PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
500 PM CST THU DEC 20 2012
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY RESULTS FOR 20 DECEMBER 2012 TORNADO ACROSS THE
MOBILE METROPOLITAN AREA...
...EARLY MORNING EF-1 TORNADO CONFIRMED BY THE NWS...
.OVERVIEW...STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI, SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING STRONG COLD FRONT DURING THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS ON 20 DECEMBER 2012. ONE OF THE STORMS THAT MOVED ACROSS
MOBILE COUNTY SHORTLY BEFORE DAYBREAK PRODUCED A TORNADO THAT
IMPACTED THE MOBILE METROPOLITAN AREA.
.MOBILE/PRICHARD TORNADO...
RATING: EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 86-110 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 7 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 75 YARDS
FATALITIES: NONE
INJURIES: SEVERAL MINOR (CUTS/BRUISES)
START DATE: DEC 20 2012
START TIME: 449 AM CST
START LOCATION: NEAR YMCA ON MICHAEL BOULEVARD
LAT/LON: 30.6671 -88.1383
END DATE: DEC 20 2012
END TIME: 505 AM CST
END LOCATION: U.S. HIGHWAY 43 NEAR WOODLAND AVENUE IN PRICHARD
END_LAT/LON: 30.7442 -88.0707
SURVEY SUMMARY:
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED STORM DAMAGE IN
MOBILE COUNTY ALABAMA TODAY AND DETERMINED THAT AN EF-1 TORNADO
OCCURRED IN THE MOBILE METROPOLITAN AREA FROM MIDTOWN MOBILE
NORTHEAST INTO THE CITY OF PRICHARD.
THE TORNADO INITIALLY TOUCHED DOWN ALONG MICHAEL BOULEVARD PRODUCING
EF-0 DAMAGE (WINDS ESTIMATED UP TO 85 MPH) WHERE IT DAMAGED THE ROOF
OF THE YMCA AND PRODUCED MODERATE DAMAGE TO THE DAVIDSON HIGH SCHOOL
BASEBALL FIELD. THE TORNADO CONTINUED MOVING NORTHEAST
STRENGTHENING AS IT MOVED ACROSS MONTLIMAR BOULEVARD PRODUCING EF-1
DAMAGE (FROM WINDS ESTIMATED AT 86 TO 110 MPH) TO SEVERAL BUSINESSES
ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSTATE 65/AIRPORT BOULEVARD
INTERSECTION. THE TORNADO CIRCULATION WIDENED TO NEAR 75 YARDS AS
IT MOVED NORTHEAST AFFECTING NUMEROUS HOMES THROUGH MIDTOWN MOBILE,
BLOWING LARGE SECTIONS OF ROOFS OFF OF SEVERAL HOMES, SNAPPING OR
BLOWING OVER NUMEROUS TREES. HERE THE STORM PRODUCED DAMAGES
ESTIMATED IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES (INCLUDING
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF DAMAGE TO THE FACILITY AND INVENTORY OF A
MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP). ALSO IMPACTED WAS THE REGIONAL AMERICAN
RED CROSS HEADQUARTERS IN MOBILE WHERE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE
ROOF AND DAMAGE TO SEVERAL SUPPORT VEHICLES/TRAILERS WAS NOTED. THE
TORNADO CONTINUE AT EF-1 STRENGTH AS IT TRACKED NORTHEAST INTO THE
CITY OF PRICHARD DOING SIMILAR DAMAGE, BEFORE WEAKENING AND
DISSIPATING ALONG U.S. HIGHWAY 43 AT WOODLAND AVENUE.
MOBILE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY PROVIDED THE NWS THE
FOLLOWING PRELIMINARY INFORMATION FROM THEIR DAMAGE ASSESSMENTS
ALONG THE TORNADO TRACK...
20 TO 25 HOMES UNINHABITABLE
20 STRUCTURES WITH MAJOR DAMAGE
100 STRUCTURES WITH MINOR DAMAGE
NUMEROUS BUSINESSES WITH DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES AND PROPERTY.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WANTS TO THANK THE MOBILE COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH OUR STORM
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT EFFORTS TODAY.
A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
PROGRAM IS THE RECEIPT OF STORM REPORTS FROM ALL OUR CUSTOMERS AND
PARTNERS. 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 SKYWARN STORM REPORTING HOTLINE AT
1-800-284-9059.
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.
&&
GARMON
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