EF2 tornado in Choctaw County, Alabama

The tornado touched down along Pineview Road near

the Riderwood community...or approximately 8 miles west southwest

of Butler. The worst damage occurred in this area as three

manufactured homes were completely destroyed...with the debris being

blown several hundred yards away. Several other structures sustained

minor to moderate damage...including one mobile home and one single

family residence. A couple of barns/outbuildings were also almost

completely destroyed. The tornado then moved northeast crossing

Dollywood Road and County Road 24...where extensive tree damage

occurred in the heavily forested area. From there...the tornado

continued northeast crossing Riderwood Drive where numerous trees

were snapped or uprooted. The damage path was at its widest along

Riderwood Drive...approximately one half mile. The damage path then

narrowed and the tornado lifted before reaching Alabama Highway 10.

A powerful storm system moved out of the plains on

Christmas, producing numerous strong storms across southeast

Mississippi, southwest Alabama, and the western Florida panhandle

out ahead of a strong cold front and accompanying squall line. Multiple

tornadoes, some long track, were observed along the central gulf coast

region.