Tornadoes of May 20-21, 2025

Overview

Severe thunderstorms tracked across Central Alabama during the overnight hours of May 20th into the early morning hours of May 21st. A total of three tornadoes touched down across Central Alabama with some pockets of straight-line wind damage occurring across the northern portions of Central Alabama as well. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries or fatalities.

Interactive Damage Map

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**The data below are considered PRELIMINARY.**

Location/Clickable Detailed Summary Link	Damage Rating/Estimated Maximum Wind Speeds	Injuries/Fatalities	Damage Path Length/Width	Starting Point/Time	Ending Point/Time
Saks Tornado (Calhoun County)	EF-1 95 mph	None	3.51 miles 1000 yards	2 SW Saks 33.6952/-85.8854 11:35 pm CDT May 20th	1 SE Blue Mountain 33.6798/-85.8274 11:40 pm CDT May 20th
County Road 67 Tornado (Cleburne County)	EF-1 95 mph	None	1.97 miles 550 yards	3 NNW Ranburne 33.5740/-85.3624 12:25 am CDT May 21st	2 N Ranburne 33.5625/-85.3320 12:30 am CDT May 21st
County Road 185 Tornado (Bullock County)	EF-1 105 mph	None	4.98 miles 900 yards	4 SSW Mitchell 32.1896/-85.9662 3:58 am CDT May 21st	4 NNW Simsville 32.1844/-85.8824 4:09 am CDT May 21st

Saks EF-1

Saks EF-1 Tornado (Calhoun County)
May 20, 2025

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-1
Estimated Maximum Wind:	95 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	3.51 miles
Maximum Path Width:	1000 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	2 SW Saks 33.6952/-85.8854 at 11:35 pm CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	1 SE Blue Mountain 323.6798/-85.8274 at 11:40 pm CDT

This tornado appears to have touched down somewhere in the restricted area of the Pelham Range based on radar. The first accessible damage occurred along Calhoun County Road (CR) 109 (Bynum Leatherwood Rd) just north of the Lloyds Chapel Cemetery, where several large trees were uprooted. The tornado continued to the ESE crossing Reaves Road and Gardendale Drive, where swaths of trees were snapped or uprooted, with trees falling on a manufactured home and a site built home in the area. Several pine trees were still blocking traffic across CR 46 (Parkwood Rd) near the intersection with McCulley Ln. The tornado continued ESE roughly along CR 46, before crossing Alexandria Rd, where several streets were blocked with uprooted hardwood trees. As the tornado approached US Highway 431, significant damage continued but became more sparse and sporadic as the tornado appeared to end and transition to a thunderstorm wind event.

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the circulation from KBMX at 11:35 pm CDT.

Timber Damage	Tree on home

County Road 67 EF-1

County Road 67 EF-1 Tornado (Cleburne County)
May 21, 2025

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-1
Estimated Maximum Wind:	95 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	1.97 miles
Maximum Path Width:	550 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	3 NNW Ranburne 33.5740/-85.3624 at 12:25 am CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	2 N Ranburne 33.5625/-85.3320 at 12:30 am CST

The tornado first touched down in a field just south of Cleburne County Road (CR) 67 about 0.3 miles east of CR 49. The tornado proceeded to destroy a half of an old barn, lofting and tossing debris both upstream and downstream, as well as laterally. A large portion of the barn roof landed on a home about 30 yards downstream, with several missiles embedded in the roof as well as the surrounding yard. There was notable splatter on the right side of the house not facing the direction of the damaged barn. Direct wind damage to the home was minor, with fascia damage and a partially collapsed garage door. Debris from the barn was also found hundreds of yards away in an adjoining pasture. From there, the tornado proceeded to the ESE snapping and uprooting hardwood trees as it crossed CR 67, CR 611, and CR 95. From there, the tornado weakened and caused only a few tree branches to be damaged along CR 672 before it dissipated before reaching CR 34.

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the circulation from KFFC at 12:25 am CDT.

Minor structural damage	Outbuilding destroyed

County Road 185 EF-1

County Road 185 EF-1 Tornado (Bullock County)
May 21, 2025

Event Summary

Rating: (Click for EF Scale)	EF-1
Estimated Maximum Wind:	105 mph
Injuries/Fatalities:	None
Damage Path Length:	4.98 miles
Maximum Path Width:	900 yards
Approximate Start Point/Time:	4 SSW Mitchell 32.1896/-85.9662 at 3:58 am CDT
Approximate End Point/Time:	4 NNW Simsville 32.1844/-85.8824 at 4:09 am CDT

A brief tornado touched down in an open pasture east of County road 37 where a few large branches were snapped along a tree line and one tree was uprooted in the field. The tornado tracked to the east where it crossed through a small hunting club and uprooted more trees. Most of this area was inaccessible due to trees across the roadway, but no structural damage was noted. The tornado then intensified as it crossed county road 185 where there was about a 800 to 900 yard wide zone of snapped and uprooted hardwoods and softwoods. The tornado continued to track east through various inaccessible pastures and wooded areas before dissipating near county road 7 to the south of Fitzpatrick where a couple branches were snapped.

Reflectivity (left) and velocity (right) of the circulation from KMXX at 4:04 am CDT.

Timber Damage	Timber Damage

Outlooks & Reports

Local Day 3 Outlook May 18 at 1pm	Local Day 2 Outlook May 19 at 1230 pm	Local Day 1 Outlook May 20 at 845 am
Storm Reports Thru 7 AM on May 21

Surface & Upper Air Charts

250mb Analysis May 20 at 7 pm	500mb Analysis May 20 at 7 pm	850mb Analysis May 20 at 7 pm
250mb Analysis May 21 at 7 am	500mb Analysis May 21 at 7 am	850mb Analysis May 21 at 7 am
KBMX Sounding May 20 at 7 pm	Surface Analysis May 21 at 7 am	Surface Analysis May 20 at 7 pm
Surface Analysis May 20 at 10 pm	Surface Analysis May 21 at 1 am	Surface Analysis May 21 at 4 am