2000 — Dec 16, Tornadoes, Geneva (1 fatality) and Tuscaloosa (11), AL — 12

— 12  NCDC. Storm Events Database. Tornado, AL. Search Results all AL Counties 12-16-2000

— 11  NCDC/NOAA. Event Record Details, Tornado, Alabama, 16 Dec 2000, Tuscaloosa Cty.

— 11  National Weather Service Forecast Office, Birmingham, AL. Alabama Tornado Database.

— 11  NWS, WFO Birmingham, AL. Tuscaloosa Tornado.

 

—  1  Geneva. Female, 35, when her mobile home was hurled about 200 feet and destroyed.[1]

–11  Tuscaloosa. NCDC. Storm Events Database. Tornado, F4, 18 miles, 750 yards wide, AL.

Male, 40, vehicle/towed trailer           Male, 20, mobile home           Male, 26, mobile home

Female, 39, mobile home                   Female, 53, mobile home       Male, 1, mobile home

Female, 83, mobile home                   Female, 39, mobile home       Male, 9, mobile home             Female, 56, mobile home                   Female, 64, permanent home

 

Narrative Information

 

NCDC on Geneva Tornado: “An F2 tornado touched down on West Hendrix Avenue, just north of Highway 27 South, then tore through the Devco Community, Geneva, AL and continued on through the Bellwood Community just east of Highway 85 before lifting. In its wake, the tornado damaged up to 100 homes and destroyed five mobile homes, damaged or destroyed 15 vehicles, and downed numerous trees and power lines. About 6,000 county businesses and homes were without power until the following day. One woman was killed when her mobile home was hurled about 200 feet and destroyed. Nine others were injured, one of them seriously. Geneva County was declared a federal disaster area. Reported by the Geneva County EMA.” (NCDC/NOAA. Storm Events Database. Tornado, F2, 4.5 miles long, 100 yards wide, AL.)

 

NWS WFO, Birmingham on Tuscaloosa Tornado: “Tremendous damage occurred to several subdivisions, a shopping center, and a mobile home park with many structures disintegrated. 9 fatalities occurred in mobile homes, 1 in a vehicle, and 1 in a building.” (NWS WFO, Birmingham, AL. AL Tornado Database.)

 

“The tornado began in southwestern Tuscaloosa County on the west side of the Black Warrior River. Traveling in a northeasterly direction the tornado moved from a rural, unpopulated area of the Black Warrior River into an area of homes south of Shelton State Community College. The tornado crossed SR 69 destroying a nearly complete shopping center which included a Winn Dixie store. East of SR 69 the tornado destroyed a number of houses and residential structures.

 

“As the tornado reached US 82 it destroyed a number of mobile homes where several deaths were reported. From US 82 the tornado continued northeasterly downing numerous trees and power lines and damaging residential structures. The tornado crossed I-20/59 between exits 76 and 77 where many trees were uprooted or snapped off. Minor damage occurred to the JVC manufacturing facility.

 

“At exit 77 a number of commercial structures including hotels, fast food restaurants, and truck stops sustained damage including a number of vehicles that were overturned. The tornado continued northeasterly for a couple of miles before dissipating rapidly….

 

“The tornado was spawned by a supercell thunderstorm that originated in Mississippi. This thunderstorm was responsible for additional tornado damage in St. Clair and Etowah counties…

 

“Tuscaloosa EMA reported 11 fatalities with this tornado along with 75 injuries. Nine of the fatalities occurred in mobile homes, one in a vehicle, and one in a commercial building converted to residential use. Six of those killed were females and five were males. Ages ranged from 16 months to 83 years old.

 

The tornado was on the ground for a total of 18 miles, all within Tuscaloosa county. The tornado path was estimated to be 750 yards wide at it’s maximum intensity.

This tornado was rated an F4 on the Fujita Scale for tornado intensity. Tornado intensity varied along the path with considerable F2 and F3 damage in the area from just west of SR 69 to US 82 in the Hinton Place and Hillcrest Meadows areas as well as the Bear Creek area. It was also in these areas where pockets of F4 destruction occurred….

 

“The tornado first touched down at 12:54 PM and dissipated at 1:12 PM with a forward speed of approximately 60 MPH.

 

“Tornado Watch Number 808 was issued at 10:00 AM that included Tuscaloosa County.

A Tornado Warning was issued for Tuscaloosa County at 12:40 PM which triggered the outdoor warning sirens to be sounded….

 

“The 11 fatalities also move Alabama into third place nationwide in total tornado deaths since 1950. The state is third behind Texas and Mississippi. This tornado also becomes the strongest tornado recorded in December in Alabama since 1950, and it is the strongest tornado recorded in Tuscaloosa County since 1950.”  (NWS, WFO Birmingham, AL. Tuscaloosa Tornado)

 

Sources

 

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Tornado. “Search Results for All Counties in Alabama. 16 events were reported 12/16/2000.” Accessed 11-15-2015 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/listevents.jsp?eventType=%28C%29+Tornado&beginDate_mm=12&beginDate_dd=16&beginDate_yyyy=2000&endDate_mm=12&endDate_dd=16&endDate_yyyy=2000&county=ALL&hailfilter=0.00&tornfilter=0&windfilter=000&sort=DT&submitbutton=Search&statefips=1%2CALABAMA

 

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Tornado, Geneva, Alabama, Dec 16, 2000, F2, 4.5 miles long, 100 yards wide. Accessed 11-15-2015 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5167810

 

National Climatic Data Center, NOAA. Storm Events Database. Tornado, Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Dec 16, 2000, F4, 18 miles, 750 yards wide. Accessed 11-15-2015 at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=5166971

 

National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details, Tornado, Ala, 16 Dec 2000, Tuscaloosa County, 12:54.  NCDC, NOAA, Department of Commerce. Accessed 2-5-2009 at:  http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~380013

 

National Weather Service Forecast Office, Birmingham, AL. Alabama Tornado Database.   NWS/NOAA. Accessed 1-4-2009 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/tornadoes/mainlist2.php

 

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Birmingham, AL. Tuscaloosa Tornado.  NWS, NOAA, 1-4-2009: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/significant_events/2000/12_16/tuscaloosa/index.php

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] NCDC. Storm Events Database. Tornado, F2, 4.5 miles long, 100 yards wide, AL.