Public Information Statement from February 28th, 2011

Public Information Statement from February 28th, 2011

...STORM SURVEYS COMPLETED FROM MONDAY`S STORMS...

A BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...WITH AREAS OF EMBEDDED ROTATION...
MOVED THROUGH CENTRAL ALABAMA MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. MANY OF
THESE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED WIND DAMAGE...KNOCKING DOWN TREES...
POWER LINES AND CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. SOME
OF THE DAMAGE WAS THE RESULT OF STRAIGHT LINE WINDS BUT OTHER DAMAGE
WAS THE RESULT OF TORNADOES.

THREE SURVEY TEAMS OF NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS
COMPLETED ASSESSMENTS OF THE AREAS WHERE DAMAGE WAS REPORTED. THESE
ARE THEIR FINDINGS:

...ETOWAH/CHEROKEE COUNTIES STORM SURVEY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE LOCATIONS IN
ETOWAH AND CHEROKEE COUNTIES. THERE WAS SPORADIC DAMAGE IN BOTH
COUNTIES BUT THE ASSESSMENT DID NOT UNCOVER ANY EVIDENCE OF A
TORNADO. THEREFORE...IT APPEARS THIS DAMAGE WAS THE RESULT OF
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

...TALLADEGA COUNTY TORNADO...

EVENT DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-0 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 75
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 33.35404/-86.2212 AT 353 PM
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 33.3548/-86.2152 AT 353 PM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.34
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 50

THE BRIEF...WEAK TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG CR 46 (GRIST MILL ROAD)
AND TRACKED EASTWARD. THE TORNADO CROSSED REYNOLDS MILL ROAD AND
LIFTED. THIS LOCATION IS JUST EAST OF ALPINE OR 2.5 MILES NORTHWEST
OF WINTERBORO. ONE HOME SUFFERED FRONT PORCH DAMAGE, SEVERAL
SOFTWOOD TREES WERE EITHER SNAPPED OFF OR UPROOTED ALONG THE PATH. A
FEW OUTBUILDINGS ALSO HAD METAL ROOFS PARTIALLY REMOVED.

TORNADO WARNING #010 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 339 PM UNTIL 415 PM.

TORNADO WATCH #033 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 1230 PM UNTIL 700 PM.

...SHELBY COUNTY STORM SURVEY...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE LOCATIONS IN
EASTERN SHELBY COUNTY. THERE WERE SEVERAL TREES SNAPPED OFF OR
UPROOTED NEAR VINCENT. THE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT DID NOT UNCOVER ANY
EVIDENCE OF A TORNADO. THEREFORE...IT APPEARS THIS DAMAGE WAS THE
RESULT OF STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

...AUTUAGA/ELMORE COUNTY TORNADO...

EVENT DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-0 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 75-80
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 32.5699/-86.4854 AT 505 PM
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 32.5546/-86.3329 AT 520 PM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 8.95
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 200

THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST TO THE WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF CR 40 WEST AND DAVIES DRIVE IN AUTAUGA COUNTY. THE
TORNADO TRACKED TO THE SOUTHEAST OVER INTERSTATE 65 AND LIFTED JUST
TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF ELMORE IN ELMORE COUNTY, NEAR THE
END OF DOZIER FARM ROAD. ALONG THE PATH, NUMEROUS SOFTWOOD TREES
WERE EITHER SNAPPED OR UPROOTED. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE
OCCURRED ON HARRIS ROAD WHERE DOZENS OF TREES WERE SNAPPED AND
UPROOTED...THERE WAS PARTIAL ROOF DAMAGE TO NUMEROUS HOMES IN THE
SAME AREA AND A SINGLE-WIDE MOBILE HOME WAS OVERTURNED.

TORNADO WATCH #033 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 1230 PM UNTIL 700 PM.

...CHAMBERS COUNTY TORNADO...

EVENT DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-0 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 80
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 33.00726/-85.3988 AT 528 PM
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 33.0084/-85.3658 AT 530 PM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 1.9
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 30

THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST WEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF CR 160 AND
CR 162. THE TORNADO TRACKED EASTWARD GENERALLY ALONG CR 160 AND
LIFTED AS IT APPROACHED HIGHWAY 431. SEVERAL TREES WERE EITHER
SNAPPED OFF OR UPROOTED ALONG THE DAMAGE PATH. SEVERAL HOMES
SUFFERED MINOR SHINGLE DAMAGE AND A FEW HAD METAL ROOFS PEELED BACK.
A FEW MANUFACTURED HOMES SUFFERED MINOR SKIRTING DAMAGE. ONE BARN
WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. SEVERAL AUTOMOBILES WERE DAMAGED BY FALLEN
TREES.

TORNADO WARNING #011 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 529 PM UNTIL 552 PM.

TORNADO WATCH #033 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 1230 PM UNTIL 700 PM.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO CHAMBERS COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS
FOR SURVEYING THE DAMAGE NEAR WHITE PLAINS AND FIVE POINTS.

...LOWNDES COUNTY TORNADO...

EVENT DATE: FEBRUARY 28, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-1 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 100-110
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 32.2105/-86.5114 AT 537 PM
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 32.1965/-86.4282 AT 542 PM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 4.96
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 200

THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST TO THE WEST OF THE INTERSECTION OF
DEER TRACE ROAD AND COUNTY ROAD 37. THE TORNADO TRACKED TO THE
SOUTHEAST FOR ALMOST 5 MILES, CROSSED OVER THE INTERSECTION OF
COUNTY ROADS 26 AND 5, AND LIFTED JUST TO THE WEST OF INTERSTATE
65. ALONG THE PATH, 5 GRAIN ELEVATORS WERE DESTROYED...3 CHICKEN
HOUSES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED...AND ONE HOME HAD NEARLY TOTAL
ROOF REMOVAL ON THE WINDWARD SIDE. NUMEROUS TREES WERE
SNAPPED...INCLUDING A HEALTHY LIVE OAK SNAPPED AT THE BASE.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING #033 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 515 PM UNTIL
600 PM.

TORNADO WATCH #033 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 1230 PM UNTIL 700 PM.

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF SEVERE REPORTS ACROSS THE REST OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA, PLEASE SEE THE LOCAL STORM REPORTS.

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.