With our weather nice and warm this weekend, an anniversary of an outbreak that will be etched in the memories of those who were and those who weren’t effected by the April 27th 2011 outbreak comes around again today. Our weather that day was quiet and cool as the system that went on to produce the violent tornado outbreak had moved off to the east. The warnings were excellent on this date, however 338 people died from the outbreak, over 250 of them in Alabama alone. This is where the social sciences have come in to ask the question, why did they die? Did they get proper warnings? How did they get the warnings? Did they do what they were supposed to do? Anyone on TV, a blog or other media sources can tell you where the storm or tornado is and where it’s going, but it’s up to you as the viewer to do your part. That’s the lesson that is being learned through this outbreak two years ago today.
Cullman AL Tornado from ABC 33/40 in Birmingham (Rated EF4) This video is 2:45-3pm (From John Brown Trussville AL)
Tuscaloosa Tornado from ABC 33/40 in Birmingham (Rated EF4) This video is 5-5:15pm (From John Brown Trussville AL)
Tuscaloosa Tornado shot from I-59/20 by Mike Wilhelm (who was with John Brown chasing that day) They were very helpful in documenting and saving lives that day. NOTE: Language
Cordova Tornado (Rated EF4) from Brian Peters (ABC 33/40) and Dr. Tim Coleman (UAH) This was taken around 4:30-4:40 (you can hear the 33/40 coverage on radio in bg)
This is the Hackleburg/Phil Campbell Tornado (Rated EF5) as it passed near Madison and Athens in North AL. This would go on to take out WAFF’s Radar at US 72 at French’s Mill (which is also on YouTube) This was taken around 4:30pm
This is the same Tornado as Tuscaloosa (Rated EF4) as it crossed I-65 through the northern suburbs of Birmingham near Fultondale (From Terry Sasser)
This is the Pisgah Tornado (Rated EF4) taken from Lookout Mountain near Mentone AL around 4:47pm. This Tornado dropped from the same thunderstorm as the Cullman Tornado a few hours earlier.
There are many other videos of the tornadoes and the damage on Youtube as well that I couldn’t put on here.