March 31, 2021
2:45 AM1 SSW - 1 SSE Nesmith The tornado began just west of County Road 146 where several large branches were broken from a pine tree. The tornado continued northeast through a wooded area where it snapped and uprooted multiple softwood trees along the way. At the intersection of Helicon Road and County Road 146, various types of structural and foliage damage was observed, including the near total removal of a metal barn roof and significant loss of roof covering on a site-built home. A carport garage that was attached to the home was also completely destroyed. The tornado tracked through an open field before producing additional minor tree damage and removing a few metal roof panels on a barn along County Road 45. Thereafter, the tornado rapidly dissipated right after crossing into Cullman County. Start: 34.1591/-87.1281 End: 34.1633/-87.1112
NWS EF Scale: F1
National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in eastern Winston County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 90 mph.||The tornado began just west of County Road 146 where several large branches were broken from a pine tree. The tornado traveled northeast through a wooded area where it snapped and uprooted multiple softwood trees. At the intersection of Helicon Road and County Road 146, various types of structural damage was observed, including the near total removal of a metal barn roof and significant loss of roof covering on a site-built home. A carport that was attached to the home was completely destroyed. The tornado then took an easterly turn through an open field producing minor tree damage and removing a few metal roof panels from a barn before crossing|into Cullman County.
A warm front moved pushed northward into north Central Alabama late on March 30th and into the early morning hours on March 31st. A low pressure area developed along the warm front and tracked from west to east across northern Alabama. This feature pooled instability just south of the front and added just enough shear for some rotating and organized storms. Subsequently, three weak and short-lived tornadoes developed. Due to the strong southerly winds and lift near the front, heavy rainfall was observed across northern Alabama. Widespread amounts of 1 to 3 inches of rain were observed with localized amounts of 5 to 6 inches west of I-65. These amounts produced flash flooding in several locations where roads were washed out and or became impassable. Additionally, many local creeks and streams flooded and this eventually lead to river and lake flooding.
Part of 4-tornado outbreak on March 31, 2021
A warm front moved pushed northward into north Central Alabama late on March 30th and into the early morning hours on March 31st. A low pressure area developed along the warm front and tracked from west to east across northern Alabama. This feature pooled instability just south of the front and added just enough shear for some rotating and organized storms. Subsequently, three weak and short-lived tornadoes developed. Due to the strong southerly winds and lift near the front, heavy rainfall was observed across northern Alabama. Widespread amounts of 1 to 3 inches of rain were observed with localized amounts of 5 to 6 inches west of I-65. These amounts produced flash flooding in several locations where roads were washed out and or became impassable. Additionally, many local creeks and streams flooded and this eventually lead to river and lake flooding.