National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Coastal Threats for the East and Gulf; Record Warmth for the Central U.S.

Persistent onshore flow across the Southeast and portions of the mid-Atlantic will keep the risk of rip currents through the weekend. Rainfall could be locally heavy across Florida, especially along the eastern shoreline. Meanwhile, record warmth for portions of the Plains and Midwest with elevated fire concerns. For the west, a trough will keep the pattern unsettled with wet conditions. Read More >

Alabama - Madison County

North Central to Northeast Madison County 

Rating EF-2  Peak Wind 130 mph
Path Length 7.3 miles Peak Path Width 250 yards 
Starting Point 34.8502, -86.5702 Ending Point  34.87160, -86.44476
Starting Time 10:06 AM Ending Time 10:15 AM
Summary

A tornado of EF-2 intensity with a peak wind speed of 130 mph crossed portions of north central into northeast Madison county Friday morning (March 2, 2012).  The tornado appeared to touch down just south of the Meridianville/Madison County Executive Airport off of Meridianville Bottom Road, where several trees were snapped.  The tornado continued its path eastward to Buckhorn High School before lifting at a farm field across the street from Winchester road from the school.

The tornado snapped power poles and brought down power lines along Moore's Mill Road just north of Darwin Road.  The tornado then intensified and destroyed a silo just east of that location before snapping trees and collapsing a barn on Macon Lane.   The EF-2 tornado continued east causing significant tree damage and structural loss to residences along Rube Robinson Road and Morning Mist Drive.  Most residences experienced roof damage (loss of shingles) and blown out windows.  One home on Morning Mist Drive completely collapsed and was torn off its foundation.  The tornado was at its peak width of about 220 yards at this point before narrowing to to 50 to 100 yards as it re-crossed Rube Robinson Road.  The tornado collapsed a roof and barn in this area and then crossed fields for about 1 mile before reaching residents adjacent to Buckhorn High School on Shady Oak Lane and Maysville Lane. A power pole and numerous trees were down or snapped along Maysville Lane.  A residence experienced significant damage, with brick walls buckled and a large portion of the roof torn off. A nearby cinder block wall of a garage collapsed.

The tornado then tracked through the Buckhorn High School campus with a path width of 50 to 100 yards. A block building used by the ROTC students adjacent to the stadium collapsed.  Several portions of the roof of the high school were torn off.  Several cars in the parking lot were moved, twisted, and damaged with some windows being blown out.  The tornado then crossed Winchester Road and severely collapsed a home, snapped and uprooted trees and strewn debris downwind across an adjacent cotton field where the tornao is believe to have lifted.

These findings are preliminary and are subject to adjustment.

Tornado Damage Photos

 

Tornado Damage at Buckhorn High School.

Tornado Damage at Buckhorn High School.

Remnants of house on Morning Mist Drive.

Farmhouse across from Buckhorn High School on Winchester Road.