Event Summary
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EF-2
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Estimated Maximum Wind:
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135 mph
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Injuries/Fatalities:
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4 Injuries |
Damage Path Length:
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18.18 miles
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Maximum Path Width:
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700 yards
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Approximate Start Point/Time:
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3 Sw Wetumpka
32.5202/-86.2370
at 252 pm
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Approximate End Point/Time:
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4 NE Eclectic
32.6824/-85.9927
at 315 pm
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NWS Meteorologists surveyed damage from Wetumpka northeastward to Eclectic in Elmore County and determined it was the result of an EF-2 tornado.
The tornado began just southwest of Wetumpka and quickly intensified as it moved northeast into downtown Wetumpka. The extent of damage done to multiple structures in Wetumpka indicated a tornado with high-end EF-2 wind speeds. The degree of damage included: collapse/failure of exterior walls, significant damage to interior walls, roof failures, shifting of structures, and collapse of structures due to direct and indirect causes. Several vehicles were also tossed or rolled, with debris puncturing framing. Trees were also snapped and uprooted. The First Presbyterian Church was destroyed, but rescue/clean-up efforts precluded an accurate assessment of damage.
The tornado continued northeastward, crossed the Coosa River, and then paralleled State Route 170 as it continued to damage structures and snap and uproot trees. The tornado cycled as it moved northeast into the northern portions of the town of Eclectic, evident via a new radar TDS (tornado debris signature) and fluctuating degree of damage. The tornado dissipated just before Lake Martin, near Holly Mill Road.
All EF-2-level damage occurred from downtown Wetumpka to the eastern banks of the Coosa River.
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