Thursday, May 07, 2009

EF1 Lawrence/Morgan, EF0 Morgan Confirmed by NWS HUN

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
357 PM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

...PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY INFORMATION FROM LAWRENCE AND MORGAN
COUNTIES...

A PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY OF THE DAMAGE INCURRED ACROSS LAWRENCE
AND MORGAN COUNTIES HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. INITIAL FINDINGS ARE AS
FOLLOWS:

* EVENT TYPE: TORNADO
* EVENT DATE: 05/06/2009

* ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 105 MPH
* PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-1 (BASED ON PEAK WIND)

* PATH LENGTH: **SEE SUMMARY SECTION BELOW FOR DETAILS**
* MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 75 YARDS

* SUMMARY: A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PUSHED ACROSS LAWRENCE AND
MORGAN COUNTIES ON THE MORNING OF WEDNESDAY MAY 6TH 2009. THE
STORM THAT PRODUCED DAMAGE IN EASTERN LAWRENCE AND WESTERN
MORGAN COUNTIES CONTINUED EASTWARD AND PRODUCED ADDITIONAL
TORNADO TOUCHDOWNS. THE FOLLOWING IS A BREAKDOWN OF EACH
SPECIFIC TORNADO TOUCHDOWN:

*TOUCHDOWN #1 (LAWRENCE COUNTY): THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN THE
BACKYARD OF A MOBILE HOME ALONG COUNTY ROAD 327. AT THIS
LOCATION...A LARGE OAK TREE FELL ONTO THE MOBILE HOME IN WHICH A
WOMAN AND HER YOUNG DAUGHTER WERE TAKING SHELTER. THE HOME WAS A
TOTAL LOSS DUE TO THE DAMAGE FROM THE LARGE TREE SLICING THE
HOME INTO TWO SECTIONS. NUMEROUS TREES WERE UPROOTED AND SNAPPED
SURROUNDING THE HOME.

THE DAMAGE PATH CONTINUED MOVING NORTHEAST FROM THIS LOCATION.
ALONG COUNTY ROAD 328...SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED AT A MOBILE
HOME. MORE THAN HALF OF THE STRUCTURE WAS MOVED OFF OF ITS WELL-
SECURED FOUNDATION AND THE MAJORITY OF THE ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF. A
FEW OUTBUILDINGS WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED...AND VEHICLES WERE
MOVED FROM THEIR ORIGINAL LOCATIONS IN THE DRIVEWAY. NUMEROUS
LARGE TREES WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED AT THIS LOCATION.

THE STORM CONTINUED MOVING NORTHEAST AND CROSSED INTO WESTERN
PORTIONS OF MORGAN COUNTY. NUMEROUS LARGE TREES WERE UPROOTED OR
SNAPPED ALONG THE PATH OF THIS STORM. MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO
HOMES OCCURRED ALONG THE PATH WHEN TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ONTO
THEM. THE TORNADO LIFTED ABOUT HALF OF A MILE NORTH OF THE
INTERSECTION OF RAPER ROAD AND PLEASANT HILL ROAD.

PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:105 MPH
PATH LENGTH:4 MILES
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 75 YARDS

*TOUCHDOWN #2 (MORGAN COUNTY): THE TORNADO BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN
NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF 7TH AVENUE AND 5TH STREET IN DECATUR.
TREES WERE UPROOTED AND SNAPPED ALONG THE BRIEF DAMAGE PATH.
SEVERAL HOMES AND VEHICLES WERE ALSO DAMAGED BY THE DOWNED
TREES. THE TORNADO LIFTED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF 16TH AVENUE
AND SHERMAN STREET.

PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 80 MPH
PATH LENGTH: 0.75 MILE
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 25 YARDS

THESE FINDINGS ARE PRELIMINARY AND ARE SUBJECT TO ADJUSTMENT.
PICTURES AND SUMMARY MATERIALS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB
PAGE AT
WEATHER.GOV/HUNTSVILLE /ALL LOWER CASE/.

SURVEYED BY: COYNE/AMIN

$

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