EF2 Tornado — Pickens, Alabama

2017-08-31 · near Reform, Pickens, Alabama

Event narrative

NWS meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Pickens County and determined that the damage was consistent with an EF2 tornado. The tornado touched down at 7th Ave SW in the town of Reform. The tornado tracked northeast crossing Highway 82 and into residential areas where the worst damage occurred. Several single family wood framed homes and a mobile home were destroyed. One wood framed home was completely swept off its foundation. Several vehicles were also overturned. Four people, including an infant, were in the house that was swept off its foundation. They only suffered minor injuries. The tornado continued northeast and crossed near the intersection of County Road 25 and 15th Ave NW where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. It then crossed Highway 17 about one mile south of County Road 8 where several trees were snapped and a house lost part of its roof. The tornado paralleled Highway 17 for several miles and did extensive tree and power line damage in the community of Palmetto. A fire station was also heavily damaged in Palmetto. From Palmetto, it traveled along County Road 59 where is snapped and uprooted trees, then it crossed into extreme southeast Lamar County.

Wider weather episode

The remnants of Hurricane Harvey tracked northeast across Louisiana and along the Mississippi River. Feeder bands on the east side of Harvey produced four tornadoes across central Alabama.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.3793, -88.0344)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 719412. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.