Event narrative (NOAA)
This tornado initially touched down in rural northern Greene County and moved northeast through southern Tuscaloosa and western Jefferson Counties. The tornado caused devastating damage consistent with a violent EF4 rating to portions of the city of Tuscaloosa and western suburbs of Birmingham and then lifted northeast of downtown Birmingham. The tornado entered western Jefferson County 5.5 miles west of North Johns. The tornado continued to cause significant tree damage as it crossed Sealy Ann Mountain Rd and CR 23. As the tornado crossed Valley Creek and the far northern portion of Virginia, several homes sustained minor damage. The tornado strengthened to a violent EF4 rating with winds of 190 mph as it approached Concord. Several retail stores were destroyed along CR 46 and only piles
Other notable tornado events in Alabama
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.