EF1 tornado, Citronelle to Fairford, Alabama, March 15, 2025

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 mphthis tornado

   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.

Rating

EF1

Date

March 15, 2025

Touchdown

8:20 PM CDT (01:20 UTC)

Lifted

8:30 PM CDT (01:30 UTC)

On the ground

10 minutes

Path length

6.3 miles (10.1 km)

Path width

200 yards (183 m)

Deaths

0

Injuries

0

Counties

Washington and Mobile counties

Touchdown point

31.114, -88.177

Lift-off point

31.169, -88.094

Record number

2503151920-01

19 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS MOB, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EFU. The highest wind the damage implies is 100 mph.

• More substantial tree damage evident in this segment of forest visible on Sentinel 2 satellite imagery. Several trees were likely uprooted or snapped at this location visible on Planet satellite imagery.
• Structure seems to have been completely destroyed on Sentinel 2 satellite imagery. Planet imagery likewise reveals the structure was completely removed from where it was standing and deposited to the north. Ground survey crew unable to get to this location, and thus a rating can not be given to the building.
• Open metal shed/structure was partially destroyed visible on Planet satellte imagery corroborated with before imagery utilizing Google Earth. Ground survey crew unable to assess this building.
• From the partially destroyed building down to this location there is noticeable tree damage on Sentinel 2 satellite imagery. The tree damage likely consists of only a couple pines uprooted or snapped based on Planet satellite imagery.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

Thunderstorms developed across the area during the evening hours Some of these storms became severe with several tornadoes developing across southwest Alabama.

The tornado touched down along County Road 96 near Meinhardt Loop Road West, where a few trees had their tops snapped. The tornado continued to the northeast into an area that ground survey crews could not get to between the start point and Sam Lewis Road. This stretch was likely where the tornado peaked in intensity as Sentinel 2 and Planet satellite imagery depicted substantial damage to several segments of the forest likely in the form of tree snaps and uproots. It is also in this stretch the tornado peaked in width reaching close to 200 yards wide. The tornado weakened based on satellite imagery and ground survey crew as the tornado crossed Sam Lewis Road where a metal outbuilding lost its roof and had its walls collapsed inward. No other damage was observed in this location, leading to a lower rating at this location. The tornado continued to the northeast, crossing into Washington County, where more trees were damaged along the path visible via satellite imagery. The tornado appears to have lifted west of Sandy Ridge Road based on available satellite imagery. Further adjustments in track length, width, and intensity are likely in the coming days or weeks as higher resolution satellite imagery becomes available.||Utilized imagery and derived products made available through the NASA Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and the NASA Disasters Program.

The tornado touched down along County Road 96 near Meinhardt Loop Road West, where a few trees had their tops snapped. The tornado continued to the northeast into an area that ground survey crews could not get to between the start point and Sam Lewis Road. This stretch was likely where the tornado peaked in intensity as Sentinel 2 and Planet satellite imagery depicted substantial damage to several segments of the forest likely in the form of tree snaps and uproots. It is also in this stretch the tornado peaked in width reaching close to 200 yards wide. The tornado weakened based on satellite imagery and ground survey crew as the tornado crossed Sam Lewis Road where a metal outbuilding lost its roof and had its walls collapsed inward. No other damage was observed in this location, leading to a lower rating at this location. The tornado continued to the northeast, crossing into Washington County, where more trees were damaged along the path visible via satellite imagery. The tornado appears to have lifted west of Sandy Ridge Road based on available satellite imagery. Further adjustments in track length, width, and intensity are likely in the coming days or weeks as higher resolution satellite imagery becomes available.||Utilized imagery and derived products made available through the NASA Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) Program, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and the NASA Disasters Program.

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

NWS Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the tornado touched down at Mar 15, 6:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 58 minutes earlier.

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Mobile AL
622 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025

...New Aviation...

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 430 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025

Now through Sunday Night...

Synopsis...As we alluded to earlier, we expected a later arrival
of thunderstorms. For the latest timing, the thunderstorms are
just now beginning to spread eastward across southeast
Mississippi and interior southwest Alabama, and will continue to
spread across the remainder of our forecast area throughout the
evening. The line of thunderstorms is then expected to exit our
area by 3 AM. We are anticipating more favorable atmospheric
forcing to unfold as our area will soon be located in the right
entrance region of a strong 100-130 knot 300mb polar jet. The low
level jet accompanying this system is very impressive with 850mb
winds of 60 and 70 knots through midnight. 0-6km Bulk Shear values
are now as high as 75 knots north of I-10.

MLCape values are ranging between 2000 and 2500 J/KG, with SFC-1KM
SRH values of 500 M2/S2. The near storm environment remains very
favorable to support the development of severe thunderstorms with
long-tracked violent tornadoes and damaging winds up to 70 mph
late this afternoon and evening. Hail up to 2 inches may occur in
a few storms.

Due to the fast moving nature of the storms, persons are going to
really need to pay attention to potential threats and act quickly.
Have multiple ways to receive warnings, including one that will
wake you up in the middle of the night. Know what to do and where
to go when warnings are issued for your location.

Wind...Due to 925mb winds as high as 55 knots, or only 2500 feet
above the surface, and frequent gusts of 40-45 mph at the surface,
the Wind Advisory will remain in effect until midnight for the
potential of downed trees and hazardous driving conditions on area
bridges.

Coastal Hazards...A High Surf Warning for dangerously large
breaking waves of 7 to 10 feet in the surf zone remains in effect
until 3 AM, followed by a High Surf Advisory from 3 AM to 3 PM
Sunday. On top of the high surf, life threatening rip currents
will be likely across all area beaches through Monday afternoon as
seas take a few days to subside. A Coastal Flood Advisory remains
in effect for central and southern Mobile and Baldwin counties,
mainly for minor flooding along the Highway 90/98 Causeway across
northern Mobile Bay, particularly along the outside, eastbound
lanes and around the I- 10/Causeway access ramps. In addition,
minor flooding is possible across southern Mobile Bay and along
coastal Alabama for lots and parks, with isolated road closures
possible.

Dry and cooler conditions are then expected through the reminder
of the weekend with the coastal hazard threats slowly diminishing.
/22

Monday through Friday...

No impactful weather expected. High pressure moves eastward over
the local area the first half of the week. The next front makes
passage across the area late Wednesday and brings next chance of
showers. There is favorable 0-6km bulk shear magnitudes in place
Wednesday but low instability. This results in a non- zero chance
of thunder, but only ~ 10% or less probabilities so will leave
thunder out of the zones. We quickly dry out and cool down once
again behind the mid-week frontal passage for Thursday and Friday
as high pressure builds in behind the front. Highs will gradually
moderate with each day through Wednesday, when highs top out into
the mid to upper 70's that day before tapering back to close out
the week and then back into the into the mid to upper 70's
Saturday. Nights cool with lowest mins coming Thursday night with
numbers 33 to 38 interior to lower 40's coast. /10

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 622 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025

A broken line of convection, potentially severe, is expected to
progress eastward through much of the area this evening and exit
to the east during the late night hours. IFR to MVFR conditions
prevail until the storms move through, after which VFR conditions
develop. Low level wind shear of 50-55 knots from 180-210 degrees
at 2 kft is expected to shift eastward across the area this
evening. Southerly winds 15-25 knots with gusts to 40 knots become
southwest 10-15 knots after midnight, then become westerly 10-15
knots on Sunday. /29

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 430 PM CDT Sat Mar 15 2025

Southerly Gale Force winds this evening will shift westerly after
midnight and diminish toward daybreak Sunday behind a cold front.
Small Craft conditions follow for the remainder of the weekend
over the Gulf due to high seas and moderate to strong westerly to
northwesterly winds. Light to occasionally moderate offshore flow
Monday decreases and becomes mainly southerly by the middle part
of next week, before shifting back to northerly on Thursday. /22

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Mobile      55  73  43  69  40  73  54  77 /  60   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
Pensacola   59  75  47  67  46  69  57  74 /  80   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
Destin      63  74  49  69  49  70  58  73 /  90   0   0   0   0   0   0   0
Evergreen   55  76  40  68  35  77  44  79 /  90   0   0   0   0   0   0  10
Waynesboro  52  69  39  68  39  76  49  79 /  70   0   0   0   0   0   0  10
Camden      54  71  40  64  38  75  46  77 /  90   0   0   0   0   0   0  10
Crestview   57  78  42  69  34  75  43  78 /  90   0   0   0   0   0   0   0

&&

.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for ALZ051>060-261>266.

     Coastal Flood Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening for
     ALZ263>266.

     High Rip Current Risk through Monday afternoon for ALZ265-266.

     High Surf Warning until 3 AM CDT Sunday for ALZ265-266.

     High Surf Advisory from 3 AM to 3 PM CDT Sunday for ALZ265-266.

FL...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for FLZ201>206.

     High Rip Current Risk through Monday afternoon for FLZ202-204-
     206.

     High Surf Warning until 3 AM CDT Sunday for FLZ202-204-206.

     High Surf Advisory from 3 AM to 3 PM CDT Sunday for FLZ202-204-
     206.

MS...Wind Advisory until midnight CDT tonight for MSZ067-075-076-078-
     079.

GM...Gale Warning until midnight CDT tonight for GMZ630>636-650-655-
     670-675.

     Small Craft Advisory from midnight tonight to 3 AM CDT Sunday
     for GMZ630>636.

     Small Craft Advisory from midnight tonight to 9 AM CDT Monday
     for GMZ650-655-670-675.

&&

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

Bay Minette (1R8), 43 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

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

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 01:22 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.

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

49 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

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.

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.