Thunderstorm Wind — Russell, Alabama

2020-04-12 · near Phenix City, Russell, Alabama

Event narrative

Several trees uprooted and power lines downed in Phenix City and across Russell County.

Wider weather episode

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.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (32.4700, -85.0000)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 889725. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.