EF4 tornado in Jackson County, Alabama

A violent long track tornado began it's life about 3 miles northeast of Section producing damage of EF-0 to EF-1 intensity with peak wind speeds of 70 to 90 mph, snapping or uprooting several softwood and hardwood trees. The tornado rapidly intensified and began producing high end EF-3 to low end EF-4 damage within a matter of minutes, with peak wind speeds of 150 to 170 mph, and a path width of 1/2 to 3/4 mile as it roared into areas northeast of Pisgah and north of Rosalie. Residents interviewed remarked that up to 3 tornadoes merged into one very large tornado. There was evidence of this in the damage swath.

The tornado swarmed several mobile homes and block foundation homes in its path, snapping or uprooting thousands of trees. Numerous trees were debarked in the process. The tornado leveled at least 2 mobile homes and swept their remains hundreds of yards downwind. Three were killed in 3 separate residences (6 total fatalities - 2 in Pisgah and 4 in the Higdon/Flat Rock communities). Several vehicles were launched or swept several yards in different directions, in a few cases up to 50 yards. The Friendship Church roof was heavily damaged. Several farms were also affected, with barns and chicken houses heavily damaged or destroyed.

As the tornado continued its path, it intensified further on approach to Flat Rock and Higdon, producing damage of high end EF-4 intensity with peak winds up to 190 mph. The tornado killed three from the same family at a residence southwest of Flat Rock. The tornado mowed thousands in up to a 3/4 mile wide path. One well-built block foundation home literally exploded as the tornado struck, lifting and sweeping all its structure and contents downwind, in some cases several hundred yards. Miraculously, a mother and 3 children taking refuge in a hallway were completely unharmed. At this farm, all fencing was destroyed and up to 19 cattle perished. Two chicken barns were completely obliterated and swept away and unidentifiable. A propane tank was lifted from the previous location of chicken barns and dropped over 100 yards away in front of the destroyed home.

A powerful storm system roared across the Southeast United States on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. In the wake of this system, hundreds of people were left injured and/or homeless, along with approximately 100 people who lost their lives in the northern Alabama area alone. Some of the devastation was literally unimaginable with countless homes, neighborhoods and even portions of cities or towns either partially or completely destroyed. This storm system would be responsible for one of the largest and deadliest tornado outbreaks to ever impact much of the southeastern region.

The powerful storm system that affected the National Weather Service, Huntsville service area would actually occur in three separate waves of severe weather that day. The first occurred during the early morning hours of April 27, 2011 roughly between the hours of 2 AM and 8 AM CDT, while the second occurred during the late-morning to early afternoon period. The third and most devastating wave occurred during the afternoon hours on Wednesday, with some of the most violent and destructive tornadoes to affect the central Tennessee Valley area in recent decades.

The worst areas impacted by these storms included the towns of Phil Campbell and Oak Grove in eastern Franklin County Alabama, Mt. Hope in western Lawrence County and the Tanner Community in eastern Limestone County. Along a line connecting these areas tracked an EF5 tornado with peak winds around 210 mph, the strongest and most violent on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Other areas impacted by the storms include the city of Cullman, where extensive damage occurred to buildings in the downtown area, and to the town of Fairview, both of which are located in Cullman County. Downstream, further significant damage occurred to the Ruth and Oak Grove communities in Marshall County. In addition, the communities of Rainsville and Sylvania along with the towns of Henagar and Ider in DeKalb County were severely impacted. Fatalities in DeKalb County alone numbered at least 33 people. Furthermore, the towns of Flat Rock, Higdon and Pisgah in Jackson County sustained incredible damage. The tornadoes that affected these areas were rated as an EF4 with maximum winds near 190 mph.

In most of these areas alone, numerous people lost their lives. These represent just several of the communities and towns impacted by the events of April 27, 2011. While the majority of the analysis and survey work conducted by the National Weather Service, Huntsville and its partners have been completed, there will undoubtedly be countless research studies conducted by both academia and operational personnel in order to further evaluate and understand the complex processes associated with this near unprecedented severe weather outbreak.