EF1 tornado in Barbour County, Alabama

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in southeast Barbour County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum sustained winds near 88 mph.

The tornado touched down near Threatt Road (County Road 18) just southwest of the town of Bakerhill. One tree was uprooted, and a dead tree was snapped at the starting point. The tornado tracked northeast over County Road 79 where several trees were snapped and uprooted. The tornado continued northeast where it crossed Highway 131. At this location vinyl siding was torn off the right side of a single family brick home. Near the home, there was debris including tin sheathing from a destroyed outbuilding, along with many snapped and uprooted trees. The tornado continued northeast and crossed Five Mile Road (County Road 36) where more trees were uprooted near and just north of Christian Grove Church. The tornado lifted east of Five Mile Road over an open field.

A dynamic storm system brought severe thunderstorms to a large part of Central Alabama on January 11th. Deep southerly flow brought rich Gulf moisture northward into Alabama. Anomalously high surface temperatures and moisture content was present in the developing warm sector ahead of the storm system. A line of strong to severe thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front and moved into west central Alabama late in the morning. The line of storms quickly moved through Central Alabama and exited southeastern areas around sunset.

Although not every location experienced severe weather, widespread wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph were observed along the QLCS. Trees were snapped off or uprooted in numerous locations. Many homes, automobiles, and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed. Several locations likely received straight-line wind gusts of 75 to 80 mph.