Alabama Power said about 3 p.m. it was still assessing the extent of the damage caused by Thursdays tornadoes. City leaders give update after overnight storms, Mayor Steven Reed and Montgomery County Commissioner give an update following an early morning storm, Mother and son dead after EF-2 tornado hits Montgomery on Nov. 30, Alabama tornado season: What we know, storm history, more, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Lightning struck a flea market in the north Alabama community of Laceys Spring, causing a fire that gutted the building, and rising water in Mobile Bay covered part of a ramp on Interstate 10, according to Associated Press reports. Check back for details. Despite the damage to property, no one suffered serious injuries during the storm. Thats all the damages that have been reported to us, Montgomery EMA director Christina Thornton said. The National Weather Service will now rate tornado damage according to the new guidelines. We had a massive tree that fell on the home, Castanza said. Brown said this tornado is the worst thing shes ever experienced. Always assume power lines are energized. Elmore County was placed under a tornado warning at 10:54 a.m., said Keith Barnett, director of the Elmore County Emergency Management Agency. At approximately 3:30 a.m., a significant weather event killed a 39-year-old woman and an 8-year-old boy at the same residence, Capt. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - April 27, 2011, will forever be implanted in the memories of Alabamians for all the wrong reasons. Avoid stepping in puddles and standing water after a storm as they may be touching hidden, downed power lines and be electrified. Copyright 2021 WSFA 12 News. At the time, about 32,300 Alabama Power customers across the area were without service because of the storms. Stay away from downed lines. January 6, 2023 A possible tornado spawned in Montgomery, Alabama, as a system of severe weather moved across the Southeast. Outages also were reported in Lee and Wilcox counties. Emergency responders from Montgomery Fire Rescue helped remove a tree that had fallen on a home in the Flatwood community in north Montgomery before rescuing a father and recovering two victims who were part of the same family, MFR Chief of Special Operations Sam Castanza said. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or 479-926-9570. Click Here. An EF1 tornado struck the Lake Martin area Sunday night in Elmore County with winds of 110 miles per hour. There is also damage in the Houston Park neighborhood of Selma and rural areas of Dallas County along Highway 14 around Burnsville. The tornado touched down west of Hamilton in western Alabama at 2:05 p.m. that day and left a 132-mile path that took it through parts of Marion, Franklin, Lawrence, Morgan, Limestone and Madison . Climate change may have fueled Alabama storms, experts say, Selma woman who found children after tornado: It was a 100% God thing. This storm is a supercell that was out ahead of a line of severe storms. "We have already seen parts of the state rattled by this severe weather system, which is why I have issued a state of emergency for six of our counties that were in the path of Mother Natures wrath: Autauga, Chambers, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore and Tallapoosa," Ivey wrote on social media. Salers moved into the home nine months ago. So, were grateful and thankful for that there were no fatalities that have been reported at this time., Our public works teams have been working hard to remove debris off Hollis Drive and Meriwether Road following this morning's strong storm in east Montgomery. We brought in additional manpower.. That includes many EF2s, EF3s and even a few intense EF4 tornadoes. At least seven people are dead in Alabama after tornadoes struck the state Thursday, destroying homes and causing what Selma's . Residents in the Flatwood community reported losing roofs, patios and shingles on their homes. "We were sitting there watching the radar. The path was 15.4 miles long and 1,450 yards wide. The storm tracked northeast crossing the Eclectic area. Autauga EMA is also reporting damage along C.R. That included 11,100 people in Dallas County, 10,000 people in Tallapoosa County, 4,200 people in Elmore County, 1,900 people in Montgomery County, 1,700 people in Lee County, 1,600 people in Autauga County and 360 people in Lowndes County. The announcement was made Tuesday night in anticipation of the severe weather. The Flatwood community, which felt the brunt of the EF-1 tornado that hit Montgomery and Elmore counties early Wednesday, picked up the pieces after the devastating storm. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. There have been at least 54 incidents of storm damage throughout the nation Thursday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been tracking tornadoes for decades. There has also been damage reported along Dallas Avenue near Block Park, located across from the Selma County Club. Copyright 2023 WSFA. He expects traffic to be delayed for several hours. The tornado touched down. Reeves' car became stuck underneath the tree. Those include Jefferson County and adjacent counties such as Tuscaloosa, Walker, Fayette, and Blount. Hill said all four were in the Old Kingston area in central Autauga County. The tornado was likely an EF-2 or EF-3, he added. The storm also hit at Berry Hill Place. Not reading this story on the WSFA News App? "This is an unusually fast moving storm. Meteorologists found "at least" EF-3. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Seven people are now confirmed dead and significant damage is being reported from Thursdays severe storms and tornado outbreak across much of central Alabama. You can get structural damage with winds of 55 miles per hour and greater.. Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. Footage of a confirmed tornado that touched down in Selma was posted to Twitter by Weather Nation at 12:52 p.m. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Several homes and businesses in Montgomery were damaged by a possible tornado early Wednesday morning. . Multiple dead, widespread damage across Alabama in tornado outbreak, Dallas County 5,500 customers (primarily affecting Selma and Orrville), Tallapoosa County 5,200 customers (primarily around Lake Martin and in the Alexander City, Dadeville areas), Elmore County 2,300 customers (primarily affecting communities of between Holtville and Elmore and those farther to the northeast to Lake Martin (Eclectic, Central, Equality). Oh my God, that looks like a tornado,' and it was that quick," Thornton said. The account said the storm touched down "moments ago, producing damage.". City crews will be out as soon as practical to clean up. Dozens of homes were destroyed and dozens more damaged in the path of the storm, said Ernie Baggett, director of the Autauga County Emergency Management Agency. The National Weather Service in Miami said the tornado hit late Saturday afternoon with winds of 100 mph (160 kph) near Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center and headed northeast toward the coast. Please monitor the weather carefully," the school district wrote in a Facebook post Thursday morning. Vasha Hunt/AP. About 4,200 Alabama Power customers lost power as the storms blew through. One track stretches four miles from the Jasmine Hill Road area in south Wetumpka. The bulk of the damage appears to be in the Old Kingston and County Road 68 area of Marbury. It blew out windows in the bedroom and in the living room. He drove in the opposite direction of the storm. Copyright 2023 WSFA. Selma has received significant damage from the tornado. City crews are working to assist residents by clearing debris. NWS in Birmingham confirmed 60 mph straight line winds and hail in the storm that passed over Montgomery just before 2:30 p.m. on Thursday. The National Weather Service on Friday said it is continuing to assess the damage across the state and is working to confirm just how powerful the storms were. Montgomery Public Schools is canceling all after-school activities Thursday, according to a text sent to parents shortly after 12 p.m. Chilton County Schools dismissed at 11 a.m. Thursday. NEW! The Flatwood Community Center was destroyed in the storm. It seemed like it took forever to get here, she said. Morris said it was about the fifth time the neighborhood had come together to recover from storms. More: Severe Alabama weather: What is a tornado emergency? The mayor's office also issued a statement saying emergency response teams are on the ground providing assistance and cleaning right of ways. Friday morning, officials said those individuals were accounted for. 23, 2023, 9:55 p.m. A brief tornado touched down in central Fayette County on Friday as rain and a few storms moved through the state. The Associated Press contributed to this report.Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brad Harper at bharper1@gannett.com. Sewell said she planned to arrive in Selma by Thursday night to survey the damage and assist in recovery efforts. A significant tornado moved its way across the city of Selma Thursday, leaving behind destruction. In Alabama, a possible early-morning tornado just north of Montgomery killed a 39-year-old woman and her 8-year-old son when a tree fell on their mobile home, authorities said. All rights reserved. Reach her at agladden@gannett.com. Zoom in on the map above and click or tap the icons to get more information about each reported tornado. Rodney Penn was out clearing debris Wednesday morning. Keep children and pets away from downed lines. The National Weather Service had placed a large stretch of central Florida under a tornado watch on Saturday afternoon as thunderstorms were cutting across the state. There are reports of homes and mobile homes destroyed and damaged in the area. Alex Gladden covers public safety for the Advertiser. Do not drive over lines or under low-hanging lines. Marbury High School is the drop off point for students who could not make it home by bus in the affected areas. Authorities said the victims, a 39-year-old woman and 8-year-old boy, were mother and son. Long after the worst of the April 27, 2011, storms had passed, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox continued to hear from people all around the country: "I remember seeing that on Fox, or CNN . Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed's office issued a statement confirming the cancellations at about 12:38 p.m. Thursday as a strong wave of storms pushed toward the area. Multiple injury reports are coming in in Autauga County from a confirmed tornado on the ground at 1:02 p.m. in the central part of the county. EF-2 tornadoes cause "considerable damage" capable of tearing roofs from frame houses, demolishing mobiles homes and uprooting large trees, according to NWS. 2023 www.montgomeryadvertiser.com. All rights reserved. Preliminary findings from the National Weather Service suggest the tornado reached wind speeds up to 110 mph. As of about 3 p.m. Tuesday there were reports of up to 15 homes with some type of damage, most of them caused by falling trees,Barnett said. This is a developing story. Selma officials have called this a disaster area. Many roads are blocked with storm debris in Selma, as well as throughout the county. Reed said there is significant damage throughout the Halcyon neighborhood along Meriwether Road and Hollis Drive. An incident command center has been activated as we continue response and assessment of the widespread property damage in east Montgomery," Reed wrote Wednesday morning. There are two distinct areas where the possible tornado caused damage, he said. Residents reported losing patios, roofs and shingles on their homes throughout the area. Avoid stepping in puddles and standing water after a storm as they may be touching hidden, downed power lines and be electrified. No one was injured. But everywhere he went, there was damage. I am ready to be a helping hand to our local officials. Were going to continue to do that until we make sure everyone is accounted for, Cunningham said. It first struck south of Wetumpka along Rifle Range Road and in the Redland area. The National Weather Service's Birmingham office confirmed the storm was a tornado Wednesday afternoon after surveying damage in the county. "It was a pretty significant tornado" with "debris lofted in the air to about 10,000 to 15,000 feet," Satterwhite said. Bookers home also sustained minor damage. Meteorologists found at least EF-3 damage in the Kingston area of Autauga County, where seven people have died, and at least EF-2 damage in the Selma area. More:Mother and son dead after EF-2 tornado hits Montgomery on Nov. 30, More:Alabama tornado season: What we know, storm history, more. Residents throughout Selma reported widespread damage after Thursday's storm. At Tara Williams home on Michigan Avenue, a tree took out her front two bedrooms and tore off the roof. There are no reports available on injuries at this time. The city had authorized crews to go into an unincorporated area of the county and help with rescue efforts. The tornado started in Mississippi and crossed the state line into Pickens County about 2.3 miles south of Highway 82. The other begins in Claud, near Eclectic and tracks seven miles through the Kent community. The Associated Press A tornado touched down in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on Saturday as a powerful storm system brought intense rain and powerful winds to the state, overturning cars, damaging. Gov. Were also ready to deploy to some of the areas like Lightwood. The warnings then went out for Elmore and Montgomery counties. Stay clear of areas with fallen trees or limbs where downed lines may be hidden. In south Alabamas Coffee County, there are reports of trees and power lines down. Kelsie Salers was counting her blessings late Thursday afternoon as she surveyed the damage of her brick home on County Road 68. And many of our tornadoes do in fact occur while its dark outside, including Mondays Fultondale tornado. But Im so thankful the house is still here.. There have been six reported injuries in the county and first responders and emergency officials are searching the areas. Despite what you may believe or have read somewhere on the Internet, many of Alabamas tornadoes do occur during the winter months. The National Weather Service is sending teams to access nine separate areas. Josh Douglass with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the two fatalities in the storm a 39-year-old woman and 8-year-old boy were mother and son. Opelika City Schools in Lee County are delayed two hours. DO NOT attempt to remove tree limbs or anything else caught in power lines. It crossed the Alabama River into Montgomery County north of the toll bridge downing trees north of the Alabama River Parkway. NWS characterizes EF-1 tornadoes as causing moderate damage capable of peeling off roofs and overturning mobile homes and cars. Capt. Autauga County Sheriff David Hill confirmed that four people died as a result of the tornado that hit the county earlier Thursday afternoon. Selma Mayor James Perkins told WSFA Thursday afternoon that least one person is believed trapped in a building on Broad Street and possibly one other person is missing. Road blockages prevent bus drivers from traveling their regular routes after school, but Superintendent Zickeyous Byrd said parents are welcome to come and check out their scholars at this time.. As mentioned above, thats not surprising. It literally sounded like there were a thousand baseball bats hitting the side of the house at the same time, Penn said. All rights reserved. It is my prayer that all of you are safe and out of harms way, he said in a statement. Radar. Alabama is actually right in the center of the hot zone for tornadoes -- oftentimes referred to as Dixie Alley -- during the late fall, winter and early spring months.