Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2021

EF2 tornado, Brewton Muni Arpt to Evergreen Arpt, Alabama, June 19, 2021

From Brewton Muni Arpt to Evergreen Arpt, this EF2 tornado ran 22.0 miles across Escambia and Conecuh counties on June 19, 2021, touching down at 7:31 AM CDT and reaching 650 yards wide. It killed nobody and injured 20, and did $3.2 million 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 mph

    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 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.

  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
EF2
Date
June 19, 2021
Touchdown
7:31 AM CDT (12:31 UTC)
Lifted
7:56 AM CDT (12:56 UTC)
On the ground
25 minutes
Path length
22.0 miles (35.4 km)
Path width
650 yards (594 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
20
Property damage
$3.2 million
Counties
Escambia and Conecuh counties
Touchdown point
31.059, -87.065
Lift-off point
31.376, -87.045
Record number
2106190631-01

The damage survey

44 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS MOB, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 127 mph.

  • Starting point. Shed destroyed and shingle damage.
  • Center of tornado just east
  • Sig roof damage to a few homes
  • Eastern side of circulation

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

Potential Tropical Cyclone Claudette moved west of the Alabama coastal waters on the evening of June 18th, 2021. Claudette was declared a Tropical Storm and made landfall in southeast Louisiana during the early morning hours of June 19th. Claudette then turned northeast across southeast Mississippi and across south central Alabama during the morning on Saturday June 19th.||Tropical Storm Claudette produced frequent tropical storm-force wind gusts across coastal Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle. A few areas of the coast, such as Dauphin Island, Fort Morgan, and the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier recorded a brief period of sustained minimal tropical storm-force winds.||The highest wind gusts were associated with strong to severe thunderstorms that developed well east of the center of Claudette. These storms most significantly impacted the western Florida Panhandle. The highest wind gust observed was 81 mph at Pensacola International Airport. A Weatherflow site in Santa Rosa Sound recorded a 70 mph wind gust, which was from the same line of storms that resulted in the Pensacola gust. This line of storms produced wind damage in parts of the Pensacola Metro, especially in Ferry Pass. Pace also experienced pockets of wind damage, including one mobile home that lost its roof||The highest winds recorded were sustained winds of 45 mph with gusts to 70 mph in Santa Rosa Sound, 58 mph with gusts to 81 mph at Pensacola Airport, 42 mph with gusts to 52 mph at Okaloosa Island fishing pier. In Mobile Bay, 40 mph with gusts to 49 mph at Buccaneer Yacht Club.||Storm surge inundation ranged from 1-3 feet above normally dry ground across southern Mobile County into Mobile Bay. This flooding resulted in the closure of a few roads, such as Shell Belt Rd in the Bayou La Batre and Coden communities and the US Highway 90 Causeway over Mobile Bay. The highest storm tide recorded was 3.67 ft MHHW at the NOS tide gauge on the Bayou La Batre bridge. In addition to the storm surge, surf heights of 6-12 feet battered the Gulf facing beaches. This impacted the west end of Dauphin Island with a portion of Bienville Blvd closed due to flooding and sand over the road. The Florida side of the Gulf Islands National Seashore was closed for several days due to flooding and sand on roads. ||Claudette produced 3 tornadoes in southwest and south central Alabama: A long track EF-2 tornado that impacted Escambia and Conecuh Counties, an EF-0 tornado in rural Covington County, and an EF-0 tornado in far southern Mobile County.||A widespread 3-6 of rain fell across coastal Alabama into the western Florida Panhandle. 6-9 of rain was recorded over parts of interior southeast MS, with a station in far western Stone County, 11 miles west of Perkinston, recording 9.43. This rainfall resulted in instances of flash flooding and river flooding across the area.

The tornado first touched down on Jay Road just west of Highway 41 in Riverview. The tornado intensified and widened as it moved northeast into East Brewton, crossing over|Highway 41. During this time, the tornado produced EF-1 intensity damage to numerous trees, homes, businesses in the area. Some of the most severe damage was located at the intersection of Forrest Avenue and Andrew Jackson Street where several mobile homes were completely destroyed. This was rated as EF-2 intensity damage with peak estimated winds of 125-130 mph. There was also significant roof damage to the auditorium at W S Neal High School. The tornado continued northeast and moved across Shoffner Street. Primarily EF-1 intensity damage to trees and homes was noted here, but a swath of EF-2 intensity tree damage was noted in a valley just north of Ballard Street. Major tree damage continued north across Cook Road. Additional major structural damage was observed along Riddle Road near Horseshoe Road. A single wide mobile home was completely destroyed with the frame tossed over a 100 yards away. The owner was ejected from the building and found near the frame and suffered serious injuries. A home on the north side of Riddle Road had its entire roof torn off. The tornado continued north, crossing Kirkland Road and Highway 31. Most of the damage was in the EF-1 range and most notably to trees. ||The tornado crossed into Conecuh County and produced EF-1 damage on the west side of Castleberry, impacting areas of Braggert Road, Kennedy Street, and Durham McLendon Road. The tornado began to weaken as it moved north of west Cleveland Avenue but still produced spotty EF-0 to EF-1 damage all the way north to |Interstate 65 where some tree damage was noted just north of the rest area. This is near where the tornado is estimated to have lifted. The survey team found no damage crossing Highway 84 further to the north.||Escambia County Emergency Management reported up to 20 total injuries, mostly minor. However, there were 2 serious injuries.

This tornado is the continuation of a tornado from Escambia County AL.||The tornado first touched down on Jay Road just west of Highway 41 in Riverview in Escambia County AL. The tornado intensified and widened as it moved northeast into East Brewton, crossing over Highway 41. During this time, the tornado produced EF-1 intensity damage to numerous trees, homes, businesses in the area. Some of the most severe damage was located at the intersection of Forrest Avenue and Andrew Jackson Street where several mobile homes were completely destroyed. This was rated as EF-2 intensity damage with peak estimated winds of 125-130 mph. There was also significant roof damage to the auditorium at W S Neal High School. The tornado continued northeast and moved across Shoffner Street. Primarily EF-1 intensity damage to trees and homes was noted here, but a swath of EF-2 intensity tree damage was noted in a valley just north of Ballard Street. Major tree damage continued north across Cook Road. Additional major structural damage was observed along Riddle Road near Horseshoe Road. A single wide mobile home was completely destroyed with the frame tossed over a 100 yards away. The owner was ejected from the building and found near the frame and suffered serious injuries. A home on the north side of Riddle Road had its entire roof torn off. The tornado continued north, crossing Kirkland Road and Highway 31. Most of the damage was in the EF-1 range and most notably to trees. The tornado crossed into Conecuh County and produced EF-1 damage on the west side of Castleberry, impacting areas of Braggert Road, Kennedy Street, and Durham McLendon Road. The tornado began to weaken as it moved north of west Cleveland Avenue but still produced spotty EF-0 to EF-1 damage all the way north to Interstate 65 where some tree damage was noted just north of the rest area. This is near where the tornado is estimated to have lifted. The survey team found no damage crossing Highway 84 further to the north. Escambia County Emergency Management reported up to 20 total injuries, mostly minor. However, there were 2 serious injuries.

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

The warnings

No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down. One was issued for the county at another hour that day.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
03:00 UTC20:54 UTCWind AdvisoryMOB
11:33 UTC17:30 UTCFlash Flood WarningMOB
12:32 UTC16:45 UTCFlood AdvisoryMOB
12:33 UTC13:01 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOB
12:37 UTC12:54 UTCTornado WarningMOB
13:21 UTC16:00 UTCTornado WatchMOB
15:30 UTC20:10 UTCFlash Flood WarningMOB
17:37 UTC20:45 UTCFlood AdvisoryMOB

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 0.05 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 05:55 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 surface observations

Evergreen (GZH), 22 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
10:35 UTC90° 5 kt1014.2+RA BR
10:40 UTC90° 5 kt1014.2RA BR
10:45 UTC90° 5 kt1014.6RA BR
10:50 UTC80° 5 kt1014.6+RA BR
10:53 UTC747070° 6 kt1014.6+RA BR
10:55 UTC80° 5 kt1014.6+RA BR
11:00 UTC70° 5 kt1014.2+RA BR
11:05 UTC70° 9 kt1013.9+RA BR
11:10 UTC70° 9 kt141013.5+RA BR
11:15 UTC90° 8 kt1013.5+RA BR
11:20 UTC80° 11 kt1013.2+RA BR
11:25 UTC90° 11 kt161013.2RA BR
11:30 UTC90° 11 kt1012.9-RA
11:35 UTC80° 11 kt171012.9-RA
11:40 UTC80° 9 kt151012.5-RA
11:45 UTC80° 11 kt1012.5-RA
11:50 UTC80° 9 kt1012.5-RA
11:53 UTC757190° 9 kt181012.5-RA
11:55 UTC90° 9 kt1012.5-RA
12:00 UTC100° 8 kt1012.9-RA
12:05 UTC100° 9 kt1012.9-RA
12:10 UTC90° 10 kt1013.2RA
12:15 UTC100° 8 kt1013.2RA BR
12:16 UTC767290° 8 kt181013.2RA BR
12:20 UTC90° 10 kt1013.2RA BR
12:25 UTC110° 11 kt1013.2RA BR
12:30 UTC90° 11 kt171012.9RA BR
12:30 UTC767290° 12 kt1012.9RA BR
12:35 UTC90° 13 kt1012.9+RA BR
12:40 UTC90° 10 kt161012.9+RA BR
12:45 UTC90° 11 kt1012.5+RA BR
12:50 UTC80° 11 kt161011.9+RA BR
12:53 UTC767370° 11 kt231011.5+RA BR
12:55 UTC 13 kt1011.5+RA BR
13:00 UTC 11 kt181012.2+RA BR
13:01 UTC7773220° 14 kt351013.2+RA BR
13:05 UTC 17 kt321012.9+RA BR
13:05 UTC7773210° 17 kt351012.9+RA BR
13:10 UTC170° 21 kt261013.2+RA
13:15 UTC170° 17 kt301013.2+RA BR
13:17 UTC7672180° 20 kt301012.9+RA BR
13:20 UTC 16 kt221012.9+RA BR
13:25 UTC170° 19 kt291013.2+RA BR
13:30 UTC160° 22 kt1013.2+RA BR
13:31 UTC7672160° 21 kt321013.5+RA BR
13:35 UTC160° 19 kt241013.2+RA BR
13:40 UTC150° 20 kt271013.2+RA BR
13:43 UTC7672160° 17 kt311013.2VCTS +RA BR
13:45 UTC160° 16 kt221013.2RA BR
13:50 UTC160° 11 kt1013.2+RA BR
13:53 UTC7672150° 14 kt231013.2VCTS +RA BR
13:55 UTC150° 13 kt1013.2+RA BR
14:00 UTC150° 14 kt241013.2RA BR
14:05 UTC150° 10 kt1012.9+RA BR
14:10 UTC150° 11 kt1012.9+RA BR
14:15 UTC150° 13 kt191012.5RA BR
14:15 UTC7672150° 13 kt201012.5TSRA BR
14:20 UTC150° 13 kt1012.5-RA BR
14:25 UTC140° 11 kt1012.5RA BR
14:29 UTC7672140° 10 kt201012.5VCTS RA BR
14:30 UTC150° 10 kt151012.5RA BR

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

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 12:29 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)ReportWhereCountyRemark
12:35 UTCTORNADO1 Se East BrewtonEscambia, AL*** 20 INJ *** ESCAMBIA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER REPORTS APPROXIMATELY 15-20 INJURIES FROM THE TORNADO THAT TOUCHED DOWN IN EAST BREWTON. MOST WERE MINOR INJURIES. HOWEVER, THERE WERE 2 SERIOUS INJURIES. SIGNIFICANT DAMA
12:35 UTCTORNADO1 Se East BrewtonEscambia, ALMULTIPLE TRAILER HOMES DAMAGED. EMS ON SCENE NO CURRENT INJURIES. PHOTOS PROVIDED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
12:35 UTCTORNADO1 Se East BrewtonEscambia, AL*** 20 INJ *** NWS STORM SURVEY REPORTED AN EF-2 TORNADO WITH A PEAK WIND OF 127MPH TRACKED 22 MILES FROM SW OF EAST BREWTON, AL, NE INTO CONECUH COUNTY THROUGH CASTLEBERRY, AL WITH A PEAK WIDTH OF 650YDS. EMA REPORTED ~
12:35 UTCTORNADOEast BrewtonEscambia, AL*** 20 INJ *** NWS STORM SURVEY REPORTED AN EF-2 TORNADO WITH A PEAK WIND OF 127MPH TRACKED 22 MILES FROM SW OF EAST BREWTON, AL, NE INTO CONECUH COUNTY THROUGH CASTLEBERRY, AL WITH A PEAK WIDTH OF 650YDS. EMA REPORTED ~
12:36 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Se SardineEscambia, ALNEW MEDIAS REPORTS FLOMATON FIRE DPT DISPATHCED TO UPPER CREEK RD FOR LARGE TREE DOWN BLOCKING ROAD.
12:37 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Sse OsakaEscambia, ALEMA DISPATCH REPORTS LARGE TREE DOWN AT WOLF LOG RD & OIL WELL RD. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.
12:40 UTCTORNADO3 S KirklandEscambia, ALTRAILER FLIPPED OVER ON SAMS LN. BREWTON FIRE DEPARTMENT DISPATCHED NO INJURIES REPORTED.
12:43 UTCTORNADO1 Nnw KirklandEscambia, ALRADAR CONFIRMED TORNADO.
15:01 UTCFLASH FLOODAtmoreEscambia, ALWATER OVER MAIN ST IN ATMORE, AL.

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2021 tornado in AlabamaEvery tornado in Alabama since 1950Warnings in force in Alabama nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of June 19, 2021

11 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
June 192:31 AM CDTEF0Harrison, MS1.275$50,000
June 193:16 AM CDTEF0Mobile, AL0.1251
June 195:08 AM CDTEF0Jackson, MS0.525$15,000
June 195:35 AM CDTEF1Jackson, MS0.850$5,000
June 191:31 PM EDTEF1Early, GA29.0400$3,000
June 191:12 PM CDTEF0Covington, AL0.625
June 192:05 PM MDTEF0Adams, CO0.025
June 192:17 PM MDTEF0Adams, CO0.025
June 192:26 PM MDTEF0Adams, CO0.025
June 192:34 PM MDTEF0Adams, CO0.025
June 192:43 PM MDTEF0Morgan, CO0.025

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.