Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2022

EF1 tornado, Ansley to China Grove, Alabama, April 5, 2022

Name: EF1 tornado, Ansley to China Grove, Alabama, April 5, 2022
Start: 2022-04-05T16:34:00.000Z
End: 2022-04-05T16:45:00.000Z
Location: Ansley to China Grove, Alabama

From Ansley to China Grove, this EF1 tornado ran 7.6 miles across Pike and Montgomery counties on April 5, 2022, touching down at 11:34 AM CDT and reaching 550 yards wide. It killed nobody.

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 5, 2022
Touchdown: 11:34 AM CDT (16:34 UTC)
Lifted: 11:45 AM CDT (16:45 UTC)
On the ground: 11 minutes
Path length: 7.6 miles (12.2 km)
Path width: 550 yards (503 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Counties: Pike and Montgomery counties
Touchdown point: 31.983, -86.036
Lift-off point: 32.006, -85.909
Record number: 2204051034-01

The damage survey

77 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS BMX and NWS MOB, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 125 mph.

Widespread swath of snapped trees
Widespread softwood trees snapped. Major tree devastation.
Widespread hardwoods uprooted with numerous snaps. Major tree devastation.
Complete uplift and removal of roofing material. Side panels torn off buildings.

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

An upper-level disturbance moved across the Deep South in the early morning hours of April 5, 2022. This fostered the development of a surface low which moved across Central Mississippi and into North Alabama. Thunderstorms in the morning initially posed a threat of large hail and damaging winds. Later in the morning and into the afternoon, storms became more surface-based and a tornado threat resulted, mainly impacting the southern and southeastern portions of Central Alabama. On April 6th, a strong cold front moved through Alabama, producing another round of severe thunderstorms, but no tornadoes.

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northwest Pike County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 110 mph. The tornado touched down just west of the intersection of County Road 1107 and 1101. The tornado tracked northeast nearly paralleling County Road 1107 where damage consisted of numerous snapped and uprooted trees, some of which fell on and caused significant damage to a residence. The tornado also produced minor roof damage to additional nearby homes and shifted a manufactured home off of its block piers. It crossed into southeast Montgomery County just west of Little Patsaliga Creek.

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southeast Montgomery County and determined that it was consistent with an EF2 tornado, with maximum winds near 120 mph. This tornado originated in northeast Pike County and crossed into Montgomery county just west of Little Patsaliga Creek. The tornado reached its peak intensity just after crossing into Montgomery County where is caused the collapse of metal electric transmission tower. The tornado tracked northeast and crossed County Road 94 where numerous trees were uprooted and snapped. The tornado then crossed Highway 231 where several homes suffered loss of roofing. It weakened as it approached Meriwether Trail and lifted just after crossing Meriwether Trail.

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southeast Montgomery County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 100 mph. The tornado touched down near Highway 94. It tracked east|were several trees were uprooted along Highway 231. Numerous trees were snapped in the front yard of a home on Old Highway 231 where the greatest degree of tree damage was found, but this home was not able to be accessed due to the amount of trees covering the driveway. Other nearby homes only received minor roof or siding damage. The tornado crossed into Pike County just north of Jackson Creek.

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Pike County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 85 mph. This tornado started in southeast Montgomery County and crossed into Pike County just north of Jackson Creek. The tornado tracked eastward over rural areas with damage consisting mainly of uprooted trees.

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

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 5, 6:49 AM CDT, 4 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 5, 6:49 AM CDT, 4 hours 45 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
649 AM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

.UPDATE...
For 12Z Aviation.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
/Updated at 0347 AM CDT Tue Apr 05 2022/

Today.

Widespread rain and thunderstorms are expected to spread across
Central AL this morning as a warm front lifts through the region. A
fast-moving complex of thunderstorms will then move eastward through
the area. Damaging winds will be the main concern with these
thunderstorms given the ample forcing and shear. There will likely
be a sharp northward gradient in the severe threat as surface based
instability struggles to lift northward into our area behind the
warm front. Based on current guidance the area with the best chance
for damaging winds and maybe a tornado or two will be generally
along and south of the Hwy 80/I-85 corridor, which is where the high
resolution guidance suggests the surface based instability build in.
A few storms this morning in MS have produced large hail along the
warm front, so I've added mentioned for hail in the hazardous
weather outlook with any storms that lift northward this morning
with the warm front into Central AL.

The complex of storms should push east of our area by the mid-
afternoon, ending the threat for severe weather across Central AL.

Wednesday.

As we go into Wednesday, a strong cold front will approach from the
northwest. Model guidance has been very consistent in showing an
unstable airmass across all of Central AL ahead of the frontal
passage. The main low pressure system itself, along with most of the
upper level dynamics are displaced well to the north, which limits
our mid and upper level forcing along the front. Guidance has also
continued to show a good amount of dry air aloft with this system,
which could limit the amount of deep convection along the front as
it moves in. Additionally, recent high resolution guidance has
trended with more convective development just to our south
associated with a pre-frontal shortwave that moves across the Gulf
Coast, which could limit the low level moisture return for Central
AL. These potential limitations cast a good amount of uncertainty in
the severe threat on Wednesday. If thunderstorms are able to develop
along the front, or ahead of the front in the unstable airmass, they
could become strong to severe with damaging winds and hail as the
main threats. I can't completely rule out the tornado potential, but
the likelihood remains on the lower end. The question will be
what wins out - the shallow moist layer with the cold front or the
dry air aloft.

The front is expected to move out of the area by Wednesday night
around midnight with much cooler and drier air advecting from the
northwest.

25/Owen

.LONG TERM...
/Updated at 0347 AM CDT Tue Apr 05 2022/

Thursday through Monday.

The main system will be exiting the region Thursday morning and
giving way to overall dry weather through the weekend. With that
said an upper low will begin to swing into the region Friday
afternoon and into Saturday. There some hints that some light
rain/drizzle may be around in the northeast Friday and Saturday
afternoon as several shortwaves slide around the upper low. For now
will just go with some increased clouds during the afternoon.
Another concern on Saturday and Sunday mornings will be the
potential frost and possible freeze in the northern third of the
area. The potential frost is looking pretty good, with a low
confidence of a freeze for a few location. Given the April timeframe
now will go ahead and add cold into the HWO for Saturday morning and
may need to add Sunday morning as well in the update tomorrow night.
Moisture returns to the west on Monday and remains in the area
through Tuesday before finally pushing east some by the middle of
next week.

16

&&

.AVIATION...
12Z TAF Discussion.

Widespread rainfall and storms quickly took over the area this
morning. MVFR/IFR conditions will continue for the next 12
hours, with low vis in the heavier storms. Some improvement after
00z, but ceilings remain low.

16

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

A strong storm system will bring widespread showers and storms to
the area today, with locally heavy rainfall. All areas can expect
gusty winds today as a squall line will move rapidly from west to
east, which could produce wind gusts above 50 mph. The threat of
higher winds will be mainly along and south of the Highway 80/I-85
corridor. There will be a lull in the rain Tuesday night. A cold
front will push into north Alabama Wednesday afternoon and trigger
scattered to numerous showers and storms.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Gadsden     72  59  80  45  66 / 100  20  70  60   0
Anniston    72  63  80  48  66 / 100  20  60  70   0
Birmingham  74  63  80  48  67 / 100  20  70  60   0
Tuscaloosa  77  64  82  47  67 / 100  10  70  40   0
Calera      75  65  81  50  67 / 100  20  70  60   0
Auburn      71  65  78  53  68 / 100  40  70  70   0
Montgomery  76  67  82  53  70 / 100  30  60  70   0
Troy        77  66  83  54  71 / 100  40  70  70   0

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES/...
None.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 5, 4:01 AM CDT, 7 hours 33 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
401 AM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

ALZ011>015-017>050-061215-
Marion-Lamar-Fayette-Winston-Walker-Blount-Etowah-Calhoun-Cherokee-
Cleburne-Pickens-Tuscaloosa-Jefferson-Shelby-St. Clair-Talladega-
Clay-Randolph-Sumter-Greene-Hale-Perry-Bibb-Chilton-Coosa-Tallapoosa-
Chambers-Marengo-Dallas-Autauga-Lowndes-Elmore-Montgomery-Macon-
Bullock-Lee-Russell-Pike-Barbour-
401 AM CDT Tue Apr 5 2022

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the
National Weather Service office in Birmingham.

.DAY ONE...Outlook through Tonight.

Strong to severe storms will be possible today. Damaging winds up to
60 mph and large hail will be the main threat with tornadoes
possible. Localized flash flooding is also possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday.

Strong to severe storms are possible on Wednesday. Damaging winds
and
hail are the main threats, though a tornado or two cannot be ruled
out.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Activation of storm spotters and emergency management may be needed
Today and Wednesday.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 5, 6:04 AM CDT, 5 hours 30 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
604 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2022

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

0512 AM     HAIL             UNIONTOWN               32.45N 87.51W
04/05/2022  E0.75 INCH       PERRY              AL   PUBLIC

            PENNY SIZED HAIL ESTIMATED IN UNIONTOWN.
            TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

&&

Local storm report, Apr 5, 7:31 AM CDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
731 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2022

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

0727 AM     HAIL             1 N TALLAPOOSA WATER PL 32.46N 86.20W
04/05/2022  E1.00 INCH       ELMORE             AL   PUBLIC

&&

JD

Local storm report, Apr 5, 7:40 AM CDT, 3 hours 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
740 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2022

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

0732 AM     HAIL             2 S BLUE RIDGE          32.47N 86.19W
04/05/2022  E0.70 INCH       ELMORE             AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

JD

Local storm report, Apr 5, 7:57 AM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
757 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2022

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

0751 AM     HAIL             3 WNW PINTLALA          32.20N 86.42W
04/05/2022  E1.00 INCH       LOWNDES            AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

JD

Local storm report, Apr 5, 8:29 AM CDT, 3 hours 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
829 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2022

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

0809 AM     HAIL             TROY UNIVERSITY         31.80N 85.96W
04/05/2022  E0.70 INCH       PIKE               AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

&&

JD

Local storm report, Apr 5, 8:57 AM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
857 AM CDT TUE APR 5 2022

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

0815 AM     HAIL             1 NW TROY COUNTRY CLUB  31.79N 85.98W
04/05/2022  E1.00 INCH       PIKE               AL   PUBLIC

&&

JD

The surface observations

Troy Municipal (TOI), 15 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

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

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

The radar

The Maxwell AFB radar (KMXX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 16:33 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.

This ground now

The live radar over the track Every 2022 tornado in Alabama Every tornado in Alabama since 1950 Warnings in force in Alabama now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 5, 2022

66 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
April 5	3:45 AM CDT	EF1	Lincoln Parish, LA	5.1	150			$10,000
April 5	6:46 AM CDT	EF1	Scott, MS	7.6	100			$40,000
April 5	7:00 AM CDT	EF1	Scott, MS	4.7	300			$25,000
April 5	7:06 AM CDT	EF1	Jefferson Davis, MS	3.1	100			$40,000
April 5	7:09 AM CDT	EF1	Scott, MS	2.1	100			$25,000
April 5	7:09 AM CDT	EF2	Jefferson Davis, MS	14.8	400			$150,000
April 5	7:16 AM CDT	EF1	Newton, MS	4.0	100			$75,000
April 5	7:22 AM CDT	EF1	Covington, MS	16.5	440			$81,000
April 5	7:56 AM CDT	EF1	Jones, MS	8.6	250			$50,000
April 5	8:06 AM CDT	EF1	Clarke, MS	2.9	250			$150,000
April 5	8:14 AM CDT	EF2	Wayne, MS	2.2	250
April 5	8:18 AM CDT	EF0	Lauderdale, MS	2.5	25			$30,000
April 5	8:19 AM CDT	EF1	Wayne, MS	2.6	100
April 5	8:36 AM CDT	EF1	Wayne, MS	0.3	50
April 5	9:03 AM CDT	EF2	Clarke, AL	9.5	800
April 5	9:10 AM CDT	EF1	Clarke, AL	1.8	100
April 5	10:10 AM CDT	EF1	Monroe, AL	1.5	75
April 5	10:54 AM CDT	EF2	Elmore, AL	4.4	900
April 5	10:56 AM CDT	EF2	Crenshaw, AL	1.3	250
April 5	11:03 AM CDT	EF2	Pike, AL	12.7	1,100
April 5	11:06 AM CDT	EF0	Elmore, AL	5.3	300
April 5	11:19 AM CDT	EF1	Macon, AL	4.3	250
April 5	11:20 AM CDT	Unrated	Crenshaw, AL	0.4	25
April 5	11:22 AM CDT	EF0	Tallapoosa, AL	1.8	110
April 5	11:45 AM CDT	EF0	Chambers, AL	0.4	200
April 5	11:50 AM CDT	EF1	Bullock, AL	1.6	600
April 5	12:38 PM CDT	EF1	Barbour, AL	1.5	200
April 5	2:04 PM EDT	EF1	Chattahoochee, GA	6.7	300
April 5	1:24 PM CDT	EF0	Henry, AL	2.8	50
April 5	2:29 PM EDT	EF1	Taylor, GA	3.0	150
April 5	1:38 PM CDT	EF0	Houston, AL	6.8	200			$150,000
April 5	1:39 PM CDT	EF1	Geneva, AL	0.2	50			$3,000
April 5	2:50 PM EDT	EF1	Taylor, GA	7.2	300
April 5	1:53 PM CDT	EF0	Houston, AL	0.1	25			$50,000
April 5	3:01 PM EDT	EF1	Macon, GA	17.3	250
April 5	3:07 PM EDT	EF1	Crawford, GA	8.8	200
April 5	3:15 PM EDT	EF1	Early, GA	4.9	50
April 5	3:15 PM EDT	EF1	Early, GA	7.1	50			$50,000
April 5	3:26 PM EDT	EF2	Dooly, GA	5.8	300
April 5	3:33 PM EDT	EF1	Bibb, GA	2.0	100
April 5	3:49 PM EDT	EF3	Houston, GA	3.9	820		3
April 5	3:50 PM EDT	EF3	Allendale, SC	13.3	1,000		1
April 5	3:51 PM EDT	EF0	Baker, GA	0.6	25
April 5	4:01 PM EDT	EF0	Baldwin, GA	1.7	150
April 5	4:11 PM EDT	EF1	Twiggs, GA	12.3	400
April 5	4:12 PM EDT	EF1	Mitchell, GA	8.1	50			$100,000
April 5	4:14 PM EDT	EF1	Bleckley, GA	7.6	125
April 5	4:18 PM EDT	EF1	Bamberg, SC	3.7	250
April 5	4:20 PM EDT	EF0	Wilcox, GA	9.4	200
April 5	4:39 PM EDT	EF0	Bamberg, SC	2.4	200
April 5	4:53 PM EDT	EF0	Orangeburg, SC	1.0	50
April 5	5:07 PM EDT	EF0	Orangeburg, SC	0.8	200
April 5	5:10 PM EDT	EF0	Treutlen, GA	0.9	100
April 5	5:17 PM EDT	EF1	Treutlen, GA	0.8	200
April 5	5:18 PM EDT	EF4	Pembroke–Black Creek tornado, GA	14.4	1,300	1	12
April 5	5:22 PM EDT	EF1	Emanuel, GA	6.2	150
April 5	5:27 PM EDT	EF0	Emanuel, GA	0.7	50
April 5	5:35 PM EDT	EF2	Lexington, SC	5.7	100		1
April 5	6:03 PM EDT	EF1	Allendale, SC	1.3	100
April 5	6:03 PM EDT	EF3	Allendale, SC	34.5	500

All 67 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.