Tornadoes · United States · Alabama · 2025

EF0 tornado, Danway to Tuckersburg, Alabama, March 15, 2025

From Danway to Tuckersburg, this EF0 tornado ran 3.8 miles across Chambers County on March 15, 2025, touching down at 11:59 PM CDT and reaching 100 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.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    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 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.

  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
EF0
Date
March 15, 2025
Touchdown
11:59 PM CDT (04:59 UTC)
Lifted
12:03 AM CDT (05:03 UTC)
On the ground
4 minutes
Path length
3.8 miles (6.1 km)
Path width
100 yards (91 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Chambers County
Touchdown point
32.783, -85.381
Lift-off point
32.821, -85.335
Record number
2503152259-01

The damage survey

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

  • Estimated start point based on radar interpretation of velocity and CC

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 significant severe weather event unfolded across Central Alabama on March 15, with 15 tornadoes, several instances of straight-line wind damage, and isolated flooding. An initial round of storms during the early morning brought reports of large hail in Pickens and Walker counties, followed by an afternoon round with several strong, long-track tornadoes. Of the 15 tornadoes, five were rated EF-2 and two were EF-3. Nine of the 15 tornadoes tracked over 10 miles, with the longest path being an EF-2 tornado that traversed 39.48 miles across Tuscaloosa and Walker counties, striking the town of Sipsey. An EF-3 tornado in Plantersville in Dallas County resulted in two fatalities and two injuries, while an EF-2 tornado in Winterboro in Talladega County had one fatality and one injury. The second EF-3 tornado struck Tallapoosa County, reaching peak intensity in Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. Near the end of the event, an EF-2 tornado moved across southern and eastern parts of Troy, with three injuries being documented.

The tornado touched down east of Chambers County Road 173 near|Snapper Creek in rural western Chambers County. The location is|based on radar analysis of a velocity couplet and developing|debris signature. The tornado crossed CR 73, where several pine|trees were uprooted. It continued northeastward crossing CR 174,|where a few pine trees were uprooted. The tornado weakened and|dissipated before reaching CR 83.

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

The warnings

1 minute of warning. NWS BMX issued a tornado warning for this county at 04:58 UTC, 1 minute before the tornado touched down, in force until 05:17 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 00:47 UTC and running to 05:51 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
00:47 UTC05:51 UTCTornado WatchBMX
04:04 UTC04:24 UTCTornado WarningBMX
04:23 UTC05:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMX
04:42 UTC05:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMX
04:58 UTC05:17 UTCTornado WarningBMX

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 00:47 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 air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), 00:00Z

5.0 hours before the tornado, 102 km from the path. March 16, 2025.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 2025-03-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 190 joules per kilogram, CIN -6, lifted condensation level 1464 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 2025-03-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 242 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 59 knots.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
190 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Surface CAPE
837 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1464 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
242 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
417 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
3.6
0-3 km lapse rate
7.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), 12:00Z

7.0 hours after it, 102 km from the path. March 16, 2025.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2025-03-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -8491, lifted condensation level 1108 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 2025-03-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -56 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 105 knots.1939587897117136Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8491 J/kg
Surface CAPE
24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1108 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
105 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-56 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-6 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.9 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Auburn-Opelika Apt (AUO), 22 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
03:00 UTC160° 22 kt1002-RA
03:03 UTC69.864.4160° 23 kt371001.4VCTS -RA
03:05 UTC160° 20 kt241001.7-RA
03:10 UTC 1001.4-RA
03:12 UTC69.864.4160° 25 kt321001.4-RA
03:15 UTC150° 20 kt271001.7-RA
03:20 UTC160° 27 kt351001.4-RA
03:25 UTC 311001.7-RA
03:30 UTC 331001-RA
03:32 UTC69.864.4160° 21 kt361001.4VCTS -RA
03:35 UTC 1001.7-RA
03:40 UTC160° 21 kt261001.7-RA
03:45 UTC 291001.7-RA
03:50 UTC160° 22 kt1001.7-RA
03:55 UTC 20 kt1001.7-RA
03:56 UTC6866160° 19 kt311001.7-RA
04:00 UTC170° 20 kt271002-RA
04:05 UTC170° 20 kt271002-RA
04:07 UTC6866.2170° 22 kt281002VCTS -RA
04:10 UTC 221002-RA
04:15 UTC 231001.7-RA
04:20 UTC 1001.7RA
04:21 UTC6866.2170° 18 kt251002VCTS -RA
04:25 UTC160° 17 kt1001.7RA
04:30 UTC 1001.4-RA
04:35 UTC160° 16 kt1001.4+RA BR
04:40 UTC 211001RA BR
04:45 UTC 1000.7-RA BR
04:50 UTC 231001.4-RA
04:55 UTC 31RA
04:56 UTC6766260° 24 kt331005.4TSRA BR
04:58 UTC66.264.4260° 20 kt331005.4+TSRA BR
05:00 UTC 1004.7+RA BR
05:02 UTC64.464.4220° 22 kt331004.4+TSRA BR
05:05 UTC 241003.7+RA BR
05:10 UTC210° 9 kt1002.7+RA BR
05:11 UTC64.464.4210° 9 kt281002.7TSRA BR
05:15 UTC200° 9 kt1002.4-RA BR
05:20 UTC200° 5 kt1002.4RA
05:21 UTC64.464.4210° 6 kt1002TSRA
05:25 UTC210° 7 kt1002.4-RA
05:30 UTC210° 8 kt1002.7-RA
05:35 UTC200° 8 kt1002.7RA
05:40 UTC210° 7 kt1003RA
05:45 UTC220° 5 kt1003.4-RA
05:47 UTC64.464.4210° 6 kt1003.7-RA
05:50 UTC210° 9 kt1003.7-RA
05:55 UTC200° 5 kt1003RA
05:56 UTC6565210° 6 kt1003RA
06:00 UTC210° 10 kt1004.1-RA
06:04 UTC64.464.4210° 9 kt1004.4VCTS -RA
06:05 UTC210° 8 kt1004.4-RA
06:10 UTC210° 9 kt1004.4-RA
06:15 UTC210° 5 kt1004.1-RA
06:20 UTC240° 5 kt1003.7-RA
06:25 UTC250° 5 kt1003.7-RA
06:27 UTC64.464.4 5 kt1003.4-RA
06:30 UTC240° 4 kt1003.4-RA
06:35 UTC210° 5 kt1003.7-RA
06:40 UTC190° 5 kt1003.7-RA
06:45 UTC160° 7 kt1004.1-RA
06:50 UTC160° 5 kt1004.4
06:55 UTC180° 5 kt1004.4
06:56 UTC6464180° 7 kt1004.4

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

The radar

The Maxwell AFB radar (KMXX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 04:58 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
03:48 UTCTORNADO4 Nnw Dare ParkTallapoosa, ALAn EF-2 tornado was confirmed in Tallapoosa County.
03:48 UTCTORNADO4 Nnw Dare ParkTallapoosa, ALAn EF-2 tornado was confirmed in Tallapoosa County.
03:49 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Wsw Jacksons' GapTallapoosa, ALTrees down involving a camper and shed. Possible tornado.
04:02 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Nne Horseshoe Bend NmTallapoosa, ALTrees snapped and uprooted. Possible tornado.
04:15 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nnw Yates DamElmore, ALReports of trees down across Upper River Road in Tallassee.
04:52 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 N Sougahatchee LakeLee, ALSeveral trees down on Oak Bowery and Grand National. Corrected for time based on radar.
04:59 UTCTORNADO4 Ssw Chambers County LChambers, ALNWS Meteorologists surveyed damage consistent with a tornado in southern Chambers County.
05:06 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 E MarvynRussell, ALA home along Hwy 80 west of Crawford had shingles and siding blown off and a few bushes uprooted.
05:15 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Wsw Russell Co SportsRussell, ALTrees reported down across various parts of Russell county.
05:45 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 N Sougahatchee LakeLee, ALSeveral trees down on Oak Bowery and Grand National.

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

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2025 tornado in AlabamaEvery tornado in Alabama since 1950Warnings in force in Alabama nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of March 15, 2025

49 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
March 151:03 AM CDTEF1New Madrid, MO4.550$900,000
March 151:12 AM CDTEF1Lake, IN0.9200
March 152:14 AM EDTEF1Parke, IN2.775$350,000
March 151:15 AM CDTEF2Johnson, IL15.6150$1.0 million
March 151:19 AM CDTEF0Lake, IN4.9200
March 151:25 AM CDTEF1Calhoun, MS8.2300$110,000
March 152:53 AM CDTEF2Gibson, IN57.5400$4.3 million
March 154:45 AM EDTEF1Orange, IN11.050
March 154:53 AM EDTEF0Lawrence, IN6.2100$120,000
March 155:01 AM EDTEF0Lawrence, IN1.025$70,000
March 155:14 AM EDTEF1Jackson, IN2.250$25,000
March 157:56 AM CDTEF0Hardeman, TN2.750$10,000
March 1510:22 AM CDTEF2Issaquena, MS19.51,600
March 1512:17 PM CDTEF4Tylertown tornado, Louisiana and Mississippi67.21,40066$5.5 million
March 1512:27 PM CDTEF1Chickasaw, MS3.0150$25,000
March 1512:47 PM CDTEF0Simpson, MS0.4100
March 151:16 PM CDTEF0Monroe, MS2.050$10,000
March 151:24 PM CDTEF3Walthall, MS26.188012$5.0 million
March 151:32 PM CDTEF0Newton, MS3.575
March 151:41 PM CDTEF1Newton, MS6.7300
March 151:54 PM CDTEF2Covington, MS16.175011
March 152:11 PM CDTEF2Jefferson Davis, MS12.6600
March 152:21 PM CDTEF1Lauderdale, AL2.363$109,000
March 152:38 PM CDTEF1Jasper, MS8.4300
March 153:03 PM CDTEF2Marion, MS18.21,16011
March 153:08 PM CDTEF1Greene, AL26.51,200
March 153:20 PM CDTEF1Bedford, TN4.5300$1.0 million
March 153:27 PM CDTEF1Covington, MS6.8580
March 153:46 PM CDTEF1Jasper, MS2.6320
March 154:00 PM CDTEF1Tuscaloosa, AL11.5600
March 154:09 PM CDTEF2Jasper, MS13.0300
March 154:12 PM CDTEF2Tuscaloosa, AL39.51,000
March 154:17 PM CDTEF1Saint Tammany Parish, LA7.750
March 154:32 PM CDTEF2Pickens, AL21.6950
March 154:33 PM CDTEF1Clarke, MS13.3400
March 155:20 PM CDTEF2Sumter, AL3.3650
March 156:38 PM CDTEF0Hale, AL21.6700
March 157:39 PM CDTEF0Bibb, AL7.675
March 157:57 PM CDTEF1Shelby, AL7.5250
March 158:00 PM CDTEF1Shelby, AL2.5150
March 158:20 PM CDTEF1Washington, AL6.3200
March 158:42 PM CDTEF2Talladega, AL3.650011
March 158:48 PM CDTEF1Clarke, AL13.9240
March 158:50 PM CDTEF3Autauga, AL24.31,00022
March 159:10 PM CDTEF0Clarke, AL1.4200
March 159:33 PM CDTEF1Coosa, AL12.0200
March 1511:41 PM EDTEF1Paulding, GA11.6200
March 1510:48 PM CDTEF3Tallapoosa, AL20.4800
March 1511:02 PM CDTEF2Pike, AL21.31,4003

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.