National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Verbena-Nixburg (Chilton/Coosa) EF-2 Tornado
March 2nd, 2012

 
EF-2
Estimated Maximum Wind:
125 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:
None
Damage Path Length:
28.58 miles
Maximum Path Width:
700 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:
32.7246/-86.5361 at 1001 pm
Approximate End Point/Time:
32.8493/-86.0729 at 1033 pm
 

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southern Chilton and Coosa Counties and determined that it was the result of an EF2 tornado.  The tornado touched down just west of Interstate 65 south of exit 200, where a few trees were snapped or uprooted.  It quickly strengthened and grew to its maximum width of 700 yards as it crossed County Road 503.  The tornado moved east across US Highway 31 near the intersection with County Road 526 1.5 miles south of Verbena.  The tornado intensified to 125 mph and destroyed one home and caused significant damage to another, as well as mowing down hundreds of trees around the two homes.  The tornado continued to snap and uproot trees and it neared County Road 524, where it also destroyed two single-wide manufactured homes and caused significant damage to two homes.  A total of thirteen homes were damaged or destroyed in and around verbena.  As it crossed into Coosa County, the tornado was considerably weaker and narrow.  A weak but continuous damage path continued across south central Coosa County, then crossed US Highway 231 south of Pentonville, where a grove of pines were snapped.  The weak tornado continued across AL Highway 9 north of Nixburg, where it snapped a few pine trees.  The tornado continued to weaken and dissipated south of County Road 63 in rural Coosa County northeast of Nixburg.

Tornado Warnings were in effect from 945 pm until 1042 pm.
Tornado Watches were in effect from 435 pm until 5 am.

 
 
Radar Data 

Radar Image
This is an image of the 0.5 degree reflectivity data from KBMX at 1003 pm as the tornado passed just south of Verbena.
Click to enlarge.

Radar Image
This is an image of the 0.5 degree velocity (SRM) data from KBMX at 1003 pm as the tornado passed just south of Verbena.
Click to enlarge

 

Storm Damage Images - Click to Enlarge

Storm Damage Image
Damage to outbuilding

Storm Damage Image
Tree damage

Storm Damage Image
Significant damage to home

Storm Damage Image
Debris