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April 15, 2011 · Hale County · 2011
EF2

April 15, 2011

2:33 PM
Hale County, Alabama · Near Eutaw (ZIP 36776)
Fatalities
0
Injuries
0
Path Length
2.2 mi
Max Width
700 yd
DateApril 15, 2011
Time2:33 PM
CountyHale
CityEutaw
Property Loss$374000.00M
Crop Loss$0
SourceNCEI 310080
NWS Birmingham

2.1 ESE Forkland - 2.3 W Hogglesville Winds were estimated at 130 mph in Hale County and this tornado was witnessed by several dozen people and storm spotters. The tornado touched down about 2.2 miles east of Forkland along County Road 20. The tornado mainly traveled in forested land where it snapped and uprooted thousands of trees. Just north of Greensboro, the tornado severely damaged three mobile homes along County Road 21. The tornado continued northeast close to the Talladega National Forest, where more trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado lifted north of Alabama Highway 25, 2.4 miles west of the Bibb County line. Start: 32.6426/-87.8456 End: 32.8445/-87.5088

NWS EF Scale: F2

Event Narrative

The second segment of this tornado crossed into Hale County, just north of Creehill Creek. This tornado began in Greene County 2.2 miles east of Forkland. The tornado moved northeast into Hale County where it snapped and uprooted hundreds of trees. As the tornado crossed State Highway 14, it strengthened to an EF-2 rating, with maximum winds of 130 mph. Three mobile homes were severely damaged just north of Greensboro. The tornado lifted north of State Highway 25, 2.4 miles west of the Bibb County line.

Episode Narrative

A potent storm system, which wreaked havoc across the eastern half of the United States on April 14-16, produced a significant and historic tornado outbreak across Central Alabama on April 15. Forty tornadoes, 30 of which touched down in Central Alabama, occurred in the state. At the time, this set a new record for number of tornadoes within the state from one event. This record was broken on April 27, 2011. ||A surface low developed across the Central Plains on Thursday, April 14, and strengthened as it moved into the mid-Mississippi River Valley. In response, surface dew points in the middle to upper 60s surged northward into Central Alabama and deep vertical wind shear increased, providing support for tornadic supercell development. A weakening line of thunderstorms moved into northwest Central Alabama early Friday morning. The southern end of this line intensified by mid day as it encountered a more unstable airmass. South of the line, supercells formed in Mississippi and tracked eastward into west Central Alabama. The entire system pushed east across the area over the course of about twelve hours, exiting east Central Alabama in the early morning hours on Saturday, April 16. In addition to the thirty tornadoes, the storm system produced widespread straight line wind damage and numerous large hail reports.

Outbreak Context

Part of 43-tornado outbreak on April 15, 2011

EF1Clarke CountyView →EF0Choctaw CountyView →EF0Choctaw CountyView →EF1Choctaw, Marengo CountyView →EF2Washington CountyView →EF2Sumter CountyView →EF1Monroe CountyView →EF3Greene, Tuscaloosa CountyView →EF2Sumter CountyView →EF1Bibb CountyView →EF2Sumter, Greene CountyView →EF2Greene, Hale CountyView →EF0Shelby CountyView →EF3Marengo County1 fatalView →EF2Monroe CountyView →EF2Marengo CountyView →EF2Monroe, Butler CountyView →EF2Marengo CountyView →EF1Shelby CountyView →EF0Perry CountyView →EF2Choctaw, Marengo CountyView →EF2Perry CountyView →EF1Dallas CountyView →EF0Lowndes CountyView →EF1Dallas CountyView →EF1Dallas CountyView →EF1Autauga CountyView →EF1Autauga CountyView →EF0Autauga CountyView →EF2Clarke CountyView →EF1Dallas CountyView →EF0Elmore CountyView →EF1Autauga CountyView →EF2Autauga CountyView →EF0Mobile CountyView →EF2Monroe CountyView →EF3Autauga County3 fatalView →EF2Butler CountyView →EF2Elmore, Coosa, Tallapoosa CountyView →EF1Escambia CountyView →EF1Tallapoosa CountyView →EF2Escambia, Conecuh, Covington CountyView →
Shared Episode Narrative

A potent storm system, which wreaked havoc across the eastern half of the United States on April 14-16, produced a significant and historic tornado outbreak across Central Alabama on April 15. Forty tornadoes, 30 of which touched down in Central Alabama, occurred in the state. At the time, this set a new record for number of tornadoes within the state from one event. This record was broken on April 27, 2011. ||A surface low developed across the Central Plains on Thursday, April 14, and strengthened as it moved into the mid-Mississippi River Valley. In response, surface dew points in the middle to upper 60s surged northward into Central Alabama and deep vertical wind shear increased, providing support for tornadic supercell development. A weakening line of thunderstorms moved into northwest Central Alabama early Friday morning. The southern end of this line intensified by mid day as it encountered a more unstable airmass. South of the line, supercells formed in Mississippi and tracked eastward into west Central Alabama. The entire system pushed east across the area over the course of about twelve hours, exiting east Central Alabama in the early morning hours on Saturday, April 16. In addition to the thirty tornadoes, the storm system produced widespread straight line wind damage and numerous large hail reports.

Source Data
NCEI Event ID: 310080
SWDI Tornado ID: 2011-04-15T20:33:34Z_KBMX_T4
SWDI Radar Site: KBMX
SWDI Signature: TVS

See Also

2.2 mi700 yd wide