Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2008

EF2 tornado, Mattawana to Oneonta Robbins Arpt, Alabama, March 15, 2008

Name: EF2 tornado, Mattawana to Oneonta Robbins Arpt, Alabama, March 15, 2008
Start: 2008-03-15T14:47:00.000Z
End: 2008-03-15T14:57:00.000Z
Location: Mattawana to Oneonta Robbins Arpt, Alabama

From Mattawana to Oneonta Robbins Arpt, this EF2 tornado ran 6.0 miles across Blount County on March 15, 2008, touching down at 9:47 AM CDT and reaching 675 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $960,000 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 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mphthis tornado
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: EF2
Date: March 15, 2008
Touchdown: 9:47 AM CDT (14:47 UTC)
Lifted: 9:57 AM CDT (14:57 UTC)
On the ground: 10 minutes
Path length: 6.0 miles (9.7 km)
Path width: 675 yards (617 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $960,000
County: Blount County
Touchdown point: 33.872, -86.446
Lift-off point: 33.914, -86.354
Record number: 0803150847-01

What the Weather Service recorded

An upper level disturbance, and a developing surface low and associated cold front, caused several rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms across central Alabama.

The tornado touched down just east of CR-27, about 5 miles south-southeast of Oneonta. It then moved north of River Road, through the Highland Lake community, and across CR-29 near the Appalachian Community. The Appalachian School property sustained damage, but the school was spared any significant damage. The tornado continued northeastward and strengthened as it nearly paralleled CR-12, before lifting just north of the intersection of CR-12 and US-231. Along the entire path, several hundred trees were either snapped off or were uprooted. A few dozen chicken houses were damaged and many were destroyed. Many outbuildings, garages, and sheds were destroyed. At least 25 homes sustained major damage, and another few dozen received minor damage. At least one mobile home was destroyed and a few more were damaged. At least 6 cows and hundreds of chickens were killed by flying debris. In some instances, the roof debris from damaged structures was blown over one half mile downstream. A few feed silos were tipped over and one rolled at least one half mile.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

1 minute of warning. NWS BMX issued a tornado warning for this county at 14:46 UTC, 1 minute before the tornado touched down, in force until 15:15 UTC.

The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch, issued at 12:05 UTC and running to 16:00 UTC.

Issued (UTC)	Expired	Product	Office
05:58 UTC	09:38 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	BMX
07:34 UTC	08:15 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX
07:52 UTC	08:30 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX
08:01 UTC	08:30 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX
12:05 UTC	16:00 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	BMX
14:00 UTC	00:00 UTC	Lake Wind Advisory	BMX
14:16 UTC	15:15 UTC	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX
14:46 UTC	15:15 UTC	Tornado 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 Slight Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 12:28 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.

What forecasters said that day

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

NWS Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Mar 15, 7:30 AM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 15, 7:30 AM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
730 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

.MESOSCALE DISCUSSION.

ANOTHER MESOSCALE COMPLEX CURRENTLY LOCATED NEAR THE ALABAMA
MISSISSIPPI BORDER WILL AFFECT THE EXTREME COUNTIES IN THE NORTHERN
CWA.  THE NUMERICAL MODELS ARE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY...AS PER
TYPICAL...WITH GENERATING AND ADVECTING THESE FEATURES...SO SOME
MODEL OUTPUT COULD BE UNDERPLAYING EVENTS OF THIS MORNING.  WILL
WAIT TO SEE IF THE HOURLY 13 KM RUC CAN HANDLE ONGOING EVENTS.  MAIN
CONCERN AT THIS HOUR IS ANY REDEVELOPMENT ON THE SOUTH SIDE OR THE
POSSIBILITY OF BACKFILLING CONVECTION.  BEGINNING TO SEE THAT TAKE
PLACE NOW AS CONVECTION IS FIRING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE COMPLEX.
THIS HAS PROMPTED THE WATCH AREA THE HAVE BEEN PLACED EARLIER THIS
MORNING UNTIL MID MORNING.

REALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR NUMERICAL GUIDANCE...EVEN FOR NONHYDROSTATIC
MODELS...TO GENERATE THOSE MESO DETAILS.  ALSO A BIT CONCERNED ABOUT
THE INTENSITY OF THE SURFACE LOW AS IT RIDES JUST TO OUR NORTHWEST.
IF THE LOW BOMBS OUT...THE SURFACE WINDS WILL BACK SUFFICIENTLY TO
CREATE AN ENHANCED AREA OF HELICITY ACROSS THE NORTHERN COUNTIES FOR
LATER THIS AFTERNOON.  THIS COUPLED WITH HIGHER CAPES COULD LEAD TO
A MINI OUTBREAK OF SUPERCELLULAR STORMS IN THE DAYTIME HEATING.
SAYING ALL THIS WITH LITTLE REGARD TO WARM AIR ALOFT THAT WILL BE
STREAMING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST.  WE WILL BE AT THE MERCY OF
NUMERICAL AND LAPS GUIDANCE TO PLACE THAT WARM AIR CAP CORRECTLY.
THAT WILL BE A SHOW STOPPER ESPECIALLY SOUTH.  A GOOD INDICATION
WILL BE WATCHING THE AREAS OF NONCONCECTIVE CU...BUT WE WILL NOT
HAVE THAT LUXURY UNTIL LATER THIS MORNING.  WE WILL ALSO BE DOING AN
18Z UPPER AIR RELEASE TO HELP WITH INITIALIZING EVENTS FOR
LATER...ESPECIALLY UPSTREAM OF BMX.

17/KLAWS

&&

.AVIATION...12Z TAF DISCUSSION.

NEW COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN AL MAY AFFECT
KANB AROUND 14-15Z. STRONG SURFACE LOW PRESSURE IN MS EARLY THIS
MORNING WILL PRODUCE STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS GUSTING OVER 20 KTS
UNTIL 00Z.  IN ADDITION...MOISTURE WILL BE ON INCREASE AND DRAW MVFR
SC ACROSS THE REGION.  BREAKS IN CLOUDS AND MIXING WILL SEE CIGS
INCREASE TO NEAR 3 KFT AROUND 15Z AND THEN VFR AFTER 20Z.  HARD TO
PINPOINT EXACT LOCATIONS OF STORM REDEVELOPMENT OUTSIDE OF KANB AND
WILL LEAVE OUT OF FORECASTS AT THIS TIME.

STEFKOVICH

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...LAKE WIND ADVISORY TODAY FROM 9 AM UNTIL 7 PM FOR ALL ZONES AND
COUNTIES.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 15, 6:10 AM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
610 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

ALZ011>015-017>050-161010-
AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE-
CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE-
JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-
PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA-
TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON-
610 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING ALONG AND NORTH OF A
VERNON...JASPER...ONEONTA...GADSDEN...CENTRE LINE.  THE MAIN THREATS
WILL BE DAMAGING LARGE HAIL AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.  SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM NOON UNTIL 6 PM FOR AREAS ALONG AND
NORTH OF A VERNON...CHILTON...PHENIX CITY LINE.  LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS. A FEW TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY EAST
OF INTERSTATE 65 AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 85.

A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL
7 PM FOR SUSTAINED SOUTH WINDS FROM 15 TO 20 MPH...WITH GUSTS OVER
20 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL ENTER THE AREA LATE TUESDAY NIGHT AND
WEDNESDAY. AT THIS TIME THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF
SEVERE WEATHER. UNCERTAINTY REMAINS WITH TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THIS
SYSTEM. STAY TUNED TO LATER FORECASTS AS THIS SYSTEM APPROACHES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF SOME STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE
NECESSARY THROUGH 6 PM.

STEFKOVICH

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 15, 6:02 AM CDT, 3 hours 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
602 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0602 AM     HAIL             LINEVILLE               33.31N 85.75W
03/15/2008  M0.50 INCH       CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

GGOGGINS

Local storm report, Mar 15, 6:05 AM CDT, 3 hours 42 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
605 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0406 AM     TSTM WND GST     LINEVILLE               33.31N 85.75W
03/15/2008  M51 MPH          CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

GGOGGINS

Local storm report, Mar 15, 6:10 AM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
610 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0406 AM     HAIL             LINEVILLE               33.31N 85.75W
03/15/2008  M0.50 INCH       CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

GGOGGINS

Local storm report, Mar 15, 6:58 AM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
658 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 AM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NE ASHLAND            33.30N 85.80W
03/15/2008                   CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            CLAY COUNTY EMA REPORTS COLLAPSE OF AN AIRCRAFT HANGAR
            WITH DEBRIS BLOWN 100-150 YDS.

&&

GGOGGINS

Local storm report, Mar 15, 7:10 AM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
710 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1247 AM     HAIL             MILLPORT                33.56N 88.08W
03/15/2008  E1.75 INCH       LAMAR              AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN THE CITY OF MILLPORT.

0145 AM     HAIL             1 S CARROLLTON          33.25N 88.10W
03/15/2008  E0.75 INCH       PICKENS            AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PENNY SIZED HAIL REPORTED ON STATE ROUTE 17 JUST SOUTH OF
            CARROLLTON.

0215 AM     HAIL             3 NW TUSCALOOSA         33.26N 87.57W
03/15/2008  E0.88 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0224 AM     HAIL             4 WNW DUNCANVILLE       33.08N 87.47W
03/15/2008  E0.88 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE REPORTED ON BEAR CREEK ROAD.

0237 AM     HAIL             9 W HUEYTOWN            33.45N 87.16W
03/15/2008  E1.00 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            QUARTER SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED ON LOCK 17 ROAD NEAR
            PLEASANT GROVE.

0247 AM     HAIL             2 NE WOODSTOCK          33.22N 87.13W
03/15/2008  E0.50 INCH       BIBB               AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN THE GREEN POND COMMUNITY.

0255 AM     HAIL             4 W BIRMINGHAM          33.52N 86.86W
03/15/2008  E1.25 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL REPORTED ON I-20 BETWEEN EXIT 120
            AND ARKADELPHIA ROAD.

0256 AM     HAIL             3 NNW WARRIOR           33.85N 86.83W
03/15/2008  E0.50 INCH       BLOUNT             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            REPORTED ON I-65 AT HIGHWAY 160.

0256 AM     HAIL             5 SSW BIRMINGHAM        33.46N 86.84W
03/15/2008  E0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            REPORTED ON WEST OXMOOR ROAD.

0257 AM     TSTM WND DMG     5 NE WOODSTOCK          33.26N 87.08W
03/15/2008                   TUSCALOOSA         AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            LARGE TREE BLOWN DOWN JUST SOUTH OF BELLVIEW BAPTIST
            CHURCH.

0259 AM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
03/15/2008  E0.75 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            PENNY SIZED HAIL IN DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM.

0300 AM     HAIL             2 NE HELENA             33.31N 86.82W
03/15/2008  E0.50 INCH       SHELBY             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            REPORTED NEAR PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL.

0302 AM     HAIL             2 SSW CAHABA HEIGHTS    33.43N 86.74W
03/15/2008  E0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            REPORTED AT I-459 AND CAHABA RIVER ROAD.

0305 AM     HAIL             3 WSW ALABASTER         33.21N 86.86W
03/15/2008  E1.50 INCH       SHELBY             AL   PUBLIC

            REPORTED IN MAYLENE.

0339 AM     HAIL             3 NNE ALABASTER         33.26N 86.80W
03/15/2008  E0.50 INCH       SHELBY             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            REPORTED AT I-65 AND CR-11.

0347 AM     HAIL             5 S ALABASTER           33.15N 86.81W
03/15/2008  E1.00 INCH       SHELBY             AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            QUARTER SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED AT CR-22 AND CR-16 IN
            MONTEVALLO.

0349 AM     HAIL             3 S ALABASTER           33.18N 86.82W
03/15/2008  E1.00 INCH       SHELBY             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            QUARTER SIZED HAIL REPORTED ON AL-119.

0350 AM     HAIL             4 SE ALABASTER          33.18N 86.78W
03/15/2008  E0.75 INCH       SHELBY             AL   NWS EMPLOYEE

            PENNY SIZED HAIL AT THE NWS OFFICE IN CALERA.

0400 AM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NE ASHLAND            33.30N 85.80W
03/15/2008                   CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            CLAY COUNTY EMA REPORTS COLLAPSE OF AN AIRCRAFT HANGAR
            WITH DEBRIS BLOWN 100-150 YDS.

0403 AM     HAIL             COLUMBIANA              33.18N 86.60W
03/15/2008  E1.00 INCH       SHELBY             AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

0406 AM     HAIL             LINEVILLE               33.31N 85.75W
03/15/2008  M0.50 INCH       CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0406 AM     TSTM WND GST     LINEVILLE               33.31N 85.75W
03/15/2008  M51.00 MPH       CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

GGOGGINS

Special weather statement, Mar 15, 8:58 AM CDT, 49 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
858 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

ALZ015-151445-
WALKER-
858 AM CDT SAT MAR 15 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR WALKER COUNTY UNTIL 945 AM CDT...

AT 856 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED THAT
THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING NEAR JASPER...MOVING EAST AT 55
MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
  LYNNS PARK.
  SIPSEY.
  EMPIRE.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM CDT
SATURDAY MORNING FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.

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

2.8 hours before the tornado, 87 km from the path. March 15, 2008.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.

Hodograph

The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.

Mixed-layer CAPE: 1121 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -89 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 146 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 509 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 66 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 393 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 622 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 7.3
0-3 km lapse rate: 4.3 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), 00:00Z

9.2 hours after it, 87 km from the path. March 16, 2008.

Skew-T log-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.

Hodograph

Mixed-layer CAPE: 52 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -13 J/kg
Surface CAPE: 169 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1671 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 68 kt
0-1 km bulk shear: 16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 221 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: -0.0
Supercell composite: -0.0
0-3 km lapse rate: 7.4 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Gadsden Municipal (Awos) (GAD), 30 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)	Temp (°F)	Dew point (°F)	Wind	Gust (kt)	Pressure (mb)	Weather
12:55 UTC	57.2	53.6	0° 0 kt		1003.4
13:15 UTC	57.2	55.4	100° 6 kt		1002.4
13:35 UTC	59	55.4	130° 8 kt		1002
13:55 UTC	60.8	55.4	170° 5 kt		1002.4
14:15 UTC	62.6	57.2	160° 6 kt		1001.7
14:35 UTC	62.6	57.2	220° 8 kt		1002.7	VCTS
14:55 UTC	62.6	59	210° 3 kt		1002.7	TS
15:15 UTC	60.8	59	340° 12 kt	18	1002.4	TS
15:35 UTC	60.8	57.2	320° 9 kt	16	1003.4	TS
15:55 UTC	59	55.4	270° 6 kt		1003.7	TS
16:15 UTC	59	55.4	230° 4 kt		1003.4	VCTS
16:35 UTC	60.8	57.2	0° 0 kt		1003.4

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 14:47 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
13:15 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	Hokes Bluff	Etowah, AL	TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN. ADDITIONAL TOWNSHIPS EFFECTED INCLDED COATES BEND, IVALEE, REAVES.
14:28 UTC	HAIL 0.5	2 S Albertville	Marshall, AL	DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY HIGHWAY PATROL SOUTH OF ALBERTVILLE
14:50 UTC	TSTM WND DMG	Highland Lake	Blount, AL	POSSIBLE TORNADO...DAMAGE IN THE VICINITY OF HIGHLAND LAKES.
14:50 UTC	TORNADO 2	Highland Lake	Blount, AL	SEVERAL HUNDRED TREES SNAPPED OFF OR UPROOTED. NUMEROUS CHICKEN HOUSES DESTROYED OR DAMAGED. SEVERAL DOZEN HOMES RECEIVED DAMAGE...4 WITH MAJOR DAMAGE. ONE MOBILE HOME DESTROYED. PATH LENGTH SIX MILES LONG.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2008 tornado in Alabama Every tornado in Alabama since 1950 Warnings in force in Alabama now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of March 15, 2008

46 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
March 15	10:50 AM CDT	EF2	Cherokee, AL	3.6	50			$75,000
March 15	12:25 PM EDT	EF3	Polk, GA	16.9	880	2	2	$7.5 million
March 15	2:44 PM EDT	EF0	Franklin, GA	3.2	20
March 15	3:43 PM EDT	EF0	Abbeville, SC	0.5	20
March 15	4:10 PM EDT	EF0	Fairfield, SC	4.6	80
March 15	4:19 PM EDT	EF2	Elbert, GA	8.0	100			$100,000
March 15	4:20 PM EDT	EF1	Kershaw, SC	19.6	80
March 15	4:25 PM EDT	EF3	Newberry, SC	27.5	1,320		2	$10,000
March 15	4:28 PM EDT	EF0	Lincoln, GA	1.1	110
March 15	4:30 PM EDT	EF2	Kershaw, SC	23.0	660
March 15	4:34 PM EDT	EF1	McCormick, SC	11.5	440
March 15	4:47 PM EDT	EF1	Chesterfield, SC	7.0	110			$25,000
March 15	5:02 PM EDT	EF2	McCormick, SC	32.7	660
March 15	5:22 PM EDT	EF2	Kershaw, SC	6.9	1,230		2
March 15	5:33 PM EDT	EF0	Kershaw, SC	0.5	100
March 15	5:37 PM EDT	EF0	Aiken, SC	0.5	100
March 15	5:41 PM EDT	EF2	Lexington, SC	8.3	440
March 15	5:43 PM EDT	EF1	Richland, SC	3.7	660
March 15	5:48 PM EDT	EF0	McDuffie, GA	4.6	110
March 15	5:48 PM EDT	EF0	Dillon, SC	1.4	75			$50,000
March 15	5:53 PM EDT	EF1	Columbia, GA	5.3	440		2	$140,000
March 15	6:10 PM EDT	EF2	Calhoun, SC	24.4	440
March 15	6:11 PM EDT	EF0	Edgefield, SC	3.7	220
March 15	6:15 PM EDT	EF0	Butts, GA	4.4	100			$150,000
March 15	6:15 PM EDT	EF2	Jefferson, GA	22.1	880			$500,000
March 15	6:16 PM EDT	EF0	Columbus, NC	0.0	10
March 15	6:18 PM EDT	EF2	Aiken, SC	25.5	1,760
March 15	6:25 PM EDT	EF1	Florence, SC	13.4	100		3	$605,000
March 15	6:52 PM EDT	EF2	Lee, SC	14.1	440
March 15	6:54 PM EDT	EF0	Barnwell, SC	0.6	100
March 15	6:58 PM EDT	EF1	Clarendon, SC	8.6	220
March 15	7:05 PM EDT	EF1	Burke, GA	15.2	440			$100,000
March 15	7:05 PM EDT	EF1	Bamberg, SC	2.0	220
March 15	7:12 PM EDT	EF2	Allendale, SC	18.0	1,320			$2.3 million
March 15	7:13 PM EDT	EF0	Horry, SC	0.3	25			$5,000
March 15	7:17 PM EDT	EF1	Williamsburg, SC	2.5	75
March 15	7:25 PM EDT	EF1	Bamberg, SC	3.8	660
March 15	7:29 PM EDT	EF3	Orangeburg, SC	10.1	1,320
March 15	7:36 PM EDT	EF1	Williamsburg, SC	4.0	75			$200,000
March 15	7:54 PM EDT	EF0	Georgetown, SC	0.0	20
March 15	7:56 PM EDT	EF1	Pender, NC	2.0	100			$2.0 million
March 15	8:08 PM EDT	EF1	Dorchester, SC	2.2	40			$218,000
March 15	8:25 PM EDT	EF1	Berkeley, SC	0.6	180		7	$150,000
March 15	8:36 PM EDT	EF1	Berkeley, SC	1.2	135			$200,000
March 15	9:34 PM EDT	EF2	Effingham, GA	7.0	440		5	$1.5 million
March 15	9:44 PM EDT	EF2	Effingham, GA	0.5	100			$3.0 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.