National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

 

Tornadoes of March 25, 2021

Overview
 

A potent storm system affected our area on Thursday, March 25th. A highly-sheared environment combined with increasing instability to produce several severe thunderstorms. More-so than usual, parameters were supportive of significant and long-track storms, prompting the issuance of a 'high risk' or level 5 out of 5 for severe storms.

A total of 10 tornadoes occurred in our forecast area. This included 4 EF-3 tornadoes, 3 EF-2 tornadoes, and 3 EF-1 tornadoes. Damage was significant along the paths of the most intense tornadoes and, unfortunately, injuries and fatalities occurred. However, we heard of many stories involving people taking shelter in a storm pit, interior room, or leaving for a sturdier structure after receiving a tornado warning. This action certainly saved many lives as in many cases their residence was blown away.

Some storms were cyclic, meaning multiple tornadoes were produced by the same storm. The most stunning tornado of the event was the long-track tornado that carved a path of damage spanning 80.38 miles over its 98 minute lifespan from Hale to Shelby Counties. This was a single tornado, putting it at #7 for the longest single tornado track in the state of Alabama.

 
Interactive Tornado Map
 
 
Surveys
 

**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
Elliotts Creek Tornado
(Hale/Tuscaloosa Counties)
EF-3
140 mph
None 11.15 miles
1400 yards
4 NE Havana
32.9386/-87.5753
12:16 pm CDT
2 NW Low Gap
33.0076/-87.4027
12:29 pm CDT
West Blocton-North Shelby Tornado
(Bibb/Shelby/St. Clair Counties)
EF-3
140 mph

 
5 injuries 50.36 miles
1100 yards
3 SW West Blocton
33.1157/-87.1707
12:53 pm CDT
2 SSE Camp Winnataska
33.5047/-86.4381
2:02 pm CDT
Cochrane Tornado
(Pickens County)
EF-1
90 mph
(EF-0 in WFO JAN)
None 5.63 miles
515 yards
6 SW Cochrane
33.0207/-88.3368
1:36 pm CDT
1 WNW Cochrane
33.0701/-88.2603
1:42 pm CDT
Ohatchee-Wellington-Piedmont Tornado
(Calhoun/Cherokee Counties)
 
EF-3
140 mph
10 Injuries
6 Fatalities
38.44 miles
1700 yards
4 SE Ragland
33.7026/-86.1053
2:31 pm CDT
1 W Pleasant Gap
33.9872/-85.5389
3:27 pm CDT
Clinton Tornado
(Greene County)
EF-1
100 mph
None 12.05 miles
600 yards
2 WNW I-20 Rest Area near Eutaw
32.8781/-87.9756
3:57 pm CDT
1 WSW Knoxville
32.9888/-87.8160
4:16 pm CDT
Sawyerville-Centreville-Columbiana Tornado
(Hale/Perry/Bibb/Chilton/Shelby Counties)
EF-3
150 mph
13 Injuries 80.38 miles
2300 yards
3 N Duffys Bend
32.6892/-87.7387
4:26 pm CDT
3 WSW Wilsonville
33.2209/-86.5249
6:04 pm CDT
South Roebuck Tornado
(Jefferson County)
EF-1
90 mph
None 4.78 miles
700 yards
1 NW Ruffner Mountain
33.5686/-86.7070
4:48 pm CDT
1 N Alton
33.6015/-86.6361
4:53 pm CDT
Nanafalia Tornado
(Marengo Countiy)
EF-2
115 mph
None 9.54 miles
250 yards
2 ESE Lavaca
32.1233/-88.0426
7:14 pm CDT
1 ESE Half Acre
32.1834/-87.8964
7:26 pm CDT
Lake Mitchell Tornado
(Chilton/Coosa Counties)
EF-2
120 mph
None 13.94 miles
800 yards
2 NNW Cooper
32.8086/-86.5578
9:01 pm CDT
1 ENE Lyle
32.8913/-86.3254
9:21 pm CDT
Sikesville-Wehadkee Tornado
(Tallapoosa/Clay/Randolph Counties)
EF-2
125 mph
None
31.13 miles
1000 yards
1 N Goldville
33.0942/-85.7710
9:55 pm CDT
1 W Waresville
33.2296/-85.2634
10:33 pm CDT
 
Outlooks & Reports
 

Day 3 Outlook
Local Day 3 Outlook
March 23 at 320 am

Day 2 Outlook
Local Day 2 Outlook
March 24 at 430 am

Day 1 Outlook
Local Day 1 Outlook
March 25 at 12 pm

Storm Reports
Storm Reports
March 25


 


 

Surface Charts
 

Surface Chart
Surface Analysis
March 25 at 7 am

Surface Chart
Surface Analysis
March 25 at 10 am

Surface Chart
Surface Analysis
March 25 at 1 pm

Surface Chart
Surface Analysis
March 25 at 4 pm

Surface Chart
Surface Analysis
March 25 at 7 pm

Surface Chart
Surface Analysis
March 25 at 10 pm

Storm Reports
Surface Analysis
March 26 at 1 am


 


 

Upper Air Charts
 

250 mb
250 mb Analysis
March 25 at 7 am

500 mb
500 mb Analysis
March 25 at 7 am

850 mb
850 mb Analysis
March 25 at 7 am

250 mb
250 mb Analysis
March 25 at 7 pm

500 mb
500 mb Analysis
March 25 at 7 pm

850 mb
850 mb Analysis
March 25 at 7 pm

KBMX Sounding
KBMX Sounding
March 25 at 7 am

KBMX Sounding
KBMX Sounding
March 25 at 1 pm

KBMX Sounding
KBMX Sounding
March 25 at 7 pm