Thunderstorm Wind in Bibb County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham conducted a storm survey in areas such as Coaling, Vance, Woodstock, West Blocton, Green Pond, Helena, Pelham, and Alabaster. This survey was to assess a large area of reported wind damage associated with a severe thunderstorm bowing segment evident on KBMX RADAR. Observed damage along this path mainly consisted of uprooted or snapped trees, and fallen large tree limbs. Fallen timber caused damage to homes, vehicles, and power lines. Widespread power outages occurred as a result. Wind damage throughout this path was consistent with straight-line winds, or winds that were not tornadic.

Gusts of 60-70 mph were evident along a path approximately 10 miles wide and 80 miles long, and some higher intensity timber damage in the Coaling, Vance, West Blocton, Helena, and Alabaster areas suggest wind gusts up to 75 mph. The damage pattern across this path was divergent, and higher intensity damage areas exhibited divergent microburst characteristics. There was no sign of debris lofting on the damage survey, and no signs of rotation or lofted tornado debris after a thorough analysis of KBMX RADAR data.

A line of thunderstorms entered northern portions of Central Alabama after 4:30 AM CDT on May 27, producing scattered areas of wind damage and an embedded tornado in Cherokee County. Simultaneously, an area of intense thunderstorms moved northeastward from north of Meridian, Mississippi into the southern and eastern portions of the Birmingham metro area. This resulted in widespread tree and power line damage and occasional structure damage across northern Hale, southern Tuscaloosa, Bibb, Shelby, Jefferson, St. Clair, and Talladega counties. As the northern line progressed southeastward and later merged with the advancing thunderstorms moving east of Birmingham, a second tornado occurred over northern Randolph County at approximately 6:55 AM CDT. Additional activity occurred during the afternoon hours over the southeastern counties, with a few reports of nickel to quarter-size hail.