Christopher Robert
Member
Damage pics and or descriptions of the tornado itself
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Significant Tornado Events
- Thread starter locomusic01
- Start date
Central Ohio Wx
Member
I really can't find any descriptions of the tornado itself, but maybe this could be helpful:
I'll look for damage photos shortly.
From Fujita's paper on the outbreak:
From his downburst identification book:
From his memoirs:
Christopher Robert
Member
WOW! yea that is high end stuff!
Christopher Robert
Member
It is believed that 7 people died trying to shoot tornado videos on April 27th 2011.
(James Spann April 3rd 2025)
(James Spann April 3rd 2025)
Central Ohio Wx
Member
I don't doubt it. Some of those Phil Campbell and Tuscaloosa videos are insane. Some notable ones I've seen:
- Less than 2 miles from Rainsville, with kids, in a car
- The one "Phil Campbell to 911" video
- Taping Smithville from a window as it came through their backyard
- The second-floor Cordova video; the person taping the video sustained serious injuries
Aaron Rider
Member
Could someone link to some of these? Thanks
Some potentially interesting findings here from a probe that was deployed on the Gary SD tornado on 6/28 this year. Would like to see some more documentation/QC/plots/etc.
Christopher Robert
Member
Yea man hearing that Spann say that made me again realize the serious nature of the that day.
He talks about it at the 6:00 minute mark
Central Ohio Wx
Member
Alright, I think I've figured out how this was deduced via discussion with them; I'll try to replicate this once I get my new computer set up.
- Align Columbus, Georgia, radar velocity not on tilt 1 with the "Aerial Response Imagery" released by NOAA, which is accessible online. They never specified which tilt but I'll mess around with it (I'm assuming tilt 2). The Aerial Response imagery is included to prove that there was indeed no radar error from the Columbus radar at the time of the scans, and that the debris ball aligns with damage.
- Map points (they said 12) of the couplet and debris ball's centers from touchdown to near Hodges, Alabama, where the other supposed tornado lifted. A point should be mapped each scan.
- The 3:56-4:01 scans in particular, which are the scans in which the couplet moves over the state line, are what we want to focus on.
- I'm assuming they deduced the 140+ mph estimate from calculating the average distance between the 3:56 point and 4:01 point, where there does indeed appear to be a "jump" forward on tilt 1; I can't access tilt 2 at the moment as I'm using an online resource. (Nevermind, they sent a screenshot and that is indeed where the estimate came from)
I actually have been a huge believer in the fact that Smithville didn’t cycle, but with their screenshots and instructions on how to calculate this I’m inclined to believe that it did indeed cycle into a deadly EF3 tornado on the Alabama state line.
Image credits to Saltical as well, as I want to make it clear this is something that they researched and calculated. Still want to test it for myself though.
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yeah im referring to forward speed. its forward speed over the cycloidals was 71 - 72mph. i believe it mightve peaked over 75mph. i wouldnt be able to tell u an average speed too easily because i dont know exactly where it cycled (and what time)
interestingly, there is some debate over whether it should be rated F5. the tornado is listed in the NCEI database as an F4, and most of Fujita's work surrounding the super outbreak ranks this tornado as an F4. However, later in his life, in his 1994 memoire published soon before his death, he lists the tornado as an F5. Fujita's described the tornado as "leaving behind the largest number of debarked, shiny trees [in the entire superoutbreak]" here is a few photos ive found from it.
Shelby
Member
Wow! I have not heard about this particular tornado before much less the extreme forward speed. The photos you posted remind me of some of the ground scouring from I believe it was the Mayfield tornado. It was right when in crossed into Missouri. There is a video of it.
Shelby
Member
Christopher Robert
Member
If I could chase this day over again. I would have parked not far from this spot to listen and watch.
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its a very interesting case. it also had an undocumented cycle that was also EF5 intensity according to cycloidal markings. a volumetric 3 sec gust of 212mph was calculated seconds after this extreme tree damage.
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Probable EF5 damage in Tanner from the Hackleburg tornado. Though a damage rating of high-end EF4 was assigned here, multiple homes were swept clean with their debris being wind-rowed up to 300 yards away in some cases. The construction quality of the homes in Tanner was also better than at most other points along the path, with anchor bolts being present at many of the structures per NWS Huntsville. In addition, ground scouring occurred, vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards, and a large shipping container was thrown 600 yards as well.
From earlier in the path at the Wrangler factory, this was a car apparently. I don't know if that red thing was part of it or not.
From earlier in the path at the Wrangler factory, this was a car apparently. I don't know if that red thing was part of it or not.
I still kind of wonder why there weren't EF5 ratings applied in Limestone County, some of the damage there was arguably more intense than a lot of the Hackleburg damage.Probable EF5 damage in Tanner from the Hackleburg tornado. Though a damage rating of high-end EF4 was assigned here, multiple homes were swept clean with their debris being wind-rowed up to 300 yards away in some cases. The construction quality of the homes in Tanner was also better than at most other points along the path, with anchor bolts being present at many of the structures per NWS Huntsville. In addition, ground scouring occurred, vehicles were thrown hundreds of yards, and a large shipping container was thrown 600 yards as well.
View attachment 47816
View attachment 47817
From earlier in the path at the Wrangler factory, this was a car apparently. I don't know if that red thing was part of it or not.
Central Ohio Wx
Member
I’d honestly say a lot of the survey was highballed. Structures that shouldn’t have been rated higher than low-end EF4 were given EF5 ratings. I’m yet to see a single structure in Hackleburg that actually warrants the EF5 rating, although later down it’s path I think it did hit a few EF5-worthy structures.
WeathermanLeprechaun
Member
Yeah, Hackleburg was a weird survey. Instead of your typical "they lowballed + ignored clear contextual evidence" etc etc they highballed a bunch of houses and gave the wrong ones EF5. The buckled foundation in Mount Hope points to extreme intensity with this thing