Alabama, 2025

Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Alabama, March 15, 2025

March 15, 2025 · NWS MOB · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Thunderstorms developed across the area during the evening hours Some of these storms became severe with several tornadoes developing across southwest Alabama.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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 MOB wrote it up.

Thunderstorms developed across the area during the evening hours Some of these storms became severe with several tornadoes developing across southwest Alabama.

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 Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 15, 5:22 PM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 15, 5:22 PM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Mobile AL
622 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025

...New Aviation...

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 430 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025

Now through Sunday Night...

Synopsis...As we alluded to earlier, we expected a later arrival
of thunderstorms. For the latest timing, the thunderstorms are
just now beginning to spread eastward across southeast
Mississippi and interior southwest Alabama, and will continue to
spread across the remainder of our forecast area throughout the
evening. The line of thunderstorms is then expected to exit our
area by 3 AM. We are anticipating more favorable atmospheric
forcing to unfold as our area will soon be located in the right
entrance region of a strong 100-130 knot 300mb polar jet. The low
level jet accompanying this system is very impressive with 850mb
winds of 60 and 70 knots through midnight. 0-6km Bulk Shear values
are now as high as 75 knots north of I-10.

MLCape values are ranging between 2000 and 2500 J/KG, with SFC-1KM
SRH values of 500 M2/S2. The near storm environment remains very
favorable to support the development of severe thunderstorms with
long-tracked violent tornadoes and damaging winds up to 70 mph
late this afternoon and evening. Hail up to 2 inches may occur in
a few storms.

Due to the fast moving nature of the storms, persons are going to
really need to pay attention to potential threats and act quickly.
Have multiple ways to receive warnings, including one that will
wake you up in the middle of the night. Know what to do and where
to go when warnings are issued for your location.

Wind...Due to 925mb winds as high as 55 knots, or only 2500 feet
above the surface, and frequent gusts of 40-45 mph at the surface,
the Wind Advisory will remain in effect until midnight for the
potential of downed trees and hazardous driving conditions on area
bridges.

Coastal Hazards...A High Surf Warning for dangerously large
breaking waves of 7 to 10 feet in the surf zone remains in effect
until 3 AM, followed by a High Surf Advisory from 3 AM to 3 PM
Sunday. On top of the high surf, life threatening rip currents
will be likely across all area beaches through Monday afternoon as
seas take a few days to subside. A Coastal Flood Advisory remains
in effect for central and southern Mobile and Baldwin counties,
mainly for minor flooding along the Highway 90/98 Causeway across
northern Mobile Bay, particularly along the outside, eastbound
lanes and around the I- 10/Causeway access ramps. In addition,
minor flooding is possible across southern Mobile Bay and along
coastal Alabama for lots and parks, with isolated road closures
possible.

Dry and cooler conditions are then expected through the reminder
of the weekend with the coastal hazard threats slowly diminishing.
/22

Monday through Friday...

No impactful weather expected. High pressure moves eastward over
the local area the first half of the week. The next front makes
passage across the area late Wednesday and brings next chance of
showers. There is favorable 0-6km bulk shear magnitudes in place
Wednesday but low instability. This results in a non- zero chance
of thunder, but only ~ 10% or less probabilities so will leave
thunder out of the zones. We quickly dry out and cool down once
again behind the mid-week frontal passage for Thursday and Friday
as high pressure builds in behind the front. Highs will gradually
moderate with each day through Wednesday, when highs top out into
the mid to upper 70's that day before tapering back to close out
the week and then back into the into the mid to upper 70's
Saturday. Nights cool with lowest mins coming Thursday night with
numbers 33 to 38 interior to lower 40's coast. /10

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 622 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025

A broken line of convection, potentially severe, is expected to
progress eastward through much of the area this evening and exit
to the east during the late night hours. IFR to MVFR conditions
prevail until the storms move through, after which VFR conditions
develop. Low level wind shear of 50-55 knots from 180-210 degrees
at 2 kft is expected to shift eastward across the area this
evening. Southerly winds 15-25 knots with gusts to 40 knots become
southwest 10-15 knots after midnight, then become westerly 10-15
knots on Sunday. /29

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 430 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025

Southerly Gale Force winds this evening will shift westerly after
midnight and diminish toward daybreak Sunday behind a cold front.
Small Craft conditions follow for the remainder of the weekend
over the Gulf due to high seas and moderate to strong westerly to
northwesterly winds. Light to occasionally moderate offshore flow
Monday decreases and becomes mainly southerly by the middle part
of next week, before shifting back to northerly on Thursday. /22

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Mobile      55  73  43  69  40  73  54  77 /  60   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
Pensacola   59  75  47  67  46  69  57  74 /  80   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
Destin      63  74  49  69  49  70  58  73 /  90   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
Evergreen   55  76  40  68  35  77  44  79 /  90   0   0   0   0   0   0  10
Waynesboro  52  69  39  68  39  76  49  79 /  70   0   0   0   0   0   0  10
Camden      54  71  40  64  38  75  46  77 /  90   0   0   0   0   0   0  10
Crestview   57  78  42  69  34  75  43  78 /  90   0   0   0   0   0   0   0

&&

.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for ALZ051>060-261>266.

     Coastal Flood Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening for
     ALZ263>266.

     High Rip Current Risk through Monday afternoon for ALZ265-266.

     High Surf Warning until 3 AM CDT Sunday for ALZ265-266.

     High Surf Advisory from 3 AM to 3 PM CDT Sunday for ALZ265-266.

FL...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for FLZ201>206.

     High Rip Current Risk through Monday afternoon for FLZ202-204-
     206.

     High Surf Warning until 3 AM CDT Sunday for FLZ202-204-206.

     High Surf Advisory from 3 AM to 3 PM CDT Sunday for FLZ202-204-
     206.

MS...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for MSZ067-075-076-078-
     079.

GM...Gale Warning until midnight CDT tonight for GMZ630>636-650-655-
     670-675.

     Small Craft Advisory from midnight tonight to 3 AM CDT Sunday
     for GMZ630>636.

     Small Craft Advisory from midnight tonight to 9 AM CDT Monday
     for GMZ650-655-670-675.

&&

This product is also available on the web at:
www.weather.gov/mob

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:22 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Tornado, Mobile

When
March 15, 7:20 PM CST to 7:25 PM CST
Where
Mobile County, 3.89 mi NE of Citronelle to 6.92 mi NE of Citronelle
Rating
EF1
Path length
3.04 mi
Path width
200 yd
Continued into
Washington, Al (MOB)
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
31.114, -88.177

The tornado touched down along County Road 96 near Meinhardt Loop Road West, where a few trees had their tops snapped. The tornado continued to the northeast into an area that ground survey crews could not get to between the start point and Sam Lewis Road. This stretch was likely where the tornado peaked in intensity as Sentinel 2 and Planet satellite imagery depicted substantial damage to several segments of the forest likely in the form of tree snaps and uproots. It is also in this stretch the tornado peaked in width reaching close to 200 yards wide. The tornado weakened based on satellite imagery and ground survey crew as the tornado crossed Sam Lewis Road where a metal outbuilding lost its roof and had its walls collapsed inward. No other damage was observed in this location, leading to a lower rating at this location. The tornado continued to the northeast, crossing into Washington County, where more trees were damaged along the path visible via satellite imagery. The tornado appears to have lifted west of Sandy Ridge Road based on available satellite imagery. Further adjustments in track length, width, and intensity are likely in the coming days or weeks as higher resolution satellite imagery becomes available.

Utilized imagery and derived products made available through the NASA Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and the NASA Disasters Program.

Tornado, Washington

When
March 15, 7:25 PM CST to 7:30 PM CST
Where
Washington County, 2.56 mi SSE of Summit to 1.43 mi W of Fairford
Rating
EF1
Path length
3.22 mi
Path width
200 yd
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
31.144, -88.140

The tornado touched down along County Road 96 near Meinhardt Loop Road West, where a few trees had their tops snapped. The tornado continued to the northeast into an area that ground survey crews could not get to between the start point and Sam Lewis Road. This stretch was likely where the tornado peaked in intensity as Sentinel 2 and Planet satellite imagery depicted substantial damage to several segments of the forest likely in the form of tree snaps and uproots. It is also in this stretch the tornado peaked in width reaching close to 200 yards wide. The tornado weakened based on satellite imagery and ground survey crew as the tornado crossed Sam Lewis Road where a metal outbuilding lost its roof and had its walls collapsed inward. No other damage was observed in this location, leading to a lower rating at this location. The tornado continued to the northeast, crossing into Washington County, where more trees were damaged along the path visible via satellite imagery. The tornado appears to have lifted west of Sandy Ridge Road based on available satellite imagery. Further adjustments in track length, width, and intensity are likely in the coming days or weeks as higher resolution satellite imagery becomes available.

Utilized imagery and derived products made available through the NASA Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and the NASA Disasters Program.

Tornado, Clarke

When
March 15, 7:48 PM CST to 8:05 PM CST
Where
Clarke County, 2.74 mi SSW of Carlton to 2.66 mi SSE of Gainestown
Rating
EF1
Path length
13.9 mi
Path width
240 yd
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
31.291, -87.861

An EF0 tornado began near Choctaw bluff tracking northeast tracking along the Alabama River. Sentinel and Planet satellite imagery revealed a narrow discontinuous path of tree damage, likely in the form of tree top snaps and/or uproots. This path tracks into the one building that sustained damage east of Walker Springs Road where some of the metal roofing material was removed towards the northwest. The tornado becomes untraceable after this point from satellite imagery, and will serve as the end point.

Utilized imagery and derived products made available through the NASA Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and the NASA Disasters Program.

Update May 15th, 2025: After further review of high-resolution satellite imagery that became available, it was determined this tornado began earlier to the south of Carlton where it was at its strongest point wiping out a large portion of forest west of Oil Well Road. Concentrated, weaker damage was evident all the way back to Belgreen Road which will serve as the starting point for this tornado. The intensity has been bumped to EF1 to match other corroborated ground and satellite survey tornadoes within the region. The tornadoes width was also increased to 240 yards which occurred back where it reached its peak intensity.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clarke

When
March 15, 8:02 PM CST to 8:04 PM CST
Where
Clarke County, 2 mi SSE of Gainestown
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
31.423, -87.687

High winds caused damage to a metal roof of a home.

Tornado, Clarke

When
March 15, 8:10 PM CST to 8:11 PM CST
Where
Clarke County, 1.97 mi NE of Barlow Bend to 3.4 mi NE of Barlow Bend
Rating
EF0
Path length
1.43 mi
Path width
200 yd
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
31.467, -87.603

A new tornado was discovered after thorough review of available high resolution satellite imagery. A narrow continuous path of notable tree damage was observed from just southwest of Barlow Bend Road and east of Pops Road, continuing northeast to just north of Linda's Creek. The intensity is estimated to be EF0 in corroboration with other satellite and ground-based surveys in the region. The tornado reached a peak width of 200 yards.

What these are

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alabama in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 2025Warnings in Alabama, March 2025

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: 1244977, 1244980, 1244986, 1248942, 1245292.