Friday, February 21, 2025

Tornado Surveys From Saturday February 15 - Updated



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NOUS44 KHUN 182340

PNSHUN

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-191145-


Public Information Statement

National Weather Service Huntsville AL

540 PM CST Tue Feb 18 2025


...NWS Damage Survey for 02/15/2025 and 02/16/2025 Tornado Event Update #5


.Update...To include an extension to the Tuscumbia into Muscle Shoals Tornado


.Tuscumbia - Muscle Shoals Tornado...


Rating:                 EF1

Estimated Peak Wind:    105 mph

Path Length /statute/:  4.30 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   215 yards

Fatalities:             0

Injuries:               0


Start Date:             02/15/2025

Start Time:             11:12 PM CST

Start Location:         1 SW Tuscumbia / Colbert County / AL

Start Lat/Lon:          34.7212 / -87.7166


End Date:               02/15/2025

End Time:               11:21 PM CST

End Location:           Muscle Shoals / Colbert County / AL

End Lat/Lon:            34.7443 / -87.6494


Survey Summary:

NWS Huntsville and Colbert County EMA surveyed damage in the

downtown Tuscumbia area consistent with EF-1 damage. The tornado

touched down near the intersection of Lamar Road and Frankfort Road.

The tornado caused immediate and widespread damage in neighborhoods

southwest of downtown Tuscumbia. This includes roof damage to an

elementary school off Glendora Avenue. Damage indicators were

mostly a combination of uprooted hard and softwood trees.

Numerous homes had roof damage associated with felled trees. As

the tornado tracked into downtown, power lines and traffic

signals were destroyed. Significant roof damage occurred near 5th

and Main Streets where a metal roof was completely removed. As the

tornado moved out of the downtown area, numerous trees were again

uprooted along 5th and 6th Streets through Commons Street. The

tornado lifted east of Commons Street before reaching Kings

Avenue.


A NWS Survey team found additional damage on February 18th,

connecting further damage into Muscle Shoals. The tornado snapped

trees before crossing George Wallace Boulevard and the Southern

Railway. Additional trees were snapped or uprooted as the tornado

moved northeast approaching Woodward Avenue. At this location,

part of a service station canopy was removed. Fences were knocked

down on adjacent streets in this area. More softwood trees

were snapped or uprooted as the tornado moved through residential

areas approaching Muscle Shoals High School. On school property,

several trees were snapped, some near the base, but the building

itself didn`t sustain any damage. No damage was found northeast of

Avalon Avenue. There were other sporadic trees randomly snapped

south of this location along portions of Washington Drive and

Colorado Avenue, but this wind damage was determined to be strong

winds in the rear flank downdraft of the occluding tornadic

circulation. The Northwest Alabama Regional Airport measured an

84 MPH wind gust as the tornado occluded just northwest of the

airfield.


.Waco Tornado...


Rating:                 EF2

Estimated Peak Wind:    115 mph

Path Length /statute/:  3.93 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   170 yards

Fatalities:             0

Injuries:               1


Start Date:             02/15/2025

Start Time:             11:20 PM CST

Start Location:         4 ESE Russellville / Franklin County / AL

Start Lat/Lon:          34.4791 / -87.6587


End Date:               02/15/2025

End Time:               11:27 PM CST

End Location:           6 SE Littleville / Franklin County / AL

End Lat/Lon:            34.5136 / -87.6082


Survey Summary:

An NWS and Franklin County (AL) EMA survey team determined that

an EF-2 tornado caused damage in central Franklin County.


The tornado quickly formed while embedded within the line of severe

thunderstorms late Saturday night. It touched down just south of

Russellville Rd. and east of Harris Creek. There the tornado blew

out the doors of a large, metal storage shed and lofted an ATV

across the property. The tornado shifted ENE just south of

Russellville Rd. and Hwy 75 where it uprooted numerous hardwood

trees, some of which fell on houses. Residents at this location

received advanced NWS warnings and took refuge in their tornado

shelter before their home was impacted. Several homes also

experienced partial roof loss further east on Russellville Rd.

The tornado shifted north Hwy 24 where the vortex contracted and

strengthened. Among uprooted hardwood trees on one property, the

upper quarter of a large silo collapsed. Further east, numerous

trees were uprooted, some on houses and cars. Near Hwy 78 and Hwy

83 junction, a manufactured home was impacted with roof and

siding damage. The resident was thankful for the early warning

from the NWS as it allowed time for her family to safely seek

refuge. The tornado tracked ENE of Hwy 78 and destroyed several

small farm buildings before impacting homes near the McGuire Loop

area. Near McGuire Loop and Rocky Glen Rd., the tornado knocked

down numerous power lines in trees before completely removing the

roof of one single-family residence. This is where the strongest

intensity of the tornado likely occurred with a maximum wind of

115 miles an hour. The tornado traveled to the NE portion of

McGuire Loop where pine trees were snapped. The tornado lifted

west of Hwy 87.


.Wilson Lake Tornado...


Rating:                 EF1

Estimated Peak Wind:    94 mph

Path Length /statute/:  13.42 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   250 yards

Fatalities:             0

Injuries:               0


Start Date:             02/15/2025

Start Time:             11:22 PM CST

Start Location:         3 WSW Killen / Lauderdale County / AL

Start Lat/Lon:          34.841 / -87.5765


End Date:               02/15/2025

End Time:               11:33 PM CST

End Location:           3 WNW Rogersville / Lauderdale County / AL

End Lat/Lon:            34.8441 / -87.3441


Survey Summary:

An NWS survey team, with assistance from Lauderdale County EMA,

surveyed damage in southern Lauderdale County, near Wilson Lake,

which was consistent with an EF-1 tornado. Maximum winds were 94

MPH.


The tornado initially touched down in the vicinity of Myrtle

Road (in the Kendale Gardens subdivision) where it produced the

only structural damage observed by the survey team. This

structural damage was due to a large, uprooted hardwood tree

falling into the front portion of a residence. The tornado then

traveled eastward, crossing the mouth of Shoal Creek and far

northern extent of Wilson Lake before moving back onshore and

producing tree damage along the southern portion of Lingerlost

Road. Afterwards, the tornado moved generally eastward across

rural portions of southern Lauderdale County (north of Wilson Lake

and south of U.S. Highway 72), producing clusters of tree damage

on Lauderdale C.R. 31 and in the general vicinity of the

intersection of Lauderdale C.R. 33 and Walnut Creek Road. From

this point, the tornado headed east-northeastward, crossing

Bluewater Creek and producing sporadic tree damage in Elgin and

along the western shore of Second Creek. The tornado lifted along

Lauderdale C.R. 53 (north of Thorntontown), where tree damage was

also observed.


.Hatton Tornado...


Rating:                 EF1

Estimated Peak Wind:    95 mph

Path Length /statute/:  1.50 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   150 yards

Fatalities:             0

Injuries:               0


Start Date:             02/15/2025

Start Time:             11:33 PM CST

Start Location:         9 SSW Town Creek / Lawrence County / AL

Start Lat/Lon:          34.5487 / -87.4985


End Date:               02/17/2025

End Time:               11:34 PM CST

End Location:           9 SSW Town Creek / Lawrence County / AL

End Lat/Lon:            34.5509 / -87.4727


Survey Summary:

NWS Huntsville and Lawrence Co. EMA determined damage near

Hatton, AL was attributed to an EF-1 tornado with maximum of

95 MPH.The tornado, embedded in a line of severe thunderstorms,

was only briefly on the ground for approximately 1.5 miles. The

tornado likely touched down west of CR 129, and damage was

observed near CR 129 and along CR 131. Damage indicators were

mainly a mix of snapped and uprooted trees and farm outbuildings.

Damage was tracked eastward along CR 131 and likely lifted west

of CR 132.


.Rogersville Tornado...


Rating:                 EF1

Estimated Peak Wind:    95 mph

Path Length /statute/:  0.38 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   115 yards

Fatalities:             0

Injuries:               0


Start Date:             02/15/2025

Start Time:             11:37 PM CST

Start Location:         Rogersville / Lauderdale County / AL

Start Lat/Lon:          34.8259 / -87.2898


End Date:               02/15/2025

End Time:               11:39 PM CST

End Location:           Rogersville / Lauderdale County / AL

End Lat/Lon:            34.8293 / -87.2845


Survey Summary:


This damage survey began on Wheeler St. (AL Hwy 207) in

Rogersville, which coincided with the southwestern-most damage

point. In the general vicinity, several businesses experienced

minor damage to awnings, the tin top of a business  roof was

removed (and blown north) but the main portion of the roof

remained, and a business on Church Street had windows blown out.

From here, going northeastward to College St. we observed

significant tree damage. We noticed that one large pine tree fell

toward the east, while an adjacent (but severely hallowed-out)

oak tree fell toward the northeast. Thus, we suspect this may

have been where a small tornado initiated. A resident at this

location did receive warning from NWS Huntsville and made the

decision to seek shelter.


Traveling northeastward from here was Macke Rd., where there was

continued evidence of a small tornado. At this location, we

noticed one uprooted hardwood and one uprooted softwood tree lying

in a convergent pattern, and also were informed that power lines

and poles had been blown down, but were recently repaired. A

resident at this location did receive warning from NWS Huntsville

and was very thankful for the advance notice. The maximum width of

the tornado is assumed to have been at this point.


Greer Dr. represents the northeastern-most damage point and end

point of the tornado. At this location, a large hardwood tree was

uprooted and fell on a residence, causing damage to the roof in a

few locations. On the way to Greer Dr., there were several snapped

softwood trees and uprooted hardwood trees (aligned in the same

direction) along Hudson St. and between Warren St. and Weaver Dr.

This tree damage was likely associated with RFD flow immediately

south of the tornado.


Thank you to the Lauderdale EMA for their assistance in

conducting the survey.


..Mount Hebron Tornado...


Rating:                 EF1

Estimated Peak Wind:    100 mph

Path Length /statute/:  0.76 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   30 yards

Fatalities:             0

Injuries:               0


Start Date:             02/16/2025

Start Time:             1:05 AM CST

Start Location:         3 SSE Douglas / Marshall County / AL

Start Lat/Lon:          34.133 / -86.3162


End Date:               02/16/2025

End Time:               1:11 AM CST

End Location:           3 SSE Douglas / Marshall County / AL

End Lat/Lon:            34.136 / -86.3035


Survey Summary:

The tornado rapidly developed along a line of severe storms

entering Southwestern Marshall County, first producing damage by

snapping several softwood trees along Mount Hebron Road. The

tornado continued along this road as it approached Mount Hebron

Douglas Road, snapping large softwood branches along its path.

The most concentrated damage occurred just northeast of the

intersection with Mount Hebron Douglas Road, where several farm

outbuildings and barns were destroyed. This was at and

immediately east of the intersection with New Clear Creek Road.

Here, a power pole was snapped about 5 to 7 feet from the top of

the pole. Also at this location, a cattle trailer was overturned

and moved several feet. A well-built farm outbuilding suffered

collapsed walls here at this location, and the combination of

this and the power pole led to the strongest point in this short-

lived tornado: 100mph winds and 30 yards in width. The tornado

continued northeast of this location to the farm next door,

destroying a small hay barn and another farm outbuilding across

the street. This particular building had a covered overhang and

was open on the end where the tornado approached, which

contributed to it`s failing here. For this reason, the wind

speeds were lower than at the adjacent farm to the southwest. No

further damage was noted northeast of this hay barn location

between here and Chestnut Drive.


Other damage was noted in the vicinity of Mount Hebron Road to the

north and the south, which was mainly large branches blown down or

sporadic trees here and there that were broken. This was determined

to be related to straight-line winds from the line of storms, as all

damage was noted to be laying in the same direction and not convergent

in nature.


Thanks to Marshall County EMA for assistance on today`s survey,

and thanks to local news media for passing along both reports and

videos from last night`s event.


&&


EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the

following categories:


EF0.....65 to 85 mph

EF1.....86 to 110 mph

EF2.....111 to 135 mph

EF3.....136 to 165 mph

EF4.....166 to 200 mph

EF5.....>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.



$$

Barron / Cramer / 12 / JMS / DD / Bryant / Smith


$$

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