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April 15, 2011 · Tallapoosa County · 2011
EF1

April 15, 2011

10:43 PM
Tallapoosa County, Alabama · Near Alexander City (ZIP 35010)
Fatalities
0
Injuries
0
Path Length
6.6 mi
Max Width
200 yd
DateApril 15, 2011
Time10:43 PM
CountyTallapoosa
CityAlexander City
Property Loss$45800.00M
Crop Loss$0
SourceNCEI 311721
NWS Birmingham

1.5 NNW Lake Martin North - 2.8 E Sturdivant Winds were estimated around 100 mph. The tornado touched down in a wooded area on the east side of Lake Martin or 4 miles southwest of Jacksons Gap. Most of the damage consisted of uprooted and snapped hardwood and softwood trees. As the tornado continued northeast and crossed U.S. Highway 280, 3 homes were damaged due to fallen trees and a trampoline was tossed 30 feet. The tornado lifted north of Highway 280, 3.1 miles north of Jacksons Gap. Start: 32.8692/-85.8926 End: 32.9278/-85.8019

NWS EF Scale: F1

Event Narrative

A tornado touched down in a wooded area 4 miles southwest of Jackson's Gap. The tornado moved to the northeast where it snapped and uprooted many trees. As the tornado crossed Highway 280, 3 homes were damaged due to fallen trees. The tornado lifted 3.1 miles north of Jackson's Gap.

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 →EF2Hale 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 →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: 311721

See Also

6.6 mi200 yd wide