EF2 tornado in Blount County, Alabama

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Blount County, just west of Oneonta, and determined that it was consistent with an EF2 tornado, with maximum winds near 115 mph.

A tornado touched down near Moss Road and County Road 33. The tornado quickly intensified as it began to snap and uproot various trees near a farm, and also destroyed a farm shed. Numerous trees were uprooted as the tornado crossed Highway 33, before impacting two residences. It was here where the damage survey team found the most significant damage as one residence sustained moderate roof and siding damage, and another was completely swept off its foundation, moving nearly 60 feet to the north. Dozens of trees were also snapped and uprooted on these properties as the tornado tracked parallel to the highway in a northeast direction. The tornado crossed County Road 1 where another corridor of significant tree damage was observed. Just to the north, a shed was overturned and blown to the southeast. From here, the tornado continued northeast where structure damage was observed near Highway 33. Various farm buildings sustained significant damage and at least one residence sustained roof damage (winds estimated at 100 mph). Damage became more sporadic in nature and less severe northeast of this location, though another brief corridor of EF1 damage was observed near the intersection of Shady Lane and US Highway 231, where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. After crossing Highway 231, the tornado continued northeast and approached Palisades Park before dissipating along Ebell Road.

An upper-level low over the southwest United States evolved into a negatively-tilted shortwave trough as it moved over the southeastern United States. A warm front steadily moved northward during the morning and afternoon hours on Sunday, April 12. This allowed an unstable air mass to move northward and overspread much of the region. At the same time, very strong wind shear developed over Alabama as the upper trough neared the state.

An initial wave of severe storms affected areas near and north of Interstate 20, involving tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds, and some hail. Through the evening, a second wave of thunderstorms affected the remaining areas of Central Alabama with tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds. Flooding also resulted from training rainfall near and north of Interstate 20. Some roads became impassible or were washed out. This weather event was large in scope and produced severe weather from Oklahoma and Texas, through the southeastern United States, then up the east coast to New York.