| April
2, 2009 Severe Weather |
|
| Preliminary Storm
Survey Information |
Storm surveys have been completed examining
storm damage that occurred in the early evening hours on Thursday,
April 2nd. Preliminary summaries for these surveys
are found below. All tornado ratings use the Enhanced
Fujita Scale.
|
Eastern Colbert
County, AL (Whiteoak) |
| Rating |
EF-1 |
Peak Wind
|
100 mph |
| Path Length
|
0.3 miles |
Peak Path
Width |
75 yards |
|
| A tornado touched down about one mile south
of Whiteoak on County Line Road, damaging the roof of a church
and snapping or uprooting several large trees and limbs. After
damaging the church, the tornado crossed over County Line
Road and produced additional damage. Several medium sized
trees were snapped or uprooted northeast of County Line Road,
and numerous power lines were downed. The tornado lifted before
crossing Highway 157 near Bingham.
This National Weather Service radar image from
3:48pm shows a broad area of circulation south of Leighton
near the Whiteoak community. This tornado was likely the result
of a non-descending mesocyclone. This means the circulation
developed close to the ground instead of developing higher
in the thunderstorm and descending toward the ground. Because
the Columbus AFB radar is nearly 70 miles away, the stronger
circulation occurred below the radar beam. This is a perfect
example of why storm spotters are an integral part of National
Weather Service warning operations. The base reflectivity
product in the left panel shows rainfall intensity. The storm
relative velocity product in the right panel shows winds toward
(in green) and away (in red) from the radar near Columbus
AFB, MS.
|
The front of this church sustained considerable damage
in the tornado. The roof was damaged and, the steeple
was blown off.
|
An unanchored building was destroyed, and several trees
were downed.
|
Some homes in the area sustained relatively minor damage
but nothing as bad as the damage at the church.
|
This tree was splintered by the tornado.
|
|
Limestone
County, AL (Tanner Crossroads) |
| Rating |
EF-0 |
Peak Wind
|
80 mph |
| Path Length
|
1.7 miles |
Peak Path
Width |
50 yards |
|
| A tornado touched down on Ingram Road, just
to the east of Sandlin Street, southwest of Tanner Crossroads.
Several small to medium trees were snapped or uprooted. A
house also sustained initial damage from the tornado at this
location. The tornado continued to snap large trees as it
moved northeast towards the intersection of Stewart Road and
Rosie Road. At this location, a barn had several sheets of
metal peeled back on the roof. Shingles were also blown off
of a shed and two houses nearby. The tornado continued moving
northeast before lifting near the intersection of Nuclear
Plant Road and Highway 31.
This National Weather Service radar image from
4:35pm shows an area of circulation south and southwest of
Tanner. The base reflectivity product in the left panel shows
rainfall intensity. The storm relative velocity product in
the right panel shows winds toward (in green) and away (in
red) from the radar at Hytop, AL.
|
The tornado snapped several trees along Ingram Road,
at the beginning of the damage path.
|
The tornado displaced this debris from an outbuilding
into a driveway.
|
This garage was damaged by the tornado.
|
The roof of this barn was damaged by the tornado.
|
|
Northeastern
Morgan County, AL (Lacey's Spring) |
| Rating |
EF-1 |
Peak Wind
|
105 mph |
| Path Length
|
1.2 miles |
Peak Path
Width |
200 yards |
|
| The tornado touched down in a field south
of Lower Dry Creek Road in the Lacey’s Spring area,
snapping several small trees, and causing minor damage to
some residences near the road. The tornado intensified as
it crossed Kay Road, snapping larger trees and destroying
a shed. The most significant damage occurred as it moved into
the Sherbrook Drive area, snapping and uprooting several large
trees. Several trees fell onto nearby homes, causing major
damage, but the tornado circulation itself did only minor
damage to the manufactured houses. The tornado lifted shortly
afterwards in the same neighborhood.
This National Weather Service radar image from
5:27pm shows an tight velocity couplet approaching the Lacey's Spring community. The base reflectivity product in the left panel shows
rainfall intensity. The storm relative velocity product in
the right panel shows winds toward (in green) and away (in
red) from the radar at Hytop, AL.
|
Falling trees caused most of the damage in the Laceys
Spring area. This car was among the numerous objects
damaged by trees and large tree branches.
|
Not one, but two trees fell on this mobile home, essentially
destroying it. Amazingly, two people who were taking
cover in this mobile home when the trees fell on it
were not injured.
|
This mobile home was split in half by a large tree that
fell on it.
|
The roof of this home was damaged near the end of the
tornado path. Insulation, shingles, and other debris
were scattered by the tornado.
|
|
Madison County,
AL (West Huntsville) |
| Rating |
EF-0 |
Peak Wind
|
85 mph |
| Path Length
|
0.7 miles |
Peak Path
Width |
50 yards |
|
| A tornado first touched down just southwest
of Butler High School, snapping or uprooting several large
trees or limbs, one of which fell on top of a nearby home.
Several small- to medium-size trees were snapped or uprooted
on the Butler High School campus, then the tornado crossed
the road and caused further tree damage in the Fairway Drive
area north of Holmes Avenue. The tornado lifted before exiting
the neighborhood.
This National Weather Service radar image from
8:06pm shows weak rotation in the western part of Huntsville
along I-565. The base reflectivity product in the left panel
shows rainfall intensity. The storm relative velocity product
in the right panel shows winds toward (in green) and away
(in red) from the radar at Hytop, AL.
|
Near the beginning of the tornado path, large tree limbs
were blown onto this house.
|
This row of trees in front of Butler High School was
damaged by the tornado. Interestingly, only certain
branches of the trees were snapped, while some remained
mostly unharmed.
|
This large tree was uprooted by the tornado.
|
Near the end of the tornado path, utility crews were
still working to remove limbs and restore power to houses
north of Holmes Avenue.
|
|
To see all storm
reports from this event, click here.
|
www.weather.gov 
National Weather Service Forecast Office
