Public Information Statement
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
...8 TORNADOES CONFIRMED MAY 6 2009... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGH CENTRAL ALABAMA ON WEDNESDAY MAY 6TH. THE BROKEN LINE OF STORMS EXHIBITED BRIEF SMALL ROTATIONS THAT PRODUCED SOME SHORT LIVED TORNADOES. AT THIS TIME...8 TORNADOES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES; PICKENS, TUSCALOOSA, WALKER AND BLOUNT. HERE ARE THE LATEST FINDINGS: TORNADO 1: ...ROGERSVILLE CAMP TORNADO (PICKENS COUNTY)... EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2009 TYPE: EF-1 TORNADO ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 90 MPH INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE EVENT START LOCATION: 33.1800/-88.2725 EVENT END LOCATION: 33.1883/-88.2584 DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 1.00 MILES DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 300 YARDS START TIME: 820 AM CDT END TIME: 822 AM CDT WARNINGS: TORNADO WARNING 807 AM UNTIL 900 AM WATCHES: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 405 AM UNTIL 1000 AM A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER BASIN NEAR THE ROGERSVILLE CAMP AREA. THE TORNADO TRACKED NORTHEASTWARD FOR ABOUT A MILE BEFORE IT LIFTED. SEVERAL TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF AND SEVERAL TOPS OF TREES WERE TAKEN OFF ALONG THE PATH. SOME OF THE FALLEN TREES LANDED ON TRAILERS AND CAUSED VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS ABOUT ONE MILE LONG AND WAS 300 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PICKENS COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HELP EVALUATING AND COLLECTING THE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. TORNADO 2: ...CARROLLTON TORNADO (PICKENS COUNTY)... EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2009 TYPE: EF-1 TORNADO ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 90 MPH INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE EVENT START LOCATION: 33.2671/-88.0963 EVENT END LOCATION: 33.2689/-88.0732 DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 1.35 MILES DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 100 YARDS START TIME: 831 AM CDT END TIME: 833 AM CDT WARNINGS: TORNADO WARNING 807 AM UNTIL 900 AM WATCHES: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 405 AM UNTIL 1000 AM A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN CARROLLTON NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF ROSE STREET AND COUNTY ROAD 35. THE TORNADO TRACKED EAST NORTHEAST AND LIFTED IN RURAL AREAS ALONG LUBBUB CREEK. SEVERAL TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF OR WERE BLOWN DOWN ALONG THE PATH. A FEW OF THE TREES FELL ON HOMES AND CAUSED VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE PICKENS COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HELP EVALUATING AND COLLECTING THE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. TORNADO 3: ...BARBEE CREEK TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA COUNTY)... EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2009 TYPE: EF-1 TORNADO ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 90 MPH INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE EVENT START LOCATION: 33.4790/-87.6438 EVENT END LOCATION: 33.4802/-87.6353 DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.48 MILES DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 100 YARDS START TIME: 848 AM CDT END TIME: 848 AM CDT WATCHES: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 405 AM UNTIL 1000 AM TWO HOMES SUSTAINED MODERATE DAMAGE. ONE HOME HAD ITS GARAGE DOOR BLOWN IN AND SUBSEQUENTLY A WALL BLOWN OUT. WIND ENTERED INTO ANOTHER HOMES ATTIC AND BLEW OUT A PORTION OF THE ROOF. A WOODEN PROJECTILE (1 BY 6) WAS BLOWN APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS AND EMBEDDED INTO THE SIDE OF A HOME. A PONTOON BOAT WAS ALSO OVERTURNED. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE TUSCALOOSA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HELP COLLECTING THE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. TORNADO 4: ...LAKE ARNEDRA TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA COUNTY)... EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2009 TYPE: EF-1 TORNADO ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 90 MPH INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE EVENT START LOCATION: 33.2887/-87.7031 EVENT END LOCATION: 33.2895/-87.6992 DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.23 MILES DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 100 YARDS START TIME: 857 AM CDT END TIME: 857 AM CDT WARNINGS: TORNADO WARNING 847 AM UNTIL 930 AM WATCHES: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 405 AM UNTIL 1000 AM A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG COUNTY ROAD 21 ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF LAKE ARNEDRA. THE TORNADO LIFTED ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF THE LAKE, WHERE TWO LARGE HARDWOOD TREES WERE KNOCKED ONTO HOUSES CAUSING MAJOR DAMAGE TO ONE OF THE HOMES AND MAKING IT UNINHABITABLE. ANOTHER HARDWOOD WAS TOPPLED ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE LAKE. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE TUSCALOOSA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HELP COLLECTING THE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. TORNADO 5: ...EAST JASPER TORNADO (WALKER COUNTY)... EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2009 TYPE: EF-0 TORNADO ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 70-80 MPH INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE EVENT START LOCATION: 33.8333/-87.2429 EVENT END LOCATION: 33.8436/-87.1858 DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 3.35 MILES DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 200 YARDS START TIME: 911 AM CDT END TIME: 913 AM CDT WARNINGS: TORNADO WARNING 852 AM UNTIL 915 AM WATCHES: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 405 AM UNTIL 1000 AM A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE EASTERN CITY LIMITS OF JASPER TRACKING EASTWARD ACROSS HIGHWAY 78 LIFTING NEAR GOLF COURSE ROAD. FIVE STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED INCLUDING A BANK DRIVE THROUGH THAT WAS DETACHED AND ROTATED 90 DEGREES AND TWO CAR DEALERSHIPS. AT THE DEALERSHIPS...FORTY CARS WERE TOTALED MOSTLY DUE TO BROKEN WINDOWS RESULTING IN WATER DAMAGE AND THREE AIR HANDLERS ATOP THE DEALERSHIPS WERE ROLLED. IN ADDITION NUMEROUS TREES WERE UPROOTED. A BILLBOARD WAS ALSO IMPALED BY A FIBERGLASS MISSILE. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE WALKER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HELP COLLECTING THE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. TORNADO 6: ...CORDOVA TORNADO (WALKER COUNTY)... EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2009 TYPE: EF-1 TORNADO ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 90 MPH INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE EVENT START LOCATION: 33.7581/-87.1903 EVENT END LOCATION: 33.7615/-87.1728 DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 1.03 MILES DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 300 YARDS START TIME: 920 AM CDT END TIME: 922 AM CDT WATCHES: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 405 AM UNTIL 1000 AM A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON THE WEST SIDE OF CORDOVA ALONG SOUTH STREET. THE TORNADO TRACKED NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE CITY OF CORDOVA. THE TORNADO LIFTED SHORTLY AFTER IT CROSSED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF DISNEY STREET AND MASS AVENUE...NEAR CANE CREEK. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF OR WERE UPROOTED ALONG THE PATH. AT LEAST 15 HOMES WERE DAMAGED BY THE FALLEN TREES. ONE OF THE TREES FELL ON A TRAIN AND DAMAGED SOME OF THE CARS BUT THE TRAIN DID NOT DERAIL. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS ABOUT 1 MILE LONG AND WAS 300 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE WALKER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HELP COLLECTING THE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. TORNADO 7: ...POWELLVILLE TORNADO (WALKER COUNTY)... EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2009 TYPE: EF-0 TORNADO ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 85 MPH INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE EVENT START LOCATION: 33.9070/-87.1027 EVENT END LOCATION: 33.9079/-87.0988 DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.25 MILES DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 75 YARDS START TIME: 924 AM CDT END TIME: 924 AM CDT WATCHES: SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 405 AM UNTIL 1000 AM A TORNADO BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 69 CROSSING THE ROAD BEFORE LIFTING. A CAR PORT WAS DESTROYED WITH DEBRIS SCATTERED ACROSS THE ROAD. SEVERAL TREES WERE UPROOTED AND SNAPPED AND A TRAMPOLINE WAS CARRIED 200 YARDS DOWNWIND. A UTILITY POLE WAS ALSO SNAPPED BUT WAS LIKELY IMPACTED BY DEBRIS. A SPECIAL THANKS TO NWS HUNTSVILLE FOR COMPLETING THIS SURVEY. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE WALKER COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HELP COLLECTING THE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. TORNADO 8: ...ARKADELPHIA TORNADO (BLOUNT COUNTY)... EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY 06 MAY 2009 TYPE: EF-0 TORNADO ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 70-80 MPH INJURIES/FATALITIES: NONE EVENT START LOCATION: 33.9017/-86.8938 EVENT END LOCATION: 33.9017/-86.8938 DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.05 MILES DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 30 YARDS START TIME: 945 AM CDT END TIME: 945 AM CDT WARNINGS: TORNADO WARNING 944 AM UNTIL 1015 AM WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 930 AM UNTIL 600 PM A BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG COUNTY ROAD 5, APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES WEST OF INTERSTATE 65. THE TORNADO UPROOTED SEVERAL TREES IN A RELATIVELY SMALL CONCENTRATED AREA. A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE BLOUNT COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR HELP EVALUATING AND COLLECTING THE ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. ALL INFORMATION IN THE STATEMENT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED PRELIMINARY UNTIL ALL THE DATA IS THOROUGHLY REVIEWED. A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR SEVERE WEATHER WARNING PROGRAM IS THE RECEIPT OF STORM REPORTS FROM ALL OUR CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. IF YOU WITNESSED OR ARE AWARE OF ANY STORM DAMAGE DUE TO HIGH WINDS OR TORNADOES...PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE...OR CALL OUR STORM REPORTING HOTLINE AT 1-800-856-0758. $$ LINHARES