-
Welcome to TalkWeather! We see you lurking around TalkWeather! Take the extra step and join us today to view attachments, see less ads and maybe even join the discussion. CLICK TO JOIN TALKWEATHER
Significant Tornado Events
- Thread starter locomusic01
- Start date
Central Ohio Wx
Member
Undocumented tornado during or before 11/18/1977 in DeKalb County, Alabama. Only shows up on one historical aerial sheet, so I'm not sure which outbreak this is part of. Seems way too weak to have been noticed by Grazulis or the NWS. There aren't any labels so I can't really give any specifics on location, just that it's on panel 01049 178-37 of Sheet 1 of UA's historical aerial database for DeKalb County.
I'll probably be confining most of my posts to this thread from now on, so apologies in advance if you have the email feature turned on.
I'll probably be confining most of my posts to this thread from now on, so apologies in advance if you have the email feature turned on.
Last edited:
Central Ohio Wx
Member
Central Ohio Wx
Member
I was waiting for a second opinion before posting this (which I have gotten), but Alabama now has a new largest tornado in state history! The largest was not Cordova 2011 (1.5 miles) but is instead an F3 that occurred on April 8, 1957 in Winston and Lawrence Counties:
Overlaying the path on Google Earth and deducing width through that, you get a maximum radius of 1.63±0.10 miles in diameter (the "±0.10" accounts for potential errors in tilt with the imagery, so the range is 1.53 to 1.73 miles in width) making it the ~19th-widest ever officially recorded and the second-largest ever recorded in the Southern United States after the Bassfield-Soso, MS, EF4 in 2020. The maximum width per the NWS was only 100 yards but that's obviously wrong. The area I have highlighted in red may be a secondary circulation or cell that "merged" with the mesocyclone, causing it to constrict; this is probably why the path after is so thin.
Interestingly the same aerial actually has another oddity, that being an undocumented tornado sometime in the 1950s (highlighted in green).
Damage from the tornado in Piney Grove, Alabama, near the end of its life:
Overlaying the path on Google Earth and deducing width through that, you get a maximum radius of 1.63±0.10 miles in diameter (the "±0.10" accounts for potential errors in tilt with the imagery, so the range is 1.53 to 1.73 miles in width) making it the ~19th-widest ever officially recorded and the second-largest ever recorded in the Southern United States after the Bassfield-Soso, MS, EF4 in 2020. The maximum width per the NWS was only 100 yards but that's obviously wrong. The area I have highlighted in red may be a secondary circulation or cell that "merged" with the mesocyclone, causing it to constrict; this is probably why the path after is so thin.Interestingly the same aerial actually has another oddity, that being an undocumented tornado sometime in the 1950s (highlighted in green).
Damage from the tornado in Piney Grove, Alabama, near the end of its life:
Last edited:
tornado examiner
Member
So, nws St. Louis decided they were gonna produce the most excessively detailed tornado survey of all time. What in the world is this? I would post it in this in the may 16th 2025 thread but idk how to access it again since taking it off my watched list.
This is the most absurd survey I’ve seen. With 10000 new di’s
This is the most absurd survey I’ve seen. With 10000 new di’s
Attachments
Central Ohio Wx
Member
tornado examiner
Member
That is actually absurd but I’m all for it.
jiharris0220
Member
First true aerial photo of the Flint Beecher tornado, really highlights just how narrow it was.
The fact that such a high death toll all came from a single trip of houses is something I can’t imagine happening again today.
I would say that the only comparable modern day example is Joplin, but that was a giant wedge that went through an entire town.
The fact that such a high death toll all came from a single trip of houses is something I can’t imagine happening again today.
I would say that the only comparable modern day example is Joplin, but that was a giant wedge that went through an entire town.
Last edited:
Dunno if it's just the black and white but that scar is insanely intense. Had to have been extremely high end, which is weird that for the fujita scale era a lot of MI tornadoes actually were.
Last edited:
Central Ohio Wx
Member
Was farting around with IEMBot and got curious in tornadic lead times via warnings; turns out the Westmoreland EF3 in 2024 had a ~2 minute lead time before actually hitting town.
Central Ohio Wx
Member
speedbump305
Member
15 years man. 15 years since the 2011 Joplin EF5. The deadliest tornado of the 21st century.
I don’t even know what to say that hasn’t already been said. Still gut wrenching to think about even to this day.
Rest in peace to the 158 beautiful souls who tragically passed away from this horrific monster.
I don’t even know what to say that hasn’t already been said. Still gut wrenching to think about even to this day.
Rest in peace to the 158 beautiful souls who tragically passed away from this horrific monster.
SGFmoTwister
Member
This has been redone again, and it's even better than the first two or three versions.
Central Ohio Wx
Member
Currently working on a project that involves geolocating every known photo or video taken of the 4/27/2011 Hackleburg-Phil Campbell EF5. For being so "undocumented", it's quite surprising how much of this tornado's path is actually recorded - most of its trek through North Huntsville and basically everywhere after the river is covered.
csx1985
Member
Nice work! Have you seen this Phil Campbell video that was posted a few weeks ago? The audio is incredible.
NorthGaWeather
Member
This is one of the more ominous videos of this tornado, and there are many, that I’ve seen. It’s similar to what I’ve imagined Gary Dobbs witnessed during his play by play interview on WAAY before his phone disconnected. This family is very blessed, because they were far too unprepared with the “I’m going to see it before it gets me” mindset.
Central Ohio Wx
Member
Central Ohio Wx
Member
Very large tornado on the night of April 27; not sure which. If by some miracle anyone knows anything about where this was taken, when it was taken or who took it please please please hit me up as I have a sneaking suspicion this could be New Harmony due the funnel's resemblance with the other photo taken of it. Impossible to say without more info though. If so this is an extremely historic find in the 4/27 sphere.
Last edited:
Central Ohio Wx
Member
Disregard; appears to be an undocumented tornado NW of Greeneville, TN. I've sent it to MRX as a friend of mine was able to find associated damage.
Last edited: