EF3 Tornado — Jackson, Alabama

2024-05-08 · near Pisgah, Jackson, Alabama

Event narrative

A tornado touched down on Highway 71 in Jackson County, snapping hard and softwood trees to begin its path. The tornado continued between County Roads 425 and 322, producing minor damage to the roof of a small farm building. The tornado then overturned a camper along County Road 422 requiring hospitalization including one experiencing blunt force trauma and another being a pregnant female. Five others with minor injuries were treated on the scene. Also at this location, a well-built home was partially destroyed. A mobile home was moved off its foundation here as well, with a third of the roof of a hay barn and a horse trailer destroyed. Projectiles were found in the field across the street from this home, with 2x4s impaled a foot to 18 in the ground at this location. Further south and east along State Road 40, large 100+ year old oak trees that were 4-5 foot in diameter were blown down onto a house, collapsing two exterior walls. Windows were sucked out at this location as well prior to the trees falling when the tornado passed just north of the house. Up the street, a well-built home sustained major damage when the tornado ripped the garage off of the house and sheared it to the north and east into the rest of the dwelling. EF-2 wind speeds of 135 mph were noted at this location.

Widespread fallen trees south of State Road 40 were noted and surveyors found damage indicators and degrees of damage consistent with EF-3 (140 mph) tornado damage. The tornado was the strongest and widest at this point along the path, at 880 yards or around 1/2 mile. Along County Road 125, a well built shop building was completely destroyed. The metal building structure was well-anchored with H-beams anchored with large bolts and plates at the bases to the foundation. The bolts were snapped and severely bent, along with the plates. On one corner, a large 4-5 foot section of the foundation was ripped off the ground and strewn about 10 feet away with the column anchoring still intact. A 20,000 pound 18-wheeler cab was tossed more than 150 yards into the field across County Road 125. Other nearby semi-trailers that were parked on the property were strewn in the same direction as well, though most were shifted 50-100 feet. The tornado then proceeded into DeKalb County.

Wider weather episode

A significant outbreak of tornadoes occurred in two waves during the evening of the 8th and early morning hours of the 9th. The first wave occurred as multiple supercell thunderstorms developed across southern middle Tennessee and far north central Alabama. These storms moved east during the evening hours, producing ## tornadoes in north central and northeast Alabama.

A break in the activity was then followed by a line of thunderstorms that dropped southeast through southern middle Tennessee into north central and northeast Alabama after Midnight through the early morning hours. The line produced tornadoes in southern middle Tennessee, a couple of which continued into northeast Alabama. Additional tornadoes occurred with the line in far northeast Alabama.

In addition, locally heavy rainfall from the slow-moving supercells produced flash flooding during the evening of the 8th, with several roadways covered with or barricaded due to hazardous driving conditions. This primarily affected locations in southeastern Madison County, northern Marshall County, and southwest Jackson County.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.6407, -85.8578)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1181624. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.