EF2 tornado in Dekalb County, Alabama

A significant tornado of EF-2 intensity with peak winds up to 120 mph tracked through southeast DeKalb County. The tornado first touched down along Dogtown Road (County Road 89) just south of Jennings Road where two small barns collapsed. The tornado then crossed Jennings Road and snapped and uprooted trees along Bear Creek Road and Adamsburg Road. A large number of trees were snapped or uprooted along Kelly Road and a barn sustained damage along McCurdy Drive.

The tornado began to strengthen rapidly as it approached Wallace Avenue (State Highway 35). A large metal farm building was leveled to the ground here and 4 power poles were snapped off completely. In this area, the tree damage was substantial. The damage was deemed to be EF-2 intensity at this location. A home on the north side of Highway 35 sustained damage and trees were also downed along Patricia Drive. The tornado continued to move northeast uprooting and snapping a large number of trees along Pumpkin Center Road. Trees were knocked down on several homes just west of the intersection of Pumpkin Center Road and Fischer Road. Minor damage was noted to homes on the east side of Fischer Road as the tornado began to lift.

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.