Previously unrecorded tornado confirmed from historic April 2011 outbreak

The forgotten tornado outbreak of April 15, 2011 was record-breaking at the time, only to be overshadowed less than two weeks later by the April 27 outbreak which included the infamous F4 tornado in Tuscaloosa.

Almost 15 years later, the National Weather Service is still learning more from both outbreaks.

This week, NWS reported a 46th tornado that momentarily touched down in west Alabama in the afternoon of April 15.

“Unfortunately, tornado events were happening so frequently during the record setting month of April 2011 that meteorologists at NWS Birmingham actually had to suspend survey activities from one event to prepare for the next. While able to document the Jackson Quarters tornado east of Forkland, they were either unaware of the damage west of town or unable to get to the area before they were called in from the field to prepare for another tornado threat on April 20th.”

National Weather Service of Birmingham

Keep reading to learn more about the previously unknown tornado + how the NWS learned about it.

April 15 tornado outbreak

46 total tornadoes touched down across Alabama throughout the day on April 15, 2011, starting around noon.

The National Weather Service said a surface low developed across the Central Plains on April 14 + deepened as it moved into the Mid-Mississippi Valley.

By the next morning, it became evident that environmental conditions were going to be perfect for tornadic supercell development. 

The Storm Prediction Center issued the first Tornado Watch for Central Alabama prior to 8AM with the first tornado warning issued at 11:52AM in Marengo County. A total of 45 warnings were issued, lasting until 12:15AM the next morning.

Newly-discovered tornado

The National Weather Service in Birmingham says it was tagged in a social media post earlier this year about a potential undocumented tornado event in Greene County near Forkland.

Social media provided visual and textual evidence that damage had occurred in the area of the suspected tornado path. In the coming weeks, additional information was provided by the Greene County Independent that supported the notion of a tornado.

The end result was official documentation of a tornado:

• Rating: EF-2
• Estimated Maximum Wind: 120 mph
• Injuries/Fatalities: 1 injury
• Damage Path Length: 8.73 miles
• Maximum Path Width: 325 yards
• Approximate Start Point/Time: 4:35PM
• Approximate End Point/Time: 4:52PM

“While it’s understandable that the NWS missed a track in the incredible workload of the 2011 spring severe weather season, it is important to correct the record for both accuracy and credibility. NWS meteorologists are scientists that strive to be as accurate and correct in what they do, yet always willing to learn and make corrections when additional data and facts are presented.

“Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the people of Forkland deserve to have the record corrected to reflect and validate the impact and suffering that they experienced as a result of this previously undocumented tornado.”

National Weather Service Birmingham

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