Storm Events Database

Event Details:

Event Tornado
-- Scale EF0
-- Length 4.8 Miles
-- Width 350 Yards
State ALABAMA
County/Area JEFFERSON
WFO BMX
Report Source NWS Storm Survey
NCEI Data Source CSV
Begin Date 2020-12-14 01:02 CST-6
Begin Location 1SSW BROWNVILLE
Begin Lat/Lon 33.3636/-86.9426
End Date 2020-12-14 01:08 CST-6
End Location 2NE PARKWOOD
End Lat/Lon 33.3673/-86.861
Deaths Direct/Indirect 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 0/0
Property Damage 0.00K
Crop Damage 0.00K
Episode Narrative A fast moving and intense short wave trough moving along the Gulf Coast states produced a closed surface low over southern Louisiana during the late afternoon hours on December 13th. The deepening surface low advanced northeast along the I-20 corridor during the overnight hours. A strongly sheared and low instability air mass resulted in a single tornado and several reports of wind damage across Jefferson and Shelby counties.
Event Narrative National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southern Jefferson County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 80 mph. The tornado first touched down on Dusty Lane, causing damage mainly to weakened or shallow rooted trees. The tornado crossed Morgan Road and continued east across an inaccessible forested area, crossing Shades Creek and then passing just behind The Oaks on Parkwood Blvd. Scores of trees were either uprooted or snapped in the area, and minor structural damage was noted at The Oaks. The tornado continued eastward and reached its peak intensity as it crossed Parkwood Road just west of Alabama Highway 150, with a dozen or so very large hardwoods uprooted, causing damage to homes and vehicles. The tornado was also estimated to be at its maximum width of about 350 yards in this area as it crossed Alabama Highway 150. The tornado narrowed and weakened as it crossed another area of forested land, before snapping an older tree along Ross Bridge Parkway just west of Deer Valley Elementary School. The tornado skirted the north end of the school before ascending Shades Crest Mountain, then rapidly dissipated as it crossed Shades Crest Road.


    

Event Map:

Note: The tornado track is approximate based on the beginning (B) and ending (E) locations. The actual tornado path may differ from a straight line.
Measure
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All events for this episode:

Location County/Zone St. Date Time T.Z. Type Mag Dth Inj PrD CrD
Totals: 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
BROWNVILLE JEFFERSON CO. AL 12/14/2020 01:02 CST-6 Tornado EF0 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
QUITO SHELBY CO. AL 12/14/2020 01:18 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
QUITO SHELBY CO. AL 12/14/2020 01:20 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
Totals: 0 0 0.00K 0.00K