Tracking every tornado that passed through Alabama on April 27, 2011
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 เม.ย. 2016
- April 27, 2011 is a day that will live in the hearts and minds of the people of Alabama for years to come. This map shows the path and strength of each of the 62 tornadoes that cut through the state during that fateful day.
Each corner of the state was effected by this storm, especially the city of Tuscaloosa, which suffered a direct hit from an EF-4, resulting in significant damage and loss of life.
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Even the smallest lines on this map had profound effects on someone's life. We lost our house to one of the tiny EF-2 tracks that barely show up on this map!
it’s unbelievable what just an EF-2 tornado can do. i’m glad you survived that day, hopefully doing well!
0:19 that little line just east of Birmingham split my house in half with a tree and came in my room. Luckily no one got hurt and our insurance was awesome, paid for everything, redone the whole house in about 3 months. Many others weren’t so lucky
got hit by an ef3 myself. lost the shed but that was it. you're absolutely right!
Where did you live?
A lot of my family still lives in Henagar, just south of where the second EF-5 went through, even now in 2024 there are giant swaths of land that is still decimated and barren along highway 75 heading through DeKalb county.
I lived through this, living in Huntsville AL at the time -- the sirens started around 4:30am or so. We lost all power at about 4:00pm. Our downstairs neighbor had a landline and her son called from Atlanta to tell us that tornadoes had knocked out all power to North Alabama and the silence of the sirens was NOT an all clear. Unbelievable destruction. Phil Campbell was the worst --- it's impossible to describe the devastation of what my partner and I saw there about a month later. A good friend lived in S Tennessee; he had papers raining down into his yard from houses destroyed in Phil Campbell, a distance of 100 miles away.
That's fuckin insane. Could you hear the tornado's roar???
I drove thru Phil Campbell several years later, and you could still easily tell where the tornado had come through. Such a tragedy for their small community, and Hackleburg too.
Is Phil Campbell the big red ef5 on this map?
The Phil Campbell EF5 is going to be remembered for the rest of United States history. On the ground for over 115 miles while producing EF5 damage for three quarters of it traveling at 68 mph
132 MILES TO BE EXACT.
That one passed just behind my sisters house. She lost power immediately following and we didn’t know for some time whether she was okay or not. They had clothing from Mississippi in the yard. They were in Lawrence county alabama. She saw the thing and said it was terrifying. We watched the news as they were tracking it and new it was headed to their area. Thankfully they had a basement for shelter. I will never forget that day. I was within a mile of one on my drive home from work. It was a smaller one though. Still scary. Had two coworkers that lost their homes. For two weeks we took care of everyone we could. We were fortunate and got power quickly. Others not so lucky.
@@ebok98 so how did they know the clothes were from Mississippi???
I heard that the tornado dug up dirt where it left scars.
This was exactly one month, before my High School graduation. ** 4/27/2011 will be remembered in the state of Alabama, long after we're gone.
I see comments from folks saying they were in school that day. I was teaching in Albertville that year. I remember on Monday of that week, EMA had already put us on notice for the Wednesday (4/27) and all classes at Albertville City Schools were cancelled that day. I'm a little surprised because I thought most (if not all) other schools in Alabama were cancelled that day.
On that day, I went to my parents' house in Crossville, AL and stood on their back porch with my dad was we watched a super cell funnel pass in the distance. That funnel would eventually become the F5 tornado that hit Rainsville and Sylvania. Most of northern Alabama was without power for days. I will NEVER forget all the details of this day.
I was sitting in school on that day in Athens when we were notified. Never in my wildest dreams did I realize I was that close to an EF-5.
I know right? My mom's work at the time was next to the hospital and we saw debris falling from the sky.
I live in Athens al too lmao. Went to Athens high school
Yo I went to east! I remember sitting in the hall while that tornado destroyed a neighborhood behind the school and the fire station in front of the school. By some miracle the tornado jumped over the building going from the southwest corner all the way to the northeast corner. We had a girl get injured and the SRO tried to radio for help and I remember hearing the woman on his radio say "there is no east limestone fire department anymore"
Yo! Another person from Athens! I was at Cowart Elementary that day my Dad had to drive back from Huntsville in a traffic jam to pick me up.
Not to mention probably the one the most intense EF-5s ever yeesh
this was a horrible day in Alabama history
johnny Garner
I agree
Agreed
That and all of the 1950s and 60s. And April 3 1974
For people unfamiliar with Alabama, it might be hard for you to visualize the vast distances that these tornadoes were on the ground continuously. We’re talking about some insanely long-tracked tornadoes here! It is truly horrifying how long these violent tornadoes stayed on the ground almost across the entire state.
The scale of this event is just insane. Alabama clearly was the hardest hit state, but it is crazy to know people as far north as Illinois saw tornadoes on that day. I was watching ABC 33/40 coverage until tornado warnings started in my home state of Georgia.
There were also tornadoes in New York State. Unfortunately, none of them hit the city.
@@kenperk9854 Classy
The EF5 came right through 2 subdivisions and completely destroyed them along Highway 53 and my house was avoided and I thank God everyday that I was blessed 💙
Which one?!
@@jonn443
Considering where Highway 53 is I would say it was the Shoal Creek, Ohatchee tornado
@@JasonLewis544 , that wasn't an EF5.
@@jonn443
Had to be Rainsville then unless she thought Shoal Creek was an EF5, still though EF4 is unbelievably horrible and deadly
wright hachackleburg tornado
A decade later and I can still find some of the damage left behind...
That EF-4 Tuscaloosa tornado nearly hit me, soon after that I moved back to New York.
Sobering music. Very well produced, thanks.
My family and I are survivors of this historic day. The tornado sirens would go for a bit then back off and on again several times in a matter of a few hours. Power was out for a week where I lived and we had damage and personal belongings that the wind carried from several hours away of the original location, from other people. You would just look up in the sky and see papers, roofs, trash, anything the tornado ate. The saddest part was talking to rescue crews and seeing them break down and cry when they told about finding body after body, especially children. Hearing it on the scanner was just as bad. Not something I want to go through ever again. I now have PTSD because of this day. Anytime a storm comes, no matter how small, I start crying and having a panic attack, even tho it's been years, makes me wonder what other poor souls go through what I do now. The ef- 5 was so close to where we live it destroyed a church that was featured on the weather channel and that was about 5 mins. From our house. Anyone who lived in Alabama, at this time, will never forget this day or forget the ones who lost their lives.
XxFoxy FawnxX same here I survived the Ef-5 in Phil Campbell Alabama, we have lost our home we lost in the storm and we lost several family members and several friends" my condolences and prayers are with your family and you had to deal with the events of that day" God bless and stay safe!🙏🏽
XxFoxy FawnxX Unfortunately Xx Foxy that’s a amazing story and scary just reading it.
The longest one that day was from just outside of Hamilton AL to Franklin TN . I seen that one first hand
Ah, so Hackleburg.
Hackleburg was an ef5 most of its life and long track of the day close to a 140 miles on the ground
I never forget it my friend die
@@quinten106 sorry to hear that
I may not be from Alabama, but I truly believe this was one of the worst events this corner of America has ever faced, even the Storms I faced
Hurricane Ike, Hurricane Harvey, The February Winter Storms, and so many more, I believe that nothing can top this event, many innocent lives were lost here, but what did we learn? We as Americans learned the true horrors of these Twisters, and it is amazing how strong the People of Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia is, I respect y’all, and let me tell y’all this, I have a Texas-Sized Ego about my state, and to earn my Respect, you have to be truly great. god bless the south, god bless Alabama, god bless America, and I hope one day we get over our differences and instead of saying: Alabama and Texas deserves this for denying global warming or California deserves this for angering god! We need to just, help a fellow American out, to the people reading this: thank you for your time, and I hope you have a great day because your wonderful, no matter who you are, where you are from and how rich or poor you are.
My uncle recorded the one in Athens, a strong ef5 barely missed the storm cellar. The tornado was less than 50 yards away from my cousins, my uncle, and my aunt. I’m glad they are alive.
The threat of tornadoes is the worst part about living in Alabama. I've had at least 5 tornadoes come within 5 miles of my house over the last 30 years. I'm lucky I haven't lost my house or life yet. Storm shelters should be priority in states that see a lot of tornadoes.
I was 11 years old and lived in New Market during that time. Still gives me chills every April.
Twice that morning/early afternoon, drove through the intersection of 15th & McFarland.
Im a survivor of this day
johnny Garner wow
johnny Garner
That must have been very scary
It was and by 11:00 that night me and my family saw lightning bolts the shape of a cross
johnny garner
Oh my God that's scary
I thank god everyday that I survived this
My thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who was affect this day and are still dealing the the aftermaths today, god bless you.
It's amazing how close Tuscaloosa came to an absolute catastrophe, as if that wasn't anyways. On top of the one that did all the damage, another 5 within 30 to 40 miles.
One year prior was the infamous tornado outbreak that had the infamous Yazoo City Tornado.
I was deployed in Afghanistan watching this on my phone. Luckily all my people were safe.
I remember this day. I had just moved to Huntsville. It was like Tornadoes all around us it was scary.
At this time. I was at high school when our tornado sirens went off. We were doing our standard protocol when I looked out a window and I saw an huge EF5 was about 55 kilometers away.
Do you mean 5.5 or 55?
we had to camp out in our front yard for a month till we got power back. thank goodness for the military giving water and mres. but the gas gouging was a sad thing to see.
That day, 4/27/2011, is the reason why the SPC outlooks are done so far in advance now. There is no such thing as being too careful when it comes to severe weather in Alabama
I live in BHM and while we were spared, that day seems like a terrible dream. We had debris coming down into our yard from Tuscaloosa.
That's crazy to think about. That would scare the shit out of me.
I pretty sure that one EF-5 tracked right into Tennessee when I was just a year old I remember seeing a wall cloud but I don’t know what year it was but I’m sure that might’ve been the rest of the EF-5 tornado it probably was dying when it hit Tennessee and I saw it and it eventually just went away.
Yea I'm pretty sure it went into Tennessee, I was about 3 when this happened, so I dont remember much, but I do remember all the fear
Look at the track of the 4 and 5 s . Holy CRAP
Faded Mike 'no'
Ikr
i live on the coast...but i cried for my state that day...
That EF2 in St. Clair hit my home, my family was fine but it destroyed everything around it… my Mother had called the house earlier that morning crying telling me and my dad to get out of there. Then the power went out... I honestly thought I was gonna die that day.
y'all one of these went like right by my grandmother's house and we didn't have anywhere to go and we were in a mobile home and i for sure thought i was gonna die. it was the scariest thing i've ever experienced
That very short line north of the longer line in Huntsville @ 12 noon, it was more like 12:45 pm and I was right in the middle of it. I thought it was straight-line winds, which I had experienced many times before. Only later did I find out that it was a tornado.
this was absolutely horrible i was 5 when this happened and i remember sitting in the bathroom with my mom and sister and leaning against the door listening to the TV and all of a sudden it went click and and it was complete silence i almost cried watching this plz bring prayers and blessing down apon these poor people........PS i live in huntsville
this needs an update after the madness of the 2021 season in Alabama. 2011 and 2021 are similar.
I was ignorant then and didn't even pay that much attention to the potentially deadly situation they were calling for. I was actually grilling some steaks for dad and I because it was the first day off if had in at least 2 weeks. Standing underneath the carport at my parent's house, I heard the Phil Campbell/Hackleburg tornado. As the crow flies, that is roughly 50 to 55 miles from their house. I knew that was gonna be bad but never imagined what wound up happening. Never again will I ignore the weather reports
This was awful. My heart is with anyone who lost anyone that day. What’s the music? I love the instrumental.
Anybody know the name of this song??
The red ef5 came 7 miles away from my home the hackleburg tornado my dad herd it a bright as day i dont really rember it i was only 4
We watched the f4 tornado that cut threw Blount from our front porch it went right up the black warrior River
I heard Alabama was at tornado valley but .....danm
I have a picture somewhere of the one that ripped through Ruth, just a little north west of Arab, and that tornado was an EF5, not a EF4, it was just too big.
FYI, the shape of a funnel, physical size of a tornado, the width of a damage path, the groundspeed of a tornado, and how long a tornado lasts says nothing about a tornado's destructive power. There have been narrow 'drillbit' tornadoes less than 100 yards wide that have caused F-5/EF-5 level damage, and there have been mile-wide wedge tornadoes that caused F-2/EF-2 level damage.
Consequently, whether a tornado receives a rating of EF-4 or EF-5 only depends on the evidence, which consists of inspecting damage to homes, trees, structures like towers & bridges, the surface of roads & fields, objects that have penetrated walls & trees, where debris has been thrown or carried, and other important clues. Opinions, visual appearance, photograpgs, or radar images of the tornado do not matter.
You are incorrect, the Coleman tornado which was the same tornado that hit Arab was a mid-level EF4. That said, it was a 1.5 mile wide MONSTER.
@@jonn443 Likely had high-end EF4 windspeed
I knew somebody who was at the University of Alabama around this time. I wonder how they dealt with this.
the fact that I was born on this day is a very bad feeling in my mind as I know 378 of not died and lost their homes due to this one storm that happened and any noise my birthday I still feel guilty for some reason 4-27-11
Nearly was hit be the ef4 that went through lake martin
My family survived that wa the day after my brothers birthday but I wasn’t born yet we had a bunch of trees in our yard it was like a forest but there’s n many anymore
Does anyone know which one of these passed through Ragland?
I was in basic training in Fort benning ga never thought i.be hour away from all these happening never heard a siren til that day
What barracks were you in I came to ft. Benning bought 2 months after the tornadoes. A Co. 2/330 sand hill
@@michaeltucker7431 I was in Holcombe barracks bravo 1-19 we were the barracks at bottom of hill from the subway and across from parade field think was also a lake
6:40 pm EF5 Dekalb Co completely destroyed my house killed both my neighbors put wife in icu for 4 days blew two of my kids in what was left of woods i was lifted over 20ft into the air as i witnessed total destruction we all survived
Which EF5, the Phil Campbell or the Rainsville?
HOW DID YOU SURVIVE IM NOT MAD IM IMPRESSED
@@jonn443 Def Rainsville
Any reason why the EF-0 tornadoes weren't included?
Brent Maze they're considered too weak in standards like these, all of Alabama was under tornado emergency so they didn't pay any attention to tornadoes that were weaker than ef0s.
EF-0 will do damage if it hits your house. NWS did the same assessments for all tornadoes. No path is too small for them to survey and assess the damage.
Brent Maze You are definitely right about EF0s damaging houses. They can knock over tall, shallow-rooted pines. I’ve seen those cut mobiles homes right in half when they came down.
There were too many of them
I don’t think there were any EF-0 rated tornadoes that day in Alabama.
Tornado flew right over my house in Trussville
How was your house and was everyone ok?
I survived in Tuscaloosa but only 1 tornado went through that day and it apwas an EF4.
I remember the 2011 Tornado Outbreak in Alabama.
Visiting here on 10 year anniversary
Who came from toasted noodle
Superqwink Loves kiwis me
Me
You missed the first 2 of that day. Both were in Lauderdale County.
That tornado that went through Tuscaloosa and birmingham should have been an Ef-5
Etowah county was really lucky to be surrounded by tornadoes and not get by one
It seems like they either go north through Walnut Grove/Altoona or south through Ohatchee/Jacksonville. Seems like they always miss Gadsden
wow
Damn this song is still so good haha
What a terrible day. I live where the EF5 came through
I lived near the 2and E5 tornado
0:26 Here they come...
Five f5 and a f4 gets all the headlines.
Yep...EF 5 here. Tore everything down that it hit. Nasty nasty. 3 rounds of pure hell
I had an ef-1 go through my backyard it stole my trampoline
0:18 holy crap look nearby cullman
They call it “The Marshall Complex”
My city still mourns
Tuscaloosa got the worse of it
2 ef3 and 2 ef4 tornadoes
@Judy G. The Tuscaloosa tornado did not kill 0 people. It killed 64 and injured over 1,500. The tornado you are talking about only killed 72 (not 100s) and injured 145.
You should look up the Hackleburg Alabama and Phil Campbell tornado then you might want to take your words back all those people lost their entire town those towns were basically wiped off the face of the earth
The Hackleburg EF5 was not only the strongest tornado of the day ( only bested by the Joplin EF5 a month later), but it was the deadliest of the day and second in fatalities only to the Joplin EF5.
Had the Hackleburg tornado EF5 dropped down on Tuscaloosa, the death toll would had at least doubled.
Please remember what tornado was King that day and give respect where respect is due.
There was only one EF-4 for n Tuscaloosa
@@willzuh1471 They're all bad. It's not a pissin contest.
Crazy
DAMN!
Not correct. I live in limestone county and I got woke up early that morning before sun rise by a tornado warning. A little time later when the sun came up I went to look around we had a small tornado to come through east limestone. It wasn’t on the ground but around 2-3 miles took roofs off. That was the start of a bad day.
0:27 cullman tornado
0:26 hackleburg tornado as well
I was in 2 tornados in 1 day
_I remember this, I slept through it though._
Eστία
Wow
Meanwhile you were sleeping through it people were dying through it"
Weather channel
Anyone here from toasted noodle?
me
ToastedNoodle MEH
I'm just here because I remember this day and I'm trying to reflect back when seven years ago 4 of my friends had passed away on this date due to the outbreak"
Jonathan I’m sorry for your losses I understand losing someone
Me
??????
For people unfamiliar with Alabama, it might be hard for you to visualize the vast distances that these tornadoes were on the ground continuously. We’re talking about some insanely long-tracked tornadoes here! It is truly horrifying how long these violent tornadoes stayed on the ground almost across the entire state.
Idk why but I’m on my sons account right now for TH-cam, but I remember this day. It was terrible. My house was struck by the Ef5 in Tuscaloosa, it felt like Mother Nature hated us and wanted us gone,