National Weather Service Raw Text Product

056 
NOUS44 KBMX 292350
PNSBMX
ALZ011>015-017>050-301200-

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
650 PM CDT Sat Aug 29 2020

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 08/28/20 TORNADO EVENT...

.OVERVIEW...

On the afternoon of Aug 28 2020, Tropical Depression Laura
and its remnants moved eastward across the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys
with a trailing surface boundary across portions of the Deep South.
An abundance of tropical moisture coincided with areas of diurnal
heating to promote an unstable atmosphere which also interacted with
areas of favorable low-level and deep-layer wind shear. As a result,
an environment favorable for the development of strong to severe 
thunderstorms established across a good portion of the Mid to Deep 
South, including Central Alabama. Strong to severe thunderstorms 
developed in the vicinity of southern Tennessee and northern 
Mississippi which tracked generally eastward during the mid 
afternoon, impacting various areas of northwest Central Alabama. 
Damaging straight-line winds produced several areas of tree damage as
a line of thunderstorms moved across these areas. Additionally, two 
low-topped supercell thunderstorms moved ahead of this line and
generally east-northeastward into Winston County in the late 
afternoon. These rotating thunderstorms were able to re-intensify 
and went on to produce two tornadoes, both of EF-1 strength, with the
first near the Grayson and Moreland area, and the second in the 
Double Springs area of north and central Winston County.

.TORNADO #1 Moreland Tornado (Winston County)...

Rating:                 EF-1
Estimated Peak Wind:    105 mph
Path Length /statute/:  8.75 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   325 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             Aug 28 2020 
Start Time:             4:02 PM CDT
Start Location:         3 SE Ashridge
Start Lat/Lon:          34.2030/-87.4283

End Date:               Aug 28 2020
End Time:               4:18 PM CDT
End Location:           2 NNE Moreland
End Lat/Lon:            34.2670/-87.2974

The tornado developed in a wooded, uninhabited area east of County 
Road 195 and moved northeast, crossing County Road 6 near Sandy Creek
where it caused minor timber damage. The tornado caused minor damage
to the roof of a chicken house just off of County Road 415. The
tornado continued northeast where it approached Highway 33 west of
Moreland. The tornado caused notable timber damage as it crossed
Highway 33 then it continues northeast. The tornado moved across
County Road 3163 where it removed sheathing from under a 
manufactured home, destroyed a small outbuilding, and removed 
portions of siding and sheathing from a manufactured home. The 
tornado then crossed County Road 63 or Cheatam Road where it removed 
a portion of the roof from a manufactured home, damaged two garage 
doors, and blew out a window of a outdoor storage building. A small 
portion of this structure suffered some minor exterior wall 
relocation from the slab but it was found that the wall was anchored 
by nailing to the concrete slab. The tornado continued northeast 
before dissipating in wooded, uninhabited terrain near Collier Creek.


.TORNADO #2 Double Springs Tornado (Winston County)...

Rating:                 EF-1
Estimated Peak Wind:    95 mph
Path Length /statute/:  2.56 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   100 yards 
Fatalities:             0 
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             Aug 28 2020 
Start Time:             4:36 PM CDT
Start Location:         1 NNE Winston Free State Barn
Start Lat/Lon:          34.1684/-87.4100 

End Date:               Aug 28 2020
End Time:               4:41 PM CDT
End Location:           2 NE Houston Recreational Area 
End Lat/Lon:            34.1698/-87.3654

The tornado developed near a mobile home manufacturing facility where
it peeled portions of sheet metal from the roof of the building,
removed some skirting from a modular building and blew out two
windows on a vehicle. The tornado then crossed Highway 33 where it
remained just north of County Road 24 and remaining to the north of
the Winston County School complex and transportation lot. The tornado
continued east through wooded, uninhabited and inaccessible area. 
The tornado was found to have dissipated before reaching County Road 
2 where there was no observable damage. The National Weather Service
would like to thank Winston County EMA for their assistance in these
damage assessments.

EF Scale:

The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following
categories.

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

Note:

The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS 
Storm Data. 

$$

Sizemore/Holmes/DeBlock