The National Weather Service at the Shelby County Airport sent out two survey teams on Friday to review and evaluate the damage from the storms on Thursday afternoon and evening. Bow echoes like we had Thursday can often produce weak tornadoes, so the survey teams reviewed the damage to assess whether or not any tornadoes did occur. It appeared from their on-site surveys that all of the damage was caused by damaging straightline wind. Their full statement on their findings is below for you to see.
-Brian-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
956 PM CST FRI MAR 10 2006
...STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUSTS REACH 58 TO 85 MPH...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED SEVERAL LOCATIONS
ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...PRODUCED STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUSTS ESTIMATED BETWEEN 58
AND 85 MILES AN HOUR.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AT
2:40 PM FOR MOST OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN ALABAMA VALID THROUGH 9:00
PM. A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CROSSED THE MISSISSIPPI...ALABAMA
STATE-LINE AT APPROXIMATELY 3:30 PM. THE STRONGEST SEGMENT OF LINE
TRAVELED NORTHEAST AND AFFECTED LAMAR...MARION...FAYETTE...WALKER...
AND WINSTON COUNTIES.
LAMAR COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
LAMAR COUNTY FROM 3:14 PM UNTIL 4:15 PM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ENTERED WESTERN LAMAR COUNTY AROUND 3:38 PM AND QUICKLY CROSSED THE
COUNTY. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE COUNTY WAS AFFECTED BY THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WINDS. HUNDREDS OF TREES AND POWER LINES WERE
EITHER BLOWN DOWN...SNAPPED OFF...OR UPROOTED COUNTYWIDE. THE ROOFS
OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND A BOWLING ALLEY WERE PARTIALLY TORN OFF
IN VERNON. A FEW ROOFS WERE PARTIALLY TORN OFF HOMES IN THE SULLIGENT
AREA. MANY ADDITIONAL HOMES AND BUSINESSES SUFFERED VARYING DEGREES
OF ROOF DAMAGE. SEVERAL OUT-BUILDINGS AND BARNS WERE EITHER DAMAGED
OR DESTROYED. IN SOME INSTANCES...THE DEBRIS WAS THROWN OVER 100
YARDS DOWNWIND. PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL ALSO FELL DURING THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS AND COLLECTED UP TO SEVERAL INCHES DEEP ON THE GROUND
IN PLACES. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 70 AND 85 MILES AN HOUR.
MARION COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
MARION COUNTY FROM 3:14 PM UNTIL 4:15 PM...WITH A TORNADO WARNING IN
EFFECT FROM 4:06 UNTIL 4:30 PM. THE LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ENTERED WESTERN MARION COUNTY AROUND 3:40 PM. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE
COUNTY WAS AFFECTED BY THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WINDS. HUNDREDS OF
TREES AND POWER LINES WERE EITHER BLOWN DOWN...SNAPPED OFF...OR
UPROOTED COUNTYWIDE. THE ROOF OF A FURNITURE ACCESSORIES STORE WAS
PARTIALLY TORN OFF IN WINFIELD. PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL ALSO FELL
DURING THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND COLLECTED UP TO A SEVERAL INCHES
DEEP ON THE GROUND IN PLACES. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 65
AND 75 MILES AN HOUR.
FAYETTE COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
FAYETTE COUNTY FROM 3:28 PM UNTIL 4:45 PM. THE LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ENTERED WESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY AROUND 3:53 PM. THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED NORTHWEST OF LINE FROM 6 MILES WEST
OF FAYETTE TO NEAR THE BAZEMORE COMMUNITY. DAMAGE WAS REPORTED IN
OR NEAR MOUNT VERNON...KIRKLAND...BLUFF...WAYSIDE...GLEN ALLEN...
SHADY GROVE...AND BAZEMORE. NUMEROUS TREES WERE EITHER BLOWN DOWN...
SNAPPED OFF...OR UPROOTED. DOZENS OF HOMES SUFFERED VARYING DEGREES
OF ROOF DAMAGE WITH MANY SHINGLES LITTERING THE GROUND. A FEW OUT-
BUILDINGS AND BARNS ALSO SUSTAINED DAMAGE. DEBRIS FROM ONE DESTROYED
BARN WAS BLOWN OVER 100 YARDS DOWNWIND. PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL ALSO
FELL DURING THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND COLLECTED UP TO A FEW INCHES
DEEP ON THE GROUND IN PLACES. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 65
AND 75 MILES AN HOUR.
WALKER COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
WALKER COUNTY FROM 3:56 PM UNTIL 5:00 PM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVED INTO FAR NORTHWESTERN WALKER COUNTY AT APPROXIMATELY 4:15 PM.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN WALKER COUNTY WAS LIMITED TO AREAS
GENERALLY NORTH OF U.S. 78 AND WEST OF NAUVOO. SEVERAL TREES AND
POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN FROM NEAR ELDRIDGE NORTHWARD TO THE
WINSTON COUNTY LINE. ONE PERSON WAS INJURED NORTH OF ELDRIDGE WHEN
A TREE FELL ONTO A VEHICLE. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 60 AND
70 MILES AN HOUR.
WINSTON COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
WINSTON COUNTY FROM 3:56 PM UNTIL 5:00 PM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ENTERED WESTERN WINSTON COUNTY FROM HALEYVILLE TO LYNN AROUND 4:13
PM. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS REPORTED GENERALLY NORTH OF A
LINE FROM LYNN TO DOUBLE SPRINGS TO THE BANKHEAD NATIONAL FOREST.
NUMEROUS TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN AND AROUND LYNN...DOUBLE SPRINGS...
AND HALEYVILLE. IN LYNN...ONE PERSON WAS INJURED AT A MOBILE HOME
MANUFACTURING PLANT AND ONE MOBILE HOME WAS DAMAGED. IN DOUBLE
SPRINGS...SEVERAL STORES AND THE COURTHOUSE SUFFERED ROOF DAMAGE.
A FEW OUT-BUILDINGS WERE ALSO DAMAGED. IN HALEYVILLE...THE POST
OFFICE LOST PART OF ITS ROOF AND SEVERAL SIGNS WERE DESTROYED. A FEW
BUILDINGS SUFFERED ROOF DAMAGE. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED AT 58 TO
70 MILES AN HOUR.
-Brian-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
956 PM CST FRI MAR 10 2006
...STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUSTS REACH 58 TO 85 MPH...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS SURVEYED SEVERAL LOCATIONS
ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...PRODUCED STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUSTS ESTIMATED BETWEEN 58
AND 85 MILES AN HOUR.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AT
2:40 PM FOR MOST OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN ALABAMA VALID THROUGH 9:00
PM. A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CROSSED THE MISSISSIPPI...ALABAMA
STATE-LINE AT APPROXIMATELY 3:30 PM. THE STRONGEST SEGMENT OF LINE
TRAVELED NORTHEAST AND AFFECTED LAMAR...MARION...FAYETTE...WALKER...
AND WINSTON COUNTIES.
LAMAR COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
LAMAR COUNTY FROM 3:14 PM UNTIL 4:15 PM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ENTERED WESTERN LAMAR COUNTY AROUND 3:38 PM AND QUICKLY CROSSED THE
COUNTY. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE COUNTY WAS AFFECTED BY THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WINDS. HUNDREDS OF TREES AND POWER LINES WERE
EITHER BLOWN DOWN...SNAPPED OFF...OR UPROOTED COUNTYWIDE. THE ROOFS
OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND A BOWLING ALLEY WERE PARTIALLY TORN OFF
IN VERNON. A FEW ROOFS WERE PARTIALLY TORN OFF HOMES IN THE SULLIGENT
AREA. MANY ADDITIONAL HOMES AND BUSINESSES SUFFERED VARYING DEGREES
OF ROOF DAMAGE. SEVERAL OUT-BUILDINGS AND BARNS WERE EITHER DAMAGED
OR DESTROYED. IN SOME INSTANCES...THE DEBRIS WAS THROWN OVER 100
YARDS DOWNWIND. PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL ALSO FELL DURING THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS AND COLLECTED UP TO SEVERAL INCHES DEEP ON THE GROUND
IN PLACES. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 70 AND 85 MILES AN HOUR.
MARION COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
MARION COUNTY FROM 3:14 PM UNTIL 4:15 PM...WITH A TORNADO WARNING IN
EFFECT FROM 4:06 UNTIL 4:30 PM. THE LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ENTERED WESTERN MARION COUNTY AROUND 3:40 PM. VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE
COUNTY WAS AFFECTED BY THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WINDS. HUNDREDS OF
TREES AND POWER LINES WERE EITHER BLOWN DOWN...SNAPPED OFF...OR
UPROOTED COUNTYWIDE. THE ROOF OF A FURNITURE ACCESSORIES STORE WAS
PARTIALLY TORN OFF IN WINFIELD. PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL ALSO FELL
DURING THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND COLLECTED UP TO A SEVERAL INCHES
DEEP ON THE GROUND IN PLACES. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 65
AND 75 MILES AN HOUR.
FAYETTE COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
FAYETTE COUNTY FROM 3:28 PM UNTIL 4:45 PM. THE LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ENTERED WESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY AROUND 3:53 PM. THE
MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED NORTHWEST OF LINE FROM 6 MILES WEST
OF FAYETTE TO NEAR THE BAZEMORE COMMUNITY. DAMAGE WAS REPORTED IN
OR NEAR MOUNT VERNON...KIRKLAND...BLUFF...WAYSIDE...GLEN ALLEN...
SHADY GROVE...AND BAZEMORE. NUMEROUS TREES WERE EITHER BLOWN DOWN...
SNAPPED OFF...OR UPROOTED. DOZENS OF HOMES SUFFERED VARYING DEGREES
OF ROOF DAMAGE WITH MANY SHINGLES LITTERING THE GROUND. A FEW OUT-
BUILDINGS AND BARNS ALSO SUSTAINED DAMAGE. DEBRIS FROM ONE DESTROYED
BARN WAS BLOWN OVER 100 YARDS DOWNWIND. PEA TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL ALSO
FELL DURING THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND COLLECTED UP TO A FEW INCHES
DEEP ON THE GROUND IN PLACES. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 65
AND 75 MILES AN HOUR.
WALKER COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
WALKER COUNTY FROM 3:56 PM UNTIL 5:00 PM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVED INTO FAR NORTHWESTERN WALKER COUNTY AT APPROXIMATELY 4:15 PM.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE IN WALKER COUNTY WAS LIMITED TO AREAS
GENERALLY NORTH OF U.S. 78 AND WEST OF NAUVOO. SEVERAL TREES AND
POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN FROM NEAR ELDRIDGE NORTHWARD TO THE
WINSTON COUNTY LINE. ONE PERSON WAS INJURED NORTH OF ELDRIDGE WHEN
A TREE FELL ONTO A VEHICLE. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED BETWEEN 60 AND
70 MILES AN HOUR.
WINSTON COUNTY...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT FOR
WINSTON COUNTY FROM 3:56 PM UNTIL 5:00 PM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ENTERED WESTERN WINSTON COUNTY FROM HALEYVILLE TO LYNN AROUND 4:13
PM. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE WAS REPORTED GENERALLY NORTH OF A
LINE FROM LYNN TO DOUBLE SPRINGS TO THE BANKHEAD NATIONAL FOREST.
NUMEROUS TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN AND AROUND LYNN...DOUBLE SPRINGS...
AND HALEYVILLE. IN LYNN...ONE PERSON WAS INJURED AT A MOBILE HOME
MANUFACTURING PLANT AND ONE MOBILE HOME WAS DAMAGED. IN DOUBLE
SPRINGS...SEVERAL STORES AND THE COURTHOUSE SUFFERED ROOF DAMAGE.
A FEW OUT-BUILDINGS WERE ALSO DAMAGED. IN HALEYVILLE...THE POST
OFFICE LOST PART OF ITS ROOF AND SEVERAL SIGNS WERE DESTROYED. A FEW
BUILDINGS SUFFERED ROOF DAMAGE. WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED AT 58 TO
70 MILES AN HOUR.