Alabama, 1999

Tornado and Damaging Winds in Alabama, February 27, 1999

February 27, 1999 · NWS BMX · 3 events in 1 county or zone

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
$840,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:37 UTC.

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Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Etowah

When
February 27, 7:38 PM CST to 8:09 PM CST
Where
Etowah County, Gallant to Hokes Bluff
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$800,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
34.000, -86.250

Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down or uprooted in southern Etowah County sporadically along this path. Many trees blocked roadways. 10 single family homes were totally destroyed. 20 homes sustained major damage. Minor damage was reported to another 29 homes. Two mobile homes were demolished and four additional mobile homes received minor damage. One man in North Gadsden was injured when his home crumbled. He had several bruises and a concussion. In Walnut Park, one woman died, apparently of natural causes, but it occurred in the middle of the storm. Stowers Manufacturing Plant in Gadsden had a large portion of its roof torn off. The damage was heavily concentrated in Gadsden and Walnut Park.

Tornado, Etowah

When
February 27, 7:51 PM CST to 7:53 PM CST
Where
Etowah County, Southside to 5 mi SSW of Southside
Rating
F0
Path length
1.3 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
33.950, -86.080

A weak tornado touched down just inside the Etowah County line near Southside. The tornado caused some minor damage to a house and knocked a few trees down on Babe Jackson Road then crossed H. Neely Henry Lake on the Coosa River. On the eastern bank of the lake, the roof was torn off one mobile home and minor damage occurred to several other homes and outbuildings. Several trees were uprooted in the area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Etowah

When
February 27, 7:56 PM CST
Where
Etowah County, Southside
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
34.000, -86.020

The roof of one home was blown off. Additionally, several trees were knocked down on Pilgrims Rest Road off CR 45.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alabama in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 1999Warnings in Alabama, February 1999

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5683562, 5683461, 5683462.