NWS Details Tornado Tracks

April 18, 2011

The National Weather Service has issued complete track information for several of the tornadoes that hit Mississippi and South Alabama last week, finding that one of the tornadoes had a path that was 35 miles long.

Here are the latest tornado findings directly from the National Weather Service:

Public Information Statement
Statement as of 7:54 PM CDT on April 18, 2011

…Areal surveys help to determine several individual tornado
tracks…

…Six tornado tracks confirmed with additional tracks still to be
surveyed…

With the help of the United States Coast Guard atc Mobile…an areal
survey was conducted of the tornado damage suffered on Friday April
15th. Through this survey along with the previously conducted ground
surveys…six individual tornado tracks have been identified. This
count will very likely rise over the next several days as surveys
continue. The National Weather Service in Mobile would like to
extend a very special thanks to the uscg Mobile for their valuable
support of today’s areal survey. Below are the details regarding the
six tornadoes identified to date. The information below is still
considered preliminary and subject to further revision.

&&

* Event location: Leakesville, Mississippi to Deer Park, Alabama
* storm classification: at least EF-3 intensity tornado
* beginning lat/lon: 31.129n / -88.632w
* ending lat/lon: 31.212n / -88.321w
* path length: 20 miles
* maximum width: 500 yards
* fatalities: 4
* injuries: 9
* notes: an areal survey has revealed one tornado track from
Leakesville to Deer Park. The tornado touched down west of
Leakesville just south of Highway 57. It crossed the Highway…
strengthened and then turned east toward the city of Leakesville
paralleling Highway 57. The tornado damaged or destroyed numerous
Mobile homes…residences…and businesses in Leakesville. One
fatality occurred in a destroyed Mobile home. The tornado continued
east northeast into extreme southwest Washington County…affecting
the Deer Park community. Most of the damage was along County Road 8
where several Mobile homes were damaged or destroyed. Three
fatalities and three injuries occurred in a destroyed Mobile home.
The tornado lifted just prior to reaching Highway 45. Extensive tree
damage was noted along the entire path.

&&

* Event location: central Choctaw County Alabama (red Springs area)
* storm classification: EF-2 intensity tornado
* beginning lat/lon: 32.017n / -88.291w
* ending lat/lon: 32.059n / -88.080w
* path length: 13 miles
* maximum width: 1000 yards
* notes: an areal survey has revealed a 13 mile tornado track across
central Choctaw County. The tornado first touched down just west of
Highway 17…southwest of Red Springs. The tornado strengthened as
it moved northeast into the Red Springs community… damaging or
destroying several Mobile homes and residences. The areal survey
shows the tornado turned east as it moved out of Red Springs and
widened to a maximum width of 1000 yards…resulting in major tree
damage along its path. Given the widening of the tornado…it is
likely the tornado was stronger at this stage than it was when it
moved through Red Springs. Thankfully…no structures were in the
path of the tornado east of Red Springs. The tornado lifted just
across the Tombigbee river in extreme western Marengo County.

&&

* Event location: Gainestown, Alabama (southern Clarke county)
* storm classification: EF-2 intensity tornado
* beginning lat/lon: 31.480n / -87.685w
* ending lat/lon: 31.481n / -87.682w
* path length: 0.2 miles
* maximum width: 120 yards
* injuries: 2 minor
* notes: all of the damage occurred on walkabout Road. One single
wide Mobile home was completely destroyed with one individual
suffering minor injuries. Another minor injury occurred as the
tornado shifted a double wide Mobile home three feet off of its
foundation and peeled off most of its roof. One other Mobile home
and single family residence suffered minor to moderate roof damage.
Numerous Hardwood and softwood trees were snapped or uprooted.

&&

* Event location: Tunnel Springs/Old Texas, Alabama (ne Monroe
county)
* storm classification: EF-3 intensity tornado
* beginning lat/lon: 31.633n / -87.245w
* ending lat/lon:31.768n / -86.894w
* path length: 19 miles
* maximum width: 300 yards
* notes: at least two supercell thunderstorms tracked over the same
area of northeast Monroe County…producing two tornado tracks…one
of which occurred in the early evening. This first tornado first
touched on Robinson Creek Road just west of Highway 47 in Tunnel
Springs. EF-2 damage was noted at the Amity missionary Baptist
church. A large section of the church roof was lifted off. The
tornado continued northeast producing scattered tree damage. The
tornado intensified as it hit the Bethlehem Methodist church in the
Old Texas community. The church was completely destroyed with only a
few interior walls left standing. This damage was consistent with
EF-3 intensity damage with winds near 145 mph. The tornado then
weakened and lifted to the northeast of the church. Tree damage and
shingle damage was noted prior to the tornado lifting.

&&

* Event location: Riley crossings to Greenville al (monroe/Butler
counties)
* storm classification: EF-2 intensity tornado
* beginning lat/lon: 31.688n / -87.216w
* ending lat/lon: 31.897n / -86.685w
* path length: 35 miles
* maximum width: 400-500 yards
* notes: a second supercell produced a tornado during the late
evening hours across northeast Monroe County. The tornado first
touched down just west of Highway 47…southwest of Riley crossings.
In Riley crossings…the Savannah missionary Baptist church suffered
significant roof damage…losing the steeple and much of the roof
covering. Two homes behind the church suffered extensive damage. One
brick home suffered complete failure of the roof and walls of the
attached garage. A cinder block home lost a significant portion of
its south facing roof. All of this damage was of EF-2 intensity. The
tornado continued on to the northeast and crossed paths with the
earlier tornado near the Bethlehem church. The tornado then entered
northwest Butler County producing scattered tree damage along the
path. Extensive tree damage was noted from ground and areal surveys
along Sherling Lake drive…including the southeastern portion of
the cambrian ridge Golf course and Sherling Lake park campground.
The tree damage noted in these location is consistent with EF-1
intensity.

&&

* Event location: Forrest home, Alabama (nw Butler county)
* storm classification: EF-0 intensity tornado
* beginning lat/lon: 31.876n / -86.810w
* ending lat/lon: 31.878n / -86.808w
* path length: 0.2 miles
* maximum width: 100-150 yards
* notes: sporadic tree damage with trees uprooted. Also some minor
shingle damage observed to two homes off of broad street.

&&

The National Weather Service in Mobile will be conducting additional
surveys over the next few days. The survey teams plan to visit
the following damage areas:

* state line, MS/Laton Hill, al/Yarbo, al
* Citronelle, al
* Escambia-Covington County damage including Damascus, al
* northwest Choctaw County (lisman, al area)
* additional survey of Leakesville, MS

Comments

One Response to “NWS Details Tornado Tracks”

  1. Larry on April 18th, 2011 10:40 pm

    Passed within a half mile of our house in Walley Bend. damaged trees at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News