Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2023

EF0 tornado, Loxley, Alabama, June 15, 2023

Name: EF0 tornado, Loxley, Alabama, June 15, 2023
Start: 2023-06-16T05:21:00.000Z
End: 2023-06-16T05:22:00.000Z
Location: Loxley, Alabama

This EF0 tornado ran 0.3 miles across Baldwin County on June 15, 2023, touching down at 12:21 AM CDT and reaching 75 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 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
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: EF0
Date: June 15, 2023
Touchdown: 12:21 AM CDT (05:21 UTC)
Lifted: 12:22 AM CDT (05:22 UTC)
On the ground: 1 minutes
Path length: 0.3 miles (0.5 km)
Path width: 75 yards (69 m)
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
County: Baldwin County
Touchdown point: 30.618, -87.794
Lift-off point: 30.617, -87.790
Record number: 2306152321-01

The damage survey

4 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS MOB, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF0. The highest wind the damage implies is 80 mph.

Tree damage visible on high resolution satellite imagery.

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

Strong thunderstorms tracked across the area and became severe in a very moist and unstable airmass. The thunderstorms produced damaging winds, large hail and a couple of weak tornadoes.

A brief EF-0 tornado touched down on the south side of County|Road 64, just west of the County Road 66 intersection. The|tornado moved southeast and stayed to the south of County Road|64. The end point is estimated. Spotty tree damage was noted|along the path, including two large hardwood trees that were|uprooted and facing back toward the west.

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 Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Jun 15, 7:52 PM CDT, 4 hours 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 15, 7:52 PM CDT, 4 hours 29 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Mobile AL
752 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023

...New AVIATION...

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 633 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023

Forecast uncertainty is rather high with regard to the
potential for thunderstorms during the next 12 to 24 hours.
Clusters of thunderstorms are currently moving
southeastward, impacting MOB, BFM, PNS. These should move
south of the terminals in the next couple of hours, with a break
in the activity expected to continue through the overnight hours.
Additional thunderstorm development is possible after sunrise and
another round of storms possible during the afternoon. Given the
uncertainly, will maintain the PROB30 group for TSRA in the TAFs.
Amendments to the TAFs may be necessary. Outside of
thunderstorms, VFR conditions are expected through the period,
with southwesterly winds and cigs above 3000 feet.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 420 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023/

..New NEAR TERM, SHORT TERM, LONG TERM, MARINE...

NEAR TERM...
(Now through Friday)
Issued at 415 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023

Severe storms continue across portions of south central AL late this
afternoon, and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch is currently in effect for
Escambia and Covington counties of south central AL, Mobile and
Baldwin counties of coastal AL and all of the western FL panhandle
through 9 PM this evening. These storms have produced widespread
wind damage and hail up to at least tennis ball size. CAMS,
specifically the HRRR, seems  to have a decent handle on this (for a
change) and it appears that the current cluster of severe storms
should continue sagging slowly southward and into the FL panhandle
counties late this afternoon and early evening. The airmass
downstream of this activity remains moderately to strongly unstable,
with MLCAPE generally ranging 2500-3000 J/KG. Strong deep layer
shear will allow for continued updraft organization, including
supercells, so damaging winds and large hail will continue to be
possible with the storms. By around 8-9 PM we think that this
cluster of storms will be moving offshore and the severe threat will
be ending, hopefully for the remainder of the night.

Another shortwave will be approaching the area from the west by
early Friday morning, and another cluster of strong to severe storms
will likely move east across our forecast area on Friday morning.
The potential for severe weather will also be there with this
cluster of storms as well, with damaging wind and large hail again
being the primary threat. There is some indication that Friday
afternoon may not be as busy weather-wise as the past several days,
but CAMs have had trouble with the timing of these systems and we
will have to monitor to see if that changes.

Lows tonight in the upper 60s well inland and the low to mid 70s
coast. Highs on Friday mainly in the upper 80s. /12

SHORT TERM...
(Friday night through Sunday night)
Issued at 415 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023

The active weather pattern we have been dealing with over the past
several days appears to continue right on through the weekend.
Several mid-level impulses, embedded in a persistent and
unseasonably strong mid and upper level northwesterly flow, will
continue to bring episodes of enhanced ascent across the area.
Energy aloft will overspread/interact with a moderately to
strongly unstable airmass in place. Clusters of showers and
thunderstorms appear likely to form along the Interstate 10
corridor on Saturday near a remnant quasi-stationary front with
other clusters of storms forming on old convective outflows and
over the interior in response to the passage of high level energy
maximums. Storm motion from the northwest to the southeast remains
favored. The severe weather risk remains possible Saturday given
the expectation that more than sufficient instability will be in
place as well as 0-6 km bulk shear magnitudes 35 to 45 kts.

The latest 15.12Z physical solutions suggest a more significant
upper level impulse will be riding east southeast from the Lower
MS River Valley to across central/southern sections of MS/AL
through the day Sunday. This may bring yet another increased
severe weather threat.

In addition to weekend storms, other concerns will be first =>
heat with highest heat indices (102 to 107) appearing in the
forecast by Sunday and more focused along and south of a line from
Crestview FL to New Augusta MS. Secondly, a HIGH risk of
dangerous to potentially deadly rip currents exists along area
beaches through the weekend. /10

LONG TERM...
(Monday through Thursday)
Issued at 415 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023

It doesn't appear there will be much reprieve next week too as the
southern stream remains in a persistently active state. An upper
level ridge centered over Mexico noses northward into the
southern Plains while there is some indication of an upper level
low pressure system to form over the TN Valley/southern Appalachians.
The position of these two systems maintains a flow supporting an
extended period where spokes of mid-level energy will drop southward
bringing the potential of multiple rounds of storms over the
central Gulf coast. Appears there will be potential for severe
storms and heavy rain with each round.

Additionally, a HIGH risk for rip currents persists at local
beaches through at least Monday. Hot and humid conditions could
also lead to heat stress related concerns as we head into early
next week. /10

MARINE...
Issued at 415 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023

Moderate to occasionally strong southwesterly winds prevail into
tonight and then weaken slightly Friday and into the weekend. A
Small Craft Advisory is in effect until 10 pm tonight. A brief
period of light to moderate offshore flow may develop on Friday as
a cold front may drift just off the coast, but this should be
short lived as a lighter onshore flow is generally expected as we
move into the weekend. /12

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Mobile      73  91  71  91  73  90  76  91 /  60  70  60  60  20  70  30  70
Pensacola   75  89  74  88  75  88  78  89 /  70  70  70  70  30  70  50  70
Destin      78  89  76  88  77  88  78  88 /  70  70  70  70  30  60  40  70
Evergreen   69  90  69  90  69  89  70  88 /  50  70  70  60  20  70  50  80
Waynesboro  69  88  68  90  70  89  71  89 /  30  70  60  50  20  70  50  70
Camden      67  87  66  88  67  86  68  86 /  30  70  60  40  20  70  60  80
Crestview   70  91  69  91  70  91  71  89 /  60  70  70  70  20  70  40  80

&&

.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...Flood Watch until 10 PM CDT this evening for ALZ051>060-261>266.

     High Rip Current Risk through Saturday evening for ALZ265-266.

FL...Flood Watch until 10 PM CDT this evening for FLZ201>206.

     High Rip Current Risk through Saturday evening for FLZ202-204-
     206.

MS...Flood Watch until 10 PM CDT this evening for MSZ067.

GM...Small Craft Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening for GMZ630>632-
     650-670.

&&

This product is also available on the web at:
www.weather.gov/mob

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 15, 11:45 PM CDT, 36 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Mobile AL
1145 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023

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

1144 PM     Flash Flood      Pensacola Beach         30.33N 87.14W
06/15/2023                   Escambia           FL   Emergency Mngr

            Significant flooding on Fort Pickens Rd, one
            stranded flooded out vehicle.

&&

JEH

Local storm report, Jun 15, 11:49 PM CDT, 32 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Mobile AL
1149 PM CDT Thu Jun 15 2023

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

1148 PM     Flash Flood      1 WNW Warrington        30.39N 87.29W
06/15/2023                   Escambia           FL   911 Call Center

            Water rising near Jones Swamp apartment
            complex. Evacuation of vehicles is underway.

&&

JEH

Local storm report, Jun 16, 12:06 AM CDT, 15 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Mobile AL
1206 AM CDT Fri Jun 16 2023

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

1149 PM     Rain             1 W Gulf Breeze         30.36N 87.19W
06/15/2023  M9.04 inch       Santa Rosa         FL   Mesonet

            Mesonet station FW9380 Gulf Breeze recorded
            9 inches in 3 hours.

&&

JEH

Local storm report, Jun 16, 12:07 AM CDT, 14 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Mobile AL
1207 AM CDT Fri Jun 16 2023

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

1155 PM     Rain             1 W Warrington          30.39N 87.29W
06/15/2023  M11.26 inch      Escambia           FL   Mesonet

            Mesonet station PNESC 1 W Warrington
            recorded almost one foot of rainfall in 3
            hours.

&&

JEH

Local storm report, Jun 16, 12:17 AM CDT, 4 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Mobile AL
1217 AM CDT Fri Jun 16 2023

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

1122 PM     Rain             2 ENE Gulf Breeze       30.37N 87.14W
06/15/2023  M3.70 inch       Santa Rosa         FL   Mesonet

            Mesonet station NLOF1 Naval Live Oak
            recorded over last 3 hours.

&&

JEH

Local storm report, Jun 16, 12:18 AM CDT, 3 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Mobile AL
1218 AM CDT Fri Jun 16 2023

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

1153 PM     Rain             1 NNE Pensacola Interna 30.48N 87.18W
06/15/2023  M3.42 inch       Escambia           FL   ASOS

            ASOS station KPNS Pensacola recorded over
            the last 3 hours.

&&

JEH

The surface observations

Fairhope (CQF), 19 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 Mobile radar (KMOB), 43 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 05:17 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 2023 tornado in Alabama Every tornado in Alabama since 1950 Warnings in force in Alabama now The forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of June 15, 2023

31 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

Date	Time	Rating	Where	Path (mi)	Width (yd)	Deaths	Injuries	Damage
June 15	4:58 PM CDT	EF0	Comanche, OK	3.8	50			$10,000
June 15	5:02 PM CDT	EF2	Ochiltree, TX	17.4	200			$114,000
June 15	6:06 PM EDT	EF2	Lucas, OH	3.8	300			$176,000
June 15	5:06 PM CDT	EF3	Perryton tornado, TX	6.3	880	3	100	$1.0 million
June 15	6:09 PM EDT	EF1	Monroe, MI	4.8	400
June 15	5:10 PM CDT	EF0	Cotton, OK	1.2	50			$10,000
June 15	5:11 PM CDT	Unrated	Stephens, OK	0.5	50
June 15	5:12 PM CDT	EF0	Ochiltree, TX	12.3	50
June 15	6:28 PM EDT	EF0	Lucas, OH	0.2	50			$5,000
June 15	5:34 PM CDT	EF0	Stephens, OK	0.8	200
June 15	5:37 PM CDT	EF1	Stephens, OK	0.5	20			$30,000
June 15	6:49 PM EDT	EF2	Ottawa, OH	3.4	200			$255,000
June 15	6:57 PM EDT	EF1	Sandusky, OH	0.1	100			$15,000
June 15	5:58 PM CDT	Unrated	Jefferson, OK	0.8	50
June 15	6:03 PM CDT	EF1	Stephens, OK	1.5	50			$10,000
June 15	6:16 PM CDT	EF2	Jefferson, OK	4.1	1,000			$250,000
June 15	7:19 PM EDT	EF0	Sandusky, OH	0.3	50			$18,000
June 15	6:29 PM CDT	EF1	Ellis, TX to OK	4.8	200			$11,000
June 15	7:40 PM EDT	EF0	Sandusky, OH	0.9	50			$10,000
June 15	7:43 PM EDT	EF0	Franklin, FL	0.4	50			$5,000
June 15	6:47 PM CDT	Unrated	Roger Mills, OK	1.0	50
June 15	7:48 PM EDT	EF2	Huron, OH	8.7	2,200			$270,000
June 15	7:51 PM EDT	EF0	Huron, OH	1.6	100			$5,000
June 15	8:01 PM EDT	EF0	Huron, OH	0.7	100			$5,000
June 15	8:04 PM EDT	EF1	Huron, OH	8.6	1,100			$165,000
June 15	8:13 PM EDT	EF1	Huron, OH	4.0	250			$60,000
June 15	7:26 PM CDT	EF0	Love, OK	0.5	10
June 15	8:46 PM EDT	EF0	Ashland, OH	1.2	300			$70,000
June 15	8:02 PM CDT	EF1	Clay, TX	2.5	100			$8,000
June 15	8:35 PM CDT	EF2	Escambia, FL	8.6	450
June 15	1:43 AM EDT	EF0	Taylor, FL	1.0	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.