EF1 tornado in Baldwin County, Alabama

A tornado first touched down in a field approximately 100 yards

to the west of a home to the southwest of the intersection of N E

7th Street and E Greenwood Road in Summerdale. The tornado

destroyed a shed roof structure then struck the single family

brick home. Significant damage to the roof was observed with

destruction of a roof gable on both the front and rear of the

home and the roof decking was lifted and removed from the roof

framing resulting in large holes in a large portion of the roof.

A rear roofed screened patio was completely destroyed and a front

porch was heavily damaged. Large branches of two oak trees were

broken and deposited into the yard. There was also a large

section of fencing that was downed at this house and a

neighboring yard just to the south. The tornado was rated an EF-

1 at this location with winds of 95 mph. The tornado only briefly

touched down and was very intermittent along the entire 2.25 mile

track. EF-0 tornado damage occurred at the Graystone RV Park at

the intersection of E Greenwood Road and the Baldwin Beach

Express and to the northeast of the Baldwin Beach Express at a

mobile home community along County Road 38 S. A recreational

vehicle was blown over onto a pickup truck damaging both the RV

and a nearby pickup truck. A few additional recreation vehicles

were also shifted slightly from their resting locations. There

was minor tree damage at this location as well. The tornado

produced 70 to 75 mph winds at this location. To the northeast at

the mobile home community several mobile homes had damage to the

skirting along the bottom of the mobile homes. In addition, loose

objects to include patio furniture and children's toys were

thrown about. The tornado produced winds to 65 mph at the mobile

home community. The tornado again lifted and then again touchdown

to the northeast and struck a metal outbuilding removing large

portions of the metal roofing and bending and twisting the

roofing and side support beams. A large section of the metal roof

was also launched 75 yards over a nearby home and landed in the

front yard. A small tractor combine was also overturned. The

tornado had intensified at this location and was rated as an EF-

1 with winds estimated at 95 mph. The tornado lifted and rapidly

dissipated in an open field just beyond the damaged metal

outbuilding.

A multi-day severe weather episode occurred across southeast Mississippi into southwest and south-central Alabama and the Florida Panhandle with round #1 beginning the afternoon of December 27th and lasting through the evening hours and round #2 beginning the afternoon of December 28th and lasting into the early morning hours of December 29th. Multiple tornadoes and areas of damage were reported.