Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, November 29 to 30, 2016

Nickel sized hail was reported in Red Bay.

A supercell crossed over northern Franklin County Alabama and a tornado developed and touched down near Lost Creek Road on the northeast side of the Cedar Creek Reservoir. When it touched down, a number of hardwood trees, softwood trees, and power poles were snapped and a well built single family home lost a significant amount of the roofing material and the one occupant of the home was injured when the tornado occurred. The home also shifted with cracks noted on the concrete under-girding of the home. This is where the tornado was at its strongest (EF-2). The tornado quickly moved northeast snapping 10-20 trees and power poles as it moved towards the Frankfort Community along County Road 88.

A tornado crossed into Colbert County from Franklin County. More softwood and hardwood trees were snapped causing damage to a single wide manufactured home and car shed on Jones Road. More softwood and hardwood trees were snapped as the tornado continued northeast across County Road 49. Then, as the tornado continued to move northeast multiple softwood and hardwood trees were snapped close to Underwood Mountain Road before striking a single wide manufactured home. The single wide manufactured home sustained damage consistent with EF-1 rating with destruction of roof and walls leaving floor and undercarriage in place. Two people within this home sustained injuries. Another single family dwelling next to this manufactured home sustained damage uplift of the roof damage while more snapped hardwood trees were noted just to the northeast of these houses. This is also where the tornado had the largest width of 100 yards. The tornado then lifted shortly after this damage occurred.

The tornado first touched down along Danville Road just east of the Lawrence County line. In this area, trees were snapped and uprooted. Minor damage was noted to a shed here. The tornado then moved northeast and strengthened as it crossed the intersection of Maddox Road and Johnson Chapel Road. Here hardwood trees were snapped near the base and a home suffered significant roof and structural damage.

Along northwest Maddox Road several homes sustained significant structural damage. One home had the roof and a large section of the wall blown out. The residents of the home rode the storm out safely in the interior most hallway. Several power poles were snapped at the base. Damage here was consistent with very high end EF-2 damage.

The tornado once again crossed Danville Road causing structural damage to several buildings including a multi-story home. Significant roof uplift was noted in this location. A large industrial garage in this area was also destroyed. A convenience store nearby suffered damage, and the owner's family received warning alerts and took shelter in an interior hallway to ride out the storm.

The tornado then approached Neel School Road causing significant damage in and around the Neel Volunteer Fire Department. The roof was nearly completely taken off the fire department and large metal trusses were bent at this facility. A nearby large building was obliterated and other well built structure had its roof and supports taken off.

As the tornado moved northeast, it cross Singleton Road impacting more structures. Several homes sustained structural damage, mainly roof damage. One very large building was completely destroyed with another sustaining near collapse. The tornado then reached its maximum intensity as it crossed Boys Ranch Road on the eastern edge of Bogar Loop.

Here a home suffered complete roof loss and partial wall collapse. An anchored mobile home was obliterated with the contents thrown over 100 yards. A motor cycle repair shop that included an anchor bolted large shop building was nearly wiped clean with motorcycles thrown or rolled large distances. An SUV parked here was thrown and then rolled about 75 yards. Damage here was consistent with lower end EF-3 damage at 140 mph.

The tornado then crossed mostly rugged, hilly and rural terrain downing trees as it began to slowly wind down in intensity. The tornado then once again crossed Danville Road north of McCleskey producing widespread tree damage. Here very large hardwood trees were snapped near the based and uprooted. A home here sustained damage to the roof and also damage due to falling trees. A large shed/outbuilding here was destroyed. As the tornado crossed Herring Road it produced damage to a roof on a conventional home and also significant roof and structural damage to|a mobile home. On the northeast side of Herring Road minor tree damage was noted as the tornado finally lifted.

This tornado was originally the Arley/Helicon EF-2 tornado that originated in Winston County. It continued across County Road 986, causing significant damage to a barn and snapping several hardwood and softwood trees. The tornado continued northeast, continued to snap trees and destroyed another shed as it crossed CR 946 and 939. It appeared to lift northeast of CR 939.

Nickel sized hail was reported.

A power pole was knocked down along Oakwood Avenue in Huntsville.

Initial continuous damage was found along the leading edge of Monte Sano Mountain close to the intersection of Monte Sano Blvd. and Nolan Avenue. Several trees were snapped and uprooted as it moved along the northern brow of the mountain. A clear, continuous path of snapped trees was observed just north of the RV campground area of Monte Sano State Park. From here, the tornado skipped down the northeast face of the mountain, caused minor tree damage near Wall Road, US Highway 72, and Morring Road.

More significant damage resumed near Ryland Pike near its intersection with Delta Pine Dr. Trees were snapped on Ryland Pike, then the tornado entered the Central Estates neighborhood. At least 15 houses had at least some roof decking removed in the neighborhood. A few houses had large sections of the roof structure removed, including one house on Moontown Road which had its entire roof and roof structure removed. Elsewhere around the neighborhood, many more houses had at least superficial damage to fascias and gutters, or had privacy fencing blown away.

The Flint Ridge horse farm suffered significant damage. Nearly all of the tin roofing was removed from one large and one small horse barn, and a riding arena was completely destroyed. Nearly all of the trees within 50-75 yards of the farm buildings were snapped. The tornado was clearly at its strongest between the house that lost all roofing, and the horse farm damage. At this location, the peak intensity is set at 125 MPH, an EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. The tornado continued over a nearby ridge and weakened slightly, snapping and uprooting more trees along Hurricane Creek Road, Sharps Cove Road, and Neal Drive. Additional damage to houses was noted along Sharps Cove and Neal Drive, where roofing was peeled off a manufactured home and nearby single family home.

DEC 2 2016 Update...|NWS and UAH survey team determined that the Monte Sano EF-2 tornado|tracked into Western Jackson County and crossed over Putnam|Mountain. The team observed mainly EF-1 and EF-0 damage. Numerous|hardwood trees were either snapped or uprooted as the tornado|crossed the western slope of Putnam Mountain along with a homestead|sustaining minor roof damage and damage to a small shed. Near the ridge |top, significant tree damage was reported near a small camp ground. Several|camper trailer sustained damage from the downed trees. Additional|ridge top tree damage was observed slightly further to the WSW along CR-303|but was rated lower to slight beetle rot. The tornado continued downslope |where more hardwood trees were snapped or uprooted along with a camper trailer|that destroyed in the valley.

The parent supercell thunderstorm that produced the Monte Sano EF-2 tornado also produced a separate area of rotation that caused the EF-1 Estillfork tornado. The National Weather Service and University of Alabama in Huntsville surveys found significant softwood tree damage in the form of healthy and snapped pine trees along CR-9, east of the CR-9 and CR-141 intersection. The convergence of the down trees was evident at several locations along CR-9 and in the Estillfork area. Peak winds were determined to be 95 MPH.

The tornado that began in Winston County producing EF-1 damage continued into NW Cullman County near Ne Smith, AL where multiple hardwood and softwood trees were snapped as it moved towards a storage shed building on County Road 1024.

As it moved towards the small building the tornado uplifted the roof of the building causing the walls collapse and sending debris across a field. Then, as the tornado proceeded northeast it uplifted the metal roof on another single family building. This damage was consistent with EF-1 intensity and was the strongest damage with this portion of the tornado track. More trees were snapped just to the northeast|of this position on County Road 1024 near another single family home before it lifted.

A survey team from the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) relayed reports of damage and geocoded photographs along CR-690, south of Bryant, AL (Jackson County). NWS Huntsville, after coordination with UAH and investigation of the photos and radar data, determined the damage was associated with a weak EF-1 tornado.

The bulk of the damage was generally observed along CR-690, between CR-691 and CR-676. Damage indicators were limited to snapped soft wood trees and/or snapped large branches. While the majority of the damage was indicative of an EF-0 tornado, there was a small path of EF-1 damage just to the west of CR-676. In this area, several healthy softwood trees were snapped before the tornado weakened as it approached a ridge on the east side of CR-676.

Quarter sized hail was reported.

Nickel sized hail was reported.

A tornado developed near the Union Grove Road and Tinner Mayo Road intersection in the Union Grove Community. As it developed multiple trees were snapped and uprooted causing minor roof damage to one single family home. More significant home damage was sustained to another nearby single family house due to trees snapping and falling on the roof.

As the tornado proceeded northeast to Tinner Mayo Road, it flipped a recreational vehicle and moved it into a single family home causing damage to the home and destroying the recreational vehicle. Meanwhile, the tornado caused shingles to come off the roof of this single family house. Further to the northeast, the tornado uplifted the roof of a storage shed for hay and caused minor roof damage to a double wide manufactured home.

More damage was sustained to a single family dwelling near Tinner Mayo and Brock Chapel road as the tornado continued northeast where the roof was completely uplifted and blown into the field. The tornado then snapped a few more hardwood trees before lifting just northeast of Bean Rock Road.

Sporadic damage was first observed along CR-71, north of Pisgah with much more widespread tree and structure damage observed CR-71 and CR-60, entering into Rosalie, where the tornado was suspected to touch down. Numerous hardwood and pine softwood trees were observed to be uprooted or snapped along with several wooden power line poles snapped. As the tornado moved east-northeast, nearly on top of CR-71, roof damage was reported to a brick church. Additionally, a large two story wooden structure (used for church related receptions) was heavily damaged. Damage indicators for that structure were related to a small barn. EF-1 damage was recorded for the area around the church with winds approximately 100 mph.

EF-2 damage was observed nearly one quarter mile further ENE along CR-71. A long, one story strip mall was destroyed (Rosalie Plaza Grocery). The assessment team noted that the roof was not strapped down and that cinder blocks were only held together by mortar. It was determined that the tornado likely blew the roof off the structure which quickly led to the block walls to collapse. Winds of 125 mph were estimated.

Additional EF-2 damage was reported one quarter to one third mile further ENE along CR-71. Several mobile homes, with at least one mobile home noted to have been tied down, were completely destroyed. Three fatalities were reported from this section of damage. Additionally, numerous softwood trees were either uprooted or snapped along with several wooden power poles snapped.

The assessment team was able to connect the previous Rosalie track to the Ider track after observing significant roof damage to single family home with complete destruction to a barn on the property near the intersection of CR-345 and CR-78. Additional points were added along CR-330 to CR-117 (DeKalb Co.) after the team recorded snapped softwood and hardwood trees and damage to a large anchored shed.

Significant damage was observed from the tornado along CR-117 and CR-159. Numerous hardwood and softwood trees were either uprooted or snapped at the |trunk along CR-117 leading up to CR-159. The strongest winds of this tornado were recorded near this location. A one story day care center was completely destroyed and blown off its foundation. Preliminary info recorded 10 injuries at this location. The damage assessment team noted the structure was bolted the foundation, however the floor plates connecting to the foundation were observed to have some degree of degradation. This led to a preliminary assessment of a tornado of EF-3 strength with winds approximately 145 mph. *Update: of the 10 injuries, one individual has since passed away on 2/8/17.

Between CR-117 and AL-75 in DeKalb County, numerous chicken farms were completely destroyed along. Several homes in the area sustained significant roof damage and two anchored mobiles homes were observed to have rolled. One unanchored mobile home was completely destroyed with scattered debris.

Finally, the team traveled along CR-792 in the Deer Head Cove area (near the AL/GA|state line) and observed complete destruction to a well anchored and large metal |shed. Winds were estimated to be 111 MPH at this location. Numerous soft wood pine trees were snapped or uprooted up to the AL/GA state line. The team traveled into|nearby Dade County, observed minor debris, but no damage.

APRS weather station at East Lawrence High School. Relayed via Amateur Radio.

Two large oak trees were snapped at about 25 feet above their base at a residence on Tannahill Drive in south Huntsville.

A small area of tight rotation was observed within a line of strong thunderstorms west of the Stevenson area. A National Weather Service and University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) survey team found EF-0 damage near the Allison area associated with this area of rotation. Numerous large tree branches and roof damage to a large farm shed was noted near CR-564. Additional tree damage converged near CR-53 and CR-54. Peak winds were 62 MPH.

Golf ball sized hail was reported.