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February 2, 2016 · Pickens County · 2016
EF0

February 2, 2016

11:02 PM
Pickens County, Alabama · Near Vernon
Fatalities
0
Injuries
0
Path Length
4.2 mi
Max Width
1,400 yd
DateFebruary 2, 2016
Time11:02 PM
CountyPickens
CityVernon
Property Loss$0
Crop Loss$0
SourceNCEI 617799
NWS Birmingham

3 SE Ethelsville - 6.2 ENE Ethelsville National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Pickens County and have determined that the damage is consistent with an EF-0 tornado. Winds were estimated to be around 85 mph. The tornado touched down between Keasler Road and Heritage Road just north of the railroad tracks. It moved northeast crossing County Road 30, County Road 35, U.S. Highway 82, and Price Road Causing only tree damage. The tornado lifted before reaching County Road 45. Start: 33.3956/-88.1635 End: 33.4336/-88.1070

NWS EF Scale: F0 Polygon

Event Narrative

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Pickens County and have determined that the damage was consistent with an EF-0 tornado. Winds were estimated to be around 85 mph.||The tornado touched down between Keasler Road and Heritage Road just north of the railroad tracks. It moved northeast crossing County Road 30, County Road 35, U.S. Highway 82, and Price Road Causing only tree damage. The tornado lifted before reaching County Road 45.

Episode Narrative

A strong upper level system developed over the Central Plains and a surface low moved from the Mid Mississippi Valley into the Great Lakes. Although this was well removed from Central Alabama, the system was strong enough that winds at the surface and aloft increased significantly. This produced high wind shear. The combination of the high precipitable water values and unseasonably warm temperatures produced very unstable conditions across central Alabama. A cold front approached the region late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday evening, a few supercell thunderstorms developed. Eventually, the storms became organized into a line and produced heavy rainfall and flash flooding.

Outbreak Context

Part of 4-tornado outbreak on February 2, 2016

Shared Episode Narrative

A strong upper level system developed over the Central Plains and a surface low moved from the Mid Mississippi Valley into the Great Lakes. Although this was well removed from Central Alabama, the system was strong enough that winds at the surface and aloft increased significantly. This produced high wind shear. The combination of the high precipitable water values and unseasonably warm temperatures produced very unstable conditions across central Alabama. A cold front approached the region late Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday evening, a few supercell thunderstorms developed. Eventually, the storms became organized into a line and produced heavy rainfall and flash flooding.

Source Data
NCEI Event ID: 617799

See Also

4.2 mi1400 yd wide