Storm Events Database

Storm Events Database

Event Details

Event Tornado
-- Scale EF3
-- Length 5.68
-- Width 1320
State ALABAMA
County/Area FAYETTE
WFO BMX
Begin Date 04/27/2011 15:29:00 CST-6
Begin Range 5
Begin Azimuth SSE
Begin Location ALTA
Begin Lat/Lon 33.6/-87.51
End Date 04/27/2011 15:35:00 CST-6
End Range 6
End Azimuth ESE
End Location ALTA
End Lat/Lon 33.64/-87.42
Deaths Direct/Indirect 4/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 0/0
Property Damage 6.60M
Crop Damage 0.00K
Episode Narrative A powerful storm system crossed the Southeast United States on Wednesday, April 27, 2011, resulting in a large and deadly tornado outbreak. This epic event broke the record for number of tornadoes in a day for the state of Alabama, becoming the most significant tornado outbreak in the state���s history.

Central Alabama had two rounds of severe weather that day. During the early morning hours, a Quasi-Linear Convective System quickly moved across the northern half of the National Weather Service, Birmingham county warning area. Straight line winds of 90 mph (78kts) or greater and 11 tornadoes lead to widespread damage and power outages. During the afternoon, long-lived supercell thunderstorms produced long-track, strong and violent tornadoes. Destruction and loss of life across many towns and communities was devastating.

The hardest hit areas included Shottsville and Hackleburg, both in Marion County, where winds of 160 mph and 210 mph respectively, caused unimagineable damage. Cordova, in Walker County, was hit twice; by a tornado along the Quasi-Linear Convective System during the early morning hours and again in the afternoon by a long-track EF4 tornado. A long track tornado moved across the city of Tuscaloosa and the western suburbs of Birmingham, resulting in the complete destruction of whole neighborhoods and numerous injuries and fatalities in those heavily populated areas. The same parent supercell produced another violent tornado in east Central Alabama as it tracked across St. Clair and Calhoun Counties, resulting in additional fatalities and incredible damage to a number of neighborhoods. Another violent EF4 tornado tracked across portions of Elmore and Tallapoosa Counties, including Lake Martin, destroying numerous homes and a large section of a mobile home park.

Most of the violent tornadoes from this day were captured on video by a number of people, including storm spotters and chasers, as well as numerous television news crews and remotely controlled web-enabled video cameras. This allowed unprecedented coverage and viewing of this historic event in real time from people worldwide.
Event Narrative The fifth segment of this long track tornado entered Fayette County for the second time at CR 83, south of Boley Springs, and moved northeast where it exited Fayette County south of Blue Water Trace Rd . This tornado began in Pickens County, 5 miles northeast of Pickensville, and tracked through Tuscaloosa, Fayette, Walker, Cullman (See Storm Data for Huntsville), and Blount Counties, before it dissipated in Marshall (See Storm Data for Huntsville) County. While the average path width of this tornado in this portion of Fayette County was around 0.5 mile (880 yds), the tornado maximum path width was 0.75 mile (1320 yds) as it entered the county. The tornado strengthened to an EF3 rating, with winds of 140 mph, as it crossed CR 83 in Fayette County, where a mobile home was completely destroyed, with the remaining debris thrown a considerable distance, which resulted in 2 fatalities. The tornado continued northeast, where it crossed Wilcutt Road and CR 46, where several additional mobile homes were completely destroyed and the debris thrown a considerable distance. This resulted in two additional fatalities. Along this path, two homes sustained complete roof loss or partial roof loss, respectively. In addition, several cars were thrown and destroyed, and a building sustained extensive damage to the exterior brick veneer. The tornado caused considerable damage to trees, completely debarked trees with only stubs of largest branches as it continued northeast toward the Walker County line.


Event Fatality Details

Type Age Gender Fatality Location
Death 76 Male Mobile/Trailer Home
Death 69 Female Mobile/Trailer Home
Death 60 Male Permanent Home
Death 60 Female Permanent Home


All events for this episode:

Location County/Zone St. Date Time T.Z. Type Mag Dth Inj PrD CrD
Totals: 140 2001 3.184B 0.00K
MILLPORT LAMAR CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:05 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
DANCY PICKENS CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:16 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 2.900M 0.00K
SHOTTSVILLE MARION CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:20 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
CARROLLTON PICKENS CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:27 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 0 1.800M 0.00K
CARROLLTON PICKENS CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:28 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
EMELLE SUMTER CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:30 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
GORDO PICKENS CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:41 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 11.00K 0.00K
LIVINGSTON SUMTER CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:42 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
MANTUA GREENE CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:43 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
YORK MALLARD ARPT SUMTER CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:44 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
HOLMAN TUSCALOOSA CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:44 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 0 730.00K 0.00K
HAMILTON MARION CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:48 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
UNION GREENE CO. AL 04/27/2011 03:50 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
(TCL)TUSCALOOSA ARPT TUSCALOOSA CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:02 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 62 kts. MG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
MOUNDVILLE HALE CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:03 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 8.00K 0.00K
BERRY FAYETTE CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:03 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 4 1.400M 0.00K
RIVER VIEW TUSCALOOSA CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:04 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 68 kts. MG 0 0 3.00K 0.00K
CARONA WALKER CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:17 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 8.00K 0.00K
COALING TUSCALOOSA CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:17 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 0 9.200M 0.00K
DRIFTON WALKER CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:18 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 20 13.400M 0.00K
GREENSBORO HALE CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:21 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 4.00K 0.00K
TOWNLEY WALKER CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:21 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
JASPER WALKER CO ARP WALKER CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:30 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
KIMBREL JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:32 CST-6 Tornado EF0 0 0 80.00K 0.00K
BESSEMER ARPT JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:40 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 3.00K 0.00K
DOLOMITE JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:40 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 3.00K 0.00K
HELENA SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:46 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
BRIERFIELD BIBB CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:49 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
ACTON SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:50 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 10.00K 0.00K
VESTAVIA HILLS JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:50 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 8.00K 0.00K
NEWALA SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:50 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 65 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
WEST END JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:50 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
QUITO SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:50 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 3.700M 0.00K
MONTEVALLO SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:50 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 65 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
CAHABA HGTS JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:53 CST-6 Tornado EF0 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
WARRIOR JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:53 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 5.300M 0.00K
NYOTA BLOUNT CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:54 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 3 4.000M 0.00K
CAHABA HGTS JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:54 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 20 18.000M 0.00K
ACIPCO JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 04:55 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 20.00K 0.00K
(BHM)BIRMINGHAM ARPT JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:00 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 10.00K 0.00K
CALERA SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:00 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
JEFFERSON PARK JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:00 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 4.00K 0.00K
CENTER PT JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:02 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
MOODY ST. CLAIR CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:03 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 78 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
NECTOR BLOUNT CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:03 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 78 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
ACMAR ST. CLAIR CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:04 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 78 kts. EG 1 0 0.00K 0.00K
LEEDS JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:05 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 78 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
LIBERTY BLOUNT CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:12 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 1.50K 0.00K
FAYETTEVILLE TALLADEGA CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:12 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 65 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
CLARENCE BLOUNT CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:13 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 78 kts. EG 0 0 20.00K 0.00K
PELL CITY ST. CLAIR CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:15 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 78 kts. EG 1 0 0.00K 0.00K
BRANCHVILLE ST. CLAIR CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:16 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 5 865.00K 0.00K
WALNUT GROVE ETOWAH CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:21 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 6.00K 0.00K
LINCOLN TALLADEGA CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:26 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 70 kts. EG 0 0 4.00K 0.00K
RAGLAND ST. CLAIR CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:30 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 70 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
TALLADEGA TALLADEGA CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:31 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
MIDDLETON CALHOUN CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:40 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 70 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
WELLINGTON CALHOUN CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:44 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 70 kts. EG 0 0 3.00K 0.00K
GLENCOE ETOWAH CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:45 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 2 25.00K 0.00K
(ANB)ANNISTON CALHOU CALHOUN CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:47 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 3.00K 0.00K
HOKES BLUFF ETOWAH CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:50 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 10.00K 0.00K
GNATVILLE CHEROKEE CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:55 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 70 kts. EG 0 1 15.00K 0.00K
SLACKLAND CHEROKEE CO. AL 04/27/2011 05:58 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
ASHLAND CLAY CO. AL 04/27/2011 06:00 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
RICHARDSON CHEROKEE CO. AL 04/27/2011 06:02 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
COLOMA CHEROKEE CO. AL 04/27/2011 06:02 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
KEY CHEROKEE CO. AL 04/27/2011 06:06 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
HACKLEBURG MARION CO. AL 04/27/2011 07:28 CST-6 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HOLLY GROVE WALKER CO. AL 04/27/2011 13:06 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 70 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
HOLLY GROVE WALKER CO. AL 04/27/2011 13:06 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 70 kts. EG 0 0 3.00K 0.00K
BARNESVILLE MARION CO. AL 04/27/2011 14:05 CST-6 Tornado EF5 18 100 160.000M 0.00K
HAMILTON MARION CO. AL 04/27/2011 14:38 CST-6 Hail 4.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
UNION CHAPEL PICKENS CO. AL 04/27/2011 14:40 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 4 3.800M 0.00K
GEIGER SUMTER CO. AL 04/27/2011 14:57 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 2 1.000M 0.00K
BEXAR MARION CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:00 CST-6 Tornado EF3 7 100 11.200M 0.00K
VIENNA PICKENS CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:05 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 0 1.600M 0.00K
MOORES BRIDGE TUSCALOOSA CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:06 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 0 2.000M 0.00K
NEWTONVILLE FAYETTE CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:15 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 81.00K 0.00K
NEW LEXINGTON TUSCALOOSA CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:18 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 0 2.500M 0.00K
ALTA FAYETTE CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:29 CST-6 Tornado EF3 4 0 6.600M 0.00K
MARIETTA WALKER CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:35 CST-6 Tornado EF4 9 40 115.000M 0.00K
MANTUA GREENE CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:43 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 0 2.500M 0.00K
CORDOVA WALKER CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:48 CST-6 Hail 2.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
RALPH TUSCALOOSA CO. AL 04/27/2011 15:48 CST-6 Tornado EF4 44 800 1.500B 0.00K
GUIN MARION CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:10 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 0 5.500M 0.00K
BLOUNT SPGS BLOUNT CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:11 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 0 480.00K 0.00K
BLOUNT SPGS BLOUNT CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:16 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 230.00K 0.00K
BLOUNT SPGS BLOUNT CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:20 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 153.00K 0.00K
BANGOR BLOUNT CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:23 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 10 19.500M 0.00K
HALEYVILLE WINSTON CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:30 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 25 11.500M 0.00K
TISHABEE GREENE CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:30 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 0 5.000M 0.00K
WELLER JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:35 CST-6 Tornado EF4 20 700 700.000M 0.00K
SAWYERVILLE HALE CO. AL 04/27/2011 16:43 CST-6 Tornado EF3 6 40 17.000M 0.00K
HUBERTVILLE FAYETTE CO. AL 04/27/2011 17:06 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 0 3.000M 0.00K
MERTZ BIBB CO. AL 04/27/2011 17:20 CST-6 Tornado EF3 1 10 14.000M 0.00K
CLAY JEFFERSON CO. AL 04/27/2011 17:28 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 105.00K 0.00K
SANIE ST. CLAIR CO. AL 04/27/2011 17:32 CST-6 Tornado EF4 13 30 200.000M 0.00K
HOGGLESVILLE HALE CO. AL 04/27/2011 17:50 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 350.00K 0.00K
MERTZ BIBB CO. AL 04/27/2011 17:57 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 275.00K 0.00K
SCOTROCK SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:00 CST-6 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
MIDDLETON CALHOUN CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:04 CST-6 Tornado EF4 8 25 122.000M 0.00K
GADSDEN ETOWAH CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:05 CST-6 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HOKES BLUFF ETOWAH CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:22 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 9.400M 0.00K
MAXWELLBORN CALHOUN CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:24 CST-6 Tornado EF1 1 1 4.000M 0.00K
GNATVILLE CHEROKEE CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:25 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 25 19.000M 0.00K
GARNSEY BIBB CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:32 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 9.00K 0.00K
PEA RIDGE SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:35 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 11.00K 0.00K
PERSIMMON GROVE SUMTER CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:47 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 0 268.00K 0.00K
MYRTLEWOOD MARENGO CO. AL 04/27/2011 18:54 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 3 14.000M 0.00K
WALLSBURG ELMORE CO. AL 04/27/2011 19:12 CST-6 Tornado EF3 6 20 50.000M 0.00K
VINCENT SHELBY CO. AL 04/27/2011 19:15 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 44.00K 0.00K
COOSA PINES TALLADEGA CO. AL 04/27/2011 19:18 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 1.000M 0.00K
UNIONTOWN PERRY CO. AL 04/27/2011 19:31 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 0 645.00K 0.00K
BARNESVILLE TALLAPOOSA CO. AL 04/27/2011 19:36 CST-6 Tornado EF4 1 10 115.000M 0.00K
MARION PERRY CO ARPT PERRY CO. AL 04/27/2011 19:50 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 1.300M 0.00K
JUDSON CHAMBERS CO. AL 04/27/2011 20:01 CST-6 Tornado EF3 0 0 2.000M 0.00K
BUFFALO CHAMBERS CO. AL 04/27/2011 20:19 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
FIVE PTS CHAMBERS CO. AL 04/27/2011 20:29 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 10.00K 0.00K
COOPER CHILTON CO. AL 04/27/2011 20:48 CST-6 Tornado EF0 0 1 102.00K 0.00K
Totals: 140 2001 3.184B 0.00K