Storm survey crews from the National Weather Service assessed the damage in Alabama on Monday afternoon and verified the occurrence of five tornadoes following Saturday evening’s storms.
The First Alert Weather team designated Saturday, Dec. 28 as a First Alert Weather Day due to the possibility of encountering powerful and severe storms. Although the day started off with calm rain showers, it quickly transformed into a series of mild storms later in the evening.
According to the NWS report, a tornado of EF-1 intensity was confirmed in Lamar County and Athens. The NWS report also confirmed EF-0 tornadoes in Shelby County, Lowndes County, and Mobile County.
An EF-0 tornado is characterized by windspeeds ranging between 65 and 85 mph, whereas EF-1 tornadoes can reach windspeeds of 86 to 110 mph.
Multiple counties in the WBRC viewing area experienced a Tornado Watch throughout the evening hours on Saturday until the early morning hours on Sunday. Lamar County was specifically under a Tornado Watch on Saturday evening, while several other counties were also under Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.
Shelby County has been greatly affected by the recent severe weather. The local community is joining forces to assist in the cleanup efforts after a beloved farm and horseback riding center in Harpersville sustained significant damage.
Ongoing surveys are being conducted by the National Weather Service in Shelby, St. Clair, Montgomery, and Macon Counties to assess the extent of storm damage.
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