1 May 2011
Hackleburg, AL Tornado Confirmed an EF-5. (Death toll passes super outbreak of 1974)
Posted by Dan Satterfield
A viewer sent me this video (click image to see it) of the tornado that hit Arab, Al. on Wednesday. This is the same tornado that hit Cullman, and was rated an EF-4, but the official rating for Arab is not yet complete. The NWS has brought in the best experts available to get accurate ratings on these tornadoes, and the survey is ongoing. An EF 4 has winds of 166-200 mph.
The Hackleburg, AL tornado in Marion County is now confirmed as an incredible, and very rare EF-5. Hackleburg is (was?) not far from the little town of Guin that was wiped out by an EF-5, on April 3, 1974, during the super-outbreak. Many of the paths on Wednesday were eerily similar to that day.
Storm surveys from NOAA are out and here is the survey for Cullman County.
If you want to learn about how these assessments are done, there is a great training manual here– I have consulted it frequently. Kudos to my friends Andy Kula and Chris Darden, both meteorologists for the NWS who have worked long days to make these critical assessments for science. Many, many others in Huntsville and B’ham as well.
Dan Satterfield has worked as an on air meteorologist for 32 years in Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama. Forecasting weather is Dan's job, but all of Earth Science is his passion. This journal is where Dan writes about things he has too little time for on air. Dan blogs about peer-reviewed Earth science for Junior High level audiences and up.
dangerous tornado i have ever seen in my life
[…] The Hackleburg, AL tornado in Marion County is now confirmed as an incredible, and very rare EF-5. Hackleburg is (was?) not far from the little town of Guin that was wiped out by an EF-5, on April 3, 1974, during the super-outbreak. Many of the paths on Wednesday were eerily similar to that day.Source:https://blogs.agu.org/wildwildscience/2011/05/01/hackleburg-al-tornado-confirmed-as-ef-5-death-toll-p… […]
[…] during the super-outbreak. Many of the paths on Wednesday were eerily similar to that day.Source:https://blogs.agu.org/wildwildscience/2011/05/01/hackleburg-al-tornado-confirmed-as-ef-5-death-toll-p… Posted by Paola Fuentes at […]
I live on CR 436 where the tornado came across. Although I lost a lot, my house is still standing. Most of my neighbors were not so lucky. They lost EVERYTHING! Please keep them in your prayers, and I know that anything that you can offer along the lines of furniture, food, and clean up help is appreciated. But please, keep the sight seeing to the zoos! The last thing every one around there wants is people hendering the clean up efforts by you being in the way Gauking!
my daddy is james haynes 91yr old we live in baltimore maryland I am looking 4 anyone that might know him or my aunt Dr Juilet Haynes who lived on Hackleburg Road. Max Isom also on that road is my daddys friend. Aunt Juilet now lives in Sparta Tenn. Ispent all of my summers in Hackleburg and wept at the news. I wish to help anyway that I can. Daddy and I will be down in July as daddy had hip surgery in april and is doing amazing and ready to travel. i know times are hard and our time on this earth is coming to a close but our LORD Is in control. Looking forward to being together again soon.
Max Isom is ok
lost everything but he is ok
My Dad was from Hackleburg all this is very sad its just hard to believe
Ten years later, when I review the videos of the tornado outbreak in 2011, I’m still amazed and horrified. The vid of Tuscaloosa by Michael Wilhelm has always been my favorite storm-chasing video. The twister that hit Hackleburg is a real heart-breaker.
This 2011 tornado disaster will never be forgotten.