Tornado Track Found in Autauga County

The National Weather Service in Birmingham has found a small tornado track from Saturday’s tropical rain bands in Autauga County near the town of Marbury. Here is the information they have released this morning:

Event: TORNADO
Time: 23 May 2009 18:52 UTC
Location: 3 Ese Mountain Creek
Magnitude: 0
Source: nws storm survey
Remark: survey team finds ef0 with winds near 75mph. path length of 650yds…max width 50yds…storm motion 305 degrees. several hardwood/softwood trees uprooted…one softwood tree snapped…dozens of large branches broken. minor sheet metal damage to barn. all damage occured on cr20 just outside of marbury in northeastern autauga county.

Events like this are certainly a possibility with landfalling tropical systems. While the National Hurricane Center decided not to name or number the Gulf low pressure system, it sure had the markings of a tropical depression or even a weak tropical storm. Given the fact that it is tropical in nature, rain bands that develop today may continue to bring the threat of small spin-up tornadoes. We will be keeping the office manned until the threat is over! There is not a major threat of widespread tornadic activity, but as we add some daytime heating, there’s a good chance a few showers may go into rotation. It’s up to the National Weather Service to decide which ones get warned for, so we will be in communication with them all day and pass along any developments here and on ABC 33/40 as necessary!

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