Monthly report

42 tornadoes hit Alabama in April 2020, killing 1

42 tornadoes touched down in Alabama in April 2020. The strongest was an EF2 near Oneonta on April 12, 2020. Survey notes, news coverage and every track.

See on the map
42 tornado tracks across Alabama, colored by rating. Start and end points are as surveyed; the line between them is approximate.
Tornadoes
42
Deaths
1
Injuries
6
Strongest
EF2
Counties
24

42 tornadoes touched down in Alabama in April 2020, across 24 counties. That is more than double the April average of 12.6 over the previous 30 years, and the most in an April since 2011.

The busiest day was April 12, 2020, when 27 tornadoes crossed Blount, Choctaw, Clarke and 13 other counties. Tornadoes also broke out on April 19, 2020 (12).

The strongest was an EF2 near Oneonta on April 12, 2020, with a 21.7-mile path up to 440 yards wide. 1 person was killed and 6 people injured over the month; the deadliest tornado struck near Dothan on April 19, 2020.

24 of the 42 touched down at night, between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Tornadoes by day

  1. Apr 1227
  2. Apr 1912
  3. Apr 233

Tornado by tornado

As they happened, with notes from the damage surveys.

  1. 3:01 PM
  2. 3:18 PM
  3. 3:34 PM
    EF0

    EF0 in Fayette County

    April 12, 2020, 1.8-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southern Fayette County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 80 mph. The tornado touched down along County Road 35 southeast of the city of Fayette.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  4. 3:41 PM
    EF1

    EF1 in Fayette County

    April 12, 2020, 6.1-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southeast Fayette County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 95 mph. A tornado touched down along Christian Road, southeast of the town of Berry.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  5. 4:04 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Jasper

    April 12, 2020, 9.0-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southeast Walker County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 110 mph. The tornado developed just south of the Gorgas Power Plant along the Mulberry Fork near Copeland Bend.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  6. 4:14 PM
  7. 4:44 PM
  8. 4:47 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Oneonta

    April 12, 2020, 3.8-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Blount County near Locust Fork and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 95 mph. A tornado touched down just west of Tawbush Road, generally west-southwest of Locust Fork.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  9. 4:50 PM
    EF2

    EF2 near Oneonta

    April 12, 2020, 5.6-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Blount County, just west of Oneonta, and determined that it was consistent with an EF2 tornado, with maximum winds near 115 mph. A tornado touched down near Moss Road and County Road 33.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  10. 5:04 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Oneonta

    April 12, 2020, 0.8-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northeastern Blount County near Sand Valley and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 90 mph.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  11. 5:08 PM
  12. 5:10 PM
    EF2

    EF2 near Oneonta

    April 12, 2020, 21.7-mile path, 3 injuries

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northeast Blount, near the Etowah County line, and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 80 mph.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  13. 5:14 PM
    EF2

    EF2 near Gadsden

    April 12, 2020, 12.2-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Etowah County, near Attalla, and determined that it was consistent with an EF2 tornado, with maximum winds near 115 mph. A tornado touched down near Oak Hill Cemetery on the north side of Attalla along Highway 11.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  14. 7:12 PM
    EF1

    EF1 in Walker County

    April 12, 2020, 2.9-mile path, 3 injuries

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Walker County, near Carbon Hill, and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 110 mph. A short-lived but intense tornado touched down near Nubbin Ridge Road in far northwestern Walker County.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  15. 7:33 PM
  16. 7:51 PM
  17. 8:00 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Cullman

    April 12, 2020, 5.4-mile path

    The tornado touched down just west of Beech Grove Road just south of Good Hope before crossing Interstate 65 near mile marker 302 where dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted. The tornado continued on an east-northeast track crossing County Road 490 and County Road 573 uprooting dozens more trees.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  18. 8:03 PM
  19. 8:11 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Cullman

    April 12, 2020, 0.3-mile path

    A brief tornado touched down near the junction of County Road 749 and County Road 747 just south of the Welti Community. The tornado moved to the southeast where it uprooted several trees and destroyed a small shed.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  20. 8:12 PM
    EF2

    EF2 near Cullman

    April 12, 2020, 2.5-mile path

    The tornado touched down just east of County Road 640 near the Duck River and move to the northeast. Along its path, it uprooted numerous trees and removed the metal roofing on a chicken house as it move across County Road 645.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  21. 8:16 PM
  22. 8:27 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Arab

    April 12, 2020, 5.0-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in far northern Blount County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 85 mph. A tornado touched down just east of Highway 25 in far northern Blount County.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  23. 8:41 PM
    EF1

    EF1 in Marengo County

    April 12, 2020, 8.1-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southeast Marengo County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 100 mph. A tornado formed along State Route 25 about two miles southwest of the Moores Valley community in extreme southeast Marengo County.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  24. 8:50 PM
  25. 9:14 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Marion

    April 12, 2020, 2.4-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Perry County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 100 mph. A tornado formed along County Road 9 about four miles north of the Sprott community in northern Perry County.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  26. 9:22 PM
  27. 9:27 PM
    EF0

    EF0 near Selma

    April 12, 2020, 3.8-mile path

    National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in eastern Dallas County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 80 mph. A tornado formed near the intersection of County Road 62 and County Road 417, about three miles southeast of the Sardis community in Dallas County.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  28. 7 days later

    9:49 PM
    EF2

    EF2 in Covington County

    April 19, 2020, 1.2-mile path

    A tornado touched down just to the northwest of County Road 70 and traveled approximately one and a quarter of a mile towards the southeast. The tornado rapidly intensified after touchdown and produced EF-2 damage.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  29. 9:55 PM
  30. 10:03 PM
  31. 10:05 PM
  32. 10:06 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Prichard

    April 19, 2020, 3.2-mile path

    The tornado touched down just south of Hitt Road in the Smithfield Subdivision and tracked southeast, crossing over the intersection of Cody and Grelot Roads. It continued to move toward the southeast across Hillcrest Road and Cottage Hill Road, and then finally lifted just before reaching Knollwood Drive.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  33. 10:20 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Ozark

    April 19, 2020, 24.4-mile path

    An EF1 tornado touched down in Ozark and tracked east into Henry county. Max winds were estimated at 105 mph. Most of the damage was snapped trees and some roof damage in Ozark.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  34. 10:32 PM
    EF0

    EF0 in Geneva County

    April 19, 2020, 1.8-mile path

    An EF0 tornado briefly touched down with damage consisting of snapped trees. Max winds were estimated around 75 mph.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  35. 10:40 PM
  36. 10:42 PM
  37. 10:45 PM
    EF1

    EF1 in Henry County

    April 19, 2020, 1.5-mile path

    Tornado touched down along Camp Springs Road, near County Road 131. A single family home was damaged and an automotive shop was destroyed at County Road 121. The tornado continued northeast, causing scattered tree damage before lifting near County Road 53 after damaging an additional structure.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  38. 10:46 PM
    EF1

    EF1 near Foley

    April 19, 2020, 0.5-mile path

    The tornado touched down just west of Cowpen Creek Road and continued east-southeast across the road. Numerous large pines were snapped along the path. A couple of mobile homes suffered damage to roofs, siding, and skirting.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  39. 10:46 PM
    EF1

    EF1 in Henry County

    April 19, 2020, 6.5-mile path

    Damage from this tornado was primarily confined to snapped trees consistent with an EF1 tornado with max winds estimated at 95 mph. Roof damage to a double wide manufactured home occurred on Field Road.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  40. 3 days later

    5:37 AM
    EF1

    EF1 in Mobile County

    April 23, 2020, 0.6-mile path

    The tornado touched down just between Lott Road and Malone Road and moved east across Malone Road. Due to no access further east, the end point is an estimate. The tornado resulted in primarily tree damage.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  41. 7:42 AM
    EF0

    EF0 in Covington County

    April 23, 2020, 0.4-mile path

    A brief tornado touchdown occurred along an approximately one half of a mile track. There were several trees snapped and uprooted with a weak convergence damage pattern noted. This short track was just west of Bogganlevel road and ended at the roadway.

    NOAA Storm Events Database
  42. 7:53 AM
    EF0

    EF0 in Covington County

    April 23, 2020, 0.0-mile path

    A grain bin was damaged by a brief EF-0 tornado.

    NOAA Storm Events Database

In the news

Coverage from 14 outlets.

More from the Alabama Tornado Report