EF0 tornado in Cherokee County, Alabama

A weak tornado touched down in extreme northwestern Cherokee County just northwest of the city of Leesburg. The tornado touched down along Keener Dr, west of state road 68, uprooting and snapping multiple hard and softwood trees. One of the larger hardwood trees unfortunately fell into a residence causing substantial damage to both the home and vehicle. Just further downstream, a barn was also destroyed by an uprooted tree along Bristow Gap Rd. The tornado was also at its widest point here of approximately 200 yards. The tornado continued north-northeast crossing State Road 68 causing damage to additional trees. The tornado lifted near the intersection of County Road 166 and County Road 670, but not before causing some minor porch and siding damage to another residence. Estimated peak wind was 80 mph.

A deepening short wave moving through the southern Plains States produced widespread lift across Alabama during the morning hours on April 19th. At the same time, a surface warm front lifted northward across south Alabama and pulled warm and unstable air into central Alabama. Several tornadoes formed in the warm sector south of the warm front. Later that day and into the overnight hours, a cold front approached Alabama from the west and triggered severe thunderstorms development, mainly across the northern portions of central Alabama.