Path Of The Tuscaloosa Tornado

According to the NWS/NOAA report, the tornado touched down in Eutaw, AL at 4:43 pm.

The Westley Chapel was severely damaged by the tornado.

As the tornado progressed into the Tuscaloosa area, the core of the tornado crossed 15th Street East, just west of McFarland Boulevard East. Several small restaurants and stores along 15th Street were completely destroyed, with only a wall or two still standing (EF3). The tornado devastated the Cedar Crest neighborhood just north of 15th Street, leveling many cinder block homes and causing at least 3 fatalities.

In the Alberta City area on the east side of Tuscaloosa, the tornado strengthened as it crossed University Boulevard East near 25th Avenue East. The Alberta Elementary School suffered nearly complete destruction, with only a few portions of walls still standing. A nearby two story apartment building was reduced to rubble sitting on the foundation. The Alberta Park Shopping Center was completely destroyed with no walls standing and a pile of debris on the foundation.

The tornado continued northeast and struck the Chastain Manor Apartments at the north end of 34th Avenue East. Buildings on the east side of this new 2 story apartment complex were completely destroyed, with only a pile of debris remaining and a few walls set into the hillside. A small club house that was anchored to a foundation, but with apparently no interior walls, was completely destroyed and swept from its foundation (EF4). Similar devastation to homes and businesses was noted into the area along both sides of County Road 45 near 1st Street East and northeastward.

In the areas east of Holt and north of Brookwood, the tornado remained violent as it crossed Holt Peterson Road just northwest of Clinker Road. In this area, two homes were completely destroyed. One home on a foundation was swept clean from its floor unit, which remained attached to the foundation. Evidence indicated the walls were straight nailed into the floor unit (EF4). Almost all trees were blown down or snapped in the vicinity, as well as in the bottom of a narrow ravine nearly 100 feet below the house.

The tornado continued to Holt Lock and Dam Road near its intersection with Recreation Area Road. Numerous mobile homes and several cinder block homes were destroyed in this area (EF3 to EF4). Several fatalities occurred in this area. One home on a foundation was swept completely clean, but there was evidence of minimal anchoring of the floor and walls to the foundation, so a rating of EF4 was assigned. The tornado struck a marina on Holt Lake at the end of Recreation Area Road with EF1 damage to a restaurant as well as numerous boats.

The tornado continued northeast in the area between Alabama Highway 216 and Holt Lake, passing north of Brookwood near the intersection of Hannah Creek Road and County Road 59/Lock 17 Road. In this area, several mobile homes were destroyed, cinder block homes received heavy damage, and significant tree damage was noted (EF3).