National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

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