More EF-3 damage occurred along County Road 18, where the weather service said vehicles were moved or flipped, numerous trees were snapped, one site-built home was destroyed and others heavily damaged. The Storm Prediction Center said it would like issue a new tornado watch for the northern two-third of Alabama into the nighttime hours. Tornado moving from west of Tuscaloosa, appearing to follow 15th St to the East, and then making its way towards what appeared to be the DCH and University Mall area. [10][20][21][22] President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama visited Tuscaloosa on April 29, taking a ground tour of some of the affected areas. Noon: Particularly dangerous situation tornado watch issued. The tornado weakened more as it neared Highway 77 and dissipated shortly after crossing County Road 114. --> https://t.co/rfXDGIvRHe (Source: Matt Williams) pic.twitter.com/LNlh3fucvz, 2:35 p.m.: Significant tornado damage southeast of Birmingham. [10][13][14], The tornado then grew from 0.5 miles (0.80km) to 1 mile (1.6km) wide and ripped through the suburb of Holt, leveling and sweeping away homes while still at low-end EF4 strength. The tornado continued northeastward and weakened to an EF3 rating with winds of 130 mph. This was the first video evidence that the tornado had touched the ground; the video, along with NEXRAD evidence of a tornado debris signature, prompted the National Weather Service office in Birmingham to declare a tornado emergency. Long-track tornadoes are nothing new in Alabama. Similar devastation to homes and businesses was noted along both sides of CR 45 near 1st St E. and locations to the northeastward. #HUNwx pic.twitter.com/wyBjSkmRCp. Reply. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Half of those were in the state of Alabama including the strongest of the day. Special thanks to Sergeant Rocco Renno of the Hoover Police Department and Officer Chad Allinder of the Jefferson County Sherrif's Department for their assistance withground damage surveys in the Birmingham area. Storms will increase in areal coverage and intensity into early evening while shifting northeastward. Tree trunks were snapped relatively close to the ground, and the bark was ripped from them. - A large supercell beginning in Mississippi dropped an EF-4 tornado packing winds of up to 190 m.p.h. Tornado damage in Old Kingston and Marbury,AL. A tornado ripped the steeple from a Marshall County church, destroyed chicken houses near Albertville, and damaged homes and trailers in more than five counties in northeast Alabama. The tornado lifted just to the west of Alabama Highway 79, about 2 miles north of the city of Tarrant, though the storm was not done. Other Research Extent of injuries unknown. The tornado moved parallel to Hannah Creek Rd where it caused extensive tree damage and destroyed at least one mobile home. [10] As the tornado exited the Alberta City section, the Chastain Manor Apartments (which were nailed, rather than bolted to their foundations) were completely destroyed and partially swept away. Current Hazards To get the best experience possible, please download a compatible browser. Please Contact Us. The twister damaged the home of renowned Birmingham meteorologist James Spann, the legendary broadcaster told viewers as he covered the storm. Entire neighborhoods are leveled. On April 27, 2011, one of the most devastating tornado outbreaks in the history of Alabama left an unprecedented path of destruction through the City of Tuscaloosa. This is a particularly dangerous situation, the Weather Service warned. Then they went outside to see home after home, destroyed. His girlfriend, Ashley Harrison, who was huddle in a closet with him was ripped from his arms. National Outlooks It passed within a half mile of the Tuscaloosa Police Department Headquarters, forcing the evacuation of the dispatch personnel from the third floor offices until the storm passed. The tornadoes left behind pockets of severe damage along with reports of injuries and fatalities. Severe storms and flash flooding, somewhat less intense than those earlier in the day, continued Thursday night. The majority of it remained within a couple of yards of the home. Dont let paying for a funeral add to your grief, Beware of these pitfalls when planning your own funeral, 401(k) balances are up, but the number of millionaires is down, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Weather Service had already received reports. EF-3 damage in the Kingston area of Autauga County, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. The damage sustained in this area is consistent with EF-2 wind damage. Know the location of the nearest shelter, or business that is open 24/7, wrote James Spann, a veteran meteorologist at ABC 33/40 in Birmingham known for walking Alabamians through scores of historic outbreaks. Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States on April 29, 2011 The scar across Tuscaloosa, one of two metropolitan areas this tornado devastated. The storm travelled approximately 132 miles through six counties, killing 72 people and inflicting $1.2 billion in damage. Several apartment complexes were entirely destroyed in this area, and a few two-story apartment buildings were completely reduced to rubble. [3] By the morning of April 27, the SPC upgraded to a high risk of severe weather,[4] noting that a dangerous tornado outbreak capable of producing several violent EF4 tornado or stronger on the Enhanced Fujita scale and long-track tornadoes was expected. EF-4 damage was prevalent here,withslabs wiped clean, though the debris from each home had not been removed by the winds. [10][13][14][15] The tornado exited the Tuscaloosa area and weakened to low-end EF3 status while contracting back to .5 miles (0.80km) wide. The tornado then struck the suburb of Fultondale, damaging homes and businesses in town. Everyone in northeast Bibb County needs to be in a safe location NOW! April 27, 2011. Tropical Acquired May 2, 2011, this natural-color image shows a tornado track through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the wake of a series of violent storms in the U.S. Southeast. Tuscaloosa-area storm shelters, including those on the University of Alabama campus, will open when a tornado watch is issued, officials said. It continued on, with wind speeds reaching 210 mph, leaving a trail of devastation in Phil Campbell and Tanner. 4.1K. Even a decade later, it seems hard to believe. The same rotating storm that produced numerous tornado touch downs in north central Alabama crossed the border into northwest Georgia, prompting a tornado warning for the area around Rome and just to the south. The flash flood warnings cover both Birmingham and Tuscaloosa where 2 to 3 inches of rain have fallen and flooding is underway or expected to begin. As it crossed Hurricane Creek, it tore apart a large metal railroad trestle, and a 34-tonne (74,957lb) metal truss support structure was thrown 100ft (30m) up on a nearby hill. Theres also a cap in place a few thousand feet up a layer of warm, dry desert air that will prevent air near the ground from rising most of the day. The threat wanes into Louisiana, as well as north into the Ohio Valley, but an isolated tornado, as well as instances of wind, hail and localized flooding are still concerns. The path was a familiar one to Tuscaloosa County residents, as it followed closely to that of a tornado that had struck in March 2000 and killed one person. Numerous homes sustained damage in this area, anda 2-story apartment complexhad a large portion of its roof lifted and removed. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Winter Weather, About Us [10][18], The National Weather Service determined the path length of this violent tornado to be 80.68 miles (129.84km) with a maximum damage path width of 1.5 miles (2.4km), or 2,600 yards (2,400m). 1:40 p.m.: Tornado emergency southeast of Birmingham for destructive twister with history of producing damage, The Weather Service in Birmingham declared a tornado emergency for Shelby County, which is just to the south and southeast of the city, for a confirmed large and destructive tornado, heading northeast at 45 mph. On April 23, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) began monitoring the potential for a substantial severe weather outbreak in the extended range. Alabama was hit the worst, with the first reported tornado hitting Marion and others hitting Tuscaloosa, Chilton County, and other locales. This was the third tornado to strike the city of Tuscaloosa in the past decade, and the second in two weeks. A massive tornado tears through the town of Tuscaloosa, destroying everything in its path (from Tornado Rampage 2011) Show more. The tornado killed seven people and injured several others and caused widespread damage along its long path. @abc3340 @spann @TaylorSarallo #alwx pic.twitter.com/t5Aq29BkMX, 3:15 p.m.: Severe damage about 50 miles northeast of Birmingham. NASA Earth Observatory image created by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using EO-1 ALI data provided courtesy of the NASA EO-1 team. Then he saw the storm wall headed straight for him. It then went on to impact parts of Birmingham at high-end EF4 intensity before dissipating. The tornado passed south of downtown Brent and Centreville, sparing the most heavily populated neighborhoods, but several structures were heavily damaged or destroyed on Belcher Road. A nearby manhole cover was removed from its drain and thrown into a ravine. Only piles of debris were left on the foundation. Tornado Database There have been reports of downed trees and damaged homes and businesses in Calhoun County and across the state, with some houses reduced to rubble. Flight Center. No one was home thank God. Meteorologists found "at least" EF-3. Severe Weather #alwx #tornado #ohatchee pic.twitter.com/bPorzsebOY. All-Hazards Awareness Booklet At least three manufactured homes were obliterated, the weather service said, with their frames thrown up to 100 yards along County Road 43. *Note: This story was updated to reflect the adjusted path of the Autauga tornado, which upon further analysis from the National Weather Service had a path length of 82.31 miles. Please try another search. One of the cities hit hardest was Tuscaloosa, Ala. A nearly mile wide tornado cut a path though the town, killing 53 people, and injuring 1200 more. Heres a look at tornado reports from Thursday from the National Weather Service. It is even more at risk from high-end tornadoes than the traditional Great Plains Tornado Alley, with swifter-moving storms that cover more ground. On May 2, 2011, the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA's Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite captured this natural-color image of the . The tornado's damage path appeared to be about a half mile wide as it passed south of the two communities, a vast expanse of downed trees and wires visible. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. Overview of the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF4 Tornado - April 27, 2011 Published by Jen Narramore-Nelson Tucker-Nick Wilkes on July 18, 2021 I've never seen devastation like this. The storm packed winds of 190 miles (310 kilometers per hour) and left a path of debris running southwest to northeast.