Thursday, December 20, 2012

The Tornado Chronicles: Mobile, AL Tornado of December 20, 2012...

Please note:  this post concerns the tornado that struck the Mobile, AL area on December 20, 2012.  If you are looking for information on the tornado that struck Mobile 5 days later, on Christmas Day, December 25, 2012, please refer to this post.  Thanks for visiting, and we hope that your friends and family are safe!


Significant damage took place around 6 o'clock this morning in the Mobile, Alabama area from at least one tornado.  


The National Weather Service (NWS) is conducting a damage survey, and right now we have the following specific reports from across the Mobile area:

-Lowe's near Dauphin St. and Sage St. damaged
-"severe damage" to homes and businesses on Union and Springhill Ave.
-damage to two banks on Springhill Ave.
-damage to Mercy Medical Center and Nathan Furniture
-damage to Western America on Airport Blvd. (side of building gone)
-"extensive damage" on Hosfelt Lane
-damage to Motel 6 at I-65 and Dauphin St.
-damage to a shopping center on the I-65E service road
-damage to PNC Bank and O'Charley's on Airport Blvd.

So far, no reports of serious injuries or deaths have come in, which is certainly good news.

Please check back to this post throughout the coming days for additional updates, photos and videos as they become available...

***Update, 8:30 a.m., additional damage photos via twitter:



***Update, 10:00 am CST, photos via AL.com:  

 




The tree damage shown in the Dauphin Acres neighborhood is consistent with tornado damage (i.e., tops of trees snapped off):





...as well as utility poles snapped near Springdale Mall:


A YouTube video has also emerged which is a mixture of damage video and radar imagery of the responsible thunderstorm activity from earlier this morning:


***Update, 1:55 PM:

The National Weather Service damage survey has assigned a preliminary rating of EF-1 intensity to this tornado.  The initiation point was near the YMCA on Michael Blvd., and the ending point was 7 miles to the North/Northeast, at U.S. Highway 43 (Telegraph Rd.) near Woodland Ave. in Prichard:


The maximum width along the damage path was 75 yards, and peak winds are estimated at 86-110 mph.

If you have interest in this tornado event, please bookmark the post and check back for later updates as additional information becomes available...

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If you are in need of highly customized, site specific weather forecasts and/or storm warnings for your business, school or event, be sure visit my professional webpage at WeatherGuidance.com.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing this post. I found it very informative and well written. The pictures really bring the damage caused by the tornado in to perspective. Businesses and residents need have prepare themselves by having a solid disaster recovery management plan in place. It will save you time, resources and money in the aftermath of another natural disaster.