Tornadoes & Flooding of March 31, 2021

Overview

A warm front moved northward across Central Alabama late on March 30th and into the early morning hours on March 31st. The atmosphere changes drastically with much increased moisture. A low pressure area developed along the front and moved west to east across northern Alabama. This feature pooled the available instability just south of the front and added just enough shear for some rotating and organized storms. Subsequently, 3 weak and short-lived tornadoes developed. The tornadoes affected Marion, Winston and Blount Counties.

Due to the strong southerly winds and lift near the front, heavy rainfall was observed from northern Alabama into the Ohio Valley. Areas from Lamar and Marion Counties eastward to Etowah and Cherokee Counties received widespread 1 to 3 inches of rainfall in a relatively short period of time. Some localized areas received 5 to 6 inches of rain. These amounts produced flash flooding in several locations where roads were washed out and or became impassable. Additionally, many local creeks and streams flooded and this eventually lead to river and lake flooding.

Interactive Tornado Map

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**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
Haleyville Tornado (Marion County)	EF-0 80 mph	None	1.63 miles 90 yards	1 WNW Marion County Public Lake 34.0606/-87.9958 2:31 am CDT	2 N Marion County Public Lake 34.0760/-87.9744 2:34 am CDT
Nesmith Tornado (Winston County)	EF-1 90 mph	None	1.02 miles 305 yards	1 SSW Nesmith 34.1591/-87.1281 3:45 am CDT	1 SSE Nesmith 34.1633/-87.1112 3:47 am CDT
Hayden Tornado (Blount County)	EF-0 80 mph	None	0.21 miles 65 yards	2 SSE Hayden 33.8910/-86.7379 8:15 am CDT	2 SSE Hayden 33.8931/-86.7354 8:15 am CDT

Hamilton EF-0

Hamilton EF-0 Tornado (Marion County)
March 31, 2021

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-0
Estimated Maximum Wind:	80 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	1.63 miles
Maximum Path Width:	90 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	1 WNW Marion County Public Lake 34.0606/-87.9958 at 2:31 am CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	2 N Marion County Public Lake 34.0760/-87.9744 at 2:34 am CDT

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage in southern Marion County south of Hamilton and determined it was the result of an EF-0 tornado.

The tornado began in a wooded area just north of Stakehouse Road where several large branches were broken. The tornado then traveled northeast where it crossed I-22 and the intersection of Berryhill Road and Highway 278. In this area, several softwood trees were uprooted and additional large branches were broken. The tornado continued northeast into a deforested area where it lifted shortly after.

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Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the circulation just as the tornado touched down. Images are from KGWX at 2:31 am CDT.

Tree Damage

Nesmith EF-1

Nesmith EF-1 Tornado (Winston County)
March 31, 2021

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-1
Estimated Maximum Wind:	90 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	1.02 miles
Maximum Path Width:	305 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	1 SSW Nesmith 34.1591/-87.1281 at 3:45 am CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	1 SSE Nesmith 34.1633/-87.1112 at 3:47 am CDT

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage in extreme eastern Winston County and determined it was the result of an EF-1 tornado.

The tornado began just west of County Road 146 where several large branches were broken from a pine tree. The tornado continued northeast through a wooded area where it snapped and uprooted multiple softwood trees along the way. At the intersection of Helicon Road and County Road 146, various types of structural and foliage damage was observed, including the near total removal of a metal barn roof and significant loss of roof covering on a site-built home. A carport garage that was attached to the home was also completely destroyed. The tornado tracked through an open field before producing additional minor tree damage and removing a few metal roof panels on a barn along County Road 45. Thereafter, the tornado rapidly dissipated right after crossing into Cullman County.

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Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the circulation just as the tornado touched down. Images are from KBMX at 3:45 am CDT.

Barn Damaged	Home Damaged

Hayden EF-0

Hayden EF-0 Tornado (Blount County)
March 31, 2021

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-0
Estimated Maximum Wind:	80 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	0.21 miles
Maximum Path Width:	65 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	2 SSE Hayden 33.8910/-86.7379 at 8:15 am CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	2 SSE Hayden 33.8931/-86.7354 at 8:15 am CDT

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed the damage in southeastern Blount County near Hayden and determined it was the result of an EF-0 tornado.

A localized area of mostly tree damage was surveyed along Armstrong Loop east of Hayden and was determined to have been produced by a brief tornado. The tornado initially snapped several large branches before crossing Armstrong Loop and uprooting around 5 to 6 large pine trees in the front yard of a family residence. The tornado continued into a wooded area nearly parallel to Russell Drive where a few more softwood trees were uprooted and large branches were observed to have been snapped sporadically throughout the forest. The tornado lifted at the end of Russell Drive just before crossing Hayes Creek.

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Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the circulation at the time of the brief touchdown. Images are from KBMX at 8:15 am CDT.

Tree Damage

Flooding

15th Ave - Guin Courtesy Guin PD	US 278 - west of Guin Courtesy of Regina Abbott	Hwy 17 - Beaverton Courtesy Erin Reeves
Kansas Community Courtesy Carbon Hill PD	River Rd/Hwy 17 - Sulligent Courtesy Leigh Hanratty	Beaver Creek - Guin Courtesy Misty Glasgow
Windham Loop - Jasper Courtesy Kaitlyn Criswell	Windham Loop - Jasper Courtesy Walker Co EMA