This past Thursday a storm system moving through the area brought severe weather across portions of Alabama. Here in the Tennessee Valley, we were fortunate not to see any severe storms or tornadoes, we just saw strong winds. Although our area saw no tornadic activity our neighbors to the south did.

A total of three tornadoes have been confirmed so far by The National Weather Service in Birmingham, two EF-1 and an EF-0. The National Weather Service in Birmingham went and surveyed storm damage in Lamar and Pickens counties Saturday and did not find any damage related to tornadoes. Thankfully, there have been no reported serious injuries or deaths as of Saturday morning.

Confirmed Tornado Paths

The first tornado that has been confirmed as an EF-0 moved through Fayette and Tuscaloosa counties. This tornado touched down just to the southwest of Old Cheatman Road in Tuscaloosa County. The touchdown location was in the Sandtown community which is to the southeast of Berry. The 3.45-mile damage path includes uprooted trees, minor damage to a mobile home, and an overturned outdoor shed.

Just before 5:00 pm on Thursday, an EF-1 tornado touched down about two miles northwest of Graysville near Interstate 22 and the Alabama Highway 78 exit. For the five minutes it was on the ground, it had a 4.65-mile long damage path and peak winds of 100 mph. Damage associated with this tornado includes uprooted trees, snapped trees, and overturned semis on Interstate 22.

The second confirmed EF-1 tornado touched down in the Lake Purdy community just west of Highway 119 just after 6:00 pm. This tornado was on the ground for nearly 15 minutes and produced a 12.63-mile damage path. The tornado appeared to be its most intense, with peak winds of 95 mph, near the Greystone community where large trees came down and a tree fell on a home. The tornado lifted three miles to the northeast of the Leeds community. Damage ranged from sporadic tree and power line damage to a mobile home is destroyed when a tree crashed through it.