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April 8, 1998 · Pickens, Tuscaloosa County · 1998
EF3

April 8, 1998

6:01 PM
Pickens, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama · Near Northport (ZIP 35473)
Fatalities
0
Injuries
1
Path Length
19.5 mi
Max Width
300 yd
DateApril 8, 1998
Time6:01 PM
CountyPickensTuscaloosa
CityNorthport
Property Loss$820.0K
Crop Loss$0
SourceNCEI 5637198
NWS Birmingham

2.0 S Gordo-7.6 N Northport 5 homes destroyed and 24 others damaged. 11 mobile homes destroyed and several damaged. Start: 33.2800/-87.9000 End:  33.3300/-87.58 0 0

NWS EF Scale: F3

Episode Narrative

This was the first of three tornadoes produced by one supercell thunderstorm moving across central Alabama. The tornado began at 7:01 pm CDT just south of Gordo in extreme eastern Pickens County and traveled east-northeast moving into Tuscaloosa County around 7:05 pm CDT. The tornado stayed mostly in rural areas crossing the swampy area of the Sipsey River and a number of small roads before crossing SR 21. It remained in rural areas crossing SR 171 and US 43. The tornado dissipated at Lake Tuscaloosa just south of where SR 69 crosses the lake.Emergency management reported that five single-family dwellings were destroyed along with major damage reported to one house and minor damage to 23 others. Eleven mobile homes were destroyed and three mobile homes were damaged. A couple from North Carolina camping at Lake Lurleen lost everything.

Outbreak Context

Part of 5-tornado outbreak on April 8, 1998

Shared Episode Narrative

This was the first of three tornadoes produced by one supercell thunderstorm moving across central Alabama. The tornado began at 7:01 pm CDT just south of Gordo in extreme eastern Pickens County and traveled east-northeast moving into Tuscaloosa County around 7:05 pm CDT. The tornado stayed mostly in rural areas crossing the swampy area of the Sipsey River and a number of small roads before crossing SR 21. It remained in rural areas crossing SR 171 and US 43. The tornado dissipated at Lake Tuscaloosa just south of where SR 69 crosses the lake.Emergency management reported that five single-family dwellings were destroyed along with major damage reported to one house and minor damage to 23 others. Eleven mobile homes were destroyed and three mobile homes were damaged. A couple from North Carolina camping at Lake Lurleen lost everything.

Source Data
NCEI Event ID: 5637198

See Also

19.5 mi300 yd wide