PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1026 PM CDT SAT APR 12 2008
…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FINDS TORNADO AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS
DAMAGE…STORM SURVEYS CONTINUE…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS SURVEYED DAMAGE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY
IN THE CITY OF HOOVER. IT HAS BEEN CONCLUDED THAT THE DAMAGE ON
FRIDAY, APRIL 11 WAS CAUSED BY A TORNADO.
THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AT APPROXIMATELY 425 PM…IN THE COLONIAL
GRAND APARTMENT COMPLEX UPROOTING AND SNAPPING MULTIPLE TREES. THE
TORNADO TRAVELED NORTHEAST CAUSING DAMAGE IN THE CEDAR BROOK
APARTMENT COMPLEX. MULTIPLE TREES WERE SNAPPED AND MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE
OCCURRED WHEN A BRICK FIRE WALL USED TO SEPARATE UNITS COLLAPSED.
THE PATH LENGTH OF THIS BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN WAS APPROXIMATELY
2000 FEET…ONE THIRD OF A MILE…AND WAS 25 YARDS WIDE AT ITS
WIDEST POINT. THE TORNADO HAS BEEN RATED AN EF-0 ON THE ENHANCED
FUJITA SCALE AS DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH WINDS OF 75 TO 80 MILES AN
HOUR.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS SURVEYED DAMAGE IN ETOWAH COUNTY IN
AND AROUND THE CITY OF GADSDEN. IT HAS BEEN CONCLUDED THAT THE
DAMAGE ON FRIDAY, APRIL 11 WAS CAUSED BY STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.
SPORADIC UPROOTED AND SNAPPED TREES WERE FOUND ALONG A 4.5 MILE
DISTANCE. SOME OF THE DOWNED TREES FELL ON HOUSES AND OUT BUILDINGS
CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. SOME LIGHT/MINOR ROOF AND STRUCTURAL
DAMAGE WAS NOTED IN THE FORM OF SHINGLE AND SIDING DAMAGE. ONE OLDER
BRICK BUILDING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA LOST A PORTION OF A WALL.
NWS SURVEY TEAMS WILL SURVEY OTHER SUSPECTED STORM DAMAGE IN
TUSCALOOSA…WALKER…AND WINSTON COUNTIES ON SUNDAY. THIS
INFORMATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
PROGRAM IS THE RECEIPT OF STORM REPORTS FROM ALL OUR CUSTOMERS AND
PARTNERS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. IF YOU WITNESSED OR ARE AWARE OF
ANY DAMAGING WINDS…HAIL…OR TORNADOES YESTERDAY…PLEASE CONTACT
YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE…OR CALL OUR STORM REPORTING
HOTLINE AT 1-800-856-0758.
