F-3 Tornado Track Found from Hazel Green to Huntland

Gotta' say, I knew this looked strong on radar, but did not expect it to be this bad. Will be interesting to see about the one near Waynesboro and a few of the others, what damage they did. A woman died in this tornado, and others were injured. Sounds like it happened in a site-built home where all of it was destroyed. So it is a sobering reminder of how we could do better with building codes in tornado-prone parts of the world and also how the old-timers were smarter than our generation in having storm shelters and inviting people to them whenever the weather was bad. These days, most people can't even get to a basement. It doesn't take an incredibly rare F-5 tornado for people to get seriously hurt or even killed sometimes even when they are doing the right things within their means. We need to step up our game in the Southeast, if we're going to strike a pose of caring about this stuff. 

960 

NOUS44 KHUN 011902

PNSHUN

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-020715-

Public Information Statement

National Weather Service Huntsville AL

202 PM CDT Sat Apr 1 2023

...NWS Damage Survey for 4/1/2023 Tornado Event...

.Borderline Rd. Tornado...

Rating:                 EF3

Estimated Peak Wind:    160 mph

Path Length /statute/:  12.10 miles

Path Width /maximum/:   215.0 yards

Fatalities:             1

Injuries:               5

Start Date:             04/01/2023

Start Time:             03:09 AM CDT

Start Location:         3 NNW Hazel Green / Madison County / AL

Start Lat/Lon:          34.9746 / -86.5738

End Date:               04/01/2023

End Time:               03:25 AM CDT

End Location:           6 SW Huntland / Lincoln County / TN

End Lat/Lon:            35.0039 / -86.3648

Survey Summary:

A National Weather Service, Madison County EMA, and Lincoln

County EMA damage assessment team found evidence of an

EF3 tornado in Northern Madison County and Southeastern Lincoln

County. Peak winds were estimated at 160 mph on Borderline Rd.

The tornado began west of Highway 431 and south of Elkwood

Section Rd where multiple trees were uprooted and several trees fell

on homes. On the eastside of HWY 431, near the Lincoln Rd.

intersection, numerous structures were heavily damaged including multiple 

stores which sustained major damage. This includes a

collapse of walls and roofs displaced with debris

thrown eastward. Given the degree of damage at this location, a

mid-range EF3 rating was reported. The tornado tracked east-

northeast through Mulberry Rd. Along this path, the tornado

uprooted and snapped numerous trees and caused significant roof

damage to a single-family home. Unfortunately, the tornado

continued to intensify on route to Borderline Rd. which is along

the Alabama and Tennessee border. At this location, heavy damage

was noted where houses were heavily damaged and two homes

experienced a complete collapse of walls, destroying the

structures. One fatality was reported at a single-family home

along Borderline Rd. where the structure was destroyed. The

tornado's estimated peak wind of 160 mph was noted at the

intersection of Borderline Rd and Myers Rd where a newly

constructed, however not completed, home was destroyed with a

complete collapse of walls. The degree of damage at this location

was slightly lowered below expected values due an uncertainty in

the status of the garage, which was facing west. The tornado

continued eastward just north of the Stateline, paralleling

Borderline Road as it continued north/east. Sporadic trees were

uprooted and snapped south of Vanntown, crossing Hester Creek.

The tornado destroyed several farm/outbuildings housing farm

equipment from Mason Road eastward onto Echols Road. The tornado

was weakening at this point, and finally lifted just after it

crossed John Hunter Highway/Hwy 122 just south of Elora in far

southeastern Lincoln County. Tin was strewn into an open field in

this location, but no further tree/structural damage was noted

beyond the tree line near Collins Road and Mountain Road. 

&&

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the

following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph

EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph

EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph

EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph

EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph

EF5...Violent...>200 mph

NOTE:

The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to

change pending final review of the event and publication in NWS

Storm Data.

$$

Barron/Amin