Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 3, 2019

Name: Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, March 3, 2019
Start: 2019-03-03T12:24
End: 2019-03-03T17:30
Location: Alabama

March 3, 2019 · NWS TAE · 8 events in 4 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $174,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TAE wrote it up.

This event featured all modes of severe weather in our forecast area, including 13 tornadoes, numerous reports of straight-line wind damage, and even large hail. The 13 tornadoes consisted of 1 EF3, 2 EF2s, 6 EF1s, and 4 EF0s. This is a very high number of tornadoes for our forecast area for a single event. This compares with 7 tornadoes in the 1/22/17 event, 8 tornadoes in the 1/2/17 event, and 10 tornadoes in the 3/1/07 event. This may have been the most tornadoes for a single event in our area since the Hurricane Ivan tornadoes back in 2004. The synoptic pattern was characterized by a fast-moving upper trough through relatively zonal flow. The forecast area was under the favorable right entrance region of the upper jet with lots of upper level divergence. An 850 mb jet near or in excess of 50 knots was also present, which is another typical ingredient for severe weather in this part of the country in the cool season. Cool season levels of shear (0-1 km shear > 30 knots and 0-6 km shear > 50 knots) were overlaid with moderate levels of instability (SBCAPE 1500 j/kg), as opposed to more typical winter SBCAPE < 500 j/kg. Without this strong low-level jet, the low-level shear values would have been weaker and we would have probably seen less tornadoes.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 3, 9:04 AM CST, 3 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 3, 9:04 AM CST, 3 hours 20 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Tallahassee FL
1004 AM EST Sun Mar 3 2019

.UPDATE...

SPC has expanded the slight risk farther south. Otherwise no major
changes to the forecast for today. Forecast for timing and
intensity of storms still looks on track.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION [614 AM EST]...

.NEAR TERM [Through Today]...

The bottom line is that all available guidance continues to suggest
a threat of severe storms across the area from this afternoon into
the overnight hours. There is general agreement that the best
overlay of CAPE and shear will be located across the northern
portions of the forecast area, generally near and north of a line
from Dothan to Tifton. This is where the Storm Prediction Center has
outlooked an enhanced risk of severe storms. The risk of severe
weather gradually decreases the farther south one goes, however it
should be noted that almost the entire area has at least some level
of risk today.

Storm mode will almost certainly consist of at least a QLCS just
ahead of the cold front starting this afternoon into the early
evening across portions of southeast Alabama, the Florida panhandle,
and adjacent southwest Georgia. This squall line will progress
eastward across the remainder of the forecast area during the
overnight hours. The trickiest part of the forecast is whether or
not any discrete supercells will form ahead of the squall line. Some
runs of the HRRR show this occurring, while others do not. If cells
do develop ahead of the main line, then the potential exists for a
couple of strong tornadoes given the strong low level jet and
favorable hodographs. Some large hail could also occur. Even if this
scenario doesn't pan out, there is still the risk of a few embedded
tornadoes along the squall line as well as damaging wind gusts.

.SHORT TERM [Tonight Through Tuesday]...

Cold front will push through the southeastern Big Bend Monday
morning, with a few showers lingering across this portion of the
region early in the period. This will give way to clearing skies and
much cooler and drier conditions by Monday afternoon. Cold air will
continue advecting into the region On Tuesday, with the coldest
airmass since late January settling in place by mid-week. Expect
highs generally in the upper 50s to mid 60s on Monday, falling to
the mid to upper 50s on Tuesday. Overnight lows will range from the
mid 30s to low 40s Monday night. A light freeze is possible Tuesday
night, with temperatures falling below the freezing mark across
portions of the wiregrass. The rest of the region will see lows
generally in the 33 to 36 degree range.

.LONG TERM [Tuesday Night Through Sunday]...

Dry and unseasonably cool weather will persist on Wednesday, with
highs remaining in the low to mid 50s, almost 20 degrees below
normal for early March. A light freeze will be possible once again
Wednesday night as lows will fall into the low 30s once again
regionwide. Temperatures will moderate beginning on Thursday as
upper level flow becomes zonal once again over the region. Dry
weather will persist through at least the start of the weekend.
However, longer range global guidance has been hinting at another
system and associated cold front pushing through the region
during the day 7+ period. Despite the upcoming cold snap this
week, it appears that Spring is well on its way for the tri-state
region. Stay tuned.

.AVIATION...

[Through 12z Monday] Low clouds and areas of fog are expected to
result in IFR to LIFR conditions through the mid-morning hours.
Showers and thunderstorms will begin this afternoon near DHN and
ABY and move southeast through the region through the evening and
overnight. Some storms may become severe. Otherwise, breezy
conditions are expected through the day.

.MARINE...

Cautionary conditions are expected today with seas increasing to 2
to 4 feet this afternoon. Showers and thunderstorms are expected
to spread over coastal waters this afternoon and evening. Expect
elevated winds and seas through Monday, with a brief reprieve on
Monday night. Advisory level wind and seas will be possible by
Tuesday night into Wednesday.

.FIRE WEATHER...

Red flag conditions are not expected for the next several days.

.HYDROLOGY...

Generally 1 to 2 inches of rain are expected with today's showers
and thunderstorms, with the highest amounts forecast for the
Wiregrass region of southeastern Alabama into southwestern and
southcentral Georgia. Note that isolated higher amounts will be
possible under the strongest storms and/or in any areas of cell
training this afternoon. Flooding concerns today will generally be
limited to poor drainage areas given the recent dry spell across
the region.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is requested. Spotters should safely report
significant weather conditions and/or damage by calling the office or
tweeting us @NWSTallahassee.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...

Tallahassee   77  54  64  42  59 /  60  90  20  10  10
Panama City   73  51  60  42  57 /  60 100  10  10  10
Dothan        76  44  56  36  53 /  90 100   0  10  10
Albany        75  47  58  38  55 /  80 100  10  10  10
Valdosta      77  55  62  41  58 /  50  80  20  10  10
Cross City    79  63  69  45  63 /  20  80  40  10  10
Apalachicola  73  56  63  43  59 /  60  90  20  10  10

&&

.TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FL...High Rip Current Risk through late tonight for Coastal Bay-
     Coastal Franklin-Coastal Gulf-South Walton.

GA...None.
AL...None.
GM...None.
&&

UPDATE...McD
NEAR TERM...DVD
SHORT TERM...Pullin
LONG TERM...Pullin
AVIATION...DVD
MARINE...Pullin
FIRE WEATHER...DVD
HYDROLOGY...Pullin

The radar

The Ft Rucker radar (KEOX), 54 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:25 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Funnel Cloud, Geneva

When: March 3, 12:24 PM CST
Where: Geneva County, 1.5 mi SSE of Kellys Crossroads
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 31.040, -85.740

A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud southwest of Hartford.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dale

When: March 3, 4:26 PM CST
Where: Dale County, 1.38 mi S of Newton
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: 911 Call Center
Coordinates: 31.320, -85.590

A power pole was blown down on Hartford Street in Dale county.

Tornado, Henry

When: March 3, 4:39 PM CST to 4:45 PM CST
Where: Henry County, 2.1 mi SE of Shorterville to 2.91 mi ENE of Shorterville
Rating: EF0
Path length: 3.37 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Continued into: Clay, Ga (TAE)
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 31.546, -85.078

The tornado touched down in Henry County Alabama in an area just south of Shorterville on Henry County Route 47 between Bennett Mill Creek and Route 188. There were several softwood trees uprooted in this area. The tornado proceeded northeast across the Chattahoochee River into Clay County Georgia. The damage in Clay County Georgia began on Route 39/ Washington Street near the intersection of Blakely and Blufton Highways. There were several softwood trees uprooted in this area, as well as some roofing material removed from the roadway. Additional softwood trees were uprooted at several points between the aforementioned intersection to a point just north of Route 37/ Edison Highway along Wesely Chapel Road. In addition, Center Line Irrigation was also downed near the previously mentioned location.

Tornado, Geneva

When: March 3, 4:51 PM CST to 4:58 PM CST
Where: Geneva County, 3.18 mi SSW of Slocomb to 1.68 mi NNE of Fadette
Rating: EF1
Path length: 5.12 mi
Path width: 300 yd
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates: 31.056, -85.607

The tornado touched down about 3.5 miles south of Slocomb, AL and proceeded east northeast and impacted multiple single family homes and a few manufactured homes. |Most of the damage was roof damage, but a few manufactured homes were shifted off their anchor points. The most significant damage happened about a half of a mile northwest of the intersection of Mozell Rd and Cotton Box Rd. At this location the tornado passed over a single family home and the 110 mile per hour winds estimated at this location gained entry into the garage and removed the entire garage roof and some parts of the roof over the house. Immediately behind the house and along the path of the tornado a manufactured home was lifted off its anchor points and rotated about 10 to 15 feet from its original location. The damage at these locations was consistent with a high end EF-1 tornado and winds were estimated to be around 110 mph at this point. The tornado continued to move east from its strongest point and eventually crossed the|intersection of Grant Rd. and County Rd 103 where EF-1 damage was found to manufactured homes and single family homes. The tornado then crossed Old Chipley Rd where it impacted a barn with EF-1 damage. Finally the tornado moved just east-southeast and appeared to have lifted just east of County Rd 49 after causing low end EF-1 damage to some larger trees. Damage cost was estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Geneva

When: March 3, 4:55 PM CST
Where: Geneva County, 1.38 mi S of Slocomb
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 31.080, -85.590

Multiple trees and power lines were blown down with a report of some trees blown down onto houses. Damage cost was estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Houston

When: March 3, 5:03 PM CST
Where: Houston County, 2.16 mi NNE of Garretts Crossroads
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 31.070, -85.420

A tree fell on a home. Damage cost was estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Houston

When: March 3, 5:05 PM CST
Where: Houston County, 1.37 mi ESE of Hodgesville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 31.070, -85.350

A small shed collapsed with some of the tin strewn across the road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Houston

When: March 3, 5:30 PM CST
Where: Houston County, 3.01 mi NNW of Crosby
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 31.070, -85.100

Trees were blown down near 10808 East County Road 8.

What these are

Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
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

Every storm in Alabama in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Alabama, 2019 Warnings in Alabama, March 2019

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: 808440, 808441, 810796, 808447, 808442, 808443, 808445, 808446.