Update on Damage Reports from Tuesday

The National Weather Service has completed an aerial survey of the damage that occurred early Tuesday morning. After combining all of the information from today's aerial survey and the ground surveys conducted Tuesday afternoon... it has been concluded that... in addition to widespread severe thunderstorm wind damage... three EF-1 tornadoes touched down across Central Alabama.

... Swath of Wind Damage...
Survey crews found a wide swath of 90 to 105 mph straight-line wind damage... with hundreds of trees and numerous power lines toppled... along with multiple structures... homes and businesses. The primary damage swath moved generally from west to east... starting in the southern portion of Metro Birmingham and continuing all the way to the Georgia state line. Significant damage was reported in the following portions of counties:
Southern Jefferson.Northeast Shelby.Southern St. Clair.Southern Calhoun.Northern Talladega.Southern Cleburne.Northern Clay.Northern Randolph.

Within this main damage swath... there were several areas of enhanced damage... caused by tornadoes and straight line winds.

... Highland Lakes (Shelby County) Tornado and Wind Damage...
A National Weather Service survey team has assessed damage in the Highland Lakes community in northern Shelby County. After investigating storm damage with both a ground survey team and an aerial survey... the team determined the damage was a result of a combination of an EF-1 tornado and severe winds from a thunderstorm.

A fairly narrow path of damage that was approximately 150 yards wide at the widest point began just to the lee of Double Oak Mountain... and continued east-northeastward on a 080 degree heading for 0.6 miles. Twenty to 30 trees were either uprooted /hardwoods/ or snapped /pines/ along the path in a slightly convergent/crossing pattern. Several homes received damage from direct or indirect hits from falling trees. On one street directly in the path of the tornado... the mailboxes on both sides of the street were sucked open. At Pinecliff Circle and Highland Park drive... at least 3 homes had roofing or siding stripped off the homes by the tornado. Wind speeds with this tornado were estimated between 80 and 95 mph. 20 to 30 homes were damaged along the path of this tornado... which occurred at approximately 350 am.

In the eastern portion of Highland Lakes and along Shelby County Road 41... there was extensive tree damage... with several hundred trees either snapped or fallen in a slightly divergent pattern centered around a heading of 040 degrees. This damage area was approximately 1.2 miles wide and approximately 0.6 miles long. Still... wind speeds in this area were estimated at 90 to 105 miles per hour... equivalent in strength of an EF-1 tornado or a low end category 2 hurricane.

On Highway 119 between Highway 280 and the Shelby County line... there were numerous sporadic instances of tree damage consistent with wind speeds of up to 90 mph. At approximately 400 am... at the intersection of Shelby County Road 43 and Lilly Road... 20 to 30 trees were either uprooted or snapped. All trees were felled in a uniform direction... with winds possibly funneled somewhat due to local terrain. Wind speeds in this area were also estimated at 90 to 105 miles per hour.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch 76 was in effect at the time of these events. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was in effect from 347 am until 415 am. No injuries were reported.

... Leeds (Jefferson County) Tornado...
A National Weather Service survey team has assessed damage in the city of Leeds in eastern Jefferson County. After investigating a very complex pattern of widespread damage with both a ground survey team and an aerial survey... the team determined the damage was a result of a tornado.

The tornado has been rated an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Damage estimates were consistent with winds around 100 mph. The tornado damage path was approximately 3 miles long and 500 yards wide at its widest point. The tornado touched down east of Interstate 20 near Henry Ellen Rd... where trees falling on a Mobile home caused a fatality. The tornado tracked east-southeastward at a heading of 100 degrees... roughly between the railroad tracks and Highway 78 towards the city center. There was significant roof damage to several buildings along Highway 78 from Leeds City Park in the downtown area... windows were blown out of several businesses... buildings were partially de-roofed... and the brick facade of one building was collapsed. The old rock wool warehouse facility received major... irreparable damage. The most concentrated and significant material damage occured near Leeds High School. Fencing around the girls softball field was mangled and twisted... and a large batting catch was overturned and rolled. Tall wooden utility poles with field lighting were snapped half way up. Several homes just to the east of the athletic fields received significant damage. Witnesses in the area reported hearing a freight train.

Over the path of this tornado... an estimated 30 to 40 homes and 20 to 30 businesses were damaged or destroyed. Several hundred trees were either snapped off or were uprooted along the path. No other injuries were reported. The most significant damage occurred between 340 and 345 am. Severe Thunderstorm Watch number 76 was in effect at the time... and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was in effect from 323 am until 4 am.

Special thanks to the Leeds Police Department for assisting in this storm survey.

... Pell City/Cropwell (St. Clair County) Tornado and Wind Damage...
After conducting areal and ground surveys... National Weather Service meteorologists have determined that the damage around Cropwell in southern St. Clair County was the result of a tornado... rated as an EF-1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Winds associated with this tornado were estimated around 105 mph. Total path length was 2.75 miles with a maximum width of 1100 yards. In the Hunting Ridge subdivision... a dozen homes sustained roof or structural damage along with five outbuildings sustaining structural damage... and power lines downed. On Holiday Estates Drive... six homes sustained roof or structural damage... and power lines were downed. At the Pell City sports complex... several signs... fences... and dugouts were damaged. Across this entire path... several hundred trees were uprooted or snapped.

Straight line wind damage was observed across other portions of the County. 50 to 100 trees uprooted or snapped just north of the Wolf Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Two homes and two mobile homes sustained structural damage with several trees uprooted or snapped in Chulavista on Mountain Ridge Road. Five homes sustained roof or structural damage with several trees uprooted or snapped in Margaret. Several trees were uprooted or snapped near Camp Winnataska. No injuries were reported. All damage occurred around 400 am.

... Northeast Talladega and Southern Calhoun Counties Wind Damage...

Wind damage along Interstate 20... Airport Road... and Highway 78 west of Oxford... was caused by straight-line winds. These winds were estimated to be on the order of 85 to 90 mph... or comparable to an EF-1 tornado. Most of the damage was in the form of snapped trees... uprooted trees... and limbs knocked down. There were some blown down signs and some damage to billboards.
The line of thunderstorms accelerated through the area around 418 am. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was in effect from 413 to 445 am.

The roof damage at Saks High School was determined to be caused by straight-line winds. Estimated wind speeds were on the order of 70 to 80 mph... or comparable to an EF-0 tornado.

The widespread wind damage east of Friendship Road... beginning in the Douglas Drive... Glover Drive... and Jerry Avenue area... southeast of Oxford... was also determined to be associated with straight-line winds. These winds were likely on the order of 90 to 100 mph... or comparable to an EF-1 tornado. Numerous Oak trees were uprooted and numerous Pine trees were snapped. It is estimated 50 to 100 trees were damaged by the thunderstorm winds. There was some roof damage to a few homes... mainly on the west-facing sides. A roof was blown off a barn. A few fences were also blown down.

The line of thunderstorms accelerated through the Saks and Oxford areas around 420 am. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was in effect from 413 to 445 am.