We watched as the wind whipped up and a cow and a tractor, among other debris, flew by as if they were lightweight toys. It took every thing we had. ***NOT FOR BROADCAST***Contact Brett Adair with Live Storms Media to license.brett@livestormsmedia.comPine forest completely mowed down by an apparent violen. "In the 16-second timelapse, you can see the lightning that accompanied the storm during March 25," the agency wrote Friday on Twitterin a message accompanying the 16-second clip. Brent tornado flipped our trailer in Wilsonville. At that time, a NOAA WSR-57 radar station was located on Alabama Hwy25, southwest of Brent, and just west of Highway 5. I was scared i was 11 i kept telling myself go to sleep everthing is gonna be ok. My oldest sister woke me tje next morning telling me wake up sis your hometown blew away last night. Several vehicles were picked up and thrown, and one pickup truck had its cab separated from the bed. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Sir, As a child my family would sometimes stay at the Cinderella Motel while enroute to Miami Fl. All rights reserved. It truly looked like when folks say a bomb went off. Flood/River Flood Warnings, Productos en Espaol The weather service will have to analyze all the storm tracks to say for sure, but it appears that one storm held together -- possibly dropping tornadoes periodically along the way -- from Mississippi all the way across Alabama and into Georgia. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. All the trees that my cousins & I had played under & swung from were gone. Info: Tornado reports do not correspond to the number of tornadoes that occurred. 5 people killed by Alabama tornadoes identified; others injured, left Centreville Radar itself would become a large part of the story when the tornado struck the facility, ripping away the roof and blowing the radar antenna from its tower. So I went back to bed, and went back to sleep. On I-65 at Greensprings Avenue, a power line was down blocking about three-quarters of the interstate, according to police radio traffic: From the ALDOT camera at Greensprings/65. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). The frame of a manufactured home was thrown 250 yards and into a field. May 27, 1983, Vanderbilt University Television News Archive, WeatherBrains Podcast 174: May 27, 1973 Tornadoes, Severe Wx Warnings. on Sunday, June 3rd, 1973. The first was an EF-2 tornado that carved a 35.17-mile path through parts of Choctaw and Marengo counties. 82 coming into Centerville when we saw the blackest cloud we had ever seen. We moved to Maplesville and started over. Regional Weather Roundup All were looking in awe, disbelief and a sunken heart. This storm had its beginning just northeast of Demopolis. I have and will remember this storm till the day I die. This was my first time in Brent. It sounded like a deep roar and I could feel the house slightly vibrate and windows rattle. Brent was almost wiped from the face of the earth. At a certain point destruction is total. The swarm of storms came. The tornado never lifted from the ground as it followed highway 25 the entire way. The tornado occurred between 8:09 AM to 8:45 AM this morning and had a path length of just over 30 miles! Powered byWPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress. Well hell, it even took the road up, said my granddad. We took off fairly early that morning as I recall and climbed to 8000 and received our assigned working area from the controller. The Autauga tornado was a dreaded long-track tornado, with a path that was 82 miles long. 216 buildings were destroyed, 570 buildings were damaged, 97 mobile homes were destroyed, and 45 businesses were damaged or destroyed. Tropical Cyclone Reports, Warnings and Other Products May 27, 1973, 34 years ago today, was also a Sunday. It looked like the town had been scrambled like eggs. The Brent Tornado went on to kill 5 people in Brent and continued to Mt. I will never forget. A single tornado may account for multiple reports along its path. 6 on the list. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Picture from The BirminghamNews A year earlier I had been called to preach. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. All photos and writing by John Brasher unless otherwise noted. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Severe Safety Rules The thing I remember most was the capricious nature of the tornado: A grocery store, half obliterated while the other half still contained food neatly placed on shelves; one house still standing in perfect condition even as the two neighboring homes on each side had turned to rubble; a building housing lumber blown away in its entirety, even as stacks of wood remained perfectly in order. In Bibb County, one person was injured in Ashby as a manufactured home was overturned, according to the weather service. Aviation Weather, Climate and Past Weather In the wee hours of the morning, somewhere around 2-3:00, I was jolted awake by a sound I will never forget. As the system moved eastward --with thunderstorms and hazardousflash-floodingin other states --a tornado also touched down in Vermont on Friday, injuring at least two people. We lived Heiberger, i remember going to bed having to talk my self to sleep. The National Weather Service (NWS)forecasts the threat of an isolated tornado as far up as New Jersey, though another potent storm system will move across the South and Southeast this weekend, according to a report. The devastation was horrible. The weather service said the tornado touched down in Autauga County and remained on the ground until it reached Chambers County on Alabamas eastern border with Georgia. He was gracious enough today to share his acccount. all that was left was the block foundation . Severe Weather Preparedness My grandmother, Mrs. Evelyn Cummings, reassured me everything was okay and said to get back in bed. Damage reports out of Hale and Bibb Counties - WBRC These are accounts of those two killer storms on the evening of May 27, 1973. Moments after the storm had passed, even though we knew it was very strong, we had no idea what had taken place a mere mile or so away. One person was injured, according to University. A social security card that belonged to a cousin was found in Georgia unharmed. Tornado Warnings Here are the longest tornado tracks on record in Alabama. Deadly Tornado Lashes Alabama; Severe Weather Continues In South - NPR But this was a very different kind of day. I ran into my grandparents bedroom. Click herefor website devoted to the damage in Brent (Bibb County) from this storm. I think he would. pic.twitter.com/efdr6wVo9S. Video shows damaged buildings in Bertram, Texas from a possible tornado. But on this morning, the town was completely leveled and destroyed. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Path of Major Destruction 135 Miles Long, Southern University/Southern Academy,Greensboro, 36th Anniversary of Brent Tornado, CentrevillePress, Like a Bush Hog on a Rock Pile & The Famous BrentTornado, A ride through 2013 Centreville and Brent. I was stationed at old Craig AFB in Selma and was a T-37 instructor pilot. Hurricane Preparedness A large tornado struck in or close to Brent and Centreville, Alabama, around 5 p.m. local time, prompting the Weather Service to issue a "tornado emergency" and warn of potentially "catastrophic" damage. I think I can remember this correctly, but we had been camping since Thursday the week before. Little did she know that God had just spared us from total destruction. Back then we didnt get much information and it was very general. At that point, the rear window fell out of his truck. It was an abrupt and dramatic drop in atmospheric pressure. Emergency crews continue to remove debris and conduct additional search and rescue efforts after a tornado ripped through a suburban area north of Birmingham, Ala., leaving at least . My husband couldnt get to our house that night because of all the uprooted trees.The next morning when we went to the house we found a roof ( with apt #s 9,11 and 13 still on some of the boards) from the apartments a few blocks from us in our master bedroom right where our bed would have been had we been living there. The meat house next to their house was leveled. Looks like theres a power line almost down. We were as much in the center of that tornado as we could be. The city has since rebuilt, and a site by the city hall was dedicated to the memory of those who died. I remember strong storms Sunday evening while still at the lake, but not being frightened. Damage in Brent. Flood Products Description The Centreville Press published a picture of a car sitting on top of a gas station. On May 27, 1973, a category 4 tornado tore through the Brent, Centreville, Montevallo, and Greensboro area, leaving 90 percent of the city of Brent destroyed. A portion of the tornado did some damage at the bottom of the hill from the church. The monster storm finally dissipated near Anniston, on the western slope of Mt. He worked the radar controls, scanning up and down the height of the storm and plotted its anticipated path on the radar screen. Rivers and Lakes National Outlooks The largest and most violent of these would become known as the Brent Tornado. I have always wondered who he was. National Weather Service He lives near Clanton now and still does some photography work from time to time. Local Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data It had top winds of 150 mph in several spots along its long path. I will always have those scenes embedded in my mind and thinking how very close we were camping in tents. Outreach Activities Public Information Statement When we exited the building the air was deathly still and we could hear sirens of the emergency vehicles. We found out the next day that the freezer came from 2 miles down the road. pic.twitter.com/nspaZIEsrT. He worked darkroom for a while at the old Waldrup Studio in Mountain Brook. At a certain point, the measurement of wind speed no longer matters. #alwx https://t.co/hjDcyyF7jL. Make sure you know about the #1 weather-related killer: RIP CURRENTS! The sights and sounds are still fresh in my mind; almost like it happened yesterday. However, the longest tornado track on record in Alabama happened on May 27, 1973. He took off running and I still remember him. May 20 Moore Tornado passes above a private shelter Video, Moore, OK Before & After Swipe & Drag Map, New Research On The 1925 Tri-State Tornado. Conciencia y Preparacin, Weather Safety When they put her in the hospital they had her listed under the wrong name. A steady stream of warnings went out from West Oxmoor that day based on teletypes from Centreville radar. According to the National Weather Service in Birmingham, the Autauga tornado was on. The weather service said that the damage intensified as the tornado neared the Autauga-Elmore county line, where several site-built homes lost most of their roofs along County Road 68 East near Poplar Springs Road. I think it was Highway 25 that we took once leaving the lake. About Radar. Two by fours through the tires and radiator. There was an eerie look to the sky and a funny smell to the air at my parents house. Severe Weather Preparedness I felt that something bad was about to happen and the deacons suggested we go to the basement for the service. I was living in Brent Alabama when that Tornado hit. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. Alabama 'supercell' that produced tornado captured in - Fox News What a story! Just before the service was to begin my mom suggested I run over to the house and get a flash light in case the power went out. On May 27, 1973, Brent was almost completely destroyed by an F4 tornado during an outbreak of violent weather in the Deep South, killing 5 people and injuring 56 in the area. As we were cleaning the yard, we found loose checks and newspapers from Brent. 1999 Bridge Creek, OK Tornado. The tornado leveled Brent almost four decades ago, but I can remember my visit to the town as though it were yesterday. It was hot and I was sweating but completed the message. A pine tree splits in half, falling on a metal fence on Old Leeds Road in Birmingham. Carla Rawlings and her family got out of their mobile home off Goodson Road just in time before . Trees blocked road.then we saw our home was destroyed. Brent - Encyclopedia of Alabama Tornado damage in Old Kingston and Marbury,AL. The hardest hit area was Brent, where the tornado caused upper level F4 damage, bordering on F5. In Hoover, winds sparked a brush fire near the City Heights apartment complex off Lorna Road. All rights reserved (About Us). Change). All-Hazards Awareness Booklet @NWSHuntsville @DanielleDozier @BenSmith_WHNT @katemckennawx @EmilyOwenWX @BradTravisWAFF @spann #alwx #hunwx @LimestoneEMA pic.twitter.com/iF9wqHMQe4. Even from 8000 you could see the amount of destruction that had taken place and knew immediately it was not good and that it would be a long road to recovery for both the town itself and the people it effected. Dale and I dove into an office, and onto the floor, beside a sturdy office desk. Questions? Tornado rips through north Birmingham, Alabama area | CNN There was a lot of people gathered on the bridge where you could see Brent in the distance. Other Research I also recall the courage, resilience, and resoluteness of the citizens of Brent, as well as their willingness to do all they could to offer help to their neighbors. He was preaching a revival in Montgomery for the former pastor of the Brent Baptist church. Eric's Weather Library, Maximum Rated Tornado The F4/F5 Database, NOAA Recorded Tornado Touchdowns Tornado Enviroment Browser, Sites dedicated to specific tornado events. That was the F4 tornado that affected areas from Greensboro all the way to Mount Cheaha. The radar site and Brent, about 8 miles to the northeast, were in the crosshairs. Copyright 2021 WBRC. Now i live in Charlotte N.C. My wife stayed home in Montgomery that afternoon with a our new baby. We were able to get out of the rain and get ourselves together. Linhares added that using that definition, 95 of 2,505 tornadoes, or 3.8 percent, qualify as long-track tornadoes. Yes, I remember it well. Brent, Alabama - Wikipedia Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The only thing I remember left standing with the steeple of a church. HALE CO, Ala. (WBRC) - Pictures and reports of damage continue to come in from Hale County and Bibb county after a violent long trek tornado moved through the state Thursday afternoon. I was 17 years old. It is hard to believe I turned 47 years old yesterday and I remember every detail of that day. All the windows on the left side of the car were gone only to have mud, grass, pines needles and other debris about an inch thick on the inside of the windows on the right side of the car. Be safe! Severe Safety w/ ASL A series of tornadoes hatched by early spring "super cell" storms tore across Alabama and moved into Georgia early Friday, leaving at least five people dead amid ruins of wrecked homes . But when i saw this site about the Brent Tornado I had to write. Brent, AL Weather Forecast | AccuWeather This week's severe weather in the Mid-South was visible from outer space . Alabama Tornadoes 1973 - National Weather Service A tree also fell in the Valleydale Road area of the Birmingham metro: A tree falls in the Valleydale Road area of the Birmingham metropolitan area. I had no idea what it was. My step-grandma (Ida Bailey Elam) was at home. National Outlooks He swallowed a quick cup of coffee and a biscuit and grabbed his turtle shell hat. Storm Spotters (SKYWARN) The first thing he said when he walked in the door was Brents gone. Picture from The BirminghamNews Winter Products Description Similar damage was seen in northwest Elmore County as the tornado neared the Coosa River. The tornado weakened more as it neared Highway 77 and dissipated shortly after crossing County Road 114. Based on the damage scene and contextual evidence, it is plausible that winds were stronger, the weather service said. Non-Precipitation Warnings My sister had called for me to come home because for some reason she was afraid. The air took on that certain feel that is indicative of possible trouble ahead. The tornado then crossed the northern section of Lake Martin, damaging additional lakefront homes. April 27, 2011 Massive Supercell Tornadoes Compared to 1973 Brent Tornado Videos, Arab Tribune "Scout" of "To Kill a Mocking Bird" fame remembers Brent Tornado. He also worked as photo editor, sports editor, and features editor at various times. It truly was a miracle. We later learned that the tornado hopped across the road and destroyed Wesley Chapel Church, sparing our home and many others nearby. Severe Safety Rules The most stunning tornado of the event was the long-track tornado that carved a path of damage spanning 80.38 miles over its 98 minute lifespan from Hale to Shelby Counties. 216 buildings were destroyed, 570 buildings were damaged, 97 mobile homes were destroyed, and 45 businesses were damaged or destroyed. The road was barricaded. It happened to be the area directly above Brent-Centreville. Prientice trailer Park on top of Burnt Corn Hill was destroyed. The designation of the station was Centreville Radar. I was 12 when this happened, my dad looked out the back door and saw it go over our house, it was seriously scary first time that I can remember being that scared. CNN's Chad Myers gives an update on the weather system tearing across the south eastern US, including a tornado that . The tornado weakened slightly as it moved across County Road 57 but still damaged several homes. More EF-3 damage occurred along County Road 18, where the weather service said vehicles were moved or flipped, numerous trees were snapped, one site-built home was destroyed and others heavily damaged. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. pic.twitter.com/YyTHNV3VJw. Multiple locations were found. A typical tornado track is 1 to 2 miles long, according to weather service data. The tornado demolished more than 12,000 acres of timber and over 500 buildings; 72 people in the area were injured and five of its citizens killed. Suddenly, Bob and I felt very sharp pain in our ears. I had just gotten out of hospital. God is good we both are still here! Current Hazards We told him we were fine and ask if he was ok. The roof of the building was rapidly peeling away. 03-25-2021 Brent, AL - Large Wedge Tornado Crossing US 82 - YouTube Our military training area was over the area west and north of Selma to include from near Demopolis to near Tuscaloosa and the national forest area up to Centreville, and was subdivided into a smaller particular area. We thought we were going to miss the storm until we turned left by the Cahaba River, passed by Twix and Tween barbeque and about a half a mile later all heck broke loose. Special Weather Statements Severe Weather Three thunderstorms brought a tornado disaster to Alabama, Georgia In 1973 I was a cub reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. Please try another search. It is something you dont forget. Tornado Information for Brent, Alabama. This was a single tornado, putting it at #7 for the longest single tornado track in the state of Alabama. On April 27, 2011, a massive storm, causing numerous powerful tornadoes, struck the southeastern . No wind, calm as could be. Non-Precipitation Warnings Tree trunks were snapped relatively close to the ground, and the bark was ripped from them. According to records, the largest tornado in the Brent area was an F4 in 1973 that caused 199 injuries and 7 deaths. His photo on the front page of the Centreville Press that week showing Brent Baptist Church, sign, and clock won the Best News Photo from the Alabama Press Association for 1973. Deadly tornadoes that ripped through Alabama throughout Thursday remain a significant threat to other Southern states as the sun rises on Friday. StormReady Long-track tornadoes are nothing new in Alabama. My Grandfather was Tom Green, one of the people who died in this terrible event. I was told in the same place of horrible destruction, there was eggs in a carton that was untouched. My brothers girlfriend at the time , Jane Bamburg lost their home and whole neighborhood in Brent including a small church . Ive got to find a hill so I can see just what were dealing with, my granddad said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Local Climatology 2023 Advance Local Media LLC.

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