Five Tornado Tracks Identified By NWS

ALZ011>015-017>050-251800-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1245 PM CST TUE JAN 24 2012

…LONG TRACK SUPERCELLS PRODUCE MULTIPLE TORNADOES…

…UPDATED FOR ELMORE COUNTY TORNADO AND PERRY COUNTY INFORMATION
AND OAKGROVE TORNADO…

A STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHED THE REGION SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTERACTED
WITH A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT ALREADY IN PLACE.
NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ALONG AND OUT AHEAD
OF THE FRONT ACROSS ARKANSAS AND MISSISSIPPI AND PUSHED EASTWARD
ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA SUNDAY NIGHT AND INTO MONDAY MORNING.
THERE WERE SEVERAL SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS THAT PRODUCED TORNADOES
AS THEY TRACKED ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF
STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE AND SEVERAL REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL AND
FLASH FLOODING WERE ALSO RECEIVED DURING THE EVENT.

DAMAGE SURVEYS ARE ONGOING TODAY AND WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED INTO
WEDNESDAY. WE WILL BE SENDING THREE SURVEY TEAMS OUT TO SURVEY
DAMAGE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES AS TIME PERMITS
TODAY…JEFFERSON…PERRY… CHILTON…ELMORE…COOSA AND
TALLAPOOSA.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE COMPLETED DAMAGE
SURVEYS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA COUNTY AND HAVE FOUND
EVIDENCE OF TWO DISTINCT TORNADO PATHS. SPORADIC WIND DAMAGE WAS
ALSO NOTED BETWEEN THE TWO TORNADO PATHS ALONG THE SAME SUPERCELL
TRACK.

TORNADO #1…KOFFMAN TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA COUNTY)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-3
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 140
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3257/-87.6579 AT 242 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3305/-87.6526 AT 243 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.45
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 400

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 231 AM UNTIL 315 AM.
WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE JUST EAST
OF AL HWY 171 IN THE KOFFMAN AREA AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE
RESULT OF AN EF-3 TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF AL HWY 171 AND KOFFMAN RANCH RD WHERE
APPROXIMATELY TWO DOZEN PINE TREES WERE UPROOTED AND ORIENTED IN
MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS. THE TORNADO THEN TRAVELED NORTHEAST
DESTROYING ONE OUTBUILDING ALONG KOFFMAN SPUR. JUST TO THE
NORTHEAST OF KOFFMAN SPUR…A BARN WAS DESTROYED AND THE ENTIRE
ROOF WAS TORN OFF OF A WELL-CONSTRUCTED SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENCE.
THE TORNADO LIFTED BEFORE REACHING CARROLL CREEK. THE TORNADO DAMAGE
PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 0.46 MILES LONG AND WAS 400 YARDS WIDE AT
ITS WIDEST POINT.

TORNADO #2…WATERMELON ROAD TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA COUNTY)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 115
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.3961/-87.4440 AT 300 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.4038/-87.4395 AT 301 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 0.56
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 300

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 231 AM UNTIL 315 AM.
WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE
JUST WEST OF THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER ALONG WATERMELON RD AND
DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-2 TORNADO. THE TORNADO
TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT A QUARTER MILE WEST OF WATERMELON RD SNAPPING
AND UPROOTING A FEW SMALL PINE TREES. FROM THERE…THE TORNADO
TRAVELED NORTHEAST AND HIT A HUNTING CAMP WHERE APPROXIMATELY
TWENTY SMALL PINE TREES WERE SNAPPED AND EIGHT CAMPERS WERE
ROLLED. THREE OF THE CAMPERS WERE DESTROYED AND THE OTHER FIVE
RECEIVED DIFFERING DEGREES OF DAMAGE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED
NORTHEAST CROSSING WATERMELON RD WHERE IT SNAPPED 3 WOODEN
H-FRAME TRANSMISSION LINES BEFORE LIFTING JUST TO THE EAST OF
WATERMELON RD. THE TORNADO DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 0.56
MILES LONG AND WAS 300 YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT.

TORNADO #3…OAKGROVE TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA/JEFFERSON COUNTY)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 130
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NA/1
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.4316/-87.3071 AT 309 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 33.5290/-87.1405 AT 327 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 13.00
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 880

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 231 AM UNTIL 315 AM.
A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 302 AM UNTIL 345 AM.

WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE
JUST EAST OF THE BLACK WARRIOR RIVER NEAR THE TUSCALOOSA AND
JEFFERSON COUNTY LINE. THE DAMAGE WAS WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-2
TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 1 MILE WEST OF GROUNDHOG ROAD. THE
TORNADO THEN MOVED NORTHEAST ACROSS LOCK 17 ROAD…CAMP OLIVER
ROAD…AND TOADVINE ROAD. THE TORNADO LIFTED ALONG TOADVINE ROAD
JUST SOUTHWEST OF SHORT CREEK. NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED AND
UPROOTED ALONG THE DAMAGE PATH. ONE FATALITY OCCURRED ALONG TOADVINE
ROAD WHERE A MOBILE HOME WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. SEVERAL OTHER
STRUCTURES RECEIVED VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE ALONG THE PATH.

TORNADO #4…PARKER TORNADO (SUMTER COUNTY)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 75
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.6567/-88.1705 AT 321 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.6718/-88.1639 AT 324 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 1.1
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 50

WARNINGS: A TORNADO WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FROM 304 AM UNTIL 345 AM.
WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #7 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM UNTIL 6 AM.

COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND FIRE OFFICIALS HAVE SURVEYED THE
DAMAGE JUST WEST OF STATE HIGHWAY 11 AND COUNTY ROAD 39 AND
DETERMINED THAT IT WAS THE RESULT OF AN EF-0 TORNADO. THE TORNADO
TOUCHED DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 11 ABOUT 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF LIVINGSTON
DAMAGING AND UPROOTING A FEW SMALL SOFT AND HARDWOOD TREES. THE
TORNADO THEN TRAVELED NORTHEAST TOWARDS COUNTY ROAD 39 AND
MCCAINVILLE ROAD WHERE ADDITIONAL TREES WERE DAMAGED ALONG WITH
MINOR DAMAGE TO AN OUTDOOR SHED AS THE TORNADO WAS LIFTING. THE
TORNADO DAMAGE PATH WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILES LONG AND WAS 50
YARDS WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT. SPECIAL THANKS TO SUMTER COUNTY
OFFICIALS FOR THEIR HELP WITH THE DAMAGE SURVEY.

TORNADO #5…NORTH MILLBROOK TORNADO (ELMORE COUNTY)…

EVENT DATE: JANUARY 23, 2012
EVENT TYPE: EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 100
INJURIES/FATALITIES: 0
EVENT START TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.5209/-86.4119 AT 748 AM
EVENT END TIME/LOCATION COORDINATES: 32.5309/-86.3437 AT 755 AM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 4.02
DAMAGE WIDTH (IN YARDS): 200

WATCHES: TORNADO WATCH #11 WAS IN EFFECT FROM 245 AM UNTIL 10 AM.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE SURVEYED THE DAMAGE
BETWEEN MILLBROOK….DEATSVILLE….AN ELMORE. THE DAMAGE WAS THE
RESULT OF AN EF-1 TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ALONG COUNTY
ROAD 39 NEAR THE AUTAUGA COUNTY LINE. THE TORNADO MOVED EASTWARD AND
CROSSED HIGHWAY 7 NEAR THE PINES GOLF CLUB. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED
ALONG HIGHWAY 14 AND LIFTED JUST BEFORE THE WETUMPKA MUNICIPAL
AIRPORT. TEN TO FIFTEEN HOMES SUFFERED SHINGLE AND SIDING DAMAGE.
DOZENS OF TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN. ONE APARTMENT HAD ITS METAL ROOF
BLOWN OFF. ONE AUTO CENTER HAD ITS DOORS BLOWN IN.

…JEFFERSON COUNTY (SURVEY ONGOING)…

THE SAME SUPERCELL THAT SPAWNED TWO TORNADOES IN NORTH CENTRAL
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY MOVED EASTWARD INTO JEFFERSON COUNTY PRODUCING
ADDITIONAL TORNADO AND STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE ACROSS THE
NORTHERN PORTIONS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. A SURVEY TEAM WENT TO THE
HARDEST HIT AREAS TODAY AND DID CONFIRM AN EF-3 TORNADO STRUCK THE
TOWN OF CLAY. WIND SPEEDS WERE ESTIMATED AROUND 150 MPH.
METEOROLOGISTS WILL BE SURVEYING THE ENTIRE STORM TRACK ON TUESDAY
TO DETERMINE THE PATH LENGTH AND WIDTH OF A POSSIBLE LONG TRACK
TORNADO ACROSS NORTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY. AT THIS TIME…TWO
FATALITIES HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED IN JEFFERSON COUNTY ALONG THE STORM
TRACK.

…PERRY COUNTY (SURVEY ONGOING)…

A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM MOVED ACROSS A LARGE PART OF PERRY COUNTY
AND PRODUCED DAMAGE. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SURVEY CREWS HAVE
FOUND EF2 DAMAGE IN PERRY COUNTY WHICH CONSISTED OF SIGNIFICANT TREE
DAMAGE AND DAMAGE TO SEVERAL STRUCTURES. MAXIMUM WINDS IN PERRY
COUNTY WERE ESTIMATED AROUND 125 MPH. THIS SURVEY CREW WAS ENTERING
CHILTON COUNTY NEAR MAPLESVILLE NEXT. MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW.

ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED PERIODICALLY
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS…AS SURVEY TEAMS REPORT BACK THEIR
FINDINGS.

A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
PROGRAM IS THE RECEIPT OF STORM REPORTS FROM ALL OUR CUSTOMERS AND
PARTNERS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. IF YOU WITNESSED OR ARE AWARE OF
ANY STORM DAMAGE DUE TO HIGH WINDS OR TORNADOES…PLEASE CONTACT
YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE…OR CALL OUR STORM REPORTING
HOTLINE AT 1-800-856-0758.

$$

LINHARES

Tags: survey

Category: Severe Weather