Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2024
EF1 tornado, Deer Range to Bowles, Alabama, December 28, 2024
From Deer Range to Bowles, this EF1 tornado ran 2.8 miles across Monroe and Conecuh counties on December 28, 2024, touching down at 10:55 PM CST and reaching 150 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
- December 28, 2024
- Touchdown
- 10:55 PM CST (04:55 UTC)
- Lifted
- 11:01 PM CST (05:01 UTC)
- On the ground
- 6 minutes
- Path length
- 2.8 miles (4.6 km)
- Path width
- 150 yards (137 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Counties
- Monroe and Conecuh counties
- Touchdown point
- 31.524, -87.166
- Lift-off point
- 31.563, -87.154
- Record number
- 2412282255-01
The damage survey
60 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS MOB, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF1. The highest wind the damage implies is 110 mph.
- North side of damage… maybe
- Building shifted off pilings
- Trees uprooted facing due north. Trees on east side of road laying due west
- Trailer home thrown north into adjacent treeline
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
A multi-day severe weather episode occurred across southeast Mississippi into southwest and south-central Alabama and the Florida Panhandle with round #1 beginning the afternoon of December 27th and lasting through the evening hours and round #2 beginning the afternoon of December 28th and lasting into the early morning hours of December 29th. Multiple tornadoes and areas of damage were reported.
An EF0 tornado began along Highway 41 north of Wesley Road. Along|this road trees were uprooted facing due north, with some of the|trees on the eastern side of the road uprooted laying due west.|The next location ground survey crew were able to reach was along|Highway 84 east of Repton. Here some more tree uproots occurred.|It's possible the tornado did more damage to the southwest,|however given the intermittent damage path and limited road|network made it difficult to assess. It is possible this tornado|began sooner and/or ended later than the current start and end|points have, and this will be fine-tuned as high-resolution|satellite imagery becomes available.
The tornado touched down a quarter of a mile south of County Road 5 and Old Federal Road junction, where a few trees were uprooted. The tornado continued to the north-northeast, uprooting a few more trees and shifting Bethany Baptist Church slightly off of its foundation. The tornado crossed into Conecuh County, moving just northeast of County Road 15, uprooting a few more trees before lifting. Special thanks to the Monroe and Conecuh County EMAs for their assistance with the survey.
The tornado touched down a quarter of a mile south of County Road 5 and Old Federal Road junction, where a few trees were uprooted. The tornado continued to the north-northeast, uprooting a few more trees and shifting Bethany Baptist Church slightly off of its foundation. The tornado crossed into Conecuh County, moving just northeast of County Road 15, uprooting a few more trees before lifting. Special thanks to the Monroe and Conecuh County EMAs for their assistance with the survey.
The tornado touched down a quarter of a mile south of County Road 5 and Old Federal Road junction, where a few trees were uprooted. The tornado continued to the north-northeast, uprooting a few more trees and shifting Bethany Baptist Church slightly off of its foundation. The tornado crossed into Conecuh County, moving just northeast of County Road 15, uprooting a few more trees before lifting. Special thanks to the Monroe and Conecuh County EMAs for their assistance with the survey.
The tornado touched down a quarter of a mile south of County Road 5 and Old Federal Road junction, where a few trees were uprooted. The tornado continued to the north-northeast, uprooting a few more trees and shifting Bethany Baptist Church slightly off of its foundation. The tornado crossed into Conecuh County, moving just northeast of County Road 15, uprooting a few more trees before lifting. Special thanks to the Monroe and Conecuh County EMAs for their assistance with the survey.
The tornado touched town just west of County Road 4, where several trees were snapped or uprooted, and a trailer was tossed. The tornado moved to the northeast, snapping more trees along its path. As the tornado moved across Bookers Mill Road, dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted. In this location, the metal roof of 3 log cabins was peeled back, and a chapel was shifted off of its foundation. The tornado continued on its northeasterly path, crossing County Road 30 and County Road 32, snapping or uprooting more trees. The tornado lifted just west of State Highway 83. ||Update 2/26/2025: Extended the start point of the tornado southwest solely within forested regions west of County Road 4 based on Sentinel satellite imagery depicting a narrow path of forest damage. This connects with the tornado track surveyed downstream by ground survey crews.
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.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 00:34 UTC and running to 06:35 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:34 UTC | 06:35 UTC | Tornado Watch | MOB |
| 04:19 UTC | 05:00 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB |
| 04:25 UTC | 04:50 UTC | Tornado Warning | MOB |
| 04:28 UTC | 05:30 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB |
| 04:56 UTC | 05:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB |
| 04:57 UTC | 06:00 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB |
| 05:44 UTC | 08:45 UTC | Flood Advisory | MOB |
| 05:48 UTC | 06:22 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MOB |
| 05:56 UTC | 06:17 UTC | Tornado Warning | MOB |
| 06:26 UTC | 09:30 UTC | Flood Advisory | MOB |
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 Enhanced Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 00:58 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 radar
The Mobile radar (KMOB), 141 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 04:55 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) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04:13 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Sw I65 And Al 113 | Escambia, AL | An EF1 tornado began on the north side of I-65 along Charlie Dawson Road where several trees were leaning over the roadway with small tree branches taken off. As the tornado continued northeast, it crossed Priscilla Lane |
| 04:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Nne Barnett Crossroad | Escambia, AL | The roofs of several cabins were ripped off on Barnett Rd. Time estimated. |
| 04:30 UTC | TORNADO | 2 N Range | Conecuh, AL | An EF0 tornado began along Highway 41 north of Wesley Road. Along this road trees were uprooted facing due north, with some of the trees on the eastern side of the road uprooted laying due west. The next location ground |
| 04:38 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ene Repton | Conecuh, AL | Couple of houses damaged on Hwy 84 east of Repton. |
| 04:38 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Repton | Conecuh, AL | Numerous trees and power lines down near Hwy 84 and Hwy 41. |
| 04:55 UTC | TORNADO | 2 S Burnt Corn | Monroe, AL | The tornado touched down a quarter of a mile south of County Road 5 and Old Federal Road junction, where a few trees were uprooted. The tornado continued to the north-northeast, uprooting a few more trees and shifting Be |
| 05:07 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Wsw China | Conecuh, AL | The EF1 tornado touched town just west of County Road 4, where several trees were snapped or uprooted, and a trailer was tossed. The tornado moved to the northeast, snapping more trees along its path. As the tornado move |
| 05:08 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 W China | Conecuh, AL | Extensive structural damage was found to two cabins, a home, and a wedding chapel on Bookers Mill Rd. |
| 05:18 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Nne Lyeffion | Conecuh, AL | Numerous trees down in the Lyeffion community and north along Hwy 83. Time estimated by radar. |
| 05:32 UTC | TORNADO | 4 E Mixonville | Butler, AL | The EF1 tornado touched down along McNeil Road just east of Furlong Creek, where numerous trees were snapped. The tornado continued to the northeast, crossing McNeil Road, continuing to snap or uproot trees along its pat |
| 06:18 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 N Starlington | Butler, AL | Vehicle damaged by a snapped tree in the Providence area. Damage also reported to a home northwest of Starlington. Extent of damage unknown. Time estimated by radar. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2024 tornado in AlabamaEvery tornado in Alabama since 1950Warnings in force in Alabama nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of December 28, 2024
76 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 28 | 8:22 AM CST | EF1 | Beauregard Parish, LA | 1.5 | 100 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 10:35 AM CST | EF1 | Waller, TX | 10.9 | 150 | |||
| December 28 | 12:05 PM CST | EF3 | Montgomery, TX | 10.3 | 1,675 | 10 | ||
| December 28 | 12:53 PM CST | EF2 | Brazoria, TX | 8.9 | 300 | 1 | 5 | |
| December 28 | 1:37 PM CST | EF1 | Galveston, TX | 7.4 | 850 | |||
| December 28 | 2:26 PM CST | EF3 | Chambers, TX to LA | 67.9 | 880 | 2 | $500,000 | |
| December 28 | 2:55 PM CST | EF1 | Amite, MS | 3.1 | 50 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 3:13 PM CST | EF3 | Franklin, MS | 26.0 | 1,500 | 4 | $1.3 million | |
| December 28 | 3:20 PM CST | EF1 | Vernon Parish, LA | 6.3 | 100 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 3:27 PM CST | EF0 | Vernon Parish, LA | 3.3 | 50 | $10,000 | ||
| December 28 | 3:49 PM CST | EF1 | Vernon Parish, LA | 1.2 | 50 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 4:16 PM CST | EF1 | Madison Parish, LA | 16.2 | 280 | $250,000 | ||
| December 28 | 4:19 PM CST | EF1 | Richland Parish, LA | 5.6 | 130 | $30,000 | ||
| December 28 | 4:28 PM CST | EF1 | Madison Parish, LA | 1.8 | 200 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 4:49 PM CST | EF1 | East Carroll Parish, LA to MS | 17.9 | 300 | $70,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:06 PM CST | EF1 | Evangeline Parish, LA | 15.4 | 200 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:12 PM CST | EF1 | Concordia Parish, LA | 0.4 | 80 | $10,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:17 PM CST | Unrated | Cameron Parish, LA | 4.3 | 1 | |||
| December 28 | 5:34 PM CST | EF1 | Lincoln, MS | 9.9 | 400 | $25,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:37 PM CST | EF1 | Jefferson, MS | 9.3 | 750 | $35,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:40 PM CST | EF0 | Pointe Coupee Parish, LA | 1.9 | 50 | $1,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:42 PM CST | EF1 | Wilkinson, MS | 11.4 | 50 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:46 PM CST | EF0 | Wilkinson, MS | 4.9 | 25 | $2,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:54 PM CST | EF1 | Claiborne, MS | 4.9 | 300 | $70,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:55 PM CST | EF1 | Jefferson, MS | 11.1 | 400 | $45,000 | ||
| December 28 | 5:58 PM CST | EF1 | Warren, MS | 4.5 | 500 | $15,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:00 PM CST | EF0 | Wilkinson, MS | 3.6 | 75 | $1,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:10 PM CST | EF0 | Warren, MS | 4.1 | 250 | $17,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:19 PM CST | EF1 | Hinds, MS | 9.4 | 350 | $10,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:24 PM CST | EF1 | Simpson, MS | 4.6 | 350 | $15,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:25 PM CST | EF0 | Lincoln, MS | 2.7 | 315 | $10,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:25 PM CST | EF1 | Hinds, MS | 23.6 | 570 | $105,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:26 PM CST | EF1 | Lincoln, MS | 6.8 | 300 | $30,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:28 PM CST | EF1 | Yazoo, MS | 1.2 | 250 | $10,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:36 PM CST | EF1 | Copiah, MS | 13.0 | 1,500 | $50,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:38 PM CST | EF1 | Copiah, MS | 2.7 | 500 | $20,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:41 PM CST | EF1 | Amite, MS | 0.4 | 25 | $3,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:42 PM CST | EF1 | Amite, MS | 8.6 | 100 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:48 PM CST | EF1 | Pike, MS | 6.4 | 75 | $10,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:49 PM CST | EF1 | Copiah, MS | 11.9 | 1,200 | $62,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:51 PM CST | EF0 | East Baton Rouge Parish, LA | 2.8 | 50 | $3,000 | ||
| December 28 | 6:58 PM CST | EF1 | Yazoo, MS | 7.3 | 800 | $35,000 | ||
| December 28 | 7:04 PM CST | EF1 | Rankin, MS | 37.5 | 880 | $1.7 million | ||
| December 28 | 7:15 PM CST | EF1 | Jefferson Davis, MS | 0.3 | 200 | $35,000 | ||
| December 28 | 7:17 PM CST | EF1 | Simpson, MS | 10.5 | 800 | $500,000 | ||
| December 28 | 7:39 PM CST | EF1 | Smith, MS | 3.4 | 200 | $30,000 | ||
| December 28 | 7:42 PM CST | EF0 | Smith, MS | 0.6 | 75 | $3,000 | ||
| December 28 | 7:46 PM CST | EF1 | Smith, MS | 13.0 | 700 | $200,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:09 PM CST | EF0 | Jasper, MS | 1.0 | 50 | $2,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:09 PM CST | EF0 | Newton, MS | 2.2 | 100 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:12 PM CST | EF2 | Jasper, MS | 9.1 | 900 | $500,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:18 PM CST | EF1 | Newton, MS | 4.5 | 700 | $25,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:28 PM CST | EF0 | Newton, MS | 0.5 | 165 | $5,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:34 PM CST | EF1 | Newton, MS | 2.6 | 650 | $40,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:36 PM CST | EF1 | Jasper, MS | 11.8 | 500 | $87,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:47 PM CST | EF1 | Saint Tammany Parish, LA | 1.2 | 50 | $35,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:49 PM CST | EF1 | Oktibbeha, MS | 2.1 | 300 | $80,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:56 PM CST | EF1 | Clarke, MS | 0.4 | 80 | $15,000 | ||
| December 28 | 8:59 PM CST | EF0 | Clay, MS | 4.6 | 200 | $40,000 | ||
| December 28 | 9:01 PM CST | EF1 | Lauderdale, MS | 9.0 | 630 | $500,000 |
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.