EF1 tornado in Hale County, Alabama

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in

southern Hale and Perry Counties and determined that the damage

was consistent with a tornado. The start of the tornado was

estimated to be just west of Alabama Highway 69, where tree

damage was observed in an inaccessible area. The tornado

continued eastward, moving parallel to County Road 10. Along the

roadway, numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, along with at

least 40 to 50 power poles snapped. A site built home sustained

roof damage along with farm outbuildings that sustained

significant damage. The tornado gained strength as it moved east

of Alabama Highway 25, where EF-1 damage occurred. Multiple

manufactured homes were severely damaged due to large trees

falling on top of them, while another manufactured home was

destroyed due to tornadic wind gusts estimated around 95mph.

Residents who were inside the homes received the tornado warning

on their mobile phones, and were able to quickly take as much

shelter as they could. A mother and her two kids in one home took

shelter in their bathtub, which ended up being the only room in

the home that did not sustain major damage. Two injuries occurred

where the homes were damaged, and the maximum width was estimated

to be 200 yards at this location. The tornado continued eastward

and crossed Alabama Highway 61 into Perry County. Maximum estimated winds on the Hale County portion were 95 mph. Total path length was 18.37 miles.

A line of severe thunderstorms ahead of an approaching cold front entered northwest Central Alabama around 11 PM on February 15. Over the next five hours, Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued for all 39 counties in Central Alabama as the line moved eastward across the area. Reports of damage were received from nearly all of the 39 counties, and five line-embedded tornadoes were confirmed after storm surveys. The most significant tornadoes, both rated EF1, tracked roughly 18 miles across Hale and Perry counties and approximately 7.5 across Macon County, both causing widespread timber damage and damage to several homes. Montgomery Regional Airport recorded a wind gust of 70 mph as the line passed through just prior to 2:30 AM.