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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
707 PM CDT Tue Mar 10 2026

...NWS Damage Survey for 03/09/26 Tornado and Straight-line Wind Event...

.Overview...
A cluster of severe thunderstorms moved southeastward across
Central Alabama during the evening hours of March 9, 2026. Two
particular storms resulted in enhanced areas of damage in Winston
County and Jefferson County. In addition to areas of straight-
line wind damage, an EF-0 tornado was confirmed southwest of Oak
Grove in Jefferson County based on an enhanced area of timber
damage.

.Groundhog Road Tornado and Straight-line Winds (Jefferson
County)...

Rating:                 EF0
Estimated Peak Wind:    80 mph
Path Length /statute/:  5.83 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   200 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             03/09/2026
Start Time:             07:40 PM CDT
Start Location:         1 NNE Bull City / Jefferson County / AL
Start Lat/Lon:          33.4362 / -87.2483

End Date:               03/09/2026
End Time:               07:47 PM CDT
End Location:           4 NW North Johns / Jefferson County / AL
End Lat/Lon:            33.4061 / -87.1541

Survey Summary:
The National Weather Service surveyed damage in western Jefferson
County and determined that an EF-0 tornado occurred, embedded
within a larger area of straight-line wind damage. The tornado
began south of Lock 17 Rd near Betty Hill Rd, where several
softwood trees were uprooted, knocking down power lines. An area
of weak rotation was noted on radar associated with this damage
and the feature continued to the section of Groundhog Rd in the
area of Woods Creek. Here, extensive softwood tree damage was
observed, with numerous trees uprooted and smaller trees snapped.
Much of the treefall was found to be laying easterly to east-
northeasterly, with overall storm motion to the southeast. Minor
softwood tree damage associated with the same radar feature was
observed along Mud Creek Rd north of the Groundhog Rd
intersection, with a couple uprooted trees and several limbs
down.

In addition, sporadic wind damage as a result of a surge of
straight-line winds was observed elsewhere along Lock 17 Rd and
Groundhog Rd from near the Providence community to just south of
the Groundhog Rd and Mud Creek Rd intersection in the Mud Creek
community. The most extensive area of non-tornadic damage was
observed to be along Mud Creek Rd south of Groundhog Rd, where
several trees were uprooted, minor roof damage occurred to two
homes and a small outbuilding, and power poles were broken with
lines in the road, causing a portion of the roadway to be closed
much of the day following the storm. Winds were estimated at 75
mph here. Very minor, sporadic tree damage was observed in the
Adger and North Johns areas, mainly limbs down.

.Winston County Straight-line Winds...
The National Weather Service surveyed damage in the Forkville area
northeast of Haleyville and in the Ashridge community and
determined it to be the result of straight-line winds. The most
concentrated damage was observed at the intersection of Highway
195 and Little Crooked Rd around 5:35 pm CDT, where several
structures were damaged. A furniture business sustained roof
damage and had a glass door blown out, an open air hay shed was
flipped onto an adjacent outbuilding, and a larger garage
sustained roof and siding damage. In addition, a smaller three-car
shed collapsed and fell into the larger garage. Just east of
this, at least five trees were uprooted across Little Crooked Rd,
with roofing tin from the garage blown into the fallen trees. This
damage was all within 130 yards, with winds estimated up to 75
mph. No other notable damage was observed except for a few trees
down along Jim Brown Rd approximately four miles to the southeast.

.Northern Tuscaloosa County Straight-line Winds...
The National Weather Service surveyed damage in northern Tuscaloosa
County associated with a severe thunderstorm that moved through
the area the previous evening. Only very minimal, sporadic wind
damage was observed on Old Jasper Rd, Old Cheatam Rd, and Bagwell
Rd, with no spatial continuity between points. This storm later
produced the surveyed damage in Jefferson County.

Robinson/Satterwhite

&&

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0.....65 to 85 mph
EF1.....86 to 110 mph
EF2.....111 to 135 mph
EF3.....136 to 165 mph
EF4.....166 to 200 mph
EF5.....>200 mph

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in
NWS Storm Data.


$$