Tuscaloosa Tornado of December 2000

Infobox tornado outbreak|name=Tuscaloosa Tornado of December 2000
date=December 16, 2000
image location=


duration=13 hours
fujitascale=F4
tornadoes=24
total damages (USD)= $ 35 million [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~storms NCDC Storm Events Database] Accessed May 7, 2008.]
total fatalities=12
areas affected= Southeastern United StatesThe Tuscaloosa Tornado of December 2000 was a violent tornado that hit communities south and east of Tuscaloosa, Alabama on December 16, 2000. The F4 rated tornado caused the death of 11 people while injuring over 125 others. It was the strongest tornado to hit the state of Alabama in the month of December since 1950 and the strongest of a moderate tornado outbreak that took place across the Southeastern corner of the United States from Mississippi to North Carolina.

Tornado event

The tornado touched down just before 1:00PM CDT near the Black Warrior River in southern Tuscaloosa County and proceeded northeastward for 18 miles (28.8 km) across the communities of Englewood, Hinton Place, Hillcrest Meadows, Bear Creek and Woodland Forest before lifting near Cottondale east of Tuscaloosa near Interstate 20. At its peak intensity, the tornado was about 750 yards wide. The worst damage was located near the Bear Creek area where F4 damage occurred. Near I-20, several commercial buildings including hotels and restaurants were heavily damaged and a shopping center near Route 69 was also hit and partially destroyed. Damage was estimated at over $12 million US (2000 dollars). Over 40 houses and 70 mobile homes were completely destroyed with hundreds more seriously damaged. [ [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~380013 NCDC: Event Details ] ]

It was one of the deadliest tornadoes to hit the state since the Birmingham F5 tornado that killed 32 across portions of Jefferson County on April 8, 1998. That tornado started just northeast of Tuscaloosa during the evening hours demolishing numerous structures south and west of the Birmingham metro area.

The 2000 Tuscaloosa tornado was part of a supercell thunderstorm that developed across Mississippi before traveling through western Alabama, then near the Birmingham region before dropping more tornadoes in St. Clair and Etowah counties. Additional tornadoes were confirmed northwest of Birmingham and Jasper.

Tower Cam tornado footage

The tornado was also captured live on the ABC affiliate WBMA 33-40 in Birmingham during a special severe weather bulletin with meteorologists James Spann and Mark Prater. The tornado was caught by the station's tower cam located in downtown Tuscaloosa. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences gave Spann an Emmy Award for the event. The tornado was followed from Englewood to just near its passage south of downtown Tuscaloosa when the reception was lost due to a torrential downpour.

Other tornadoes

Additional tornadoes were reported during the day across the southeastern portion of the US, including in Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. A total of 24 tornadoes were reported on December 16, 2000. One more person was killed by a tornado in Geneva County in southeastern Alabama.

Tornado table

December 16, 2000

ee also

*List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks

References

External links

* [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/significant_events/2000/12_16/index.php Summary of December 16, 2000 tornado event including Tuscaloosa Tornado]
* [http://www.tornadohistoryproject.com/tornadomap.php?yr=2000&mo=12&day=16&st=%25&fu=%25&co=&l=500&submit=Search&format=basic&p=1&s=1 Map of tornadoes on December 16, 2000]
* [http://www4.ncdc.noaa.gov/cgi-win/wwcgi.dll?wwevent~ShowEvent~385700 Storm Summary from NOAA]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Jyqy7qhsQ Live footage of tornado from ABC 33/40]
* [http://www.maj.com/gallery/Sparkie92/Other/f4.pngStill from the footage to use for picture here please]