A well-anchored clubhouse on the property was mostly swept away and its remains were scattered into a pond, even though the structure had lacked interior walls. Two violent EF4 tornadoes also ripped through Jackson County, Alabama, one of which caused a fatality near Bridgeport while the other passed near Pisgah and into Georgia where it caused major damage in Trenton and killed 14 people. Many stations, including WIAT, the WBMA trimulcast, CBS affiliate WTVY (channel 4) in Dothan and NBC affiliate WSFA (channel 12) in Montgomery, showed television cameras capturing the event as the tornado – which appeared wider than its estimated width during that section of the path as the condensation funnel was partially obscured by a debris cloud and a dense rain shaft – moved east-northeast across the western and northern suburbs of Birmingham at high-end EF4 strength around 6:00 p.m. CDT (23:00 UTC). [9] Eventually, a total of 238 tornado-related deaths would be confirmed in the state. [40] The initial storms caused widespread power and telephone line outages across Alabama and Tennessee. [23] By the evening hours of April 25, tornadoes had been reported across a few states, some of which caused significant damage in Arkansas. List of disasters in the United States by death toll; Tornado records; Tri-State Tornado – Deadliest tornado in North America, and made March 18, 1925, the deadliest tornado day recorded in United States. Some unanchored homes in town were swept from their foundations. Tornadoes plowed across the Eastern U.S. over four days, killing more than 320 people in six states and causing an estimated $12 billion in damage. After having touched down in a rural area on the east side of the Tombigbee River, the tornado quickly intensified to high-end EF2 strength along County Road 69. [149], Severe thunderstorms were reported as far north as Northern Ontario on the evening of April 26. [142], The tornado killed 20 people and injured hundreds more along its 57-mile (92 km) path across Catoosa, Hamilton, Bradley, Polk, and McMinn counties. [113], The University of Alabama shut down its campus briefly during the course of the storm itself, resuming regular activities within minutes. The tornado then exited the Tuscaloosa area and moved through dense forest towards Birmingham, downing and debarking thousands of trees at low-end EF3 intensity. Thousands of trees were snapped and debarked, vehicles were thrown up to 50 yards (46 m) in different directions, and barns and chicken houses were heavily damaged, along with the roof of a church. This was the first video evidence that the tornado had touched the ground; the video, along with NEXRAD evidence of a tornado debris signature, prompted the National Weather Service office in Birmingham to declare a tornado emergency. [1][9], April 27's 316 fatalities were the most tornado-related fatalities in the United States in a single day since the "Tri-State" outbreak on March 18, 1925 (when at least 747 people were killed). Other states saw a combined death toll of 72. EF5 damage to a large, well-built, anchored house in Smithville, Mississippi. A large but poorly-anchored brick home was swept completely away in this area, with the debris scattered 100 yards from the foundation. [129] Numerous homes in the Rainsville area were swept completely away, with debris strewn up to a mile from the foundations. The storm "completely wiped clean" several well constructed homes with anchor bolting. The same area was impacted later that day by a high-end EF4 tornado. It is one of the costliest tornadoes on record. Pavement was scoured from several roads in the area, and a concrete porch was torn away and broken in half at another residence that was swept away. Outside of Alabama, nine other deaths occurred in tornadoes and high wind in Oklahoma (2 deaths) and … Overall, the tornado destroyed 117 structures in Smithville and damaged 50 others, killing 16 people. [94] As the storm crossed U.S. Highway 72 in eastern Limestone County, the tornado destroyed a Doppler radar operated by Huntsville NBC affiliate WAFF (channel 48) and continued into East Limestone, a heavily populated area of Limestone County where homes in subdivisions were damaged or destroyed at high-end EF3 strength. [136][139][143] It would be the last EF4 tornado in the state until March 26, 2021, when Newnan was struck just after midnight. The list was up to 162, until one man's injuries were found to be unrelated to the event. Early in the morning the squall line, packing straight-line winds and numerous embedded tornadoes, moved through Louisiana and Mississippi before proceeding to affect North and Central Alabama and parts of Middle and East Tennessee. In total, 360 tornadoes were confirmed by NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) and Government of Canada's Environment Canada in 21 states from Texas to New York to southern Canada. Later that morning, the SPC even increased the probability for tornadoes to 45 percent along a corridor from Meridian, Mississippi, to Huntsville, Alabama, an extremely rare issuance exceeding the high risk standards. Straight-line winds estimated at 80 miles per hour (130 km/h) uprooted trees, damaged roofs, and downed power lines through Perry County, Ohio, and Athens County, Ohio. Dozens of tornadoes devastated the South in a massive storm system that has reduced neighborhoods to rubble and killed at least 337 people across 7 states, the AP reports. A high-end EF4 rating was applied in this area as a result. The ABC 33/40 camera captured the destruction of a communications tower belonging to Cullman area low-power television station WCQT-LP as the tornado ripped through the city at EF3 intensity. The tornado completely destroyed a Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Harvest and severely damaged a convenience store and local bank, which was shut down for months following the event. [17] Conditions were similar on April 26, with a predicted likelihood of severe thunderstorms, including an extended threat of strong to violent long-track tornadoes throughout the afternoon and evening hours; mixed-layer CAPE values were forecast to be around 3000–4000 J/kg, around east Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. It quickly intensified and began producing EF5 damage by 2:38 p.m. CDT; extreme ground scouring, up to 2 feet (0.61 m) deep in places, occurred in northeastern Neshoba County. South of Sipsey, additional homes and mobile homes were destroyed at EF2 to EF3 strength and numerous trees were snapped. It then continued through the northwest corner of Morgan County, crossed Wheeler Lake, and moved into Limestone County, coming within 2 miles (3.2 km) of Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant. April 27 was the most active day, with a record 216 tornadoes touching down that day from midnight to midnight CDT (05:00 – 05:00 UTC). The death toll from Alabama’s tornado outbreak today is at least 40. Therefore, it was given a final rating of high-end EF4, with winds estimated at 190 mph (310 km/h). Isolated and minor EF0 to EF1 damage was noted through most of its path in Tennessee. Additionally, the Eoline Volunteer Fire Department and another business were both destroyed. The tornado touched down at 2:30 p.m. CDT (19:30 UTC) and traveled for nearly 29 miles (47 km) through Neshoba, Kemper, Winston, and Noxubee Counties, reaching a maximum width of a 1⁄2-mile (0.80 km). The tornado continued to weaken as it moved to the east of West Blocton, continuing to knock down trees. The tornado touched down northwest of Ferndale in Pulaski County at 6:48 p.m. CDT (23:48 UTC), downing trees and transmission towers at EF1 intensity. Nothing but the foundation and a pile of debris remained at the restaurant site, and a small portion of the restaurant's foundation slab buckled. [38], From the late morning to the early afternoon, another squall line moved through northern parts of Mississippi and Alabama as high wind shear and low-level moisture persisted. EF4 damage in a subdivision at the north edge of Ringgold, Georgia. [59], Tornado watches were issued for the Atlantic coast from Pennsylvania to Florida at the start of the day and continued through the morning and early afternoon, but tornadoes were forecasted to generally be weaker and more isolated. Near Union at 4:50 p.m. CDT, footage of the wedge tornado was captured by meteorologist John Oldshue during a storm chase for ABC affiliate WBMA-LD/WCFT-TV/WJSU-TV (channels 58, 33, and 40 – "ABC 33/40"), which broadcast Oldshue's live video of the tornado as he was tracking it outside of town. [118][119] The tornado entered Tennessee along Lakeview Drive near Moore Crossing and Nickajack Dam. [132] The tornado caused mainly EF3 damage to homes as it passed north of Wellington, though a small pocket of EF4 damage occurred in the small rural community of Webster's Chapel, where a church and several homes were completely leveled or swept away, trees were reduced to stumps, and many other homes were left with only interior walls standing. Cars were tossed and destroyed throughout the path of the tornado, with one car wrapped around a debarked tree. [84][85] The tornado killed three people, injured eight others, and caused $1.1 million in damage across its path. The Alberta City neighborhood in eastern Tuscaloosa sustained catastrophic damage as numerous homes, apartment buildings, and a shopping center were completely leveled. [136] A Baymont Inn & Suites, located near Interstate 75 was partially destroyed by the tornado, along with a McDonald's, a Taco Bell, and several gas stations located on Highway 151 in Ringgold at the Interstate 75 interchange (exit 348). One embedded cell began producing tornadoes just after 5:00 a.m. CDT (10:00 UTC), starting with an EF1 tornado striking Berry, Alabama. [94][95][96] Tanner experienced a large swath of EF4 damage and a narrow corridor of "high-end EF4 to near-EF5 damage". [100] The tornado then moved into Marshall County, causing significant damage to a house and downing numerous trees. [162] Also on April 29, he approved a federal disaster declaration for seven Mississippi counties: Clarke, Greene, Hinds, Jasper, Kemper, Lafayette, and Monroe. A marina on Holt Lake was significantly impacted, with numerous boats and a restaurant destroyed; some boats were tossed over 330 feet (100 m) in this area. Livestock were thrown and killed, and the initial human death toll of 13 would eventually rise to 15 in the area. [132] Many outbuildings and homes were destroyed, and many trees were downed across Polk, Floyd, and Bartow counties. Because of this, more than one million customers were without power and had no warning of any approaching tornadoes later that day. [38] Four tornadoes were officially rated EF5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale that day. As it entered the city, Skycam footage showed surface condensation in the tornado, outside of a visible debris cloud, had briefly lifted; a discernible wedge-shaped condensation funnel, with occasional horizontal and vertical subvortices, subsequently touched back down at the surface as it began moving into neighborhoods in southern Tuscaloosa. The tornado then weakened, but still caused heavy EF2 damage to the community of McDonald Chapel. This included the deadly EF3 tornado that struck the town of Glade Spring, Virginia, very early in the morning, where three people died. The tornado then entered Perry County, the final portion of the path, where it damaged two outbuildings and a grain silo as well as causing significant tree damage before lifting just north of Uniontown at 8:35 p.m. CDT (01:35 UTC). [146] On April 25, 2011, thunderstorms with high winds swept through parts of southern and southeastern Ohio. It continued through a dense forest towards Birmingham, this time downing thousands of trees and flattening more rural homes. Several large trees were snapped off just above the ground, a third home was left with no walls standing, and a mobile home was completely demolished and strewn along County Road 256 as well. [36] A total of 55 tornadoes were confirmed the 26th, although no fatalities occurred. The hardest hit locations include Tuscaloosa, Pleasant Grove and Cullman. The tornado then moved back into Tuscaloosa County, causing mostly minor tree and structural damage at EF1 strength before rapidly intensifying and crossing into Fayette County once again. Several large trees on the property were ripped out of the ground and missing, along with a trailer that was unable to be located at the time of the survey. Calhoun County Sheriff Matthew Wade said the twister cut a diagonal path across the county, striking mostly rural areas — something that likely kept the death toll from being higher, he said. [85] It reached EF5 strength a second time near the Kemper–Winston county line where extreme ground scouring again took place and pavement was scoured. The death toll from Wednesday's tornado outbreak across the South is now likely to top 200, with at least 131 fatalities in Alabama. The line strengthened as it moved through Alabama, partially due to a high amount of low-level moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and increasing wind shear. 324 tornadic deaths were confirmed as a result of the outbreak, with as many as 238 in Alabama alone. [132], After touching down southwest of Argo, the tornado continued northeast of Odenville, producing EF0 to EF1 tree damage. After crossing into Kemper County, the tornado obliterated a mobile home, killing all three inside. Damage ranged from downed trees and roof damage to total destruction as the tornado roared through this area at 50–60 mph (80–97 km/h), packing winds of over 180 mph (290 km/h). Additional strong nighttime tornadoes occurred in Georgia, including an EF3 that killed two people in Barnesville, and another EF3 that destroyed homes and killed one person at Lake Burton. There were 74 destroyed homes and/or businesses, 60 with major damage, and 118 with minor damage for a total of 252 affected structures in the Ringgold area. Aerial view of damage to homes and businesses in Trenton. [10][13][16][17], After causing massive timber damage in rural areas, the tornado entered Jefferson County and rapidly intensified to its maximum intensity and width. An upper-level disturbance that had moved across the frontal boundary the previous evening sparked an area of thunderstorms that morphed into a squall line. Many homes were damaged or destroyed in residential areas of the city, with extensive tree and power line damage noted as well. Some additional EF0 to EF1 damage occurred before the tornado dissipated two miles north of Tarrant. The tornado weakened considerably as it approached Corridor X of the Appalachian Development Highway System, with only minor EF0 tree damage, before it strengthened significantly as it entered the town of Cordova as a 0.5-mile (0.80 km) wide EF3. It then reached EF3 intensity, and 24 metal high-tension truss towers were twisted and flattened northeast of Stevenson Airport. Barns, vehicles, tractors and heavy farming equipment were shredded and thrown up to 0.5 miles (0.80 km) away from where they originated. [159] Following the tornado outbreak on the evening of April 27, President Barack Obama granted a federal emergency declaration for the state of Alabama, giving federal assistance, including search and rescue assets, to the affected region. Vehicles were also thrown, including a school bus that was completely stripped down to its chassis. North as northern Ontario on the tornado then dissipated near the city 's area... 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