The NWS has completed surveys on at least one of the tornadoes that ripped through the Mobile area today, and the results aren't too surprising.
The first tornado happened a few miles from me, and was rated an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Click here to see the diary about the storm from this morning.
Jump the Soros Squiggle for the survey and damage pictures from WALA Fox 10 Mobile.
Here's the survey, released this evening in a Public Information Statement, from NWS Mobile:
000
NOUS44 KMOB 100147 AAA
PNSMOB
ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-120000-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED PATH LENGTH AND WIDTH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
847 PM CDT WED MAR 10 2010
...NWS STORM DAMAGE ASSESSMENT TEAM`S PRELIMINARY REPORT FROM THE THEODORE ALABAMA TORNADO DAMAGE...
THE FOLLOWING IS A STORM SURVEY REPORT REGARDING THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING IN THEODORE ALABAMA.
* EVENT: SOUTH MOBILE COUNTY ALABAMA TORNADO
* EVENT DATE: WEDNESDAY MARCH 10, 2011
* EVENT TIME: 8:40 AM CST
* EVENT LOCATION: THEODORE ALABAMA
* INTENSITY: EF SCALE...2 (MAXIMUM THREE SECOND WIND GUST OF 120 MPH)
* DAMAGE PATH LENGTH...APPROX 2650 FEET (0.5 MILES)
* MAXIMUM DAMAGE PATH WIDTH...150 YARDS
* INJURIES: A FEW MINOR INJURIES
* FATALITIES: NONE
* DISCUSSION/DAMAGE:
A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM FOUND THAT THE DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED IN THEODORE ALABAMA AT AROUND 8:40 AM ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 2011 RESULTED FROM A TORNADO WITH A MAXIMUM EF NUMBER OF TWO WITH WIND GUSTS OF 111 TO 135 MPH.
THE TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN AS AN EF1 IN A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD BETWEEN SONYA DRIVE AND FIRETOWER ROAD WEST. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED TOWARD THE NORTHEAST...REACHING EF2 INTENSITY AT THE INTERSECTION OF THEODORE DAWES ROAD AND OLD PASCAGOULA ROAD. THE TORNADO THEN MAINTAINED ITS EF2 INTENSITY FOR ABOUT 800 FEET ALONG OLD PASCAGOULA ROAD. THE TORNADO THEN WEAKENED TO AN EF0 AS IT ENTERED A WOODED AREA NORTH OF OLD PASCAGOULA ROAD.
THE DAMAGE INCLUDED DESTRUCTION OF A BP GAS STATION...SEVERE DAMAGE TO HARDWARE STORE...DAMAGE TO A POPEYES RESTAURANT AND SHOPPING CENTER...HOUSE DAMAGED...A U-HAUL TRUCK FLIPPED INTO DITCH...MOBILE HOMES FLIPPED OVER...TREES DOWN...AND TOPS RIPPED OFF TREES.
$$
JP
Here are some pictures of the damage from the tornado that hit Theodore:
WALA Fox 10
WALA Fox 10
WALA Fox 10
WALA Fox 10
The tornado survey is still ongoing for the storm that hit Silverhill, AL (across the bay from Mobile in Baldwin County). Fox 10 reports that it'll probably be rated an EF2 based on the damage. Here are some pictures of the damage:
WALA Fox 10
WALA Fox 10
I'll add the Silverhill tornado survey if they release it tonight.