2 NNE Watson - 2 NNW Gardendale A tornado touched down near Sutherland Road on the west side of Interstate 65 and ended near Strouts Road on the east side of the interstate. Damage consisted of downed trees with relatively minor structural damage caused directly by wind. However, there were several instances of significant residential and vehicle damage from fallen trees. One person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The tornado damage path was 3.46 miles long and was 660 yards at its widest point. The maximum winds were estimated at 85 mph. Start: 33.6619/-86.8534 End: 33.6947/-86.8113

NWS EF Scale: F0

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Jefferson County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 85 mph. A tornado touched down near Sutherland Road on the west side of Interstate 65 and tracked northeast crossing Interstate 65 and Highway 31. Damage consisted of downed trees with relatively minor structural damage. However, there were several instances of significant residential and vehicle damage from fallen trees. One person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

An active southern jet stream set-up across the southern United States during the middle of March. Several short-wave troughs became negatively tilted as each one traversed across Texas and towards Alabama. This resulted in a single hail event one Monday, March 15, and significant tornado outbreak on Wednesday, March 17. Many supercells began to develop across Central Alabama by midday Wednesday and continued into the evening hours before a squall line moved through the state. Sufficient instability and strong wind shear produced conditions favorable for tornadoes to develop. The event consisted of twenty-one tornadoes in the NWS Birmingham forecast area.

Part of 21-tornado outbreak on March 17, 2021