189Warnings!

135Tornado

54Severe

Historic Tornado OutbreakApril 27, 2011

A Record Setting Event2 Second deadliest Alabama Outbreak (1932) 5 Fifth deadliest US Tornado Outbreak5 Five of the top 10 longest track tornadoes in AL11 Violent tornadoes in a single day37 Thirty year average number of tornadoes per year38 Violent tornadoes 1950 – 201045 Most tornadoes in a single day record, April 15th62 Most tornadoes in a single day109 Tornadoes in April – breaking annual record of 94129 Second longest AL tornado track - Cordova137 Tornadoes for year – 46% above previous record

1206 Miles of tornado track in Alabama

Historic Tornado OutbreakApril 27, 2011

A Record Setting Event

TORNADO STATISTIC             # OF TORNADOES

30 YEAR AVERAGE (1981-2010)           37APRIL 2011                                             109 YEAR                                       137* PREVIOUS 94 IN 2008

THERE WERE MORE F4/EF4 TORNADOES IN 2011 THAN THE PERIOD OF 2000-2010. THIS YEAR NOW HOLDS THE RECORD FOR MOST F4/EF4 (9) AND F5/EF5 TORNADOES (2) IN A SINGLE YEAR.

Note the Nails in Concrete

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/bmx/significant_events/2012/012312/Center%20Point/6.JPG

~16% of all residences in AL are manufactured homes

EF-3 Damage

Dilemma for Schools

Getting Prepared – Pre-Event, During, After

Support/Resources – Know where to get it, FAST!

Expect the Unexpected

Summary

Thursday I Shift Mark R (8-4) Coordinator Roger (9-5) (Hydro/Flash Flooding) (Stay later if needed) Michael G (8-4) Scott U (10-6) Jessica T (til 12pm) Kevin Laws (2-10) (Radar) Aaron G (12-8pm) John D Jim S Greg (10-6pm) Available: Kristina, Westland (prefers evening shift), Rocky If needed

Thursday I ShiftMark R (8-4) Coordinator Roger (9-5) (Hydro/Flash Flooding) (Stay later if needed) Michael G (8-4) Scott U (10-6) Jessica T (til 12pm) Kevin Laws (2-10) (Radar) Aaron G (12-8pm) John D Jim S Greg (10-6pm) Available: Kristina, Westland (prefers evening shift), Rocky If needed

Thursday R ShiftMark L Coordinator Tara G Unger (til 6 pm) Roger (Flash Flooding) Kevin (til 10 pm) Aaron G (til 8p) Stay over if needed: Mark Rose Available: Kristina, Westland (prefers evening shift)

Friday A ShiftMary K Gary G Jessica T (4am)

Friday I Shift - Possible Post EventMark R Holly B Michael G Scott U Kristina S Jim S John D Kevin L Jessica T (til 12pm) Aaron G (12pm) Roger M (til 230pm) Off: Jody A, Jim W.

Internal Communication - If YOU don’t fill in the blanks, someone else will!

External Communication/Dissemination – See Internal Communication

Mental Health Issues

Summary

EVENT NOTES - Started 1/24/2012 800 Mhz briefing conducted at 2 PM. HAM radio group has been contacted.

Severe Thunderstorms possible Thursday afternoon and evening. SPC Day 1 Slight Risk covers areas along and south of a line from Detroit to Addison, most of CWA.

Several waves of storms are possible across the forecast area as a sfc low develops and moves northeast across Central Alabama. At this time, the greatest severe threat appears to be in the afternoon and evening hours. The main threats being damaging straight-line winds and localized flooding with isolated tornadoes generally south of I-20.

Tornado Safety PNS sent at 720am...expires at noon...on 20 min periodicy.Multi-Media Briefing/HWO highlight severe threat.

November 16th 2011Talking Points Event Synopsis: A warm sector developed across south central Alabama during the morning hours of November 16, 2011. Storms with a history of producing tornadoes across southern Mississippi moved into southwest Alabama shortly after sunrise. The storms produced sporadic damage from the Alabama-Mississippi state line all the way to the Alabama-Georgia state line. SPC had the southern half of Alabama in a slight risk of severe thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes were mentioned in the Day1 outlook issued at 7 am CST 11/16/2011.Known Locations: The following counties reported damage; Sumter, Marengo, Lowndes, Montgomery, Elmore, Macon, Tallapoosa and Lee. Surveys Completed: EF-2 Sumter County…Lead Time 33 minutes. 1 Injury.

EF-0 Marengo County…Tornado just outside polygon. Watches: Tornado Watch #887 valid from 200am CST – 1000am CST Tornado Watch #887 extended & expanded until 12 noon CST Tornado Watch #889 valid from 945am CST – 600 pm CST...Lee Co Warnings: 16 Tornado Warnings, 1 Severe Thunderstorm Warning were issued beginning at 634 am through 1225pm.

-Tor 166 included Lee County 1148am-storm at Auburn 1207pm -Tor 167 included Lee County 1218pm-storm at state line 1235pm Event Facts: Tornadoes were reported in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, & North Carolina associated with this system. Typical fall season mesoscale forecast difficulties, will CAPE be enough to realize the SRH. In this case, both parameters were higher than forecast.

     

Talking Points – ContinuedLee Co Severe Weather Facts: -Last tornado in Lee County 5/23/09 F0The weak tornado touched down in northeast Lee County on the south side of Halawaka Creek. Starting just to the west of Forest Road and traveling to the northwest, the tornado lifted after it crossed Lee Road 462 and crossed into the lake. Damage along the path included approximately 150 trees snapped or uprooted, several of which fell onto homes and other buildings, including sheds and boat houses. Rain bands associated with a low pressure system in the northern Gulf of Mexico produced two tornadoes in central Alabama.-Last tornado in Lee County in the fall 11/24/04 F0National Weather Service Meteorologists surveyed the damage on the outskirts of Opelika. The brief touch down and minor damage was the result of a weak tornado. The tornado has been rated an F0. Additional damage across Lee County was due to straight line winds. A very brief tornado touched down on the far southeast side of Opelika, east of SR 169. Several structures received minor damage. A few trees and power lines were also blown down. The tornado damage path was 0.25 miles long and 30 yards wide at its widest point. The tornado was on the ground at 809 am CST and lifted within one minute.-Strongest tornado documented in Lee County F3…4/18/53 – Near Auburn, At least 50 homes were destroyed. 4 people died near Smiths in a small home. One person died near Phenix City. 12/5/54 - 2 N Opelika, 11 homes destroyed, 64 homes damaged, 33 other buildings damaged, and chicken farm heavily damaged.-Lee County has had 21 documented tornadoes since 1950

 My thanks to everyone for an outstanding job for an historic event. I have nothing but extreme kudos for our work during this event.  For the second time in a couple of weeks, Jim Cantore (TWC) has specifically stated our graphicasts are the best he sees across the NWS and he uses them often.

As far as where we stand, here is a quick summary.  Tom Bradshaw is flying in Thursday night and will working out of our office for a few days.  Since we are "ground zero", he will be feeding NWSHQ information directly, trying to help alleviate us doing the work.

Two forecasters will be working shifts.  Camp Parks, TLH, will work day shifts over the next few days (beginning with a K on Fri).  Krissy Scotten will be working midnights, beginning Saturday morning.  This will allow us some flexibility for us to do surveys.

Tim Marshall, who is used extensively by the NWS across the country for survey ratings of violent tornadoes, will be arriving at the office tomorrow morning and we will develop a game plan on the fly.

John will be the post-event coordinator for the event and is setting up the teams for additional surveys.

As far as media requests, I have attached talking points.  Jody will post these on the WIKI page and let you know where they are located. They will be amended as new information occurs.  You are welcome to give media interviews, but please do not stray from these talking points to keep everyone on the same page.  If unsure, tell them to call tomorrow, or give them my GOVERNMENT cell number.

Daily email summary to staff and HQ

Dissemination – One method to reach all doesn’t exist!

It’s about EducationExample - 100 Year Flood

Taking Care of Yourself and Staff

Summary•~88 % of all tornadoes EF0-1, ~11% are EF2-3

•Most tornadoes are survivable “if” there are properly constructed shelters and actions taken

•This was a very rare, historic event, BUT…

IT’S NOT A QUESTION “IF” IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN, IT’S “WHEN” AND “WHERE”