Tornadoes after dark are harder to see coming. Of 2,772 tornadoes recorded in Alabama since 1950, 848 (31%) touched down between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. They caused 81 of the state's 682 tornado deaths.
Most tornadoes still come in the afternoon and evening, peaking around 5 p.m. Night tornadoes lean toward the cold months: 37% of them came between November and February, compared with 32% of all tornadoes.
Times are as recorded by NOAA and the National Weather Service. "Night" here means 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. all year, so some winter tornadoes that struck after sunset but before 8 p.m. count as day.
Tornadoes by hour of day
The deadliest night tornadoes
F3 near Winfield
The most intense damage occurred from US 78/SR 118 to Saragossa. At least 325 structures were damaged or destroyed.
F3 near Arab
A tornado began in the extreme northeast part of Cullman County about three miles west of Joppa in a rural area. The tornado travelled east-northeast through Joppa and across Alabama Highway 69 crossing into Marshall County just southwest of Arab at 5:06 am CST.
F1 near Oxford
Munford 8 mobile homes destroyed, 4 fatalities in one mobile home, 1 other fatality in another mobile home, and several other structures with minor damage.
F2 near Enterprise
The tornado struck two trailer parks destroying at least 68 mobile homes and 15 vehicles. Several other trailers and cars were damaged. All the deaths were army dependents. At Fort Rucker, 2 buildings were damaged and 15 helicopters were damaged.
F3 near Selma
Selma 14 homes destroyed, 19 homes had major damage, and 5 with minor damage. 20 mobile homes destroyed, 17 major and and 12 minor damage. 2 fatalities occurred in mobile homes and 2 in permanent homes.