EF0 Tornado — Lee, Alabama

2025-05-03 · near Chewacla, Lee, Alabama

Event narrative

A weak EF0 tornado embedded in a line of severe thunderstorms

occurred in the Salem area on the evening of May 3. The tornado

began over a wooded area east of Lee Road 151, northeast of the

National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Test Track. The

1start point was estimated using radar data as the area was

inaccessible by roads. Moving slightly south of due east, the tornado

passed just north of Lee Road 2119, where a few small trees or

limbs were snapped on Lee Road 187. By this point a Tornado

Debris Signature (TDS) was evident on radar. On Lee Road 749, a

few small pine trees had the tops snapped or limbs snapped off.

Little damage was noted across Highway 280 near Dudley Lumber,

but more significant tree damage was noted on property just

northwest of Wacoochee Elementary School. Numerous trees were

uprooted and limbs were snapped across the property, in line with

the TDS on radar. One tree limb fell on part of a home, causing

very little damage. Tree damage continued to just northeast of a

large pond, where the track ended. NWS Birmingham would like

to thank Lee County EMA for conducting this survey.

Wider weather episode

Multiple days of thunderstorms across Central Alabama resulted in instances of wind damage and hail across the region from May 1-3. During the morning of May 1, a lightning strike in Pell City resulted in an injury. Wind damage and hail on May 2 was generally concentrated along and north of Interstate 59/20 as a line of severe thunderstorms moved from Mississippi to Georgia. A fatality and injury occurred the morning of May 3 near Red Mountain in Birmingham after a tree fell on power workers repairing damage from the previous evening. Wind damage and hail were less prevalent on the evening of May 3 as another line of thunderstorms moved southeastward across Central Alabama. However, a brief EF-0 tornado occurred in the Salem area of Lee County, causing minor tree damage.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.6036, -85.2891)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1241079. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.