EF1 tornado in Russell County, Alabama

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in eastern Russell County and confirmed a tornado. The tornado touched down south of County Road 18 just west of Highway 165. The tornado tracked northeast and crossed Highway 165 causing structural damage to several businesses in the drop zone market, removing the roof off a metal building, and tossing several rooftop air conditioning units. A large hardwood tree was uprooted in this same location. As it continued northeast, it crossed two subdivisions causing mainly roof and siding damage to numerous houses in the subdivisions. The tornado moved into the Alabama portion of Fort Benning, mainly over forested areas of the installation before reaching the Chattahoochee River. Estimated peak wind was 95 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.