EF1 Tornado — Marengo, Alabama

2020-02-06 · near Old Spring Hill, Marengo, Alabama

Event narrative

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in northern Marengo County and determined that it was consistent with an EF1 tornado, with maximum winds near 110 mph. The tornado touched down southeast of Demopolis, west of U.S. Highway 43. The tornado tracked northeast and produced damage near Starmont Lane and Orchard Drive. Several trees were uprooted or were snapped off. Two homes suffered minor damage. The most concentrated damage occurred at U.S. Highway 43 near County Road 54. This is the location where two manufactured homes were destroyed and two homes were damaged. The one injury and the one fatality occurred in the manufactured home that was totally destroyed. Several trees were blown down in this location as well. The tornado continued across U.S. Highway 43 where it destroyed a barn and uprooted many more trees. The tornado then lifted before it crossed French Creek.

Wider weather episode

Heavy rainfall and severe storms affected Central Alabama on February 5th and 6th as several impulses emanated from a deep upper trough centered over the central United States. This event yielded tornadoes, damaging winds, and flooding.

The northward progression of a warm front allowed a seasonably warm and moist air mass to overspread the region on Wednesday, February 5th, with afternoon temperatures in the 70s and dew points in the 60s. The initial round of convection on this day included areas of rain with embedded thunderstorms producing gusty winds as well as hail. There was a relative lull in thunderstorm activity during Wednesday evening, before the next upper-level impulse arrived, alongside a cold front and nearby surface low. This round of activity began its formation to the west in Mississippi and then moved through Alabama late Wednesday night through midday Thursday, February 6th. This round of convection produced widespread moderate to heavy rainfall, resulting in more substantial flooding. Some storms became tornadic due to the favorable wind shear and instability in place, while others produced damaging straight-line winds. Due to the overall wet and breezy conditions, trees fell in numerous locations from wind not associated with thunderstorms.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.4617, -87.8012)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 878237. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.