Two Tornadoes on May 2, 2021

Two Tornadoes in West Central Alabama on May 2, 2021

On the afternoon of Sunday May 2, 2021, a shortwave trough moved northeast from the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast, generally toward the Tennessee River Valley. This storm system featured an area of showers and thunderstorms that moved northeast across portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Despite a marginal thermodynamic environment, sufficient low-level and deep-layer wind shear was present across the area. This allowed more robust updrafts to take on rotation and mesocyclones, several of which were able to produce tornadoes. Most tornadoes from this event impacted central and northern Mississippi, although a couple tornadoes hit west-central Alabama.

Tubbs Creek EF-0 Tornado (Greene County)
May 2, 2021

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-0
Estimated Maximum Wind:	65 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	1.42 miles
Maximum Path Width:	45 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	3 NW Clinton 32.9550/-88.0286 at 3:45 pm
Approximate End Point/Time:	4 NNW Clinton 32.9739/-88.0187 at 3:50 pm

NWS Meteorologists surveyed damage just north of Clinton in Greene County and determined it was the result of an EF-0 tornado.

Damage was only a few uprooted softwood trees and a few large branches broken. This damage was collocated with a tornado debris signature off of KBMX RADAR that afternoon. The majority of the minor timber damage was in an inaccessible area along and near Tubbs Creek.

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the circulation just after the tornado touched down. Images are from KGWX at 3:45 pm.

Sipsey Swamp EF-U Tornado (Tuscaloosa County)
May 2, 2021

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-U
Estimated Maximum Wind:	Unknown
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	0.25 miles
Maximum Path Width:	25 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	4 NW Romulus 33.1927/-87.7959 at 5:25 pm
Approximate End Point/Time:	4 NW Romulus 33.1959/-87.7937 at 5:26 pm

There are at least three videos indicating a brief and weak tornado occurred near Buhl, AL. One close-range video indicates rising cyclonic motion amidst visible yet wispy vorticity tubes. However, NWS BMX survey personnel could not access or find observable damage given the location it impacted near Sipsey Swamp. General location, time, and estimated path length and width were obtained from video footage and KBMX RADAR data.

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) at the time of the brief tornado. Images are from KGWX at 5:26 pm.