EF1 tornado in Jefferson County, Alabama

A tornado first touched down just north of Lakeshore Parkway along Snow Drive. Here the damage was very light with large tree branches broken. The tornado tracked northeast, skirting John Carroll High School before producing significant tree damage along Oak Grove Road. One home was heavily damaged by falling trees, with lesser damage to others, and a large stand of mostly pine trees were snapped or uprooted east of Oak Grove Road. The tornado widened and intensified as it approached Wildwood Parkway. A strip mall there sustained very minor damage. However, a large office complex on the north end of Wildwood Parkway sustained substantial damage. A large number of windows were blown out of a 5-story professional building with many windows and debris blown back westward. A large load bearing beam was also pulled from the roof structure. The tornado is estimated to have reached its maximum intensity here at EF-1 / 100 mph. The tornado continued to move northeast, felling numerous trees south of Kent Drive. Along State Farm Parkway, a couple hotels sustained roof damage, a large hotel sign was blown out, and a vehicle was flipped before it crossed Interstate 65. The tornado reached its maximum width of approximately 600 yards as it crossed Green Spring Avenue. Significant structural damage was noted to an auto repair shop with the roof blown off. Several additional businesses and an apartment complex in this area also sustained minor roof damage. Power poles were snapped in this area as well. Further northeast, the tornado tracked through a densely populated residential area. Here the primary damage was caused by snapping and felling of trees. Many large and mature trees fell through homes in this area, causing moderate to severe damage. The most concentrated area of damage was along and north of Saulter Road and surrounding streets. It is estimated that over three dozen homes in this area sustained at least moderate damage from falling trees. The tornado began to weaken as it tracked on the north side of the Samford University campus with a few trees down in this area. The tornado dissipated near the Windsor Highlands Community along the north edge of the Samford Campus.

A pre-frontal line of thunderstorms tracked eastward across Alabama around and just after midnight on December 10th. A segment of the line intensified over Jefferson County, producing two tornadoes and a large swath of wind damage. Elsewhere, two weak tornadoes were spawned over parts of southeast Central Alabama.