University Of Montevallo. Contact Us We retreated to the hall. 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 (LogOut/ We got down as low as we could in the car and held on. Justice prevails. In total, five fatalities occurred along Sandy Ridge Road at three separate homes, the weather service said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Severe storms will be possible across the lowerMississippi and Tennessee Valleys and all hazards are possible including more tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, hail and flash flooding, the NOAA said. Julia Musto is a reporter for Fox News and Fox Business Digital. As we got even closer we could then see what had transpired. Sir, As a child my family would sometimes stay at the Cinderella Motel while enroute to Miami Fl. The tornado demolished more than 12,000 acres of timber and over 500 buildings; 72 people in the area were injured. Conciencia y Preparacin, Weather Safety There was nothing left of Brent.Out house was no more. The storm that spawned that tornado had an even longer track. 216 buildings were destroyed, 570 buildings were damaged, 97 mobile homes were destroyed, and 45 businesses were damaged or destroyed. I was a photographer/reporter for the Centreville Press at the time and I was at the radar site when the tornado struck. We jumped in his 1956 Chevy and headed off. That was the F4 tornado that affected areas from Greensboro all the way to Mount Cheaha. Trees snapped off with debris hanging in them. The designation of the station was Centreville Radar. 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. Partial roadway blockage on U.S. 82 near the 85 mile marker. At the time, I was a photographer/reporter for the Centreville Press and thought this might be a good opportunity to head down to the Centreville radar site to document their operations during severe weather. The weather service said the tornado continued northeast into Chambers County, causing EF-0 to EF-1 damage. Cheaha. We were in a Chevrolet station wagon. No one was hurt in our car. Summer Safety Campaign 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. All rights reserved (About Us). Born in Bham, raised in Shelby community in SE Shelby County. We went into a bed room and knelt down between a bed and the cheftarobe. I was wrapping up my junior year at Tuscaloosa High School, and on that Sunday night we received a call for . Info: Tornado reports do not correspond to the number of tornadoes that occurred. As we were cleaning the yard, we found loose checks and newspapers from Brent. Also in Jefferson County, a pine tree was split in half by high winds and crashed into a metal gate: Damage from pine tree split by high winds. Ive never felt conditions like that before or since. Prientice trailer Park on top of Burnt Corn Hill was destroyed. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The first was an EF-2 tornado that carved a 35.17-mile path through parts of Choctaw and Marengo counties. National Outlooks After being outside for a couple minutes, we went back into the station. Conciencia y Preparacin, Weather Safety 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. Came to warn us as we were outside having a cook out with friends. I remember going through what once was Brent.I remember seeing a gas station made of cinder blocks and it was completely leveled. It turns out another tornado from Thursday would also qualify as a long-track storm: The EF-1 twister that left a 30.4-mile-long track through parts of Lawrence, Morgan and Limestone counties in northwest Alabama. My family and I went around the town to help our neighbors. My grandmother, Mrs. Evelyn Cummings, reassured me everything was okay and said to get back in bed. ***NOT FOR BROADCAST***Contact Brett Adair with Live Storms Media to license.brett@livestormsmedia.comPine forest completely mowed down by an apparent violen. A few minutes later, as Dale was at his console, I was standing in a hallway door that lead into the teletype room. The tornado leveled Brent almost four decades ago, but I can remember my visit to the town as though it were yesterday. A pickup truck was thrown 120 yards to the northeast, and a shallow crater was formed where it landed. A year earlier I had been called to preach. He swallowed a quick cup of coffee and a biscuit and grabbed his turtle shell hat. 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. Deadly Alabama tornado 'supercell' spotted in satellite imagery The swarm of storms came. Market data provided by Factset. Alabama severe storms: Injuries reported, University of Montevallo dorm So I went back to bed, and went back to sleep. These are accounts of those two killer storms on the evening of May 27, 1973. The weather service said countless trees were snapped and uprooted as the tornado moved northeast toward the Elmore-Coosa county line at U.S. Highway 231. A number of tornadoes touched down across north and central sections of the state that day. My dad was the pastor of Centreville Baptist Church. 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. I dont know where Bob ended up as the storm struck with full force. Turned out I was right. 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. Significant damage to homes and trees occurred along the very wide path. Powered byWPtouch Mobile Suite for WordPress. The National Weather Service has reported several tornadoes in Alabama, including one that touched down near Birmingham and migrated more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the northeast, the. Severe Safety w/ ASL There were pine needles driven into bark of trees. Three thunderstorms brought a tornado disaster to Alabama, Georgia Bobs primary duty was manning the teletype machine, passing information along to the National Weather Service Forecast Office on West Oxmoor Road in Birmingham. past few days tracing the path of Alabamas deadliest tornado, was one of 14 tornadoes that hit Alabama on Jan. 12, killed seven people and injured several others, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Yet to be added to the list is the Jan. 12, 2023, Old Kingston-Lake Martin tornado, with an updated track length of 82.31 miles. It was a day not easily forgotten. Other Research May 27, 1973. 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. Damage reports out of Hale and Bibb Counties, Talladega woman killed in 2-vehicle crash, Arrest made in Tuscaloosa shooting; 1 injured, Homicide in Center Point, shooting in Birmingham believed to be connected, Tarrant man shot in ankle while walking outside his home, Police investigating early morning shooting at area Waffle House, Senator Tuberville pushes for bill on institutional child abuse. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Regional Highs/Lows/Rainfall, Forecasts Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Special Weather Statements The tornado occurred between 8:09 AM to 8:45 AM this morning and had a path length of just over 30 miles! (Photo courtesy of Jane Ganey). The wind blew hard all day. I remember strong storms Sunday evening while still at the lake, but not being frightened. In west Alabama, a tornado hit near Livingston, in Sumter County, where damage included snapped trees: At 8:53 PM CDT, 5 WSW Livingston [Sumter Co, AL] FIRE DEPT/RESCUE reports TORNADO. After the warning had gone out, the weather guys and I walked outside to the northwest corner of the building. The tornado that roared through Brent, Alabama on March 25th crossed the river at this cattle farm. Tornado damage in Alabama, 5 killed: Latest photos, videos Your help would be deeply appreciated1 Thank you. Damage in Brent. Eric's Weather Library, Maximum Rated Tornado The F4/F5 Database, NOAA Recorded Tornado Touchdowns Tornado Enviroment Browser, Sites dedicated to specific tornado events. It plowed through the school and pulled up an extremely old oak tree , and let it go on top of the store . The tornado weakened more as it neared Highway 77 and dissipated shortly after crossing County Road 114. In Vestavia Hills, a roof was damaged when a tree hit it and landed nearby: In Vestavia Hills, a roof was damaged when a tree fell and hit it. The radar dish had been blown from its tower and lay on the ground no more than 20 feet from the office Dale and I had jumped into. Thank God she wouldnt go. #ALwx pic.twitter.com/KReKMA1wPj, Not much better in the light of day#ALwx pic.twitter.com/bFa9XvHZfI, This is Theodore, Alabama Rangeline road. The National Guard or State Troopers commandeered us a room at what was the Cinderella Motel. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Long-Track Tornadoes of March 25, 2021 - National Weather Service That was certainly the same parent storm that produced what is likely to be more than one tornado along its trek across our area, weather service meteorologist Gerald Satterwhite said Friday via email. It looked like the town had been scrambled like eggs. Tornado Warnings The Official Website of Brent, Alabama He also worked as photo editor, sports editor, and features editor at various times. It did hold together. The tornado spared downtown Brent and Centreville, but wrecked several homes to the south and plowed down a swath of forest more than half a mile wide. At least two homes were shifted from their foundation. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Winter Weather Warnings Severe Thunderstorm Warnings That point was close at hand on the evening of May 27, 1973, in Brent, Alabama. Services were being held here when the tornado struck. He was gracious enough today to share his acccount. 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. You could feel the car trying to turn over but it stayed upright. As a victim I feel as though Ive been robbed of a part of what turned our lives upside down. Upon entering our home for the last time, I tried to get her to come outside with me. The tornado rapidly strengthened as it approached the Old Kingston community and reached EF-3 intensity. 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. My family lived in Cottondale, but we camped at Lake Payne numerous times. I was standing beside the radar console, watching Dale work when he first saw what would become Alabamas longest track tornado. My dad stood beside Hwy. All NOAA, Long TrackF-4 Tornado - John got out of the newspaper business in late 1960s. pic.twitter.com/efdr6wVo9S. My brothers girlfriend at the time , Jane Bamburg lost their home and whole neighborhood in Brent including a small church . We lived Heiberger, i remember going to bed having to talk my self to sleep. Tornado Safety Rules, Awareness Weeks The tornado was on the ground an incredible 139 miles. (Old Leeds Rd, Birmingham, AL) @spann #alwx #wx #wxtwitter pic.twitter.com/HQwVlcM5S4. Office History, Education 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. Up Close and Personal with the Brent Tornado - May 27, 1973 Stunning imagery from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) GOES East satellite captured the.