It was taken from the University Mall parking lot. It combines visible and infrared data to reveal damage unseen in conventional photographs. NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Satellite Observes Damage Path of April Tornadoes in Alabama, Follow this link to skip to the main content, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer or ASTER. To the east of US-31, the damage quickly diminished from EF-2 intensity to EF-1 and EF-0. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. But weather forecasters were already warning of worse to come that afternoon. Know how to get there quickly.. The basics of personal finance, like How to save for a house. Figure out your next step toward financial freedom. [10][13][16][17], After causing massive timber damage in rural areas, the tornado entered Jefferson County and rapidly intensified to its maximum intensity and width. [12] The tornado then ripped through the neighborhoods of Rosedale and Forest Lake, leveling and sweeping away numerous poorly-anchored homes. [5] At 1:45p.m. CDT (18:45 UTC), a Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) tornado watch was issued for much of Alabama, northwest Georgia, southeast Mississippi, and southern middle Tennessee, with a >95% probability of at least two tornadoes and one or more strong tornadoes. A string of those tornado reports likely came from one storm, one long-lived supercell storm. 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. On April 27, 2011, a devastating tornado tore through Tuscaloosa, Alabama. More than 50 million Americans are threatened by severe weather, including about 9 million within the two zones of highest risk. The storm travelled approximately 132 miles through six counties, killing 72 people and inflicting $1.2 billion in damage. 4:01 p.m. - An EF-4 tornado killed 11 people along a 28-mile path in Jackson and DeKalb counties, leveling Flat Rock and Shiloh before crossing over into Georgia. Its a call to prepare. East of Holt, the tornado path width widened from 0.5 mile to around 1 mile. While uncertainty exists as to how intense individual storms will become and what specific areas will be hit, an extremely serious outbreak of severe weather is anticipated. The watch, reserved for the most serious severe weather situations, calls for numerous tornadoes and several intense tornadoes, widespread damaging wind gusts up to 80 mph, and widespread large hail. No one was home thank God. 2:30 p.m.: Tornado warning for Meridian, Miss. Severe Weather Preparedness Please select one of the following: After the tornado moved through the McDonald Chapel area, it moved into the area of Smithfield Estates, with significant home damage along Cherry Avenue between Daniel Payne Drive and Veterans Memorial Drive. April 27, 2011. Drought Monitor 4.1K. At least 30 people were injured as the tornado carved a 10-mile (16-kilometer) path through Birmingham's northern suburbs, an area severely damaged by a much larger tornado a decade ago. The tornado crossed University Blvd in the Alberta City community. The large tornado that passed south of Tuscaloosa is now roaring east into the zone about 40 miles south of Birmingham where a tornado emergency is in effect until 6 p.m. Elsewhere, only one other tornado warning was active, about 30 miles west of Tuscaloosa, until 2:30 p.m. View annotated composite image. The tornado quickly moved out of the Pleasant Grove area and into the McDonald Chapel community. The Storm Prediction Center even took an unusual step in mentioning potentially violent, long-track tornadoes, the term violent corresponding to twisters of EF4 to EF5 strength, the most extreme levels on the scale. Average tornado warning lead time is around 10 minutes at best, meaning its vital to have a plan in place before you need it. Acquired May 7, 2011, this natural-color image shows part of a tornado track near the town of Berry, Alabama. Tornado Warnings for counties in Central Alabamawere in effect from338 pm until800 pm with this supercell. Meteorologists have rated the tornado that took seven lives in Autauga. pic.twitter.com/ByAPwZ6JJK, 7:00 p.m.: Risk of tornadoes and severe weather lower but not eliminated into the evening. Forecast Discussion A single tornado may account for multiple reports along its path. The same tornadic thunderstorm which caused damage southeast of Birmingham had charged into northeast Alabama, near the border with Georgia where a tornado warning is in effect until 4 p.m. The particularly dangerous situation tornado watch issued signaled a high-end threat and the possibility of intense tornadoes. Radar showed rotation associated with a confirmed large tornado about 20 miles east of Birmingham. Studies show we're underestimating the destructive power of tornadoes. Police were using the Sawmeal Restaurant as a checkpoint for southbound travelers, turning back the majority who did not live in the area. Based on the damage scene and contextual evidence, it is plausible that winds were stronger, the weather service said. Severe Safety Rules Special Weather Statements A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for twisters to form, but not a guarantee. The tornado reached a maximum path width of 1.5 miles (2.4 km) during its track through Tuscaloosa, and once again when it crossed Interstate 65 north of Birmingham, and attained estimated winds of 190 mph (310 km/h) shortly after passing through the city. On April 27, 2011, a devastating tornado tore through Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Meanwhile, radar indicated a rotating thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado over northeastern Birmingham at 4:45 p.m., sprinting northeast at 55 mph. Tornadoes, large to very large hail, and damaging winds to hurricane force also are possible over a broad area from the central Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley and southern Appalachians, the Weather Services Storm Prediction Center warned. After three hours of peril, the first wave of storms begin dissipating around 7:30 a.m., with barns, homes and structures reporting damage as far east at DeKalb County. 5:30 p.m. - An EF-3 tornado began a 71-mile path through Greene, Hale and Bibb counties, killing seven and injures more than 50. Aviation Weather, Climate and Past Weather Tell your friends, neighbors, and relatives about the severe weather threat, and what they need to do to get ready. The effects of the tornado arguably contributed to a decrease in affordable housing in what has been called "an uneven recovery" for Tuscaloosa.[25]. According to the National Weather Service in Birmingham, the Autauga tornado was on the ground for an hour and 20 minutes. Along the way, it stripped a school bus down to its chassis. It continued through a dense forest towards Birmingham, this time downing thousands of trees and flattening more rural homes. The tornados 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. They need to have a plan in place NOW which includes having multiple ways to get warning information and [knowing] where to take shelter should a tornado warning be issued for their location., The sentiment was echoed by other Weather Service offices and broadcast meteorologists, the Weather Service in Birmingham writing the synoptic pattern checks nearly all the boxes for a Deep South/Tennessee Valley outbreak., Their neighboring office in Huntsville described the air mass as very unstable and downright volatile, while the Storm Prediction Center called the environment for violent, tornadic storms as uncommon, upper echelon.. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Please Contact Us. The following detailed information was obtained fromNWS survey teamdamage experts. Latest update on Tuscaloosa from Mayor Maddox. A marina on Holt Lake was significantly impacted, with numerous boats and a restaurant destroyed; some boats were tossed over 330 feet (100m) in this area. Late Thursday evening, a third long-track tornadic storm developed near Wadley, Ala., about 60 miles northwest of Montgomery, and raced east-northeast into north Georgia, south of Atlanta. Reply. The tornado crossed the river near Neely Road on the west bank and Kelly Road on the east bank. Then, as the lower atmosphere is heated, the cap will break allowing storms to explosively develop. Storms will increase in areal coverage and intensity into early evening while shifting northeastward. Several injuries were noted in this area. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Damage at the beginning of the path ranged from EF1 to EF2. Severe storms and flash flooding, somewhat less intense than those earlier in the day, continued Thursday night. *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. Flood Products Description In all, 240 people died and more than 2,000 people were injured. Tornado damage in Old Kingston and Marbury,AL. On April 23, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) began monitoring the potential for a substantial severe weather outbreak in the extended range. Info: Tornado reports do not correspond to the number of tornadoes that occurred. It crossed the highway and rolled a manufactured home along Autauga County Road 40. The warnings are in effect until 6 p.m. 3:55 p.m.: Tornado warning in northwest Georgia from same rotating storm that tracked across Alabama. The Storm Prediction Center said it would like issue a new tornado watch for the northern two-third of Alabama into the nighttime hours. 5:17 a.m. - Tornadoes touched down from the Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa to Lake Guntersville. Winter Weather, Special Programs --> https://t.co/rfXDGIvRHe (Source: Matt Williams) pic.twitter.com/LNlh3fucvz, 2:35 p.m.: Significant tornado damage southeast of Birmingham. Many stations, including WIAT, the WBMA trimulcast, CBS affiliate WTVY (channel 4) in Dothan and NBC affiliate WSFA (channel 12) in Montgomery, showed television cameras capturing the event as the tornado which appeared wider than its estimated width during that section of the path as the condensation funnel was partially obscured by a debris cloud and a dense rain shaft moved east-northeast across the western and northern suburbs of Birmingham at high-end EF4 strength around 6:00p.m. CDT (23:00 UTC). 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