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EF2 tornado in Pike County, Alabama

Tornado March 15, 2025 · Pike County, Alabama

EF2
Rating
21.3 mi
Whole path
1,400 yd
Path width

NOAA records this tornado county by county. Its path ran through Pike County → Bullock County; the totals above are for the whole tornado.

EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 1,400 yards (0.80 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What EF2 means. On the Enhanced Fujita scale, EF2 is considerable damage: roofs torn off well-built houses, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, consistent with estimated gusts of 111–135 mph. The rating comes from a survey of the worst damage after the storm, not from a wind measurement, so it says as much about what the tornado hit as about how strong it was.

What the National Weather Service wrote

The tornado first touched down on Pike County Road 2228 south of

Troy and west of AL Highway 87, where a few branches were broken

from several trees in the area. It travelled northeastward,

crossing Pike County Lake Road and then AL Highway 87. As it

approached Enzor Road, it caused significant roof damage to the

Troy Parks and Recreation building, as well as the softball

fields at Troy Sportsplex. The tornado began to intensify to

EF1 strength as it approached US Highway 231, causing significant

tree damage, with numerous trees snapped or uprooted, as well as

significant damage to a service station canopy. It continued to

intensify and cause widespread tree damage as it moved up the

Walnut Creek. The tornado gained its maximum strength at 130 MPH

as it approached Elm Street Road, where one home received major

damage and was rendered uninhabitable. Several other homes

received indirect damage from tree fall in the area, where barely

a single tree was left standing. The tornado remained intense as

it crossed Butter and Egg Road, causing widespread tree damage.

The tornado veered slightly eastward and moved into Banks, where

widespread tree damage continued, and a metal building received

significant damage as well. Continuing to the northeast, the

tornado began to gradually weaken in eastern Pike County,

primarily causing more sporadic, less intense tree damage and

minor damage to structures. The tornado continued into Bullock County.

The wider storm

A significant severe weather event unfolded across Central Alabama on March 15, with 15 tornadoes, several instances of straight-line wind damage, and isolated flooding. An initial round of storms during the early morning brought reports of large hail in Pickens and Walker counties, followed by an afternoon round with several strong, long-track tornadoes. Of the 15 tornadoes, five were rated EF-2 and two were EF-3. Nine of the 15 tornadoes tracked over 10 miles, with the longest path being an EF-2 tornado that traversed 39.48 miles across Tuscaloosa and Walker counties, striking the town of Sipsey. An EF-3 tornado in Plantersville in Dallas County resulted in two fatalities and two injuries, while an EF-2 tornado in Winterboro in Talladega County had one fatality and one injury. The second EF-3 tornado struck Tallapoosa County, reaching peak intensity in Horseshoe Bend National Military Park. Near the end of the event, an EF-2 tornado moved across southern and eastern parts of Troy, with three injuries being documented.

Began near Little Oak (31.7383, -85.9805).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

14 more tornadoes the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 1233344. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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