← Back to Dashboard
March 2, 2012 · Tallapoosa, Chambers County · 2012
EF2

March 2, 2012

10:40 PM
Tallapoosa, Chambers County, Alabama · Near Alexander City (ZIP 35010)
Fatalities
1
Injuries
4
Path Length
34.0 mi
Max Width
1,000 yd
DateMarch 2, 2012
Time10:40 PM
CountyTallapoosaChambers
CityAlexander City
Property Loss$0
Crop Loss$0
SourceNCEI 374385
NWS Birmingham

Wind Creek State Park-Eagle Creek-Trammel Crossroads National Weather Service meteorologists have surveyed the damage in Tallapoosa and Chambers Counties and determined that it was the result of an EF2 tornado. The tornado began just west of Highway 63 in western Tallapoosa County, where it uprooted and snapped scores of trees. It continued northeastward and passed just north of Wind Creek State Park, where it produced significant and widespread tree damage between Highway 128 and the shores of Lake Martin. The tornado caused significant damage to several homes in the Pineywoods area. It then crossed Lake Martin and came ashore in the River Bend subdivision, where it again snapped or uprooted hundreds of trees. The tornado crossed Highway 280 just west of Midway and produced minor tree damage and then continued east-northeastward where it passed north of Jacksons Gap. As it tracked just south of Eagle Creek, the tornado path widened to over one quarter mile. It destroyed one double-wide and three single-wide manufactured homes in this location. The occupants of the double-wide evacuated the home prior to the destruction of their home and safely rode out the storm in a sturdy shelter. As the storm crossed AL Highway 49, it lofted and destroyed a single-wide and caused the storm`s only fatality. The tornado path broadened to approximately 1000 yards as it crossed Elder Road. Farther to the east, approximately 14 homes received mainly roof damage and scores of trees were snapped or uprooted on Buttston Road just north of Denver Road. The tornado continued into eastern Tallapoosa County. Due to the erratic damage pattern, it appeared that there were multiple vortices and this caused pockets of more intense damage within the broad circulation. The broad circulation continued into western Chambers County, where it maintained a half mile path width as it crossed County Road 55 near Sandy Creek as a strong 120 mph EF2. Thousands of hardwood and softwood trees were uniformly snapped across this path with a more definitive core to the track at this location. After it crossed Chattahospee Creek, it passed just north of Trammel Crossroads, where a single-wide manufactured home was destroyed. The tornado began to weaken and narrow as it continued into central Chambers County before it lifted along County Road 160, about 2 miles northwest of U.S. Highway 431. Start: 32.8666/-85.9669 End: 33.0109/-85.4057

NWS EF Scale: F2 Polygon

Event Narrative

A tornado touched down just west of Highway 63 in western Tallapoosa County, where it uprooted and snapped scores of trees. It continued northeastward and passed just north of Wind Creek State Park, where it produced significant and widespread tree damage between Highway 128 and the shores of Lake Martin. The tornado caused significant damage to several homes in the Pineywoods Area. It then crossed Lake Martin and came ashore in the River Bend Subdivision, where it snapped or uprooted hundreds more trees. The tornado continued moving to the northeast and crossed Highway 280, just west of Midway, producing minor tree damage. It passed north of Jacksons Gap and passed just south of Eagle Creek, where it widened to over one-quarter mile. It destroyed one double-wide manufactured home and two single-wides. As the storm crossed Alabama 49, it lofted and destroyed a single-wide manufactured home, fatally injuring one individual. The tornado path broadened to approximately 1000 yards as it crossed Elder Road. Farther to the east, approximately 14 homes received mainly roof damage and scores of trees were snapped or uprooted on Buttston Road, just north of Denver Road. The tornado continued into eastern Tallapoosa County, and then moved into Chambers County, where it eventually lifted.

Episode Narrative

On March 2, 2012, a strong cold front moved through Central Alabama. Severe thunderstorms developed along and ahead of this front. Some of these thunderstorms were supercells. These supercells produced damage across southern and eastern sections of the area. Damaging straight line winds, tornadoes, large hail and localized flooding occurred with this event.

Outbreak Context

Part of 12-tornado outbreak on March 2, 2012

Shared Episode Narrative

On March 2, 2012, a strong cold front moved through Central Alabama. Severe thunderstorms developed along and ahead of this front. Some of these thunderstorms were supercells. These supercells produced damage across southern and eastern sections of the area. Damaging straight line winds, tornadoes, large hail and localized flooding occurred with this event.

Source Data
NCEI Event ID: 374385

See Also

34.0 mi1000 yd wide