Brian reported yesterday that the NWS surveyed a long-track EF-1 tornado through northern Marion County, but even though the same storm hit Double Springs shortly after that tornado dissipated, the damage near Double Springs Elementary School was caused by an intense downburst:
(from NWS-Birmingham Public Information Statement)
…DOUBLE SPRINGS DOWNBURST (WINSTON COUNTY)…
THE NWS STORM SURVEY TEAM HAS DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE AT AND
AROUND THE DOUBLE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS THE RESULT OF AN
INTENSE DOWNBURST. THE DAMAGE AREA WAS ABOUT A HALF MILE LONG…AND
ABOUT A QUARTER MILE WIDE…CENTERED AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 100 MPH…WHICH IS SIMILAR TO
WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH AN EF-1 TORNADO. NUMEROUS TREES WERE BLOWN
DOWN IN THE AREA AND THE ROOF OF THE SCHOOL WAS MARKEDLY DAMAGED.
SEVERAL NEARBY HOMES ALSO SUSTAINED ROOF DAMAGE…BOTH DIRECTLY BY
THE WIND AND FROM FALLEN TREES.
…ADDITIONAL SURVEYS ONGOING…
THE SURVEY TEAM HAS YET TO REPORT ITS FINDINGS FROM WALKER COUNTY.
AN ADDITIONAL STORM SURVEY TEAM WILL LIKELY BE SENT TO CLEBURNE
COUNTY ON MONDAY…TO INVESTIGATE DAMAGE IN THE CITY OF HEFLIN.
No word yet on the south Cullman County damage from NWS-Huntsville. We should hear something from them later on today.
Scroll down to see all of the pictures that we have received so far.
