National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Eoline EF-1 Tornado (Bibb County)
August 31, 2017
 

 
EF-1
Estimated Maximum Wind:
90 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:
None
Damage Path Length:
6.5 miles
Maximum Path Width:
100 yards 
Approximate Start Point/Time:
3 ENE Mertz 32.9173/-87.3345 at 657 pm
Approximate End Point/Time:
3 NE Marvel 32.9907/-87.2645 at 710 pm
 
 
 

A damage survey by National Weather Service meteorologists determined that an EF-1 tornado occurred in southwestern Bibb County. The tornado spun up along Road 700 north of Highway 25 in the Oakmulgee District of the Talladega National Forest, just west of Lake Ponderosa, where a couple tree branches were broken. It continued northeast through forested land and strengthened as it approached County Highway 16. There, an anchored barn and shed both collapsed, and an unanchored mobile home was rolled over, while numerous softwood trees were snapped. After crossing County 16, it damaged the tin roof of an abandoned structure, and continued to snap numerous trees as it began to parallel County Road 16 and cross Highway 1. The roof was damaged on a small shed along Sugar Hill Lane with continued tree damage. The tornado dissipated after crossing Ward School Road, prior to reaching Highway 82 and Eoline. The tornado was captured in a couple videos. The parent supercell went on to exhibit a couple additional tight velocity couplets and a lowering in correlation coefficient as it continued through Bibb County near West Blocton and Woodstock. However, survey teams could not find any additional damage on any accessible roads, and no additional damage was reported. 

 
 
 Radar Data & Damage Pictures
Radar Image  

This is an image of the 0.5 degree reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) data from KBMX at 659 pm just a couple moments after the tornado touched down.

 

 

Tornado Image Tornado Image

Courtesy of Raven Smith

Courtesy of Brett Adair

Damage Image Damage Image

Shed Destroyed

Shed Debri

Damage Image Damage Image

Home Damaged

Tree Damage