Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2007
EF1 tornado, Montevallo Flyng X R, Alabama, March 1, 2007
This EF1 tornado ran 0.7 miles across Shelby County on March 1, 2007, touching down at 5:56 PM CST and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $30,000 of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- EF1
- Date
- March 1, 2007
- Touchdown
- 5:56 PM CST (23:56 UTC)
- Lifted
- 5:57 PM CST (23:57 UTC)
- On the ground
- 1 minutes
- Path length
- 0.7 miles (1.0 km)
- Path width
- 100 yards (91 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $30,000
- County
- Shelby County
- Touchdown point
- 33.158, -86.859
- Lift-off point
- 33.159, -86.850
- Record number
- 0703011756-01
What the Weather Service recorded
A powerful spring storm system brought an outbreak of tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail to Central Alabama.
The tornado touched down along County Road 17, about 6 miles southwest of Alabaster, and tracked a short distance to the east-northeast. At least 15 large pine trees were snapped off. One home suffered major roof damage and a barn sustained roof damage.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
18 minutes of warning. NWS BMX issued a tornado warning for this county at 23:38 UTC, 18 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 00:15 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 13:31 UTC and running to 00:50 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13:31 UTC | 00:50 UTC | Tornado Watch | BMX |
| 14:00 UTC | 02:00 UTC | Lake Wind Advisory | BMX |
| 23:38 UTC | 00:15 UTC | Tornado Warning | BMX |
| 00:02 UTC | 00:30 UTC | Tornado Warning | BMX |
| 00:04 UTC | 01:00 UTC | Flash Flood Warning | BMX |
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a High Risk, with a 0.30 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 20:06 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
The air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), 12:00Z
11.9 hours before the tornado, 7 km from the path. March 1, 2007.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -124204 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 755 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 68 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 51 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 724 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 855 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 3.1
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 3.5 K/km
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), 00:00Z
0.1 hours after it, 7 km from the path. March 2, 2007.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 785 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -4 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 1633 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 627 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 68 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 11 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 41 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 127 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.4
- Supercell composite
- 2.5
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.2 K/km
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 8 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 23:56 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21:35 UTC | HAIL 0.88 | 2 N Oak Grove | Talladega, AL | |
| 21:35 UTC | HAIL 0.88 | 9 W Hueytown | Jefferson, AL | NICKEL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN THE OAK GROVE AREA. |
| 21:40 UTC | HAIL 0.88 | 3 Nw Sylvan Springs | Jefferson, AL | NICKEL SIZE HAIL WAS OBSERVED BETWEEN BIRMINGPORT AND SYLVAN SPRINGS. |
| 21:56 UTC | HAIL 0.5 | Brookwood | Tuscaloosa, AL | MARBLE SIZE HAIL IN NORTH BROOKWOOD. |
| 21:56 UTC | HAIL 0.5 | Brookwood | Tuscaloosa, AL | MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS OBSERVED IN NORTH BROOKWOOD. |
| 21:58 UTC | HAIL 0.88 | 4 N Brookwood | Tuscaloosa, AL | NICKEL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED JUST NORTH OF BROOKWOOD. |
| 22:06 UTC | TORNADO 1 | 1 Se Graysville | Jefferson, AL | TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN ADAMSVILLE STARTING NEAR ABBEY RD. AND TRAVELING NORTHWARD TO SOLOMON ST. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 1 MILE LONG AND 400 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 100 MPH. DOZENS OF UPROOTE |
| 22:12 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Se Graysville | Jefferson, AL | TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN IN THE WESTWOOD COMMUNITY. |
| 22:12 UTC | TORNADO 1 | 1 Se Graysville | Jefferson, AL | TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN ADAMSVILLE STARTING NEAR ABEY RD. AND TRAVELING NORTHWARD TO SOLOMON ST. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 1 MILE LONG AND 400 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 100 MPH. DOZENS OF UPROOTED |
| 22:13 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 1 Sw Gardendale | Jefferson, AL | A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED AT EXIT 271 ON INTERSTATE 65. |
| 22:13 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 1 Sw Gardendale | Jefferson, AL | FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED AT EXIT 271 OF I-65. |
| 22:45 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | Birmingham | Jefferson, AL | A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED OVER TARRANT JUST NORTH OF THE BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT. |
| 22:45 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | Birmingham | Jefferson, AL | FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED OVER TARRANT...NORTH OF THE BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT. |
| 23:00 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 5 N Birmingham | Jefferson, AL | A TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 5 MILES NORTH OF THE BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT. |
| 23:00 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 5 N Birmingham | Jefferson, AL | TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTS A FUNNEL CLOUD 5 MILES NORTH OF THE BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT. |
| 23:20 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 5 Nne Bessemer | Jefferson, AL | A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED OVER INTERSTATE 20 NEAR MIDFIELD. |
| 23:20 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | 5 Nne Bessemer | Jefferson, AL | FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED OVER INTERSTATE 20/59 NEAR MIDFIELD. |
| 23:20 UTC | HAIL 1.75 | Bessemer | Jefferson, AL | GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN NORTHWEST SIDE OF BESSEMER. |
| 23:20 UTC | HAIL 1.75 | Bessemer | Jefferson, AL | GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF BESSEMER. |
| 23:25 UTC | HAIL 1 | 6 E Bessemer | Jefferson, AL | QUARTER SIZE HAIL FELL IN BLUFF PARK. |
| 23:27 UTC | HAIL 0.88 | Hoover | Jefferson, AL | NICKEL SIZE HAIL REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY 150 IN HOOVER. |
| 23:27 UTC | HAIL 0.88 | Hoover | Jefferson, AL | NICKEL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY 150 IN HOOVER. |
| 23:35 UTC | HAIL 1 | 6 E Bessemer | Jefferson, AL | QUARTER SIZE HAIL IN BLUFF PARK. |
| 23:38 UTC | TORNADO 1 | 3 Nnw Montevallo | Shelby, AL | A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN SHELBY COUNTY JUST EAST OF SR 17. IT STARTED BY ROADS EDGE AND TRAVELED 3/4 MILE TO THE ENE. 15 LARGE PINE TREES SNAPPED OFF AND MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE TO HOME. ROOF DAMAGE TO BARN. |
| 23:55 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Montevallo | Shelby, AL | 15 TREES DOWN...THREE STRUCTURES DAMAGED. ONE TREE FELL ON A HOUSE RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE. ONE HOUSE HAD MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE...AND ONE HOUSE HAD MINOR ROOF DAMAGE. |
| 23:55 UTC | TORNADO 1 | 3 Nnw Montevallo | Shelby, AL | TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN SHELBY COUNTY JUST EAST OF SR 17. STARTED BY ROADS EDGE AND TRAVELED 3/4 MILE TO THE ENE. 15 LARGE PINE TREES SNAPPED OFF AND MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE TO HOME. ROOF DAMAGE TO BARN. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2007 tornado in AlabamaEvery tornado in Alabama since 1950Warnings in force in Alabama nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of March 1, 2007
42 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1 | 1:30 AM CST | EF0 | Monroe, MO | 2.1 | 50 | |||
| March 1 | 1:40 AM CST | EF1 | Monroe, MO | 3.4 | 60 | |||
| March 1 | 1:43 AM CST | EF1 | Monroe, MO | 8.6 | 100 | |||
| March 1 | 4:28 AM CST | EF0 | Carroll, AR | 2.0 | 50 | $10,000 | ||
| March 1 | 6:24 AM CST | EF3 | Ozark, MO | 15.0 | 200 | 1 | $760,000 | |
| March 1 | 9:50 AM CST | EF0 | Catahoula Parish, LA | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| March 1 | 10:45 AM CST | EF0 | Union, IL | 1.8 | 150 | $100,000 | ||
| March 1 | 11:20 AM CST | EF0 | Santa Rosa, FL | 0.5 | 30 | $8,000 | ||
| March 1 | 11:58 AM CST | EF1 | Yazoo, MS | 6.5 | 100 | $90,000 | ||
| March 1 | 12:05 PM CST | EF0 | Butler, AL | 3.1 | 30 | $20,000 | ||
| March 1 | 12:27 PM CST | EF4 | Millers Ferry tornado, AL | 6.1 | 500 | 1 | 2 | $2.0 million |
| March 1 | 12:31 PM CST | EF1 | Dallas, AL | 12.2 | 500 | $250,000 | ||
| March 1 | 12:47 PM CST | EF0 | Macon, IL | 1.0 | 30 | 1 | $37,000 | |
| March 1 | 1:08 PM CST | EF4 | Enterprise tornado, AL | 10.3 | 500 | 9 | 50 | $250 million |
| March 1 | 1:48 PM CST | EF1 | Dale, AL | 7.1 | 150 | 4 | $2.5 million | |
| March 1 | 1:52 PM CST | EF1 | Henry, AL to GA | 30.8 | 150 | 2 | $11 million | |
| March 1 | 2:20 PM CST | EF1 | Todd, KY | 0.2 | 30 | $35,000 | ||
| March 1 | 2:48 PM CST | EF2 | Lowndes, AL | 24.6 | 600 | 6 | $700,000 | |
| March 1 | 2:59 PM CST | EF1 | Fayette, AL | 11.2 | 150 | $50,000 | ||
| March 1 | 3:00 PM CST | EF1 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 3.7 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| March 1 | 4:11 PM EST | EF1 | Stewart, GA | 1.5 | 250 | $400,000 | ||
| March 1 | 3:12 PM CST | EF1 | Barbour, AL | 2.4 | 75 | |||
| March 1 | 3:45 PM CST | EF2 | Winston, AL | 9.6 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| March 1 | 4:06 PM CST | EF1 | Jefferson, AL | 0.9 | 400 | $100,000 | ||
| March 1 | 5:29 PM EST | EF2 | Taylor, GA | 7.7 | 448 | 1 | 4 | $500,000 |
| March 1 | 5:34 PM EST | EF3 | Crawford, GA | 9.7 | 448 | 9 | $525,000 | |
| March 1 | 5:49 PM EST | EF1 | Crawford, GA | 11.9 | 100 | $100,000 | ||
| March 1 | 5:51 PM EST | EF0 | Bibb, GA | 2.5 | 100 | $100,000 | ||
| March 1 | 5:27 PM CST | EF2 | Muscogee, AL to GA | 11.7 | 300 | 1 | $28 million | |
| March 1 | 6:30 PM EST | EF1 | Jones, GA | 3.6 | 150 | $500,000 | ||
| March 1 | 6:44 PM EST | EF0 | Jones, GA | 0.0 | 50 | $5,000 | ||
| March 1 | 7:00 PM EST | EF1 | Talbot, GA | 4.1 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| March 1 | 8:08 PM EST | EF2 | Warren, GA | 11.7 | 448 | 3 | $700,000 | |
| March 1 | 9:00 PM EST | EF3 | Webster, GA | 40.1 | 1,790 | 2 | 11 | $111 million |
| March 1 | 9:36 PM EST | EF3 | Macon, GA | 3.1 | 1,790 | $2,000 | ||
| March 1 | 10:30 PM EST | EF0 | Bleckley, GA | 1.4 | 448 | $250,000 | ||
| March 1 | 10:40 PM EST | EF2 | Wilkinson, GA | 13.3 | 895 | $30,000 | ||
| March 1 | 10:52 PM EST | EF1 | Marion, GA | 2.5 | 100 | $25,000 | ||
| March 1 | 11:44 PM EST | EF2 | Baker, GA | 30.5 | 200 | 6 | 3 | $4.0 million |
| March 1 | 12:20 AM EST | EF2 | Worth, GA | 4.5 | 150 | 2 | $275,000 | |
| March 1 | 12:30 AM EST | EF2 | Worth, GA | 2.9 | 200 | $500,000 | ||
| March 1 | 12:42 AM EST | EF1 | Tift, GA | 7.9 | 150 | $1.4 million |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.