Severe Weather & Flooding of March 22, 2022

Overview

Several supercell thunderstorms developed ahead of a QLCS in advance of a cold front. One supercell produced three weak tornadoes, with a QLCS later producing a weak tornado. Training thunderstorms resulted in many instances of flash flooding and river flooding, with three flash flood fatalities occurring in Tuscaloosa County.

Interactive Damage Map

Maps coming soon!

**The data below are considered PRELIMINARY.**

Location/Clickable Detailed Summary Link	Damage Rating/Estimated Maximum Wind Speeds	Injuries/Fatalities	Damage Path Length/Width	Starting Point/Time	Ending Point/Time
Thornhill Tornado (Greene County)	EF-0 75 mph	None	0.88 miles 150 yards	Thornhill 32.6906/-87.9379 6:00 pm CDT	1 NE Thornhill 32.696/-87.9242 6:02 pm CDT
Dollarhide Creek Tornado (Greene County)	EF-0 65 mph	None	3.27 miles 250 yards	3 NNE Thornhill 32.7238/-87.9136 6:04 pm CDT	Walden Quarters 32.7478/-87.867 6:08 pm CDT
Williams Camp Tornado (Tuscaloosa County)	EF-0 85 mph	None	0.97 miles 175 yards	4 NNW Bankhead Lock and Dam 33.5094/-87.3777 6:21 pm CDT	4 SE Whitson 33.5221/-87.3710 6:25 pm CDT
Moundville EF-0 (Hale/Tuscaloosa Counties)	EF-0 80 mph	None	3.00 miles 430 yards	1.5 S Moundville 32.9800/-87.6300 6:38 pm CDT	2 ENE Moundville 33.0100/-87.5900 6:42 pm CDT
Shades Creek Tornado (Bibb/Shelby Counties)	EF-0 75 mph	None	2.79 miles 100 yards	2 NE Hebron 33.1858/-87.0408 9:08 pm CDT	4 N Marvel 33.2109/-87.0040 9:13 pm CDT

Thornhill EF-0

Thornhill EF-0 Tornado (Greene County)
March 22, 2022

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-0
Estimated Maximum Wind:	65 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	0.88 miles
Maximum Path Width:	150 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	Thornhill 32.6906/-87.9379 at 6:00 pm CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	1 NE Thornhill 32.6960/-87.9242 at 6:02 pm CDT

A brief EF0 tornado occurred between Boligee and Forkland. The tornado formed along County Road 20 just northwest of the intersection of County Road 142. It continued northeastward crossing County Road 142 before dissipating in a wooded area. Damage was mainly limited to downed trees but a hunting blind was also blown over. A TDS was observed by a nearby Doppler on Wheels mobile radar. Special thanks to the NSSL UAS team for their assistance with this survey.

Reflectivity (top-left), velocity (top-right), correlation coefficient (bottom-left), and spectrum width (bottom-right) after the tornado formed. Images are from the C-band on Wheels (COW) mobile radar at 6:00 pm CDT. Image courtesy Bryan Wilson.

Dollarhide Creek EF-0

Dollarhide Creek EF-0 (Greene County)
March 22, 2022

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-0
Estimated Maximum Wind:	75 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	3.27 miles
Maximum Path Width:	250 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	3 NNE Thornhill 32.7238/-87.9136 at 6:04 pm CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	Walden Quarters 32.7478/-87.8670 at 6:08 pm CDT

A second brief EF0 tornado in Greene County formed west of Highway 43 south of County Road 148. Doppler on Wheels data indicated this was a separate circulation from the Thornhill tornado. The tornado downed trees as it crossed Highway 43 and caused roof damage to a chicken house. The tornado continued northeast and crossed County Road 146. A few shingles were blown off a house on County Road 148. The tornado downed a couple more trees before dissipating along County Road 150. Special thanks to the NSSL UAS team for their assistance with this survey.

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) as the tornado was forming (northern circulation). The southern circulation is the Thornhill Tornado. Images are from the C-band On Wheels (COW) mobile radar at 6:03 pm CDT.

Downed Trees (Courtesy NSSL UAS Team)	Downed trees and chicken coop roof damage (Courtesy NSSL UAS Team)

Williams Camp EF-0

Williams Camp EF-0 (Tuscaloosa County)
March 22, 2022

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-0
Estimated Maximum Wind:	85 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	0.97 miles
Maximum Path Width:	175 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	4 NNW Bankhead Lock and Dam 33.5094/-87.3777 at 6:21 pm CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	4 SE Whitson 33.5221/-87.3710 at 6:25 pm CDT

A brief EF-0 tornado was confirmed in northeast Tuscaloosa County along the Yellow Creek tributary of Bankhead Lake. The tornado formed in a wooded area southwest of Williams Camp Road. It uprooted and snapped some trees in a narrow convergent path as it crossed Williams Camp Road twice. Along the lake, several homes had minor roof damage and a couple boathouses were damaged, though some of this damage appeared to be from inflow and forward flank winds outside of the tornado damage path. The tornado intensified as it crossed the lake, with a couple dozen snapped and uprooted trees visible across the lake as well as a damaged boathouse. The tornado moved northeast in a wooded area with several downed trees visible in a ravine. The tornado dissipated as it crossed a logging road. Special thanks to the Tuscaloosa County EMA for their assistance with this survey.

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) as the tornado was on the ground. Images are from the BMX radar at 6:22 pm CDT.

Downed Trees	Downed trees and boat house damage

Moundville EF-0

Moundville EF-0 (Hale/Tuscaloosa Counties)
March 22, 2022

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-0
Estimated Maximum Wind:	80 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	3.00 miles
Maximum Path Width:	430 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	1.5 S Moundville 32.9800/-87.6300 at 6:38 pm CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	2 ENE Moundville 33.0100/-87.5900 at 6:42 pm CDT

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage just south of Mountville in Hale County and determined it was the result of an EF-0 tornado.

Additional evidence gathered since the original ground survey was conducted now suggests that damage near the city of Moundville that occurred on the evening of March 22, 2022 was caused by a tornado. That additional evidence included UAV ("drone") imagery that revealed a convergent tree failure pattern, and information from a property owner that showed there was some debris splattered on the backside of a building (indicating winds blowing in a direction opposite that of the storm motion). These pieces of evidence tipped the scale to suggest that the damage was caused by a weak tornado.

The tornado began just on the west side of AL-69 near CR 52. It caused damage to the roof of a barn and a business along AL-69. The tornado also uprooted numerous trees with at least two falling on a home and manufactured home. The tornado continued northeastward, crossing Industrial Drive and damaging homes on Azalea Lane. Splatter was observed on the east side of two homes at the end of Azalea Lane. The tornado then crossed CR 50, uprooting a few more trees before crossing County Line Road and dissipating near Sagebrush Dr. in southern Tuscaloosa County.

View larger map

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the curculation just before the tornado touched down. Images are from KBMX at 6:37 pm CDT.

Tree Damage & Debris	Scattered Debris
Manufactured Home Damage	Home Damaged

Shades Creek EF-0

Shades Creek EF-0 Tornado (Bibb/Shelby Counties)
March 22, 2022

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-0
Estimated Maximum Wind:	75 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	2.79 miles
Maximum Path Width:	100 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	2 NE Hebron 33.1858/-87.0408 at 9:08 pm CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	4 N Marvel 33.2109/-87.0040 at 9:13 pm CDT

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage from extreme northern Bibb County into extreme western Shelby County and determined it was the result of an EF-0 tornado.

The tornado began along CR 21 in far northeast Bibb County where a few trees were uprooted. The tornado then moved northeastward, downing additional trees, before coming to an end just south of CR 13 in far southwest Shelby County. No structural damage was observed as the track went across forested areas and stayed clear of isolated residential areas.

Thank you to the Shelby County Sheriff`s Office for assisting in accessing this track via helicopter.

View larger map

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the circulation just as the tornado lifted. Images are from KMXX at 9:13 pm CDT.

Rainfall

Outlooks & Reports

Local Day 3 Outlook Mar 20 at 1210 pm	Local Day 2 Outlook Mar 21 at 3 am	Local Day 1 Outlook Mar 22 at 330 am
Storm Reports Mar 22

Surface Charts

Surface Analysis Mar 22 at 4 pm	Surface Analysis Mar 22 at 7 pm	Surface Analysis Mar 22 at 10 pm
Surface Analysis Mar 23 at 1 am	Surface Analysis Mar 23 at 4 am	Surface Analysis Mar 23 at 7 am

Upper Air Charts

250 mb Analysis Mar 22 at 7 pm	500 mb Analysis Mar 22 at 7 pm	850 mb Analysis Mar 22 at 7 pm
KBMX Sounding Mar 22 at 1 pm	KJAN Sounding Mar 22 at 7 pm