Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2011

EF0 tornado, Tyson, Alabama, April 15, 2011

This EF0 tornado ran 2.7 miles across Lowndes County on April 15, 2011, touching down at 7:23 PM CDT and reaching 75 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $21,000 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.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. 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.

  7. 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
EF0
Date
April 15, 2011
Touchdown
7:23 PM CDT (00:23 UTC)
Lifted
7:27 PM CDT (00:27 UTC)
On the ground
4 minutes
Path length
2.7 miles (4.4 km)
Path width
75 yards (69 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$21,000
County
Lowndes County
Touchdown point
32.214, -86.452
Lift-off point
32.239, -86.416
Record number
1104151823-01

The damage survey

9 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS BMX, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF0. The highest wind the damage implies is 76 mph.

  • Abandoned outbuilding with loss of tin roof covering and collapse of half of the structure. Apparent RFD Surge.
  • Abandoned outbuildings to a farm house sustained major structural damage. One half of the outbuilding had collapsed, and a wall on the opposite side was collapsed as well. Tin from the roof had been blown at least 50 yards from the buildings. It was out in the middle of a meadow, and no other damage was observed. Looks like an apparent RFD surge.
  • A large hardwood tree was uprooted and was blocking Cruise Rd, and a pine tree was snapped.
  • Start point of Eastern Lowdnes EF-0 Tornado. Large Pine tree was over cruise road, and had been uprooted.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

What the Weather Service recorded

A potent storm system, which wreaked havoc across the eastern half of the United States on April 14-16, produced a significant and historic tornado outbreak across Central Alabama on April 15. Forty tornadoes, 30 of which touched down in Central Alabama, occurred in the state. At the time, this set a new record for number of tornadoes within the state from one event. This record was broken on April 27, 2011. ||A surface low developed across the Central Plains on Thursday, April 14, and strengthened as it moved into the mid-Mississippi River Valley. In response, surface dew points in the middle to upper 60s surged northward into Central Alabama and deep vertical wind shear increased, providing support for tornadic supercell development. A weakening line of thunderstorms moved into northwest Central Alabama early Friday morning. The southern end of this line intensified by mid day as it encountered a more unstable airmass. South of the line, supercells formed in Mississippi and tracked eastward into west Central Alabama. The entire system pushed east across the area over the course of about twelve hours, exiting east Central Alabama in the early morning hours on Saturday, April 16. In addition to the thirty tornadoes, the storm system produced widespread straight line wind damage and numerous large hail reports.

A tornado touched down just west of County Road 26 on Cruise Road in Lowndes County. The tornado tracked northeastward. Numerous trees were either snapped or uprooted along the path and a few homes suffered minor shingle damage. The tornado lifted just after it crossed County Road 32. Maximum winds were estimated to be 75 mph.

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

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk, with a 0.15 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 19:56 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 Apr 15, 6:34 PM CDT, 49 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 15, 6:34 PM CDT, 49 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
634 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

.UPDATE...AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

SHORT DISCUSSION TODAY. WE WENT AHEAD AND INCLUDED ALL COUNTIES IN
OUR WARNING AREA INTO TORNADO WATCH 141. ALTHOUGH THE BEST
CONDITIONS WILL BE ALONG THE WEST AND SOUTHWEST PORTIONS OF THE
AREA...ENOUGH INSTABILITY IS CREEPING NORTHWARD WHICH WARRANTED
THE INCLUSION OF ALL COUNTIES INTO THE WATCH. THERE IS A GOOD
POSSIBILITY THAT THE WATCH WILL BE EXTENDED PAST 9 PM CDT
TONIGHT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING AND WE WILL MODIFY THE FORECAST ACCORDINGLY.

CONDITIONS REMAIN PRIME FOR STRONG LONG TRACK TORNADOES...
ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 AT LEAST THROUGH THE
LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA OUTLET FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION.

10/ARM

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z TAF DISCUSSION.

WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL EXPECTED ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS EVENING. ALL TAF SITES WILL BE AFFECTED BY
THESE STORMS. EXPECT PERIODS OF IFR DUE TO BOTH CEILINGS AND
VISIBILITIES IN RELATION TO THESE THUNDERSTORMS. CONDITIONS ARE NOT
EXPECTED TO IMPROVE UNTIL AFTER 06Z WHEN THE COLD FRONT BEINGS TO
MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. TIMING IS SUBJECTIVE AND IT IS  BASED
ON CURRENT TRENDS. WILL ADJUST THE FORECAST AS NECESSARY.

SKIES ARE EXPECTED TO CLEAR UP TOMORROW WITH CONTINUING GUSTY WINDS.

NOTICE...KEET TAF WILL HAVE (AMD LTD TO VIS WIND AND WX) AMENDED TO
THE END OF THE FORECAST UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE CEILOMETER DATA
WILL BE GOING THROUGH NUMEROUS TESTS AND MONITORED FOR ACCURACY.

10/ARM

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM CDT SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES: 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.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 15, 6:00 AM CDT, 13 hours 23 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
600 AM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

ALZ011>015-017>050-161130-
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-
600 AM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING THE THREAT OF STRONG TORNADOES...ARE
EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA BETWEEN 10 AM TODAY AND 3 AM TONIGHT.
ALL MODES OF SEVERE WEATHER ARE POSSIBLE...TORNADOES...DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.

BASED ON THE LATEST DATA...IT APPEARS THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT
MAY COVER A RATHER LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME AND EXTEND TO ALL OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA. BEGINNING IN THE WEST AS EARLY AS 10 AM TODAY AND
LASTING UNTIL 2 OR 3 AM TONIGHT IN THE SOUTHEAST. ATMOSPHERIC
PARAMETERS APPEAR FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERCELL
THUNDERSTORMS THAT MAY SPAWN STRONG AND LONG TRACKED TORNADOES.
ALTHOUGH THE GREATEST THREAT TIMING APPEARS TO BE THIS AFTERNOON AND
THIS EVENING...DO NOT FOCUS ON ANY PARTICULAR HOUR...BE PREPARED FOR
ACTIVITY AT ANY TIME. REVIEW YOUR PREPAREDNESS ACTION PLANS AND
BE READY TO TAKE ACTION WHEN WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. STAY
TUNED TO FURTHER UPDATES ON THIS POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER
OUTBREAK.

WINDY CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TODAY AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. SOUTHERLY
WINDS BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH GUSTS OF 30 TO 35
MPH POSSIBLE. THE WINDS WILL SHIFT TO WESTERLY BEHIND THE FRONT
TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED BEHIND A COLD FRONT ON SATURDAY.
WESTERLY WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH ARE ANTICIPATED. A FEW WIND GUSTS MAY
BE 25 MPH OR HIGHER.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL...AND
HAM RADIO OPERATORS IS EXPECTED TODAY.

75

In the hours before

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The surface observations

Montgomery/Dannelly (MGM), 9 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
00:00 UTC

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2011 tornado in AlabamaEvery tornado in Alabama since 1950Warnings in force in Alabama nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 15, 2011

74 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 151:13 AM CDTEF1Garland, AR7.3250$240,000
April 151:38 AM CDTEF1Saline, AR3.0250$40,000
April 151:47 AM CDTEF1Saline, AR16.9350$775,000
April 151:57 AM CDTEF1Pulaski, AR3.947522$39 million
April 152:01 AM CDTEF1Pulaski, AR6.6200$2.0 million
April 152:09 AM CDTEF1Pulaski, AR6.82001$455,000
April 152:17 AM CDTEF2Lonoke, AR7.0200$20 million
April 156:26 AM CDTEF0Issaquena, MS1.775$50,000
April 1510:11 AM CDTEF0Wayne, MS0.050
April 1510:51 AM CDTEF3Hinds, MS16.552810$8.0 million
April 1511:20 AM CDTEF1Clarke, AL3.3500$102,000
April 1511:22 AM CDTEF1Rankin, MS7.4200$6,000
April 1511:24 AM CDTEF0Choctaw, AL0.150$60,000
April 1511:26 AM CDTEF0Choctaw, AL4.7100$40,000
April 1511:41 AM CDTEF1Washington, MS to AL5.1200$312,000
April 1511:43 AM CDTEF1Rankin, MS7.6200$400,000
April 1511:48 AM CDTEF1Choctaw, AL16.7200$40,000
April 1511:58 AM CDTEF1Scott, MS7.0200$375,000
April 1512:04 PM CDTEF2Washington, AL0.91501$50,000
April 1512:53 PM CDTEF3Neshoba, MS to AL48.51,7605$19 million
April 151:35 PM CDTEF1Pike, MO3.050
April 151:39 PM CDTEF0Copiah, MS1.0200$2,000
April 151:47 PM CDTEF1Smith, MS3.8100$18,000
April 151:54 PM CDTEF1Holmes, MS6.1150$10,000
April 152:19 PM CDTEF2Attala, MS3.72002$35,000
April 152:23 PM CDTEF1Smith, MS6.9150$15,000
April 152:33 PM CDTEF0Attala, MS4.575
April 153:03 PM CDTEF2Sumter, AL4.5200$2.1 million
April 153:04 PM CDTEF1Jasper, MS1.2440$25,000
April 153:06 PM CDTEF1Monroe, AL0.8100
April 153:14 PM CDTEF3Greene, AL18.4500$7.1 million
April 153:33 PM CDTEF2Hale, AL2.2700$374,000
April 153:53 PM CDTEF2Sumter, AL8.9200$3.9 million
April 154:00 PM CDTEF1Bibb, AL21.81,760$89,000
April 154:08 PM CDTEF1Clarke, MS to AL24.5470$200,000
April 154:35 PM CDTEF2Sumter, AL8.73251
April 154:44 PM CDTEF2Hale, AL24.1880$3.4 million
April 154:59 PM CDTEF1Jasper, MS1.6880$35,000
April 154:59 PM CDTEF0Shelby, AL1.450$15,000
April 155:04 PM CDTEF3Marengo, AL15.380014$4.0 million
April 155:11 PM CDTEF2Monroe, AL0.9150$200,000
April 155:19 PM CDTEF2Marengo, AL5.4575$1.0 million
April 155:29 PM CDTEF2Monroe, AL22.3300$390,000
April 155:30 PM CDTEF1Mason, IL3.11001$300,000
April 155:35 PM CDTEF2Marengo, AL10.9600$1.8 million
April 155:44 PM CDTEF1Shelby, AL4.4100$29,000
April 156:00 PM CDTEF0Perry, AL4.7150$23,000
April 156:12 PM CDTEF2Choctaw, AL38.8800$8.8 million
April 156:22 PM CDTEF0Menard, IL1.250$10,000
April 156:25 PM CDTEF2Perry, AL0.8500$38,000
April 156:25 PM CDTEF1Menard, IL1.7150$450,000
April 157:50 PM EDTEF0Harris, GA0.450$5,000
April 157:05 PM CDTEF1Dallas, AL0.175$21,000
April 157:45 PM CDTEF3Greene, MS to AL18.3500428$13 million
April 157:48 PM CDTEF1Dallas, AL0.2100$25,000
April 158:04 PM CDTEF1Dallas, AL1.6250$70,000
April 158:12 PM CDTEF0Trigg, KY0.350$8,000
April 158:14 PM CDTEF1Trigg, KY2.5125$30,000
April 158:48 PM CDTEF1Autauga, AL7.9200$440,000
April 158:56 PM CDTEF1Autauga, AL13.4200$458,000

All 75 of them

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.