EF1 tornado, Nixon Chapel to Meltonsville, Alabama, April 27, 2011

1. EF065 to 85 mph

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

2. EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado

   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.

Rating

EF1

Date

April 27, 2011

Touchdown

6:30 AM CDT (11:30 UTC)

Lifted

6:40 AM CDT (11:40 UTC)

On the ground

10 minutes

Path length

3.4 miles (5.5 km)

Path width

100 yards (91 m)

Deaths

0

Injuries

0

County

Marshall County

Touchdown point

34.255, -86.349

Lift-off point

34.299, -86.322

Record number

1104270530-03

21 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS BMX and NWS HUN, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF4. The highest wind the damage implies is 175 mph.

• .Area of trees snapped on hillside. Estimated point.
• .Grove of trees in all different directions, 100 yds wide at widest point
• Many trees snapped and uprooted in this area. 200 yards wide.
• Weak signs of convergence with many trees down in this area. Damage specific with morning line of storms.

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

A powerful storm system roared across the Southeast United States on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. In the wake of this system, hundreds of people were left injured and/or homeless, along with approximately 100 people who lost their lives in the northern Alabama area alone. Some of the devastation was literally unimaginable with countless homes, neighborhoods and even portions of cities or towns either partially or completely destroyed. This storm system would be responsible for one of the largest and deadliest tornado outbreaks to ever impact much of the southeastern region.| |The powerful storm system that affected the National Weather Service, Huntsville service area would actually occur in three separate waves of severe weather that day. The first occurred during the early morning hours of April 27, 2011 roughly between the hours of 2 AM and 8 AM CDT, while the second occurred during the late-morning to early afternoon period. The third and most devastating wave occurred during the afternoon hours on Wednesday, with some of the most violent and destructive tornadoes to affect the central Tennessee Valley area in recent decades.| |The worst areas impacted by these storms included the towns of Phil Campbell and Oak Grove in eastern Franklin County Alabama, Mt. Hope in western Lawrence County and the Tanner Community in eastern Limestone County. Along a line connecting these areas tracked an EF5 tornado with peak winds around 210 mph, the strongest and most violent on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. ||Other areas impacted by the storms include the city of Cullman, where extensive damage occurred to buildings in the downtown area, and to the town of Fairview, both of which are located in Cullman County. Downstream, further significant damage occurred to the Ruth and Oak Grove communities in Marshall County. In addition, the communities of Rainsville and Sylvania along with the towns of Henagar and Ider in DeKalb County were severely impacted. Fatalities in DeKalb County alone numbered at least 33 people. Furthermore, the towns of Flat Rock, Higdon and Pisgah in Jackson County sustained incredible damage. The tornadoes that affected these areas were rated as an EF4 with maximum winds near 190 mph.||In most of these areas alone, numerous people lost their lives. These represent just several of the communities and towns impacted by the events of April 27, 2011. While the majority of the analysis and survey work conducted by the National Weather Service, Huntsville and its partners have been completed, there will undoubtedly be countless research studies conducted by both academia and operational personnel in order to further evaluate and understand the complex processes associated with this near unprecedented severe weather outbreak.

A tornado of EF-1 intensity with peak wind speeds of 95 mph tracked northeast from Blount County near County Road (CR) 21 (Big Spring Brow Road). The tornado uprooted and snapped numerous large hardwood trees from the Blount/Marshall county line to near the intersection of Cox Gap Road and Highway 64. Just farther northeast, additional trees were uprooted along Fairview Drive and between Nixon Chapel Road and Panky Road where the tornado appeared to broaden/widen its circulation before lifting before Pleasant Grove Road.

As the tornado moved into Marshall county, its peak winds strengthened to around 110 mph, becoming an EF-1 intensity tornado. On Feemster Gap Road a mobile home was rolled over several times. The mobile home hit a tree and fell back on its side with the roof badly damaged and the frame bent. No injuries were sustained at this location, but residents that had been inside the mobile home took shelter in an underground storm shelter minutes before the tornado hit. Other mobile homes nearby only sustained minor damage to the roofs and flashing underneath. Northeast of this, another mobile home was blown several feet from its original location (as noted by the location of its remaining porch). Behind this mobile home, an unanchored outbuilding was rolled several times and numerous large trees were uprooted and snapped in the field behind the home.||As the tornado moved through the Johnsons Mill community, several barns were damaged, with one or two completely destroyed. A chicken house on Fry Gap Road was completely destroyed, as well, near the intersection of Fry Gap Road and Thompson Falls road. Further northeast, another chicken house sustained major damage but was not completely destroyed on Brazelton Road near Fry Gap Road.||Northeast of these locations, near the intersection of Warranton Road and Browns Valley Road, another chicken house was completely destroyed and numerous trees were splintered and snapped off near the base. The tornado was likely at its strongest at this location, with a width of 75 yards. Damage continued along the peninsula between Big Springs Creek and Browns Creek on Guntersville Lake. Trees were snapped and oriented in a convergent pattern along the peninsula as the tornado was weakening and eventually lifting near the intersection of Highway 431 and Highway 69.

A fast moving tornado of EF-1 intensity produced peak wind speeds of 95 mph. This tornado was associated with a broad yet well-defined mesoscale convective vortex. The tornado touched down along County Road 14 (Diamond Road), and Red Hill Road. Large hardwood trees were snapped and uprooted in a convergent pattern along County Road 14 (Diamond Road) as the tornado moved rapidly northeast. Significant roof damage occurred to several chicken houses along Red Hill Road just west of County Road 14. The tornado lifted just north of Brookline Ridge Road near the extreme south side of Lake Guntersville.

A tornado of EF-1 intensity produced peak wind speeds of up to 110 mph. The tornado touched down just south of Guntersville near the intersection of Pleasant Hill and Section Line Roads (State Highway 166). From there, the tornado moved northeast crossing Pleasant Grove Road, snapping and uprooting numerous hardwood and softwood trees. At the intersection of Pleasant Hill Church Road and Community House Road, the steeple of the Pleasant Hill Church was removed and thrown about 100 feet. The porch columns were also removed. A residence next to the church sustained damage when the wooden front porch was removed and thrown behind the house about 100 feet. Roof damage resulted from large branches being knocked down onto the house. In a field across Pleasant Hill Road, a wide swath of trees were snapped and uprooted.

A tornado of EF-1 intensity produced peak wind speeds up to 110 mph. The tornado touched down near the intersection of Section Line and Beck Roads in Lattiwood. The tornado then moved northeast along Oneonta Cutoff Road and eventually crossed State Highway 205. The tornado snapped numerous hardwood and softwood trees along the path and knocked trees on residences. Snapped power poles were found along the path. Additional tree damage occurred northeast of Highway 205 near the intersection of Brashers Chapel and Wyeth Mountain Roads. Here, several barns were completely destroyed and numerous outbuildings had most of the tin removed from the roof.

A tornado of EF-1 intensity produced peak wind speeds up to 110 mph. The tornado touched down near the intersection of State Highway 325 and Max Graben Circle southwest of Albertville. From there, the tornado moved northeast across Section Line Road and State Highway 205. The tornado snapped and uprooted numerous hardwood and softwood trees along the path. Trees were knocked down onto several residences. The tornado crossed State Highway 431 north of Albertville near State Highway 426. As it crossed George Wallace Drive north of Highway 431, a chicken house was completely destroyed on Arbor Acres Road. Other chicken houses on the same property sustained roof damage and lost tin from the sides of the structures.

The tornado initially touched down just west of Guntersville Lake, near Spindle Top Drive and Highway 69. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted in this location. The tornado then continued northeast across County Road (CR) 14 and across Cha-la-kee and Cotton Roads, where several homes had damage to shingles and numerous large trees were uprooted.||The tornado then moved northeast across Guntersville Lake and strengthened as it crossed Buck Island. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted across the Buck Island community. Several power poles were snapped near their bases and numerous homes sustained minor roof damage. Several piers and sheds were also destroyed. Damage was rated EF-1 through this area.||Next, the tornado crossed east over Guntersville Lake and struck Lake Guntersville State Park as an EF-2. Hundreds of trees were twisted, snapped and uprooted through the northern half of the State Park. Several RV campers were damaged in the camp grounds and minor roof damage was observed at the camp lodge.||The tornado continued northeast, just to the east of Highway 227, where hundreds of additional trees were snapped and uprooted along the west-facing valley wall. The tornado moved northeast as an EF-2, destroying a trailer and rolling another near Oliver Road, between Williams and Martin Drive. A barn and shed were also demolished.||The tornado then continued northeast crossing Highway 227 near Morgan Cove Road, twisting and uprooting several trees.

A tornado producing EF-1 intensity and peak wind speeds of up to 95 mph touched down along Browns Valley Road near the south end of Lake Guntersville. The tornado tracked northeast along Browns Valley Road and Creek Path Road before lifting near State Highway 79. The tornado snapped and twisted trees along Browns Valley Road. As the tornado crossed a neighborhood along Creek Path Road, more substantial damage occurred. Larger trees were uprooted and one house sustained significant roof loss. The tornado lifted near Highway 79 and Creek Path Road.

An EF-1 tornado touched down on Crest Hill Road off of Cathedral Caverns Highway on the south side of Grant Mountain. As the tornado skipped along it's short path, several trees were snapped on Crest Hill Road. As it skipped northeast, two very large hardwood trees were snapped and uprooted on Edmonds Road. Minor roof damage was sustained to a house there. Just northeast of this location, the tornado lifted.

A tornado of EF-0 intensity producing peak wind speeds of 85 mph touched down new Bakers Chapel Lane, just south of Bakers Chapel Road. The most significant damage was an area of uprooted trees along Bakers Chapel Road just west of U.S. Highway 431 / State Highway 1. The tornado continued northeast and crossed State Highway 79 where a few tree tops were snapped.

A tornado of EF-1 intensity produced peak wind speeds of 90 mph. This short-lived tornado did most of its damage over portions of Lake Guntersville State Park, near the entrance and across the golf course. Many trees were snapped with a few larger pines uprooted. The tornado continued briefly north-northeast crossing State Highway 227 before lifting near South Sauty Road and Highway 227 after snapping additional trees.

A tornado of EF-1 intensity produced peak wind speeds of up to 105 mph. The tornado tracked northeast from Lake Guntersville near McKee Island, west of State Highway 79 across the north end of Buck Island, then lifted near Star Point. The tornado damaged a marina just west of Highway 79 where a canopy collapsed. The tornado then crossed Joe Starnes Field (Airport) and snapped and uprooted many trees along Buck Island Road on the north side of Buck Island. The tornado produced damage over Star Point, along Milky Way Road, Monsanto Road, and Star Point Road. Trees were mostly snapped, twisted and uprooted at these locations. The tornado crossed over Lake Guntersville at several locations along its path.

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

21 minutes of warning. NWS HUN issued a tornado warning for this county at 11:09 UTC, 21 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 11:45 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 07:36 UTC and running to 13:00 UTC.

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 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 06:10 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.

NWS Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Apr 27, 5:45 AM CDT, 45 minutes earlier.

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
545 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

...HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER TODAY...
...POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD TORNADO OUTBREAK WITH LONG-TRACK
TORNADIC SUPERCELLS TODAY...

.UPDATE...FOR 12Z TAFS.
&&

.AVIATION...
BAND OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIT KHSV VCNTY BFR 12Z.  -RA/RA
WITH EMBEDDED CG LTG WL CONTINUE THRU 13-14Z BEHIND THE LINE.  A
BREAK IN THE ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED BFR ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS DVLP
LATER TODAY WITH A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE WX.
&&

.DISCUSSION...A COMPLICATED SCENARIO EVOLVING TODAY WITH INITIAL
CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT WIND SHEAR AND INSTABILITY
LIKELY MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA BY 08-12Z THIS MORNING. THIS
ACTIVITY SHOULD RAPIDLY MOVE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
ALABAMA DURING THE MORNING HOURS.

FORECAST MODELS ARE HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY HANDLING THE INSTABILITY,
WIND SHEAR, AND MCV'S MOVING WITHIN THE TROUGH ITSELF. HOWEVER, IT
DOES APPEAR BY CURRENT TRENDS, THAT UPPER LEVEL FORCING WILL BE
SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT WIDESPREAD CONVECTION TODAY. TURNING TO
INSTABILITY AND WIND SHEAR, THE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE EXTREMELY
UNSTABLE...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS AHEAD
OF THE COLD FRONT. CURVED HODOGRAPHS AND WIND SHEAR VALUES (AT TIMES
EXTREMELY HIGH) ALONG WITH INSTABILITY PARAMETERS ALL SUPPORT THE
POTENTIAL FOR A WIDESPREAD TORNADO OUTBREAK ACROSS SOUTHERN MIDDLE
TN AND NORTH ALABAMA. JUST TO GIVE FOLKS AN IDEA OF WHAT KIND OF
VALUES WE ARE SEEING BTWN 17-00Z:

1) SBCAPES ARE FORECAST TO BE 2500-3500 J/KG
2) 0-3KM SRH IS FORECAST TO BE 500-700 M2/S2
3) 0-3KM EHIS ARE FORECAST TO BE 4-8 M2/S2 OVER PORTIONS OF N
CENTRAL AL.
4) SFC DEWPOINTS ARE FORECAST TO BE BTWN 65-69F (POSSIBLY INTO THE
LOW 70S) DURING THE DAY.

IN ADDITION, A LLJ OF 65-75 KTS IS FORECAST TO REMAIN ACROSS THE
AREA THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE DAY. THE SFC LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE
COLD FRONT WILL ALSO MOVE JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF NW AL FROM S AR
(12Z TODAY) TO CENTRAL TN BY 18-23Z MEANING THAT CELLS CLOSER TO THE
SFC LOW IN THESE CASES TENDS TO DEVELOP OR MAINTAIN TORNADIC
ACTIVITY. UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE LOCATED JUST TO THE NE OF THE TN
VALLEY IS ALSO QUITE PRONOUNCED.

THEREFORE, GIVEN ALL OF THE ABOVE INFO., IT DOES APPEAR THAT LONG
TRACK TORNADIC SUPERCELLS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE TN VALLEY. DAMAGING
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE ALSO LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS. THOUGH HAIL
APPEARS TO BE THE LESSOR OF THE TWO. IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY EXACTLY
WHEN THE CELLS WILL DEVELOP GIVEN THIS MORNING'S CONVECTION, BUT THE
TIME PERIOD WHEN ALL OF THESE INGREDIENTS APPEAR TO COME TOGETHER
APPEARS TO BE BTWN 17Z-00Z.

AS THE COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE TN VALLEY, EXPECTING AND REMAINING
FAST-MOVING SUPERCELLS TO BE CONGEALED INTO A QLCS WITH DAMAGING
WINDS AND BOWING SEGMENTS TO FINISH OFF THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.
THE FROPA TIMING SHOULD BE BTWN 21-03Z ACROSS NW AL (ENTERING) AND
03-06 ACROSS NE AL (EXITING).

AS IF WE NEEDED ANY MORE THREATS...FLASH FLOODING IS ALSO QUITE
LIKELY WITH CELLS TRAINING ALONG THE SAME AREAS ALONG WITH PROLIFIC
RAINFALL PRODUCING SUPERCELLS WOULD ACT TO CAUSE A CHALLENGING
FORECAST PROBLEM. GIVEN THE RECENT RAINFALL OVER NW AL, THOSE AREAS
APPEAR TO HAVE THE HIGHEST THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING. WILL LEAVE THE
FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN PLACE.

AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, THE LLJ WILL BE QUITE STRONG TODAY WHICH
MAY CAUSE INCREASED WINDS ACROSS THE AREA. THUS, WILL KEEP WIND
ADVISORY IN PLACE AS WELL.

BEHIND THE COLD FRONT CAA SHOULD QUICKLY DRY THE ATMOSPHERE FROM THE
WARM AND MUGGY CONDITIONS FELT TODAY INTO COOLER AND DRY BY LATE
WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. DAYTIME HIGHS WILL REGISTER CLOSE TO
THE 70 DEGREE MARK FOR THURSDAY WITH SUNNY CONDITIONS ON THE
BACKSIDE OF THE TROUGH. OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD ALSO EXPERIENCE A DROP
INTO THE UPPER 40S TO LOW 50S ON THURSDAY NIGHT WITH DAYTIME HIGHS
RECOVERING INTO THE MID 70S BY FRIDAY WITHIN RIDGE BUILDING. THERE
MAY BE A BRIEF TIME PERIOD OF CLOUDS ON SATURDAY AS A FEW WAVES OF
ENERGY CROSS THE REGION ATOP THE RIDGE. OTHERWISE, CONDITIONS SHOULD
BE PLEASANT WITH HIGHS IN THE LOW 80S FOR BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

BY SATURDAY, ANOTHER LONGWAVE TROUGH CROSSING THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
INTO THE ROCKIES WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON SUNDAY. THE MED RANGE
MODELS ARE CONTINUING TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE RIDGE
OVER THE SOUTHEAST AND THIS IS LIKELY WHY THE TIMING OF THIS SYSTEM
IS CONTINUING TO SLOW THIS SYSTEM DOWN. FOR NOW, WILL TAKE A
COMPROMISE SOLUTION AND TAKE OUT THUNDERSTORMS FOR SUNDAY AND KEEP
THEM FOR SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY NIGHT.
&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     COLBERT...CULLMAN...DEKALB...FRANKLIN AL...JACKSON...
     LAUDERDALE...LAWRENCE...LIMESTONE...MADISON...MARSHALL...
     MORGAN.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     COLBERT...CULLMAN...DEKALB...FRANKLIN AL...JACKSON...
     LAUDERDALE...LAWRENCE...LIMESTONE...MADISON...MARSHALL...
     MORGAN.

TN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     FRANKLIN TN...LINCOLN...MOORE.

     WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     FRANKLIN TN...LINCOLN...MOORE.

&&

AVIATION...KULA
DISCUSSION...SL.77

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
324 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-271815-
LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN-
MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN-
324 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF
SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN
MIDDLE TENNESSEE THROUGH 8 AM CDT.

THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OVER EASTERN MISSISSIPPI WILL BEGIN AFFECTING
NORTHWEST ALABAMA AROUND 4 AM. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE
TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ONGOING THIS MORNING...
PARTICULARLY ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA.

THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BECOME VERY UNSTABLE...CREATING A VOLATILE
SITUATION ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TODAY. THE POTENTIAL FOR A
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK WILL INCREASE...ESPECIALLY FROM
THE LATE MORNING INTO THE EARLY EVENING. SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED
TO FORM AHEAD OF...AND ALONG A STRONG COLD FRONT AND MOVE RAPIDLY
ACROSS THE REGION. A POTENTIAL FOR STRONG...LONG TRACK TORNADOES
EXISTS...IN ADDITION TO DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL. RESIDENTS ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY ARE URGED TO REMAIN
ALERT FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

THE HEAVY RAINFALL FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE
THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING...WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY EVOLVE
INTO A SMALL STREAM AND RIVER FLOODING EVENT OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
PLEASE REFER TO THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS
THREAT. ALSO...WINDS OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY
REACH ADVISORY CRITERIA...THEREFORE A WIND ADVISORY WILL BE IN EFFECT
THROUGH 8 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...

THERE IS ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS WEEKEND...AS
ANOTHER COLD FRONT PUSHES ACROSS THE AREA.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WILL
BE REQUESTED BEFORE DAYBREAK...ESPECIALLY FOR THE WESTERN HALF OF THE
AREA. ACTIVATION IS LIKELY DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY FOR THE ENTIRE
AREA.

RSB/DD

In the hours before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
606 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0557 AM     HAIL             DANVILLE                34.41N 87.08W
04/27/2011  E0.50 INCH       MORGAN             AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED.

&&

KWEBER

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
609 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0604 AM     TSTM WND DMG     3 S CULLMAN             34.14N 86.85W
04/27/2011                   CULLMAN            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES REPORTED DOWN ON HOMES. POSSIBLE TORNADO DAMAGE.

&&

KWEBER

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
615 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0611 AM     TSTM WND GST     1 SW HANCEVILLE         34.05N 86.78W
04/27/2011  E90.00 MPH       CULLMAN            AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A 90 MPH GUST WAS REPORTED. POWER WAS OUT AT HIS LOCATION
            AS WELL.

&&

KWEBER

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
625 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0617 AM     TORNADO          WILBURN                 33.95N 87.03W
04/27/2011                   CULLMAN            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ON A HOUSE AND TRUCK. TWO PEOPLE
            WERE TRAPPED IN TRUCK AND HOUSE.

&&

KWEBER

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
626 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0614 AM     TSTM WND DMG     HANCEVILLE              34.06N 86.76W
04/27/2011                   CULLMAN            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN.

&&

KWEBER

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
629 AM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0610 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 W HANCEVILLE          34.07N 86.79W
04/27/2011                   CULLMAN            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN AT WALLACE STATE COLLEGE. POSSIBLE
            TORNADO DAMAGE.

&&

KWEBER

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.

Albertville (BFZ), 9 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

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

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 11:30 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.

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

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

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

209 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

All 210 of them

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.

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.