EF1 tornado in Cherokee County, Alabama

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in central Cherokee County and determined that the damage was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph. The short-lived tornado began near Highway 9 and the Cherokee County Country Club Golf Course. The tornado moved northeast along County Road 163. At the intersection of Highway 9 and County Road 163, a home sustained damage to the garage door and an adjacent pine tree was snapped. Just east of this location, at least ten pine trees were snapped along portions of the golf course. One half mile to the northeast, shingles were blown off several apartment buildings. Just north of the apartment complex, a farm outbuilding was completely destroyed and the metal panels were thrown 300 yards downstream across a field. The tornado dissipated shortly thereafter before it reached Highway 411.

Six tornadoes and hail up to 3 inches in diameter affected the northern areas of Central Alabama on the afternoon and evening hours of March 19th, with a rare PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Tornado Watch issued for a large portion of Central Alabama. An environment favorable for significant severe thunderstorms developed as a low-amplitude upper-level trough moved into the region with a deepening surface low passing across far north Alabama. These two features resulted in a deep column of strong wind shear with 0-6km Bulk Shear values of 60-70 knots. Additionally, moist southerly flow, warm surface temperatures, and colder temperatures aloft yielded a moderately unstable air mass. Initially, thunderstorms were producing large to very large hail. However, the tornado threat increased in the late afternoon and evening hours as wind speeds at low levels increased with the arrival of a low-level jet.