National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

 

Shady Park EF-1 Tornado (Lee County)
  January 22, 2017

 
 

Event Summary

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in north central Lee County and determined that the damage was consistent with an EF-1 tornado.

The tornado touched down along Cunningham Drive, just northeast of the Auburn Regional Airport.  Minor damage occurred at touch down but increased in the Pepperell area at U.S. Highway 280 and Pepperell Parkway.  Several trees were snapped or uprooted and some homes suffered damage.  The tornado continued north northeast where it snapped and uprooted numerous trees.  The tornado lifted near Northgate Drive and Oak Bowery Road in northwest Opelika.  The tornado was 3.08 miles long and was 540 yards wide at its widest point. The tornado was rated an EF-1 with maximum winds around 95 mph.

Thanks to Lee County EMA for their assistance with this survey. 

 


 

 

EF-1
Estimated Maximum Wind:
95 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:
None
Damage Path Length:
3.08 miles
Maximum Path Width:
540 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:
0.7 NE Robert G Pitts Airport (AUO)
32.6262/-85.4207
at 200 pm CST
Approximate End Point/Time:
1 ESE Sougahatchee Lake
32.6677/-85.4015
at 207 pm CST

 

GIS Data

 

 


Reflectivity (left) and Velocity (right).
Images are from KMXX at 200 pm CST.

 


  Roof of home destroyed and uprooted trees

Roof damage to home

 
Storage containers toppled

Roof and tree damage