November 24, 2001 Record Setting Alabama Tornado Outbreak

Thirty six tornadoes touched down in Alabama on this date in 2001, setting a record for the number of tornadoes in a single day for the state. In an average year, Alabama experiences 22 tornadoes. (This year we have experienced a record number of tornadoes for the year: 78.)

The November 24, 2001 event surpassed the previous record for the state which was set during the April 3, 1974 outbreak, when 27 twisters hit the state.

Interestingly, the late November 2001 tornadoes did not occur during the primary severe weather season, which occurs in the spring, but during the state’s secondary tornado season which occurs in the fall.

The first major tornado of the day cut a 39 mile path from near Kennedy in Lamar County to just south of Carbon Hill in Walker County. Two people died in a mobile home near Kennedy.

An F2 tornado cut a short path through the town of Haleyville in Winston County just before 11:30 a.m., injuring thirteen people.

Just northeast of Birmingham, an F2 tornado moved along I-59 near Argo as it cut a nearly 14 mile path into St. Clair County.

The strongest tornado of the day touched down about 1:19 p.m. CST southeast of Oneonta in Blount County. The tornado produced three distinct areas of F4 damage. The other two fatalities of the day occurred near Sand Rock in Cherokee County just after 3 p.m. as an F2 tornado cut an 8 mile path. Again, the fatalities were in a mobile home.

Perhaps the luckiest break of the day came as aF2 formed on the western side of Pell City about 3:10 p.m. The tornado weakened as it moved across the downtown area, resulting in mainly light structural damage. Had the tornado been stronger, the damage and potential for injury or death would have been far greater.

The outbreak was the result a vigorous storm system that included a strong low pressure system over Iowa and a trailing cold front. A powerful low level jet was advecting warm and moist Gulf air into the Southeast. Supercell storms developed ahead of a squall line in the strongly sheared environment.

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