Then we realized that maybe it wasnt the best idea to be standing at that particular spot. Up Close and Personal with the Brent Tornado - May 27, 1973 Multiple locations were found. There were pine needles driven into bark of trees. 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. Office History, Education All-Hazards Awareness Booklet It was a Sunday afternoon, the wind was very high. It gave me a very healthy fear of tornadoes. The National Weather Service in Birmingham deployed two storm damage survey teams to assess the extent of the tornado damage in central Alabama. All NOAA, Long TrackF-4 Tornado - We had relatives who lived there and the surrounding areas. Non-Precipitation Warnings What was that! We walked outside to inspect the damage. As we neared our area, we could immediately see the path of total destruction within the national forest to the west (fully a mile wide path with trees laid down) and making a bee line for the towns. Hi,I witnessed the destruction in Brent first hand.I was a student at the University of Alabama at the time and the next I and a couple of friends drove to Brent.It was unbelievable That monster was so powerful that all of the trees on both sides of the road were mowed for as far as the eye could see,even for years later.It was t In total, five fatalities occurred along Sandy Ridge Road at three separate homes, the weather service said. Make sure you know about the #1 weather-related killer: RIP CURRENTS! Alabama Tornadoes 1973 Weather.gov > NWS Birmingham, Alabama > Alabama Tornadoes 1973 Current Hazards Current Conditions Radar Forecasts Rivers and Lakes Climate and Past Weather Local Programs BMX RSS Feed Her sister, Sylvia, made the trip with me. That room had glass almost from floor to ceiling and faced north. The Brent Tornado was and remains the longest track tornado in Alabama recorded history. Severe Safety Rules Deadly Tornado Lashes Alabama; Severe Weather Continues In South - NPR I watched as everything around us was destroyed. Special Weather Statements Copyright 2021 WBRC. A little humor in a bad situationthe tornado had worked us over pretty good. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. It had a track of 139.10 miles, according to weather service data. The Brent Tornado was and remains the longest track tornado in Alabama recorded history. He looked like he was in shock. I remember looking out the back window at the huge black cloud looming in the background. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. There was so much destruction, but people came together and was determined to rebuild Brent and they did. Recovery begins in Bibb County after tornado damage - WBRC Winter Weather Warnings I dont know if he got one or not, but Dale Black deserved commendation from the weather service for his work and keeping on task that day. Brent, AL Weather Forecast, with current conditions, wind, air quality, and what to expect for the next 3 days. Farther up the East Coast, residents of Rochester, N.Y., were surprised to see what they thought was a massive tornado or waterspoutbut turned out to be "scud" clouds -- a low-lyingcloud formation that connects to the base of the main storm but does not rotate. It has a mayor/council form of government. The impacted business was able to remove their belongings. Some of us went to church at Pine Flat just north of Lake Payne. Partial roadway blockage on U.S. 82 near the 85 mile marker. We already had tree down on our porch seeing lightning balls burst in the field outside. 03-25-2021 Centreville and Brent, AL - Tornado Damage Drone, Bibb It was a week or two before I was shown the immense damage to Brent. Outreach Activities Powered byWPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress. NWS But on this morning, the town was completely leveled and destroyed. Just downstream, several manufactured homes in a cluster were shredded and thrown considerable distances, the weather service said. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. He was running to get help because he was at the Brent Baptist Church and he said the whole roof just fell in on the congregation. What a story! My family and I lived on the hill in Centreville at the time, about a half mile from where Bro. Please select one of the following: Local Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The next thing I remember is seeing stuff flying all around me. Local Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data My thanks to former publisher Jim Oakley, the current management and owners of the Centreville Press, and everyone that has, and continues to contribute to this site. Winter Products Description I remember the devastation from this tornado well. He was a contributing photographer for the Montgomery Advertiser Sunday Magazine for a while. March 25, 2021 Brent Alabama Tornado Damage - YouTube He stopped and asked if we were alright. Seconds later, I felt what reminded me of fine grain sand hitting my face and arms. He was covering the operation of the NWS Radar Station at Centreville/Brent when he and the staff there became a part of the story. It was not until I was in my twenties that I got over the fear of even a tornado watch being issued. pic.twitter.com/nspaZIEsrT. The tornado continued northeast to County Road 42, causing massive tree damage along Autauga Creek. Little did she know that God had just spared us from total destruction. Julia Musto is a reporter for Fox News and Fox Business Digital. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. I remember this so well. The Brent Tornado 1973 | a time to remember The tornado extended 139 miles on the ground. #alwx @spann @NWSMobile @michaelwhitewx @WKRGEd tornado warned storm last night. A pine tree splits in half, falling on a metal fence on Old Leeds Road in Birmingham. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In Brent near the railroad was two huge tanks that belonged to Olen Belchers saw mill was blown several hundred feet. The radar site and Brent, about 8 miles to the northeast, were in the crosshairs. I ran into my grandparents bedroom. The worst of the damage occurred in Alabama and . A pickup truck was thrown 120 yards to the northeast, and a shallow crater was formed where it landed. 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. Even though the tornado took a turn just below the Centreville business district, I can still recall the strange feeling in the air that evening. NWS Birmingham, Alabama465 Weathervane RoadCalera, AL 35040205-664-3010Comments? On that Saturday night, May 26, 1973, I was sleeping, like usual. All rights reserved (About Us). The article included a photo of then-Mayor Melford Worrell addressing a group of merchants whose businesses had been destroyed. We found out the next day that the freezer came from 2 miles down the road. Clanton resident John Brasher was a reporter/photographer at the Centreville Press back on May 27, 1973. Go Back AccuWeather's Tornado Week continues: How meteorologists are working to . However, one man was killed when the roof and walls collapsed. There was nothing left of Brent.Out house was no more. The weather service has a list of the longest tracks for tornadoes in Alabama. 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 . I take tornado watches and warnings very serious today. At a certain point, the measurement of wind speed no longer matters. 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. One of the most vivid memories I have is when he reached a point in the road where the asphalt had been literally lifted off the ground and was gone. #alwx https://t.co/hjDcyyF7jL. Conciencia y Preparacin, Weather Safety My grandfather was Conger Cummings and had worked for the highway dept several years. I woke up in the hospital after being in a coma for weeks. An outbreak of severe weather, including several destructive tornadoes, swept across the South Thursday, killing at least five people in Alabama and one in Georgia. I stumbled across this site, looking for the N.D. Cass Co. of Alabama. 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. According to the National Weather Service in Birmingham, the Autauga tornado was on. Ill never forget Dale saying that if the tornado held together, it would pass right over us. The tornado weakened slightly as it moved across County Road 57 but still damaged several homes. We wanted to see what the conditions were like. I had no idea what it was. I have many vivid images of that morning that have stuck with me throughout my life. We were able to get out of the rain and get ourselves together. Daily Rainfall Plots I lived north of Lake Payne in Hale County. Please select one of the following: Local Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. So we just went home. Weve been hit and other info was phoned in to Oxmoor. We had a small freezer come though our big picture window We turned our couch up side down and hid behind it. "We've Been Hit" May 27, 2012 Bill Murray, weather historian, article. But when i saw this site about the Brent Tornado I had to write. My wife stayed home in Montgomery that afternoon with a our new baby. Another tornado on Feb. 2, a deadly EF-2, had a 25.87-mile path through Greene and Hale counties. I am thankful our lives were spared . (LogOut/ or redistributed. North Carolina'sSouth Fork River began flooding its banks in Cramerton earlier in the day, forcing officials to close down the nearby pier, according to a report. My dad was the pastor of Centreville Baptist Church. it was fairly beat up even before the storm. About Radar. May 27, 1973 was a red letter day in the annals of Alabama severe weather events. Severe storms began to batter Alabama on Wednesday afternoon, toppling trees and power lines and damaging a church and a university dorm building. Possible tornado leaves Texas communities in rubble, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA), knocked out power for more than 2,000 people. John got out of the newspaper business in late 1960s. Its still amazing to think about what went on that day. The tornado continued northeast, causing sporadic EF-1 timber damage as it crossed U.S. Highway 280. 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. The three of us were unhurt, but not unaffected. 1999 Bridge Creek, OK Tornado. Brent, AL is a Very High Risk area for tornados. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Early the next morning, my husband and I went to his sisters house to hear from others in his family. What was that! I was wrapping up my junior year at Tuscaloosa High School, and on that Sunday night we received a call for . Suddenly, Bob and I felt very sharp pain in our ears. It is something you dont forget. A social security card that belonged to a cousin was found in Georgia unharmed. It was hot and I was sweating but completed the message. Late Wednesday night, a student dorm at the University of Montevallo sustained damage from a tornado: This is a window blown out in one of the living rooms at the New Residents Hall at the University of Montevallo photo from Jennifer Howard pic.twitter.com/O8Ewx2Czpc, Minor damage from Tornado at Brooke Hall. A number of tornadoes touched down across north and central sections of the state that day. No one slept that night. Public Information Statement We watched Dale pull out of the parking lot on onto the road. My dad said the storms path was a mile wide. I have always wondered who he was. Several vehicles were picked up and thrown, and one pickup truck had its cab separated from the bed. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Winter Weather, About Us Partial roadway blockage on U.S. 82 near the 85 mile marker. He swallowed a quick cup of coffee and a biscuit and grabbed his turtle shell hat. In 1973 I was a cub reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. The Official Website of Brent, Alabama 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. Power lines and trees down on Alabama 382 (Montgomery Road). Deadly Alabama tornado 'supercell' spotted in satellite imagery Dale was tracking tornadic storms that were popping up before him on the radar screen almost constantly. Thoughsix tornadoes developed around Alabama on the 27th, including4 F2s, it was the F3 northeast of Birmingham and the long-track supercell which dropped an F4 through the towns of Greensboro and Brent, which did the most damage. He also worked as photo editor, sports editor, and features editor at various times. A single tornado may account for multiple reports along its path. The weather service said the tornado continued northeast into Chambers County, causing EF-0 to EF-1 damage. I was only 7 at the time. Their house only received minor damage. (LogOut/ ***NOT FOR BROADCAST***Contact Brett Adair with Live Storms Media to license.brett@livestormsmedia.comPine forest completely mowed down by an apparent violen. I will never forget it, I remember the storm. It was the Alabama Highway Department, calling my grandfather to tell him to go survey the damage from a tornado that had hit Brent/Centreville. 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. Two happened on March 30, 2022. Yes, I remember it well. The F4, borderline F5, tornado effects ended as fast as they had started. CoCoRaHS, Local Research and Outreach Preliminary storm damage rated EF-2 and EF-3 from Thursday's tornadoes At that time, a NOAA WSR-57 radar station was located on Alabama Hwy25, southwest of Brent, and just west of Highway 5. (Photo courtesy of Jane Ganey). Baaculaureate services had ended 12 minutes before the tornado came through Greensboro and destroyed the old Southern University which housed Southern Academy at the time. Local Climatology Cheaha. This storm traveled from west of Greensobor, AL all the way to I-65 and passed by the Brent/Centreville Alabama communities. I will always have those scenes embedded in my mind and thinking how very close we were camping in tents. I felt that something bad was about to happen and the deacons suggested we go to the basement for the service. Dale had driven his old fishing truck to work. The church looked like a large chain had cut a v from front to back forminf a v in the roof. My family and I went around the town to help our neighbors. The tornado that roared through Brent, Alabama on March 25th crossed the river at this cattle farm. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Microbursts If you would like, I could transcribe the article and post it. All rights reserved (About Us). Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. I just recently reread the article I wrote after my visit to Brent. (The National Weather Service in Birmingham issued an update on Jan. 18, saying damage near the Independence community in Autauga County led to the path length being extended from the previous 76 miles.). After Centreville, he also worked for newspapers in St. Clair County, Chilton County, and Escambia County. Forecast Discussion The frame of a manufactured home was thrown 250 yards and into a field. Current Hazards As a victim I feel as though Ive been robbed of a part of what turned our lives upside down. Near end of article, May 31, 1973 press release from "Baptist Press" detailing events inside Brent Baptist Church during tornado, NWS Study: UTILIZING STANDARDIZED ANOMALIES TO ASSESS SYNOPTIC SCALE WEATHER EVENTS IN THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES, Tuscaloosa News, "Brent Tornado Recalled". Bob was at the teletype sending a message regarding another storm in another part of central Alabama that was also being tracked. Trees blocked road.then we saw our home was destroyed. With nothing left to do at the radar site, Dale, Bob, and I headed to our cars to try to get home. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Tornadoes pummel Alabama, killing at least 5 - CNBC The tornado hit several homes along Sandy Ridge Road, where some of the deaths occurred. Nine were in central Alabama, one was in north Alabama, one was in southeast Alabama and three were in southwest Alabama. Two by fours through the tires and radiator. The weather service said that radar showed a debris ball in southern Coosa County which matched ground observation of a wide area of snapped pine trees on either side of McKissick Road between the communities of Speed and Equality. Alabama severe storms: Injuries reported, University of Montevallo dorm Outreach Materials I remember him showing up sometime the next morning to take a break. He worked the radar controls, scanning up and down the height of the storm and plotted its anticipated path on the radar screen. You held your breath. Rivers and Lakes In addition to the obvious property damage, the tornado . It plowed through the school and pulled up an extremely old oak tree , and let it go on top of the store . It was a day not easily forgotten. Billboards were hitting the ground all around us. 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. Tornado Safety Rules, Awareness Weeks There was no power and some minor damage to the motel but it felt safe after what we had been through. Our Office National Weather Service It was fun, so I thought. 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. We heard that Brent was destroyed. The Old Kingston-Lake Martin tornado was one of 14 tornadoes that hit Alabama on Jan. 12. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Strongest Ever? In Limestone County, the Emergency Management Agency reported a tree fell on a mobile home. Witnesses say they saw a large, wedge tornado sweep through the area destroying some homes, but thankfully sparing lives. I had turned 12 years old the day before and I still remember what happened just like it was yesterday. A tornado warning went out almost immediately for counties upstream. Alabama Tornadoes 1973 - National Weather Service Severe Safety w/ ASL Brent Alabama. Proven by Tempest. | Sheds of HOPE Daily Rainfall Plots DAMAGE REPORTED INCLUDING SNAPPED TREES AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. Click Link Below For Brent Tornado track: This is the interior of the Brent Baptist Church. . I was a victim of the 1973 tornado. We all met in the hallway and headed for the lobby of the building. As we got even closer we could then see what had transpired. It was a long night. So he continued down the road, dodging the trees and lines. The wind blew hard all day. God is good we both are still here! #alwx. Please Contact Us. My Papa (BB Elam) was at church at the Brent Bible Methodist Church. There was warning of the approaching storm shortly before its arrival and the congregation rushed into the basement. It is the sixth longest track tornado of record in U.S. history. The tornado rapidly strengthened as it approached the Old Kingston community and reached EF-3 intensity. Extensive damage was also reported later in the day southeast of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in the towns of Centreville and Brent as another tornado tracked 90 miles across the state. 27, 2021 at 4:16 AM PDT. Weather service meteorologist Mark Linhares said a long-track tornado has a path that is typically 25 miles or longer. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Bob looked up at me with an uh-oh expression, for lack of a better word. Summer Safety Campaign National Outlooks Centreville radar had been blinded and dealt a crippling blow, but weather guys were still able to get word out of the situation and what was coming for Brent. I assume that this structure doesnt exist anymore as a result of this storm back in 1973. 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. These are accounts of those two killer storms on the evening of May 27, 1973. I will never forget going over to Brent on the Bypass. Strangely enough, a telephone line was continued to operate for a short time. That point was close at hand on the evening of May 27, 1973, in Brent, Alabama. State Troopers reported sighting the storm to the Birmingham Forecast Office located at 11 West Oxmoor Road. Upon entering our home for the last time, I tried to get her to come outside with me. Winter Weather, Special Programs As we were cleaning the yard, we found loose checks and newspapers from Brent. Me and my family were driving back to Tuscaloosa from Opelika on that Sunday afternoon. Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. On Sunday night, May 27, 1973, I saw serious tornado damage for the first time in my life, and it changed my life. Local Climate Data This week's severe weather in the Mid-South was visible from outer space . As many as eight tornadoes may have. Conciencia y Preparacin, Weather Safety Here are the longest tornado tracks on record in Alabama. The largest and most violent of these would become known as the Brent Tornado. Picture from The BirminghamNews My sister and I were in the hospital from May 27th until July 5th. All the trees that my cousins & I had played under & swung from were gone. The weather situation turned very serious, very quickly that Sunday afternoon. Fire Weather Severe Weather Videos Ive got to find a hill so I can see just what were dealing with, my granddad said. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The volume of snapped trees was enough to assign an EF-3 rating for this segment of the tornados path, the weather service said. It went on to cause damage in Greensboro, Brent, Centreville, Montevallo, Calera, Columbiana, Wilsonville, Childersburg, Alpine, and points between. The tornado never lifted from the ground as it followed highway 25 the entire way. The tornado lifted near Mount Cheaha. The tornado touched downnortheast ofDemopolis and traveled northeastward. on Sunday, June 3rd, 1973. Severe t-storm (yellow) and tornado (red) warnings issued by the National Weather Service in a 24-hour period ending 8 a.m. EDT, March 26, 2021. Heres a look at the updated track of Thursdays deadly tornado from the preliminary storm report from the National Weather Service in Birmingham: The tornado touched down at 12:40 p.m. Jan. 12 west of U.S. Highway 82 near Independence, causing damage to nearby farms. The tornado destroyed approximately 90 percent of the city. Do you have any info on this Co.? I also took photographs of the town, the most poignant of which was of a clock that had stopped at the moment the tornado hit. It sounded like a deep roar and I could feel the house slightly vibrate and windows rattle.
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