Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2020
EF1 tornado, Green Acres to Peterman, Alabama, April 19, 2020
From Green Acres to Peterman, this EF1 tornado ran 0.7 miles across Houston County on April 19, 2020, touching down at 11:42 PM CDT and reaching 50 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $50,000 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
- April 19, 2020
- Touchdown
- 11:42 PM CDT (04:42 UTC)
- Lifted
- 11:44 PM CDT (04:44 UTC)
- On the ground
- 2 minutes
- Path length
- 0.7 miles (1.1 km)
- Path width
- 50 yards (46 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50,000
- County
- Houston County
- Touchdown point
- 31.210, -85.460
- Lift-off point
- 31.203, -85.452
- Record number
- 2004192242-01
What the Weather Service recorded
A potent upper trough moved across the southeast states with numerous severe storms, including widespread wind damage and tornadoes. The tri-state area was under an enhanced to moderate risk of severe storms from the Storm Prediction Center. Some of the tornadoes were significant and rated EF2. Unfortunately, one fatality occurred in southeast Alabama.
A tornado touched down in northwest Houston County on Bob Hall Road, just south of Ariel Lane. Here it damaged the roof of a home and tore a portion of the roof off of a storage facility. It tracked southeast and damaged the roof of approximately eight|homes in a neighborhood along Nottingham Way. The tornado continued to the southeast and downed trees along Harrington Lane where it quickly lifted.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
12 minutes of warning. NWS TAE issued a tornado warning for this county at 04:30 UTC, 12 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 05:15 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 03:13 UTC and running to 06:33 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03:13 UTC | 06:33 UTC | Tornado Watch | TAE |
| 04:10 UTC | 05:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TAE |
| 04:30 UTC | 05:15 UTC | Tornado Warning | TAE |
| 04:49 UTC | 05:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TAE |
| 04:55 UTC | 05:15 UTC | Tornado Warning | TAE |
| 05:26 UTC | 06:00 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TAE |
| 05:43 UTC | 06:08 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TAE |
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 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 01:01 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 was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04:08 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 S Chestnut Grove | Coffee, AL | TREE DOWN ON COUNTY ROAD 119. |
| 04:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ese Holley Store | Coffee, AL | TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN CR460 OUTSIDE OF KINSTON. BARNS AND HOMES HEAVILY DAMAGED. |
| 04:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Wsw Damascus | Coffee, AL | TREE DOWN AT 7913 HIGHWAY 87. |
| 04:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Richburg | Coffee, AL | TREE DOWN ON W MCKINNON STREET. |
| 04:11 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 E New Hope | Coffee, AL | TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ON CR-105 BETWEEN CR-114 AND CR-107. |
| 04:11 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Eanon | Coffee, AL | TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ALONG COUNTY ROAD 147 NORTH OF COUNTY ROAD 149. |
| 04:12 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ne Tabernacle | Coffee, AL | TREE DOWN ON HIGHWAY 51. |
| 04:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Sw Tabernacle | Coffee, AL | TREE DOWN ON HIGHWAY 167. |
| 04:15 UTC | TSTM WND GST 48 | Shell Army Field | Coffee, AL | AWOS STATION KSXS IN FT RUCKER REPORTED 48 MPH GUST. |
| 04:17 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 S Marley Hill | Dale, AL | MULTIPLE TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT DALE COUNTY AND 2 REPORTS OF TREES ON HOUSES. |
| 04:19 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Ariton | Dale, AL | TREES DOWN IN THE ARITON AREA. |
| 04:19 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Marley Hill | Dale, AL | LINES DOWN IN THE MARLEY MILL AREA COUNTY ROAD 36. |
| 04:20 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Ene Ozark | Dale, AL | EF1 TORNADO BASED ON STORM SURVEY. |
| 04:22 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 E Ozark | Dale, AL | DAMAGE TO BRICK FACADE OF THE RECREATIONAL CENTER BUILDING. |
| 04:23 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Blackwell Field A/P | Dale, AL | TREES DOWN ACROSS NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY 231 NEAR THE LOVES TRAVEL STOP. |
| 04:24 UTC | TSTM WND GST 54 | 1 Nw Cairns Aaf | Dale, AL | AWOS KOZR MEASURED A 54 MPH GUST. |
| 04:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Wnw Clio | Barbour, AL | TREE ON HOUSE IN THE 700 BLOCK OF BRUNDIDGE ST. EVERYONE IS OUT AND SAFE. |
| 04:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Coffee Springs | Geneva, AL | TREES DOWN AND A BARN DAMAGED IN THE COFFEE SPRINGS AREA. |
| 04:26 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Wsw Texasville | Barbour, AL | TREES UPROOTED ALONG HWY 131. |
| 04:26 UTC | TSTM WND GST 46 | Hanchey Field | Dale, AL | AWOS STATION KHEY IN FT RUCKER MEASURED A 46 MPH GUST. |
| 04:27 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Clio | Barbour, AL | TREES DOWN IN THE AREA WITH SOME ROADS BLOCKED. |
| 04:28 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ene Roberts Crossroad | Dale, AL | TREES DOWN ON COUNTY ROAD 68. |
| 04:28 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Ewell | Dale, AL | TREES DOWN IN EWELL. |
| 04:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Skipperville | Dale, AL | REPORT OF HOMES DAMAGE IN THE SKIPPERVILLE AREA. |
| 04:32 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Ese Blue Springs | Barbour, AL | TREES DOWN ON HWY 10 AT DALE CR 105. |
| 04:32 UTC | TORNADO | 1 N Oak Grove | Geneva, AL | EF0 TORNADO BASED ON STORM SURVEY. |
| 04:34 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Echo | Dale, AL | TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN WITH STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IN THE ECHO AREA. |
| 04:37 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ssw Kirkland Crossroa | Dale, AL | TREE ON A POWER LINE ALONG COUNTY ROAD 521. |
| 04:37 UTC | TSTM WND GST 49 | Napier Field | Dale, AL | KDHN IN DOTHAN MEASURED A 49 MPH GUST. |
| 04:39 UTC | TSTM WND GST 50 | 2 Ne Eunola | Geneva, AL | MESONET STATION IN GENEVA MEASURED A 50 MPH GUST. |
| 04:40 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 E Blue Springs | Barbour, AL | MULTIPLE TREES DOWN IN THE 3300 BLOCK OF CR 53. |
| 04:40 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ne Texasville | Barbour, AL | TREES DOWN BLOCKING HWY 131 BETWEEN BUD GARY RD AND CR 53. |
| 04:40 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Wsw Tumbleton | Henry, AL | EF2 TORNADO BASED ON STORM SURVEY. |
| 04:42 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Ene Peterman | Houston, AL | EF1 TORNADO BASED ON STORM SURVEY. |
| 04:45 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Se Balkum | Henry, AL | EF1 TORNADO BASED ON STORM SURVEY. |
| 04:46 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Se Dancey | Henry, AL | EF1 TORNADO BASED ON STORM SURVEY. |
| 04:52 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ese Peterman | Houston, AL | TREES DOWN IN THE ROBINDALE SUBDIVISION. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2020 tornado in AlabamaEvery tornado in Alabama since 1950Warnings in force in Alabama nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of April 19, 2020
20 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 19 | 2:17 PM CDT | EF1 | Grant Parish, LA | 2.0 | 500 | |||
| April 19 | 4:50 PM CDT | EF1 | Vernon Parish, LA | 5.3 | 500 | $300,000 | ||
| April 19 | 7:09 PM CDT | EF4 | Sandy Hook–Camp Shelby tornado, MS | 53.8 | 2,275 | 1 | 1 | $700,000 |
| April 19 | 9:50 PM CDT | EF1 | Pearl River, MS | 4.4 | 75 | |||
| April 19 | 10:13 PM CDT | EF1 | Saint Tammany Parish, LA | 3.0 | 300 | |||
| April 19 | 10:28 PM CDT | EF0 | Jackson, MS | 1.8 | 25 | |||
| April 19 | 10:47 PM CDT | EF0 | Jackson, MS | 0.5 | 10 | |||
| April 19 | 10:49 PM CDT | EF2 | Covington, AL | 1.2 | 300 | |||
| April 19 | 10:53 PM CDT | EF0 | Jackson, MS | 2.0 | 150 | |||
| April 19 | 10:55 PM CDT | EF1 | Mobile, AL | 8.9 | 100 | |||
| April 19 | 11:03 PM CDT | EF0 | Coffee, AL | 4.4 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| April 19 | 11:05 PM CDT | EF1 | Mobile, AL | 1.3 | 75 | |||
| April 19 | 11:06 PM CDT | EF1 | Mobile, AL | 3.2 | 75 | |||
| April 19 | 11:20 PM CDT | EF1 | Dale, AL | 24.4 | 150 | $200,000 | ||
| April 19 | 11:32 PM CDT | EF0 | Geneva, AL | 1.8 | 100 | |||
| April 19 | 11:40 PM CDT | EF2 | Henry, AL | 5.2 | 300 | 1 | ||
| April 19 | 11:45 PM CDT | EF1 | Henry, AL | 1.5 | 500 | $250,000 | ||
| April 19 | 11:46 PM CDT | EF1 | Baldwin, AL | 0.5 | 300 | |||
| April 19 | 11:46 PM CDT | EF1 | Henry, AL | 6.5 | 100 | $5,000 | ||
| April 19 | 12:07 AM CDT | EF0 | Santa Rosa, FL | 0.2 | 50 |
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.