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April 12, 2020 · Dallas County · 2020
EF0

April 12, 2020

9:27 PM
Dallas County, Alabama · Near Selma (ZIP 36761)
Fatalities
0
Injuries
0
Path Length
3.8 mi
Max Width
400 yd
DateApril 12, 2020
Time9:27 PM
CountyDallas
CitySelma
Property Loss$0
Crop Loss$0
SourceNCEI 887619
NWS Birmingham

4 NE Belnap - 3 S Tyler A tornado near the intersection of County Road 62 and County Road 417, about three miles southeast of the Sardis community in Dallas County. The tornado moved northeast, causing tree damage along County Road 471, County Road 30 and County Road 451. The tornado lifted at County Road 451. The tornado damage path was 3.80 miles long and was 400 yards wide at its widest point. The maximum winds were estimated around 80 mph. Start: 32.2440/-86.9515 End: 32.2791/-86.9016

NWS EF Scale: F0

Event Narrative

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in eastern Dallas County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 80 mph.||A tornado formed near the intersection of County Road 62 and County Road 417, about three miles southeast of the Sardis community in Dallas County. The tornado tracked northeast, causing tree damage along County Road 471, County Road 30 and County Road 451. The tornado lifted at County Road 451.

Episode Narrative

An upper-level low over the southwest United States evolved into a negatively-tilted shortwave trough as it moved over the southeastern United States. A warm front steadily moved northward during the morning and afternoon hours on Sunday, April 12. This allowed an unstable air mass to move northward and overspread much of the region. At the same time, very strong wind shear developed over Alabama as the upper trough neared the state.||An initial wave of severe storms affected areas near and north of Interstate 20, involving tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, and some hail. Through the evening, a second wave of thunderstorms affected the remaining areas of Central Alabama with tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds. Flooding also resulted from training rainfall near and north of Interstate 20. Some roads became impassible or were washed out. This weather event was large in scope and produced severe weather from Oklahoma and Texas, through the southeastern United States, then up the east coast to New York.

Outbreak Context

Part of 27-tornado outbreak on April 12, 2020

Shared Episode Narrative

An upper-level low over the southwest United States evolved into a negatively-tilted shortwave trough as it moved over the southeastern United States. A warm front steadily moved northward during the morning and afternoon hours on Sunday, April 12. This allowed an unstable air mass to move northward and overspread much of the region. At the same time, very strong wind shear developed over Alabama as the upper trough neared the state.||An initial wave of severe storms affected areas near and north of Interstate 20, involving tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, and some hail. Through the evening, a second wave of thunderstorms affected the remaining areas of Central Alabama with tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds. Flooding also resulted from training rainfall near and north of Interstate 20. Some roads became impassible or were washed out. This weather event was large in scope and produced severe weather from Oklahoma and Texas, through the southeastern United States, then up the east coast to New York.

Source Data
NCEI Event ID: 887619

See Also

3.8 mi400 yd wide