Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado
In the evening hours of April 27, 2011, a large and violent EF4 tornado devastated the northern portion of Ohatchee and the beachside homes on the Coosa River and many other communities in Eastern Alabama. This tornado was one of the fifteen violent tornadoes to happen during the extremely active 2011 Super Outbreak, which is the largest and costliest tornado outbreak in United States history. The long-track wedge tornado touched down a few miles northeast of Trussville and traveled 97 miles from Alabama to Georgia. Throughout its track, the tornado widened to its maximum peak width of 1,760 yards (1609 m) and peaked with an estimated wind speed of 180 mph (290 km/h); the tornado caused 22 fatalities and injured 85 people and did $367 million in damage.
What was the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado?
The Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado was a large, violent EF4 vortex that struck eastern Alabama on the evening of April 27, 2011. This storm occurred during the 2011 Super Outbreak, which remains the costliest and largest tornado outbreak in United States history. It devastated the northern portion of Ohatchee, riverfront homes on the Coosa River, and several other communities. The tornado traveled across the state line into Georgia before finally lifting near Kingston.
What was the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado wind speed?
Meteorologists estimated the peak wind speed of the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado at 180 mph. This velocity placed the tornado firmly in the EF4 category on the Enhanced Fujita scale. These extreme winds occurred as the tornado moved through the region, widening to a maximum width of 1,760 yards at the Coosa River. The damage intensity across its path provided the primary data for this official wind speed estimation.
What was the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado path?
The tornado touched down a few miles northeast of Trussville, Alabama, at 6:28 p.m. It traveled a total distance of 97 miles in an east-northeast direction. The path crossed St. Clair County, Calhoun County, and Cherokee County in Alabama before moving into Polk, Floyd, and Bartow counties in Georgia. The violent storm finally lifted a few miles southwest of Kingston, Georgia.
How many people died in the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado?
The Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado claimed 22 lives throughout its 97-mile track. Additionally, the event resulted in 85 reported injuries. St. Clair County accounted for 14 of the deaths and 20 injuries. Calhoun County recorded nine deaths and 25 injuries, while Cherokee County suffered 25 injuries but no fatalities. No casualties occurred in Etowah County or the affected Georgia counties.
What did the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado destroy?
The tornado destroyed numerous site-built homes and mobile homes throughout its path. It debarked trees in Calhoun County and caused major structural damage to brick homes in Shoal Creek Valley. The storm demolished two chicken houses in Bartow County, Georgia, and inflicted major damage on a large chicken farm in Polk County. Infrastructure including power lines and hardwood forests sustained significant damage along the entire 97-mile track.
What caused the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado?
The tornado originated from a supercell that recycled after the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham tornado dissipated. Atmospheric conditions included mixed layer CAPE in the 2500 to 4000 j/kg range and low-level dew points between 70 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. An 80 to 100 knot mid-level jet provided strong wind shear to the environment. The National Weather Service identified these ingredients as favorable for a long-track, violent tornado outbreak.
What happened after the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado?
Alabama's Surplus Property Division managed the immediate relief effort for devastated communities in Calhoun, Jefferson, and St. Clair counties. The agency coordinated emergency shelters for residents displaced by the destruction. Workers distributed tens of thousands of bags of ice and cases of water bottles to survivors. They also provided meal kits and large quantities of tarpaulins to help families stabilize damaged properties.
Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee Tornado Track
The mapped ground track below shows the surveyed touchdown point, damage corridor, and dissipation coordinates recorded by NWS field crews. The Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado traveled 97 miles across Alabama, Georgia. Coordinates are derived from the official SPC historical tornado database.
How many states did the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado affect?
The tornado affected two states, Alabama and Georgia, during its 97-mile track.
What was the maximum width of the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado?
The tornado reached a maximum width of 1,760 yards, or approximately one mile, as it approached the Coosa River.
Did the tornado cause any damage in Georgia?
Yes, the tornado caused $12.25 million in total damages across Polk, Floyd, and Bartow counties in Georgia.
When did the National Weather Service issue the tornado emergency for this storm?
The National Weather Service issued the tornado emergency at 7:05 p.m. CDT for northern St. Clair, northwestern Calhoun, and southern Etowah counties.