PART OF PERRY AND

CHILTON COUNTIES AND PRODUCED DAMAGE. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

SURVEY CREWS HAVE FOUND EF2 DAMAGE IN PERRY COUNTY WHICH CONSISTED

OF SIGNIFICANT TREE DAMAGE AND DAMAGE TO SEVERAL STRUCTURES. MAXIMUM

WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AROUND 130 MPH. MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW AS

THE SURVEY CREW CONTINUES IN CHILTON COUNTY.

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This is just not a good way to start the severe season, with areas in the same places as last year taking direct hits. If this is any indication for what we can expect in Spring, then we're going to have some serious problems particularly considering the GoM is a lot more juiced this year than last.

And, interestingly, some areas that had closed calls but missed them time and again, like Memphis, got lucky.

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Looks like they are going to have a story on ABC News tonight.

Also, looks like the NWS has preliminary strength and tracks of the tornadoes:

I watched the story on ABC, James Spann got a little camera time and they did say that there was warning. I was at least glad to see it wasn't a story with the typical "there was no warning" mantra. Birmingham is lucky to have him, there's no telling how many lives he's saved in the past couple of years.

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I watched the story on ABC, James Spann got a little camera time and they did say that there was warning. I was at least glad to see it wasn't a story with the typical "there was no warning" mantra. Birmingham is lucky to have him, there's no telling how many lives he's saved in the past couple of years.

Is there a link to this ABC segment anywhere?

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Looks like the 19 mile EF-2 that caused considerable damage near Fordyce lifted

just before reaching Rison. A very good thing because I know a lot of folks on here

were concerned.

The powerful supercell that moved through Tuscaloosa/Jefferson/St. Clair counties

apparently dropped multiple large tornadoes, with two 10-15 miles long ones creating

considerable damage and a couple fatalities. The Center Point-Clay tornado was easily

the strongest, in the moderate EF-3 range with half-a-mile wide maximun width. It

injured upwards of 100 people, but yet only 1 or 2 fatalities. Extremely fortunate there,

the firefighters and EM's deserve a ton of credit for going out in the dark and pulling

out all of those people to safety.

The crew of individuals here that helped cover the tornadoes, particularly the Center Point-Clay

one, did an excellent job. The live analysis of that storm and its properties could not have

been done better on TWC itself. Even correctly predicting the cycle and when the cycle

was about to end with another tornado was timed well.

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I highly urge everyone that can, find out how you can become a first responder where you live. I know here in Gwinnett County the Red Cross among others have a program you go though to become certified. During times like these, doctors, nurses, and EMT's are in short supply and need all the help they can get. You can make their job much easier and possibly save the life of someone that otherwise might not make it.

It's a small investment in time that could potentially have a very great reward.

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Looks like the 19 mile EF-2 that caused considerable damage near Fordyce lifted

just before reaching Rison. A very good thing because I know a lot of folks on here

were concerned.

The powerful supercell that moved through Tuscaloosa/Jefferson/St. Clair counties

apparently dropped multiple large tornadoes, with two 10-15 miles long ones creating

considerable damage and a couple fatalities. The Center Point-Clay tornado was easily

the strongest, in the moderate EF-3 range with half-a-mile wide maximun width. It

injured upwards of 100 people, but yet only 1 or 2 fatalities. Extremely fortunate there,

the firefighters and EM's deserve a ton of credit for going out in the dark and pulling

out all of those people to safety.

The crew of individuals here that helped cover the tornadoes, particularly the Center Point-Clay

one, did an excellent job. The live analysis of that storm and its properties could not have

been done better on TWC itself. Even correctly predicting the cycle and when the cycle

was about to end with another tornado was timed well.

Kind of an interesting note with this tornado. Ive seen numerous comments on other forums that it crossed the damage path of the April EF4. This doesnt appear to be the case. The April EF4 lifted directly North of Tarrant. And the end is very visible on Google Eath now. This one touched down NE of Tarrant. If you compare the touchdown point from this weekend to the lift point from the April tornado. There is a 1.4 mile gap where one ended and the other began. Kind of creepy, had the April EF4 continued, it would have hit the areas affected by this weekends EF3.

post-892-0-50318000-1327507667.jpg

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