• 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

Western_KS_Wx said:
Interesting, I’ve never seen these aerial images before from this tornado. I’ve always thought Shoal Creek was on the same level as Tuscaloosa in terms of violence and it too likely reached EF5 status. They both traveled around the same distance as well (Tuscaloosa ~92 miles, Shoal Creek ~98miles) it’s a shame Shoal Creek is so overlooked and has little info on it.
Click to expand...
It's amazing to consider how many potential EF5s there were that day.....including the 4 confirmed EF5s it wouldn't surprise me if there may have a total of 10-15 total EF5s this day but only a handful hit DIs capable of registering it.
 
Juliett Bravo Kilo said:
It's amazing to consider how many potential EF5s there were that day.....including the 4 confirmed EF5s it wouldn't surprise me if there may have a total of 10-15 total EF5s this day but only a handful hit DIs capable of registering it.
Click to expand...
Philadelphia. Hackleburg. Smithville. Rainsville.

Those are the officials.

Then add Tuscaloosa, Cullman, Ringgold, New Wren and Barnesville to the "very likely EF5".

Then add Ohatchee, Bridgeport, New Harmony, Cordova, Enterprise and Flat Rock to the "good EF5 contenders".
 
Lake Martin EF4 said:
Philadelphia. Hackleburg. Smithville. Rainsville.

Those are the officials.

Then add Tuscaloosa, Cullman, Ringgold, New Wren and Barnesville to the "very likely EF5".

Then add Ohatchee, Bridgeport, New Harmony, Cordova, Enterprise and Flat Rock to the "good EF5 contenders".
Click to expand...
My personal belief is lots of past Super Outbreaks in the Dixie area (4/3/74, 1884 Enigma, 4/20/1920 and March 1932, to name a few) likely were capable or did spawn 12+ F5/EF5 tornadoes but most were either poorly documented or hit no level 5-DIs.
 
tornado examiner said:
i wonder how weird and complex and erratic the other polygons are gonna be...hope to see em soon...lol
Click to expand...
Oh lord you have no idea lol, the EF1 contour is all over the place especially in the Tuscaloosa area. I’m probably going to change the font down to 1.5 instead of 2.0 because it’s just so wonky and it’ll be a little easier to look at. This has definitely been one of the more time consuming paths I’ve done. I’ll probably get the EF1 contour finished by tomorrow morning I’m not currently at my computer but I will be then.
 
Western_KS_Wx said:
Oh lord you have no idea lol, the EF1 contour is all over the place especially in the Tuscaloosa area. I’m probably going to change the font down to 1.5 instead of 2.0 because it’s just so wonky and it’ll be a little easier to look at. This has definitely been one of the more time consuming paths I’ve done. I’ll probably get the EF1 contour finished by tomorrow morning I’m not currently at my computer but I will be then.
Click to expand...
jeez lol. and okie.
 
Here it is, part 2 of my Shoal Creek Valley post.

After destroying the cluster of homes on Rock Springs Rd in the outskirts of Ohatchee, the tornado plowed directly through the Silver Lakes Golf Course. Trees on the course were downed in a swath well over half a mile wide, and a maintenance building was completely destroyed and swept off its foundation. Homes on the other side of the golf course were also obliterated and swept away (though these particular homes were small and not well built). As the tornado passed near Jacksonville and Wellington it destroyed home after home, many of which were never rebuilt. The empty slab of the home near the top-center of this photo is still visible on satellite and from street view, an eerie reminder of the tornado's passage all these years later.
Wellington-damage-homes.JPG

Same scene before cleanup occurred
553a9368a8af2.image.jpg


From here, the tornado's strength did not diminish in the slightest as it tore through the small community of Webster's Chapel, where poorly constructed homes vanished, possible ground scouring occurred, and a brick church building was swept completely away. The survey by NWS Birmingham noted that the church "was not attached to the foundation in the best manner", likely what prevented an EF5 rating at this location. Regardless, the destruction was complete.
15742

553a93766b2e9.image.jpg


Exiting Webster's Chapel, the tornado downed another nearly three-mile long swath of forest before striking another cluster of homes along Landers Road near Jacksonville. Three homes were completely destroyed, including a large, plausibly well-built two story home that was obliterated.
Jacksonville-damage-homes.JPG

The tornado probably weakened again after striking the homes along Landers Road, as the forest damage swath became noticeably less defined through the remainder of Calhoun County, but it still continued to down trees, destroy outbuildings and leveled a home to its subfloor. Intensifying yet again as it crossed into Etowah County, poorly constructed homes and outbuildings were wiped out, with debris scattered and wind rowed through nearby fields. Further ENE, homes were leveled in the small community of Knightens Crossroads along Highway 278W, after which the tornado passed through unpopulated wooded areas for another 7 miles or so. Just north of Piedmont the Seventh Day Adventist Church was completely destroyed, with the foundation being swept mostly clean, and a lawnmower was thrown 300 yards in this area as well.
553a9303624b0.image.jpg

553a9300632af.image.jpg


Continuing still, the tornado plowed its way through more forest before striking the Spring Garden area. At one farm, four large chicken houses literally vanished and a house was swept down to its subfloor. Well constructed homes elsewhere in Spring Garden sustained roof and exterior wall loss, while a few poorly constructed homes were leveled or swept from their foundations. The remainder of the storm's path in Alabama was spent in rural areas before the tornado crossed into Georgia. Though officially rated as an EF2 in Georgia, violent intensity was likely maintained for some time as the tornado passed south of Cave Spring. A brick home was leveled, and grass on the property was scoured. Nearby another house had its roof torn off, and six more chicken houses were completely destroyed, four of which essentially vanished. The tornado did finally begin to weaken shortly afterwards, though it destroyed a few more homes along Chubb Rd east of Cave Spring. One small home was swept away in this area. Beyond this point the tornado likely didn't exceed low-end EF2 intensity, as the remainder of the damage consisted of homes with partial roof loss, and small outbuildings destroyed. After causing light to moderate damage for seven more miles, the tornado finally dissipated just west of Rockmart Rd after spending nearly 98 miles on the ground.

Take this with a grain of salt if you will, but considering the first and last instances of homes being swept off their foundations (five miles from the start and seven miles from the end of the path, respectively) and accounting for fluctuations in intensity, this tornado probably maintained EF3+ intensity for a total of approximately 70-80 miles of the path, a truly incredible feat in my book. Like other Super Outbreak tornadoes this one also had a high fatality to injury ratio, with 22 lives lost and 85 others injured (though this number may be higher in actuality).
 
Western_KS_Wx said:
Oh lord you have no idea lol, the EF1 contour is all over the place especially in the Tuscaloosa area. I’m probably going to change the font down to 1.5 instead of 2.0 because it’s just so wonky and it’ll be a little easier to look at. This has definitely been one of the more time consuming paths I’ve done. I’ll probably get the EF1 contour finished by tomorrow morning I’m not currently at my computer but I will be then.
Click to expand...
is it ready?
 
Western_KS_Wx said:
Oh lord you have no idea lol, the EF1 contour is all over the place especially in the Tuscaloosa area. I’m probably going to change the font down to 1.5 instead of 2.0 because it’s just so wonky and it’ll be a little easier to look at. This has definitely been one of the more time consuming paths I’ve done. I’ll probably get the EF1 contour finished by tomorrow morning I’m not currently at my computer but I will be then.
Click to expand...
what happened...?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top