January 22, 2017

1 NE Pitts Airport - 1 ESE Sougahatchee Lake National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in North Central Lee County and determined that the damage was consistent with an EF-1 tornado. The tornado touched down along Cunningham Drive, just northeast of the Auburn Regional Airport. Minor damage occurred at touch down but increased in the Pepperell area at U.S. Highway 280 and Pepperell Parkway. Several trees were snapped or uprooted and some homes suffered damage. The tornado continued north northeast where it snapped and uprooted numerous trees. The tornado lifted near Northgate Drive and Oak Bowery Road in Northwest Opelika. The tornado was 3.09 miles long and was 540 yards wide at its widest point. The tornado was rated an EF-1 with maximum winds around 95 mph. Thanks to Lee County EMA for their assistance with this survey. Start: 32.6262/-85.4207 End: 32.6677/-85.4015

NWS EF Scale: F1

Part of 5-tornado outbreak on January 22, 2017