May 17, 2013 Storm Survey

• Athens Tornado (Limestone Co)
• Elkmont Tornado (Limestone Co) 

	
.TORNADO #1 -- SOUTH ATHENS /LIMESTONE COUNTY/

RATING: EF-0 
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 75 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 2.04 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 50 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0

START DATE: MAY 17 2013
START TIME: 2:00 PM CDT
START LOCATION: 3 MILES SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN ATHENS
START LAT/LON: 34.759983 / -86.974814 

END DATE: MAY 17 2013
END TIME: 2:07 PM CDT 
END LOCATION: HWY 72 / ATHENS 
END LAT/LON: 34.786681 / -86.959044

SURVEY SUMMARY:
A SHORT-LIVED TORNADO INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN ALONG ROY LONG ROAD JUST WEST
OF HIGHWAY 31. SEVERAL TREES WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED AROUND A RESIDENCE
PROPERTY. THE RESIDENCE ITSELF SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE AS NARROW WOODEN FRONT
PORCH PILLARS WERE BROKEN AND SHIFTED BY THE WIND. BASED ON THIS DAMAGE...THE
MAXIMUM WINDS WERE DETERMINED TO BE AROUND 75 MPH...A MID-RANGE EF-0 ON THE
ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE. THE TORNADO SKIPPED NORTHEAST WITH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE 
SEEN ALONG HIGHWAY 72...JUST WEST OF HIGHWAY 31. MULTIPLE SIGNS ATOP A LARGE
METAL POLE WERE BLOWN OUT AND A PORTION OF THE METAL SIDING WAS RIPPED OFF. NO
ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS REPORTED JUST NORTHEAST OF THIS LOCATION...THEREFORE IT IS
DETERMINED THE WEAK TORNADO LIFTED AROUND THIS POINT. 

SURVEYED BY: NADLER/SHUMWAY

.TORNADO # 2 -- ELKMONT AREA /LIMESTONE COUNTY/

RATING:                 EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    70 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  0.15 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   50 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             MAY 17 2013
START TIME:             2:45 PM CDT
START LOCATION:         ELKMONT /HARDIMAN LANE/
START LAT/LON:          34.954581 / -86.879413

END DATE:               MAY 17 2013
END TIME:               2:46 PM CDT
END LOCATION:           BETWEEN HARDIMAN LANE AND SWEET SPRINGS RD
END LAT/LON:            34.956560 / -86.878222

SURVEY SUMMARY:
THIS VERY SHORT-LIVED TORNADO WAS PART OF THE SAME STORM THAT
PRODUCED THE SOUTH ATHENS TORNADO. DAMAGE WAS SEEN IN A LESS THAN
1/4 MILE SWATH BETWEEN RESIDENCES ALONG EITHER SIDE OF HARDIMAN LANE.
SEVERAL RESIDENCES SUSTAINED MINOR ROOF DAMAGE WITH SHINGLES BLOWN
OFF. ONE RESIDENCE SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE AS A PORTION OF THE
BRICKS WERE CRACKED AND BEGINNING TO PULL AWAY FROM THE FOUNDATION.
SEVERAL LARGER TREES AROUND THE RESIDENCES WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED.
MAXIMUM WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 70 MPH AT THIS LOCATION. JUST
NORTH OF HARDIMAN LANE...A BARN SUSTAINED ROOF DAMAGE AS A GOOD
PORTION OF THE METAL ROOF HAD BEEN PULLED OFF. NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE
WAS SEEN ALONG THE TRACK TO THE NORTHEAST OF THIS LOCATION...TOWARD
THE ALABAMA/TENNESSEE STATE LINE.

SURVEYED BY: NADLER/SHUMWAY

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.

EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...STRONG....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...VIOLENT...>200 MPH