The 2011 Lake Martin tornado was a large, long-tracked and violent tornado that struck multiple towns in eastern Alabama in the evening of April 27, 2011, killing 7 and injuring 30 more. The tornado caused $167 million in damages, and touched down as part of the 2011 Super Outbreak.[1]
 EF4 damage to a home that was located on Confederate Road, on Lake Martin | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | April 27, 2011, 8:12 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00) |
| Dissipated | April 27, 2011, 9:09 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00) |
| Duration | 57 minutes |
| EF4 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 170 mph (270 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 7 |
| Injuries | 30 |
| Damage | $167,000,000 (2011 USD) |
| Areas affected | Elmore County, Tallapoosa County and western Chambers County |
Part of the Tornadoes of 2011 | |
The tornado caused large swaths of EF4 damage, particularly to homes on the shores of Lake Martin.[2] Many homes were completely swept off of their foundations, and hundreds of trees were uprooted by the tornado. It reached EF3 intensity at least 3 times,[3] and EF4 intensity twice.[3]
Tornado summary
editThe tornado first touched down in Elmore County,[4] south of Charity Lane at approximately 8:12 p.m., and began to track northward. Hardood trees were snapped immediately after the tornado touched down. It then tracked across Meadowview Drive, and ran parallel to Grier Road before shifting slightly eastward. The tornado then strengthened to EF1 intensity over Woodridge Drive, and a home located on Grier Road as deroofed at EF1 intensity. A multi-story home located off of Woodridge Drive also sustained EF1 intensity to its' roof.[3]
The tornado then began to deviate off of Grier Road, turning further East. It retained EF1 intensity while moving over Yellow Water Creek, and tracked across Stewart Drive. Trees were uprooted at EF1 intensity off of Fortner Road. The tornado continued to track through Elmore County in a relatively straight line, hitting structures. It also crossed a creek before entering into relatively unpopulated areas.[3]
The tornado then reached EF2 intensity for the first time, shortly before hitting Dexter Road. A manufactured home was destroyed at EF2 intensity, and another multi-story home sustained heavy wall damage. The tornador etained this intensity as it crossed Balm Road and Bushwacker Road. The tornado then moved north of Dexter, before crossing another small creek. It then began to track through sparsely populated areas.[3]
The tornado crossed Roscoe Lee Circle and Powell Loop at EF2 intensity, where a home with 8 people inside sustained heavy damage. 3 more barns and outbuildings were completely destroyed. The tornado then tracked over the southernmost half of Stewart Lake. As the tornado ran ashore, it hit a row of houses located on South Turkey Lane. One manufactured home was destroyed at EF2 intensity.[3]
As the tornado crossed Central Plank Road, trees were debarked at EF2 intensity. It also tracked north of the Nolan Davis Lakes, entering sparsely populated areas while retaining EF2 intensity. A short time later, the tornado crossed Whipporill Road and strengthened to EF3 intensity for the first time near Mann Road. A manufactured home located a short distance from Old Colley Road was destroyed at EF3 intensity, and the 2 occupants were seriously injured. The debris from the structure was blown away. Another home located on the northern portion of Old Colley Road sustained EF3 wall damage, and the tornado reatined this intensity for a relatively long period of time.[3]
As the tornado crossed Middle Road and Action Barn Road, it damaged a home, and destroyed another. It continued to track eastward across rural Elmore County, before weakening to EF2 intensity a short distance west of Union Road, where a multi-story home was deroofed. The tornado also crossed Channahatchee Creek before hitting Old Avant Road while retaining EF0 intensity. The tornado narrowly avoided the town of Falkner.[3]
The tornado then rapidly strengthened to EF3 intensity another time as it crossed northern Hunters Road east of Falkner. It completely destroyed the Mount Baptist Church, and debris from the building was found up to 200 yards away. The tornado crossed West Cotton road, retaining EF3 intensity as it continued to travel eastward. It also tracked across Mount Hebron Road and narrowly avoided a trail with multiple outbuildings on it.[3]
The tornado crossed Camp Kiwanis Road at EF3 intensity, destroying a metal building system at windspeeds of 155 mph. A home located on the eastern portions of Mount Hebron Road was deroofed at EF3 intensity. The tornado slowly widened, and narrowly missed the town of Jordan. A home located on Nero Rock Road sustained haaevy wall damage.[3]
The tornado continued to move northeastward, crossing Old Harmony Branch Creek and Indian Campground Road. It then weakened to EF2 intensity, and then back don to EF1 strength south of lake Martin. The tornado then hit Prospect Road and Wade Morris Road, immediately strengthening back to EF2 intensity near Bear Bryant Port. Tree trunks were snapped in this area.[3]
The tornado then tracked into Lake Martin, the third-largest lake in Alabama. It ran offshore at an unknwon time. The tornado retained EF2 strength over the lake, before running back onshore a short time later. It tracked across Cocktail Slough and Wares Slough Road before hitting EF3 intensity over Ridge Parkway. Trees were debarked at EF3 intensity near Windermere Road, and an electrical transmission tower collapsed nearby.[3]
The tornado then tracked through Crosswinds Road and Lakewinds Road, before tracking back into Lake Martin wwhile retaining EF3 intensity. The tornado hit the northern portions of Ridgeview Port, and ran ashore on a small island, reaching EF4 strength for the first time, before tracking back into the water. It then tracked ashore on Stoney Ridge Road, continuing to move northeastward in a straight line.[3]
As the tornado moved across Lakeside Road and High View Drive, it retained EF4 intensity. It briefly tracked back into the lake before again running on land. It hit Stony Ridge Road and Bob White Road, before hitting Sandy Lane. A two-story home located on the northern portion of Sandy Lane was completely destroyed, and debris was thrown into the lake. Another home on the road was completely destroyed, and the tornado reached a maximum width of 500 yards here.[3]
The tornado tracked back into water, and then hit the southern edge of Triple Branch Road after moving onto land. It also moved across Stanford Road and Sims Road, before hitting Connell Road at EF4 intensity. The tornado then hit Air Force Road, and tracked along the edge of land. Four lakeside homes located off of Mountain View Way were completely destroyed at EF4 intensity, and no walls were left standing.[3]
The tornado then moved across Hilyer Road wwhile retaining EF4 intensity. It also moved across a small forested area before hitting Beri Barfield Drive. The tornado then tracked into another forested area. EF3 and EF4 damage was observed on Confederate Road, where a home was completely destroyed and its' foundation swept clean of debris. A Ford F-150 truck that was parked in the driveway was found mangled and thrown over 150 yards away. Trees were also debarked in the area of the slabbed residence.[3]
The tornado then moved across the Norrell Branch Creek while retaining EF4 intensity. It crossed Agricola Road, before weakening to EF3 strength. It also tracked across Sandy Creek. The tornado briefly tracked through forests, moving directly south of Dadeville and hitting Highway 280. The tornado then turned slightly north, avoiding a direct hit to the town of Slaughters. A metal building system located on Highway 280 was destroyed at EF3 intensity. The tornado then crossed the intersection of Bond Spur Road and Claughters Crossing Drive at EF3 intensity.[3]
The tornado then crossed the Central of Georgia Railroad, causing an unknown amount of damage to trees in the area. The tornado continued tracking through forested areas, before hitting Tolbert Road a short time later. It also crossed Andrews Branch Creek. The tornado then crossed the southern portion of Loop Road at continued EF3 intensity. It then began to track into more forested areas of Tallapoosa County.[3]
The tornado ran almost parallel to County Road 89 for a short period of time before crossing into Chambers County, before weakening to EF2 intensity. It hit County Road 473 and County Line Creek before strengthening to EF3 intensity for the final time. A 100-year old wood-framed home located on County Road 54 was completely destroyed. The tornado then weakened to EF2 intensity before crossing County Road 472. The tornado weakened again to EF1 intensity over forested areas.[3]
The tornado crossed Hunter Creek a short time later while beginning to thin out. It tracked across County Road 66 at EF1 intensity, and then began to rope out. EF0 damage was observed on County Road 51. The tornado then dissipated at 9:09 p.m., tracking 44.18 miles and reaching a maximum width of 880 yards.[5][6]
Aftermath
editDamage
editThe tornado caused intense damage across 3 counties, and most was centered on Lake Martin. Pilot Charles Moon surveyed the path, and drew out an area of "total destruction".[7] Losses totaled $167 million (2011 USD).
Fatalities
editSeven people were killed by the tornado, and up to 30 were injured.[6] Two occupants of a manufactured home were severely injured.
See also
edit- 2011 Hackleburg–Phil Campbell tornado, an EF5 that hit Alabama on the same day
- List of F4 and EF4 tornadoes (2010–2019)
- List of tornadoes in the 2011 Super Outbreak
References
edit- ^ Sebree, Tyler (2021-04-28). "April 27, 2011: The unprecedented tornado outbreak". WSFA. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ "A look back at the April 2011 Tornado that hit the Eclectic and Lake Martin areas". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "ArcGIS Web Application". apps.dat.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ Advertiser, Montgomery. "EF4 tornado on Apr. 27, 2011 15:35 PM CDT". Montgomery Advertiser. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Lake Martin Tornado - April 27, 2011". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ a b "April 27, 2011 tornadoes, moment-by-moment: How it happened". al. 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ "Photo: Path of tornado at Lake Martin - April 27, 2011". www.lakemartin.com. Retrieved 2024-07-29.