EF1 tornado in Pickens County, Alabama

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Pickens County just northeast of Ethelsville and determined that the damage was consistent with an EF-1 tornado, with maximum winds estimated near 95 mph.

The tornado touched down about 5 miles northeast of Ethelsville on County Road 35. A few trees were snapped off around this location but the initial damage was rather minor. The tornado continued northeast and crossed Antiach Church Road where it continued snapping off and uprooting trees. The tornado then approached County Road 34 where the tornado was at its maximum intensity. Numerous trees were snapped off and were uprooted on both sides of the tornado path. Several outbuildings were either damaged or destroyed. The tornado continued northeast where it crossed Shawtone Road, Woodard Road, and Miller Road. The tornado lifted just before it crossed County Road 27. There were sporadic trees blown down within one mile on the southern side path. This damage was due to strong inflow winds into the storm.

A warm front moved northward during the day on Tuesday, November 29th, and surface temperatures climbed into the 70s across north Alabama. Low level shear and storm relative helicity increased over west Alabama Tuesday evening and discrete supercells developed over west Alabama.