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ALZ011>015-017>050-010600-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
605 PM CDT SAT APR 30 2011

...UPDATED FOR INCREASE IN HACKLEBURG TORNADO RATING TO EF-5...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WILL CONTINUE THE ASSESSMENT
OF STORM DAMAGE FROM A TRAGICALLY HISTORIC DAY OF TORNADIC ACTIVITY
AND SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 27TH. A 
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED STORM DAMAGE EXPERT WILL CONTINUE ASSISTING US 
IN EXAMINING THE LOCATIONS OF THE MOST EXTREME DAMAGE TO ENSURE WE 
PROVIDE THE MOST ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF THIS EVENT AS POSSIBLE. 

...SURVEY RESULTS TO DATE...

...EVENT OVERVIEW...

THERE WERE TWO WAVES OF WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER. THE FIRST MOVED 
THROUGH DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF 
CENTRAL ALABAMA PRODUCING WIDESPREAD DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS 
AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THE SECOND WAVE INVOLVED NUMEROUS SUPERCELL 
THUNDERSTORMS AND PRODUCED LONG LIVED...STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES 
ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH WIDESPREAD 
AND CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. AT THIS TIME ALL 
RATINGS ARE PRELIMINARY.

TORNADO 1...COALING TORNADO (TUSCALOOSA/JEFFERSON COUNTIES)

PRELIMINARY DATA...
EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-3 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): UP TO 155
INJURIES/FATALITIES: UNKNOWN. 
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 33.163/-87.3716 AT 517 AM 
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 33.296/-87.0594 AT 535 AM 
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 18.3 MILES 
DAMAGE WIDTH: 200 YARDS
NOTE: ADDITIONAL DATA WILL BE ADDED AS INFORMATION COMES IN.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE ACROSS 
EASTERN TUSCALOOSA AND FAR SOUTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTIES. IT HAS 
BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A TORNADO. WINDS 
WERE ESTIMATED AROUND 155 MPH. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN JUST 
SOUTHWEST OF COALING OFF STAGHORNE DRIVE. TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED IN 
THIS AREA. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED NORTHEAST PARALLEL TO INTERSTATE 
20/59 WHERE SEVERAL HOMES SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND A FEW 
WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. TORNADO DAMAGE HERE WAS CONSISTENT WITH 
EF-3 DAMAGE. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST WHERE THE MERCEDES 
PLANT SUSTAINED ROOF DAMAGE AND POWER POLES WERE BLOWN DOWN...ALONG 
WITH NUMEROUS TREES SNAPPED. THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO SNAP TREES AS 
IT MOVED NORTHEAST INTO FAR SOUTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY WHERE IT 
ENDED AT OLD TUSCALOOSA HIGHWAY AND LOWETOWN ROAD. MAX WINDS WERE 
ESTIMATED UP TO 155 MPH AND WAS 200 YARDS AT ITS WIDEST POINT. 

TORNADO 2...HACKLEBURG TORNADO (MARION COUNTY)

PRELIMINARY DATA...
EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-5 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): 200
INJURIES/FATALITIES: AT LEAST 25 FATALITIES. NUMEROUS INJURIES.
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 34.0880/-88.1328 AT 305 PM
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 34.3109/-87.7858 AT 328 PM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 25.2 MILES IN MARION COUNTY
DAMAGE WIDTH: 3/4 MILE
NOTE: CONTINUED INTO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE ACROSS MARION
COUNTY IMPACTING THE HACKLEBURG AREA. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE
DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A VIOLENT TORNADO. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED 
UP TO 200 MPH. THE TORNADO APPEARED TO TOUCHDOWN SOUTHWEST OF 
HAMILTON NEAR HIGHWAY 19 AND COUNTY ROAD 22. TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED 
IN THIS AREA. THE TORNADO WIDENED CONSIDERABLY AND BECAME DEADLY AS 
IT MOVED ALONG HIGHWAY 43 SOUTHWEST OF HACKLEBURG. THE TORNADO MOVED 
INTO HACKLEBURG WHERE SEVERAL SUBDIVISIONS WERE DESTROYED. THE 
HACKLEBURG HIGH SCHOOL AND THE WRANGLER PLANT WERE DESTROYED. THE 
TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST AND GENERALLY PARALLELED HIGHWAY 43 AND 
MOVED TOWARD PHIL CAMPBELL WHERE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE CONTINUED. ALONG 
THE DAMAGE PATH, THOUSANDS OF TREES WERE DOWNED...SEVERAL HUNDRED 
STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED, AT LEAST 100 OF THESE STRUCTURES WERE 
COMPLETELY DESTROYED AS MANY HOMES WERE LEVELED. 

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS...ALONG WITH THE FOREMOST 
EXPERT IN STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENT REVIEWED THE DAMAGE IN HACKLEBURG 
IN MARION COUNTY.  THE MAIN INDICATORS OF HACKLEBURG HAVING EF-5 
DAMAGE IS THE TOSSING OF VEHICLES UPWARDS OF 150-200 YARDS...ONE 
WELL BUILT HOME WITH 4 SIDES BRICK WAS COMPLETELY LEVELED AND THE 
DEBRIS FROM THE HOME WAS TOSSED TO THE NORTH OVER 40 YARDS...AND 
THERE WAS LARGE AMOUNTS OF WIND ROWING...THE STREWING OF BUILDING 
MATERIALS IN STRAIGHT LINES...AROUND THE CITY OF HACKLEBURG.

TORNADO 3...SHOTSVILLE TORNADO (MARION COUNTY)

PRELIMINARY DATA...
EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-3 TORNADO OR POTENTIALLY HIGHER (FURTHER EVALUATION
UNDERWAY)
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 140
INJURIES/FATALITIES: AT LEAST 6 FATALITIES, SEVERAL INJURIES.
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 34.1579/-88.1847 AT 357 PM
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 34.3129/-87.9231 AT 420 PM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 19.1 MILES IN MARION COUNTY
DAMAGE WIDTH: 3/4 MILE
NOTE: STARTED IN MISSISSIPPI AND CONTINUED INTO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED ACROSS MARION
COUNTY IMPACTING THE SHOTSVILLE AREA. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT
THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A TORNADO. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED
AROUND 140 MPH. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN SOMEWHERE IN MISSISSIPPI
AND WILL NEED TO BE DETERMINED BY THE NWS IN MEMPHIS, TN. THE
TORNADO MOVED INTO MARION COUNTY NEAR COUNTY ROAD 93 AND DRY CREEK
ROAD. A FEW STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED AND NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED
OFF AND UPROOTED IN THIS AREA. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEASTWARD
AND CROSSED HIGHWAY 78/I-22 WEST OF HAMILTON NEAR THE BEXAR
COMMUNITY. THE TORNADO STRENGTHENED TO EF3 INTENSITY AS IT CROSSED
HIGHWAY 19 AND COUNTY ROAD 20 WHERE SEVERAL HOMES WERE DESTROYED AND
AT LEAST 6 PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED ACROSS
HIGHWAY 187 NEAR THE FRANKLIN COUNTY LINE.  ALONG THE DAMAGE PATH...
HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE DOWNED...AT LEAST 25 HOMES, MOBILE HOMES AND
OUTBUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. AT LEAST FIVE OF THESE
STRUCTURES WERE COMPLETELY OBLITERATED. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER
EVALUATION DONE ON THE WORST DAMAGE POINTS THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO
DETERMINE IF THE RATING NEEDS TO BE INCREASED. THE DAMAGE PATH IN
MARION COUNTY WAS 19.1 MILES LONG AND WAS 3/4 OF MILE WIDE AT ITS
WIDEST POINT.

TORNADO 4...PRELIMINARY TUSCALOOSA/BIRMINGHAM TORNADO TRACK...

PRELIMINARY DATA...
EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011
EVENT TYPE: AT LEAST EF-4
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AT LEAST 165
INJURIES/FATALITIES: AT LEAST 65 FATALITIES. OVER 1000 INJURIES.
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 33.0297/-87.935 AT 443 PM
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 33.6311/-86.7436 AT 614 PM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): APPROXIMATELY 80.3 MILES 
DAMAGE WIDTH: 1.5 MILES CROSSING I-65

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS HAVE BEGUN SURVEYING THE 
MASSIVE DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LONG TRACK TORNADO...BY GROUND 
AND AIR. THE START POINT IS BASED ON AERIAL SURVEY...WHILE THE END 
LOCATION WAS DETERMINED BY A GROUND CREW. THUS FAR...DETAILED DAMAGE 
INSPECTION HAS REVEALED A MAXIMUM OF EF-4 DAMAGE IN THE PLEASANT 
GROVE. CASUALTY INFORMATION IS BASED ON THE LATEST OFFICIAL RELEASES 
FROM THE ALABAMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.  THIS TORNADO WAS 
PRODUCED BY A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM THAT BEGAN IN NEWTON COUNTY 
MISSISSIPPI AT 254 PM CDT...FINALLY DISSIPATING IN MACON COUNTY 
NORTH CAROLINA AT APPROXIMATELY 1018 PM CDT.  SO...THIS SUPERCELL 
EXISTED FOR ABOUT 7 HOURS AND 24 MINUTES...TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 
380 MILES PRODUCING SEVERAL STRONG TO VIOLENT TORNADOES ALONG THE 
WAY. ADDITIONAL EVALUATION OF THE DAMAGE IN TUSCALOOSA AND JEFFERSON 
COUNTY WILL CONTINUE TODAY TO DETERMINE IF THE RATING NEEDS TO BE 
INCREASED. RESULTS WILL BE UPDATED WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.

TORNADO 5...HALEYVILLE (MARION/WINSTON COUNTIES)

PRELIMINARY DATA...
EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-3 TORNADO OR POTENTIALLY HIGHER (FURTHER EVALUATION
UNDERWAY)
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 140
INJURIES/FATALITIES: AT LEAST 10 INJURIES.
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 34.0289/-87.9421 AT 510 PM
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 34.3057/-87.4973 AT 551 PM
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 31.8 MILES
DAMAGE WIDTH: 3/4 MILE
NOTE: MAY HAVE CONTINUED INTO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED DAMAGE ACROSS MARION
AND WINSTON COUNTIES IMPACTING THE PEA RIDGE, WHITEHOUSE, THORNHILL
AND HALEYVILLE AREAS. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS
CONSISTENT WITH A TORNADO. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AROUND 140
MPH WITH ADDITIONAL EVALUATION UNDERWAY. THE TORNADO APPEARED TO
TOUCHDOWN SOUTH OF HAMILTON NEAR HIGHWAY 278, COUNTY ROAD 2 AND
PHILADELPHIA ROAD WHERE TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED. THE TORNADO TRACKED
NORTHEASTWARD AND STRENGTHENED NEAR THE PEA RIDGE AND WHITEHOUSE
COMMUNITIES. SEVERAL HOMES WERE DESTROYED AND SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE
INJURED. THE TORNADO PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE INTO THE
THORNHILL COMMUNITY AND SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PARTS OF HALEYVILLE
THE WINSTON FURNITURE COMPANY AND FONTAINE TRAILER COMPANY SUFFERED
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. MANY HOMES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED OR WERE
DESTROYED. THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO PRODUCE TREE DAMAGE AS IT
ENTERED THE FOREST AREA IN NORTHERN WINSTON COUNTY. IT APPEARED THE
TORNADO MAY HAVE CONTINUED INTO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY.

TORNADO 6...SAWYERVILLE/EOLINE TORNADO (GREENE/HALE/BIBB COUNTIES)

PRELIMINARY DATA...
EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-3 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 145 
INJURIES/FATALITIES: AT LEAST 7 FATALITIES, 50 INJURIES. 
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 32.6211/-88.0462 AT 530 PM 
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 33.1443/-86.9998 AT 655 PM 
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 71.3 MILES  
WIDTH: 1 MILE 
NOTE: STARTED NEAR THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER IN SOUTHWEST GREENE COUNTY 
AND CONTINUED INTO NORTHEAST BIBB COUNTY. THIS TRACK MAY NEED TO 
EXTENDED INTO SHELBY COUNTY AFTER FURTHER SURVEYS ARE COMPLETED.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED MULTIPLE TRACKS 
ACROSS GREENE...HALE AND BIBB COUNTIES. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT 
THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 
IN FAR SOUTHWEST GREENE COUNTY NEAR THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER JUST WEST OF 
TISHABEE ON COUNTY ROAD 69 NEAR HEAD DRIVE...AND HEADED NORTHEAST 
ACROSS RURAL GREENE COUNTY NORTH OF FORKLAND. AT LEAST 4 MOBILE 
HOMES...3 OUTBUILDING...AND 2 CHURCHES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED 
ALONG WITH NUMEROUS TREES. 2 MINOR INJURIES WERE NOTED IN GREENE 
COUNTY. THE TRACK STARTED AS AN EF-1 BUT INCREASED TO AN EF-2 RATING 
WHILE IN GREENE COUNTY. THE TORNADO THEN CROSSED THE BLACK WARRIOR 
RIVER AND MOVED INTO HALE COUNTY PASSING THROUGH SAWYERVILLE AND 
NORTHEAST INTO THE TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST. NUMEROUS MOBILE HOMES 
AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES...1 CHURCH...AND COUNTLESS TREES WERE 
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THERE WERE 40 INJURIES AND 6 FATALITIES ACROSS 
HALE COUNTY. THE TRACK INCREASED FROM AN EF-2 TO AN EF-3 WHILE IN 
HALE COUNTY JUST NORTHEAST OF SAWYERVILLE. THE TORNADO THEN CROSSED 
INTO SOUTHWEST BIBB COUNTY IN THE TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST AND 
MOVED NORTHEAST TO EOLINE AND ENDED IN MARVEL. SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES 
AND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES...1 BUSINESS...AS WELL AS THE EOLINE FIRE 
STATION...AND COUNTLESS TREES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THERE WERE 
8 INJURIES AND 1 FATALITY IN BIBB COUNTY. EF-3 AND EF-2 DAMAGE WERE 
NOTED FOR THE MOST PART IN EOLINE AND CENTRAL BIBB COUNTY THEN 
DECREASED IN INTENSITY AS IT MOVED INTO NORTHEAST RURAL BIBB COUNTY 
TOWARD MARVEL. MAX WINDS WERE ESTIMATED UP TO 145 MPH AND WAS 1 MILE 
WIDE AT ITS WIDEST POINT IN CENTRAL BIBB COUNTY. 

TORNADO 7...ARGO/SHOAL CREEK/OHATCHEE/FORNEY TORNADO (JEFFERSON/ST. 
CLAIR/CALHOUN/ETOWAH/CHEROKEE COUNTIES)

PRELIMINARY DATA...
EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011
EVENT TYPE: LIKELY GREATER THAN EF-3 (FURTHER EVALUATION UNDERWAY)
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): POTENTIALLY UP TO 180
INJURIES/FATALITIES: NUMEROUS FATALITIES AND INJURIES.
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 33.6792/-86.5699 AT 623 PM 
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 34.0661/-85.420 AT 747 PM (AT GEORGIA 
STATE LINE) 
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 72 MILES 
WIDTH: UP TO 1.25 MILES
NOTE: CONTINUED INTO GEORGIA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED THE DAMAGE PATH 
FROM EASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY NORTHEAST TO CHEROKEE COUNTY. IT HAS 
BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A VIOLENT 
TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR ARGO...BETWEEN DEERFOOT 
PARKWAY AND ADVENT ROAD...JUST NORTH OF INTERSTATE 59. THE TORNADO 
THEN MOVED EAST ACROSS THE INTERSTATE INTO ST. CLAIR COUNTY. THE 
TORNADO CAUSED EF-0 TO EF-1 DAMAGE AS IT TRACKED NEAR MARGARET AND 
NORTH OF ODENVILLE. JUST NORTHEAST OF ODENVILLE...THE TORNADO 
STRENGTHENED AND WIDENED CONSIDERABLY. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED 
EAST-NORTHEAST ALONG COUNTY ROAD 22...THROUGH SHOAL CREEK. DAMAGE 
ALL ALONG CR-22 WAS EXTENSIVE. SEVERAL HOMES HAD ALMOST ALL WALLS 
BLOWN OUT...AND ONE ROUGHLY 40 YEAR OLD HOME WAS COMPLETELY LEVELED. 
THE PATH CONTINUED EAST-NORTHEAST ACROSS NEELY HENRY LAKE INTO 
CALHOUN COUNTY. THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF DAMAGE WAS DONE ON THE 
EASTERN SHORES OF THE LAKE...JUST NORTH OF OHATCHEE. IN THIS AREA 
NUMEROUS HOMES AND MOBILE HOMES WERE COMPLETELY LEVELED...INDICATIVE 
OF A VIOLENT TORNADO. AT LEAST ONE WELL BUILT HOME WAS NEARLY SWEPT 
CLEAN OF EVERYTHING ABOVE ITS BASEMENT...SAVE FOR A FEW ITEMS OF 
FURNITURE. WINDS HERE WERE LIKELY MORE THAN 150 MPH...PERHAPS AS 
HIGH AS 180 MPH. THE DAMAGE PATH AT THIS POINT REACHED ITS WIDEST... 
AROUND 1.25 MILES. THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO CAUSE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE 
ON AN EAST-NORTHEAST PATH ACROSS NORTHERN CALHOUN COUNTY...JUST 
SOUTH OF THE ETOWAH COUNTY LINE. ALL HOMES IN ITS PATH RECEIVED 
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AND MANY WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. A SMALL 
CHURCH ON ROCKY HOLLOW ROAD NEAR THE WEBSTER CHAPEL COMMUNITY WAS 
COMPLETELY LEVELED. THE TORNADO BRIEFLY WENT THROUGH SOUTHEAST 
ETOWAH COUNTY SOUTHEAST OF REAVES...CLIPPED A SMALL PORTION OF 
CALHOUN COUNTY ONE LAST TIME...THEN MOVED INTO CHEROKEE COUNTY. 
THERE IT DAMAGED NUMEROUS MORE HOMES AND MOBILE HOMES AS IT MOVED 
EAST-NORTHEASTWARD. THE TORNADO APPEARED TO WEAKEN BRIEFLY AS IT 
MOVED THROUGH FROG MOUNTAIN...BUT THEN IT WIDENED AND STRENGTHENED 
ONCE AGAIN BEFORE IT REACHED COUNTY ROAD 45 NORTH OF ROCK RUN. ON 
COUNTY ROAD 29 SOUTH OF FORNEY...AN APPARENTLY WELL BUILT FRAME HOME 
WAS COMPLETELY LEVELED TO THE GROUND BY WINDS THAT MAY HAVE EXCEEDED 
150 MPH. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED INTO GEORGIA AT COUNTY ROAD 28. 
ALONG THE PATH...HUNDREDS OF STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED AND 
DESTROYED...AND MANY THOUSANDS OF TREES WERE UPROOTED...SNAPPED... 
AND REDUCED TO SPIKED STUMPS.

NOTE: THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OBSERVED ON DEERFOOT PARKWAY...JUST WEST 
OF THE STARTING COORDINATES ABOVE. THEREFORE...THERE APPEARS TO 
BE A SMALL BREAK IN THE DAMAGE BETWEEN THE TUSCALOOSA-BIRMINGHAM 
TORNADO AND THIS ONE...AS THE STORM WENT ACROSS THE PINSON AND 
CHALKVILLE AREAS. THIS BREAK IN THE DAMAGE MAY NEED FURTHER 
INVESTIGATION...TO MAKE SURE THAT IT INDEED DID OCCUR.

TORNADO 8...WATEROAK TORNADO (HALE/BIBB COUNTIES)

PRELIMINARY DATA...
EVENT DATE: APRIL 27, 2011
EVENT TYPE: EF-1 TORNADO
ESTIMATED PEAK WINDS (MPH): AROUND 105 
INJURIES/FATALITIES: AT LEAST 0 FATALITIES, 0 INJURIES. 
EVENT START LOCATION AND TIME: 32.8522/-87.4783 AT 650 PM 
EVENT END LOCATION AND TIME: 32.8956/-87.401 AT 659 PM 
DAMAGE PATH LENGTH (IN MILES): 5.5 MILES  
WIDTH: 150 YARDS
NOTE: STARTED IN FAR EASTERN HALE COUNTY AND ENDED IN SOUTHWEST BIBB 
BIBB COUNTY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED MULTIPLE TRACKS 
ACROSS HALE AND BIBB COUNTIES. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE 
DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A TORNADO. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 2 
MILES SOUTHWEST OF WATEROAK IN HALE COUNTY AND PROCEEDED NORTHEAST 
INTO THE TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST ENDING IN SOUTHWEST BIBB COUNTY 2 
MILES SOUTHWEST OF MERTZ. 1 MOBILE HOME AND 1 BUSINESS WERE DAMAGED 
OR DESTROYED ALONG WITH NUMEROUS TREES. THE ENTIRE TRACK CONSISTED 
OF EF-1 DAMAGE. MAX WINDS WERE ESTIMATED UP TO 105 MPH AND WAS 150 
YARDS IN WIDTH.  

...ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...

A SPECIAL THANKS TO COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICES FOR THEIR 
ASSISTANCE FOR ALL SURVEYS. MEDIA INQUIRIES CAN BE DIRECTED TOWARD 
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST JOHN DE BLOCK AT 205-664-3010... 
OR METEOROLOGIST IN CHARGE JIM STEFKOVICH AT 205-585-8635.

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.

$$

08/MNK