Birmingham Tornado of April 1977

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Smithfield area hit by an F5 tornado on April 4, 1977 (NWS Birmingham)
Smithfield area hit by an F5 tornado on April 4, 1977 (NWS Birmingham)

The Birmingham Tornado of April 1977 was a powerful tornado that struck the northern suburbs of the Greater Birmingham Area in central Alabama during the afternoon of April 4, 1977.

Contents

[edit] Birmingham tornado

Beginning just a few miles north of downtown Birmingham near Tarrant, the tornado proceed north through northern Jefferson County producing F5 damage in the town of Smithfield. The tornado, which was at times 3/4 miles (1.2 km) wide, was blamed for 22 deaths and more than 125 injuries while damage was estimated at $25 million dollars. Hundreds of homes were completely destroyed while Daniel Payne College suffered extensive damage forcing it to permanently closed due to the extent of the destruction.[1] Dr. Ted Fujita, followed the tornado and supercell from an airplane and while surveying damage he toyed with the idea of rating the Smithfield tornado an F6.[2]

[edit] Other tornadoes

Outbreak death toll
State Total County County
total
Alabama 23 Jefferson 22
St. Clair 1
Georgia 1 Floyd 1
Totals 24
All deaths were tornado-related

In addition to this tornado, several other tornadoes were reported from the same system in the Midwest, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina. One tornado in Floyd County, Georgia killed one person while another fatality was reported east of Birmingham in St. Clair County. The severe weather that day also contributed to the crash of Southern Airways Flight 242, which crashed near New Hope, Georgia, killing 70 people.

The F5 tornado touched down near the end of the path of two other violent tornadoes that struck the Birmingham region in 1956 and in 1998. In 1998, another F5 started north of Tuscaloosa before ending southwest of Tarrant after killing 32. The 1956 F4 tornado which follow a similar path through Birmingham killed 25.[3]

[edit] Tornado table

Confirmed
Total		 Confirmed
F0		 Confirmed
F1		 Confirmed
F2		 Confirmed
F3		 Confirmed
F4		 Confirmed
F5
21 1 9 6 4 0 1

[edit] Tornadoes confirmed

[edit] April 4, 1977

F# Location County Time (CDT) Path length Damage
Mississippi
F1 SW of Florence Rankin 0600 0.1 mile (0.16 km)
F3 NE of Philadelphia Neshoba, Kemper 0800 11.7 miles (18.7 km)
F3 S of Macon Calhoun 0900 9.1 miles (14.6 km)
Missouri
F0 SE of Hannibal Marion 0930 0.2 mile (0.32 km)
Alabama
F2 N of Hanceville Cullman 1112 5.9 miles (9.4 km)
F2 SE of Scottsboro Jackson 1220 6.9 miles (11 km)
F2 SW of Ragland St. Clair 1230 0.5 miles (0.8 km)
F2 S of Springville St. Clair 1400 3.3 miles (5.3 km)
F3 SE of Ashville St. Clair 1430 7.3 miles (11.7 km) 1 death
F2 S of Southside Etowah 1430 4.7 miles (7.5 km)
F5 NW of Birmingham to NE of Tarrant Jefferson 1500 14.7 miles (23.5 km) 22 deaths
Kentucky
F1 N of Elkton Todd 1330 0.8 mile (1.3 km)
Georgia
F3 S of Lindale Floyd 1515 8.8 miles (14.1 km) 1 death
F1 S of Adairsville Bartow 1530 5.7 miles (9.1 km)
F1 SE of Chatsworth Murray 1545 2 miles (3.2 km)
F1 SE of Dahlonega Lumpkin 1900 5.2 miles (8.3 km)
Indiana
F1 Edgewood Madison 1700 0.5 mile (0.8 km)
North Carolina
F1 NW of Elkin Wilkes 2030 6.4 miles (10.2 km)
Sources: Storm Data for April 4, 1977

[edit] April 5, 1977

F# Location County Time (CDT) Path length Damage
Georgia
F1 NE of Sparks Cook 0145 5.4 miles (8.7 km)
Virginia
F1 N of Onancock Accomack 0800 2 miles (3.2 km)
Pennsylvania
F2 SE of Harrisburg Dauphin 1550 2 miles (3.2 km)
Sources: Storm Data for April 5, 1977

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Other Birmingham Area Tornadoes
  2. ^ NOAA's National Weather Service - Birmingham, Alabama
  3. ^ Other Birmingham Area Tornadoes

[edit] External links

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Tornado events in Alabama