EF4 tornado in Jackson County, Alabama

Representatives from the National Weather Service and the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency conducted a storm survey of damage that occurred in Jackson County, Alabama early in the morning of February 6, 2008.

The damage was determined to originate from a strong tornado, which at its peak had winds of at least 180 MPH, giving it a rating of EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The most significant damage occurred at the corner of County Road 60 and 177, between the Rosalie and Pisgah communities in eastern Jackson County. This is also approximately the location where one fatality occurred. Trees along the tornado path were snapped and in some cases shredded, several houses were swept from their foundations, and a large section of a chicken house collapsed. Several large hay bales (weighing 2,500 pounds) were blown apart or tossed around.

The WFO Huntsville County Warning Area experienced the worst tornado outbreak in 19 years on February 6, 2008. While the number of observed tornadoes was low (4), the area experienced two EF-4 tornadoes, the first time the area has witnessed more than one devastating tornado on the same day since 1974.

This event was part of a large tornado outbreak which spanned both February 5th (Super Tuesday) and 6th (Wednesday). A series of tornadic supercell thunderstorms swept across the Mid-South and Southeast states ahead of a potent cold front.