Tropical Storm Claudette - June 2021

Tropical Storm Claudette
Tornado & Straight-Line Wind Summaries
 

Summary of all Local Storm Reports (LSRs) across the area during Tropical Storm Claudette, as well as all the LSRs across the region for this event (regional map may take a minute to load).

Storm survey teams preliminarily concluded that there was one significant EF-2 tornado that impacted Escambia and Conecuh Counties in AL. An additional EF-1 tornado was discovered via high-resolution satellite imagery in Conecuh County, AL. There were two EF-0 tornadoes and several swaths of straight-line wind damage.

Many thanks to the local EMA and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency for their assistance during our damage surveys in the aftermath of Claudette.

----- IMPORTANT 2023 UPDATE -----

Significant updates were made to several tornado tracks and wind swaths impacting the NWS Mobile/Pensacola area in the 2018 to 2023 timeframe thanks to the introduction of high-resolution Sentinel, Worldview, and Planet satellite imagery. One or multiple tornado tracks/wind swaths listed on this event webpage were updated in 2023.
 

An updated graphic and details surrounding these significant updates can be found further down on this webpage in the section for that specific tornado track or wind swath. More information on this Local Tornado Reanalysis Project and a list of all updates can be found on our webpage at weather.gov/mob/TornadoReanalysis or the National Damage Viewer.
 

Here is a list of the significant updates:

1. June 19, 2021 - New Tornado - Conecuh County, AL: After analyzing available high-resolution satellite data a new EF1 tornado was discovered to have occurred in association with Tropical Storm Claudette on June 19th, 2021. This tornado began by uprooting several trees to the west of County Road 29 and north of Benefield Road, tracking north and crossing County Road 29. After the crossing, the tornado intensified into an EF1 with winds around 95mph uprooting many trees and leaving a notable scar on satellite imagery. The tornado maintained this intensity as it tracked north, crossing a couple of dirt roads. Once the tornado reached Beulah Road it shrunk in size and began to waver notably in intensity, only uprooting a couple of trees near Beulah Road. After thorough review of satellite imagery past Beulah Road, any visible tree damage associated with the tornado ends roughly a half mile due north of where it crossed Beulah Road. Peak width of the tornado was early on in its life cycle after crossing County Road 29 reaching approximately 120 yards wide.

2. June 19, 2021 - Updated Tornado - Escambia/Conecuh Counties, AL: This tornado was further reanalyzed via high resolution satellite imagery including Planet and Worldview imagery to update the exact path of the tornado based on the convergent damage path visible from this imagery and adjust the start point to be earlier on the south side of Jay Road where a convergent path of uprooted trees began.

3. June 19, 2021 - Updated Tornado - Conecuh County, AL: An EF-0, with peak estimated winds of 80 mph, touched down southwest of Alabama Highway 55 where a narrow, continuous swath of tree damage was evident on Planet satellite imagery. The tornado moved northeast, eventually crossing North Creek Road. Numerous large tree limbs were downed along with a few small trees snapped. It is possible the tornado was stronger early on in its track, however there was no available higher resolution imagery to assess any tree DI's or DoD's.

East Brewton EF-2 Tornado 
 

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
802 PM CDT SUN JUN 20 2021

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 06/19/2021 EAST BREWTON ALABAMA TORNADO EVENT...

.OVERVIEW...TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE PRODUCED A SIGNIFICANT TORNADO IN
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, AL, GREATLY IMPACTING THE EAST BREWTON AREA AND POINTS
NORTHWARD INTO CONECUH COUNTY, AL. THE FOLLOWING IS THE FINDINGS FROM
THE NWS STORM SURVEY TEAM FOR THIS TORNADO. ADDITIONAL SURVEYS WILL BE
CONDUCTED FOR OTHER POSSIBLE TORNADOES IN THE COMING DAYS. 

.EAST BREWTON TORNADO...

RATING:                 EF-2
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    127 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  22.07 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   650 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               20

START DATE:             JUN 19, 2021 
START TIME:             7:31 AM CDT
START LOCATION:         2 MILES SW OF EAST BREWTON, AL
START LAT/LON:          31.0589/-87.0649

END DATE:               JUN 19, 2021
END TIME:               7:56 AM CDT
END LOCATION:           5 MILES NW OF CASTLEBERRY, AL
END LAT/LON:            31.3761/-87.0452

SURVEY SUMMARY: THE TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN ON JAY ROAD JUST 
WEST OF HIGHWAY 41 IN RIVERVIEW. THE TORNADO INTENSIFIED AND
WIDENED AS IT MOVED NORTHEAST INTO EAST BREWTON, CROSSING OVER
HIGHWAY 41. DURING THIS TIME, THE TORNADO PRODUCED EF-1 INTENSITY
DAMAGE TO NUMEROUS TREES, HOMES, BUSINESSES IN THE AREA. SOME OF THE MOST 
SEVERE DAMAGE WAS LOCATED AT THE INTERSECTION OF FORREST AVENUE
AND ANDREW JACKSON STREET WHERE SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES WERE COMPLETELY
DESTROYED. THIS WAS RATED AS EF-2 INTENSITY DAMAGE. THERE WAS 
ALSO SIGNIFICANT ROOF DAMAGE TO THE AUDITORIUM AT W S NEAL HIGH 
SCHOOL. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST AND MOVED ACROSS SHOFFNER
STREET. PRIMARILY EF-1 INTENSITY DAMAGE TO TREES AND HOMES WAS
NOTED HERE, BUT A SWATH OF EF-2 INTENSITY TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED
IN A VALLEY JUST NORTH OF BALLARD STREET. MAJOR TREE DAMAGE
CONTINUED NORTH ACROSS COOK ROAD. ADDITIONAL MAJOR STRUCTURAL
DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED ALONG RIDDLE ROAD NEAR HORSESHOE ROAD. 
A SINGLE WIDE MOBILE HOME WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH THE FRAME
TOSSED OVER A 100 YARDS AWAY. THE OWNER WAS EJECTED FROM THE 
BUILDING AND FOUND NEAR THE FRAME AND SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES.
A HOME ON THE NORTH SIDE OF RIDDLE ROAD HAD ITS ENTIRE ROOF
TORN OFF. THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTH, CROSSING KIRKLAND ROAD
AND HIGHWAY 31. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS IN THE EF-1 RANGE AND
MOST NOTABLY TO TREES. 

THE TORNADO CROSSED INTO CONECUH COUNTY AND PRODUCED EF-1 DAMAGE 
ON THE WEST SIDE OF CASTLEBERRY, IMPACTING AREAS OF BRAGGERT ROAD,
KENNEDY STREET, AND DURHAM MCLENDON ROAD. THE TORNADO BEGAN TO 
WEAKEN AS IT MOVED NORTH OF WEST CLEVELAND AVENUE BUT STILL 
PRODUCED SPOTTY EF-0 TO EF-1 DAMAGE ALL THE WAY NORTH TO 
INTERSTATE 65 WHERE SOME TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED JUST NORTH OF THE 
REST AREA. THIS IS NEAR WHERE THE TORNADO IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE 
LIFTED. THE SURVEY TEAM FOUND NO DAMAGE CROSSING HIGHWAY 84 
FURTHER TO THE NORTH.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED UP TO 20 TOTAL INJURIES, MOSTLY MINOR.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE 2 SERIOUS INJURIES. SPECIAL THANKS TO ESCAMBIA COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE PROVIDING DAMAGE AND INJURY
INFORMATION FOR THIS SURVEY.

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO
THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES.

EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...STRONG....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...VIOLENT...>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. 


The photos below were taken during the tornado survey and show the extent of the damage along the path.

     

     

     

     

The next set of photos are the still shots from the drone footage provided by ALEA (Alabama Law Enforcement Agency) along the tornado path in Escambia County, AL.

     

     

     

Covington County EF-0 Tornado      

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
706 PM CDT MON JUN 21 2021

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 06/19/2021 TORNADO AND WIND EVENT...

.OVERVIEW...A BRIEF EF-0 TORNADO WAS SURVEYED IN SOUTHEAST 
COVINGTON COUNTY TO THE NORTHWEST OF FLORALA. 

.SOUTHEAST COVINGTON COUNTY TORNADO...

RATING:                 EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    80 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  0.6 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   25 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               0

START DATE:             JUNE 19, 2021 
START TIME:             1:12 PM CDT
START LOCATION:         7 MILES NW OF FLORALA, AL
START LAT/LON:          31.1041/-86.3977

END DATE:               JUNE 19, 2021
END TIME:               1:14 PM CDT
END LOCATION:           7 MILES NW OF FLORALA, AL
END LAT/LON:            31.1111/-86.391

SURVEY SUMMARY: A BRIEF EF-0 TOUCHED DOWN SOUTH OF NORTH CREEK ROAD.
THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST, CROSSING THE ROAD AND LIFTING SHORTLY
THEREAFTER. NUMEROUS LARGE TREE LIMBS WERE DOWNED ALONG WITH A FEW
SMALL TREES SNAPPED. BASED ON RADAR ANALYSIS OF THE TORNADO DEBRIS
SIGNATURE, THE TORNADO LIKELY TOUCHED DOWN FURTHER TO THE SOUTHWEST,
BUT THE SURVEY TEAM COULD NOT ACCESS THAT AREA. 

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE FOLLOWING
CATEGORIES.

EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...STRONG....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...VIOLENT...>200 MPH


NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE PENDING
FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENTS AND PUBLICATION IN NWS STORM DATA. 

Ferry Pass and Pace Straight-Line Wind Swaths      

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
706 PM CDT MON JUN 21 2021

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 06/19/2021 TORNADO AND WIND EVENT...

.OVERVIEW...A STORM SURVEY TEAM INVESTIGATED THE DAMAGE IN FERRY PASS
AND PACE, FL AREAS FROM TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE. THE SURVEY TEAM FOUND
THE DAMAGE IN THESE AREAS TO BE FROM STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. 


.FERRY PASS AND PACE FL THUNDERSTORM WIND DAMAGE...

SURVEY SUMMARY: THE SURVEY TEAM INVESTIGATED THE REPORTED WIND DAMAGE
IN FERRY PASS AROUND THE NORTH DAVIS HIGHWAY AREA, AS WELL AS THE 
DAMAGE ON WALLACE DR AND NEARBY AREAS IN THE VICINITY OF PACE. THE TEAM
NOTED POCKETS OF ENHANCED WIND DAMAGE IN THESE AREAS, BUT COULD NOT
IDENTIFY ANY CONVERGENT DAMAGE PATHS THAT WOULD INDICATE A TORNADO. 
THERE WERE NOTABLE AREAS OF TREE DAMAGE IN THESE AREAS AND ONE HOME ON
WALLACE DRIVE HAD ITS ROOF TORN OFF. A FEW SHEDS AND OUTBUILDINGS WERE
ALSO HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. ESTIMATED WIND SPEEDS WERE IN THE 60 
TO 80 MPH RANGE. THIS IS ALSO CONSISTENT WITH RECORDED WIND GUST OBSERVATIONS
IN THE AREA IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS. PENSACOLA 
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GUSTED TO 81 MPH AND EVEN FURTHER EAST TOWARD SANTA
ROSA SOUND THERE WAS A RECORDED 71 MPH WIND GUST. 

NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE PENDING
FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENTS AND PUBLICATION IN NWS STORM DATA. 

Cedar Point EF-0 Tornado      

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
311 PM CDT TUE JUN 22 2021

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 06/19/21 CEDAR POINT TORNADO EVENT...

.CEDAR POINT TORNADO...

RATING:                 EF-0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    85 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  0.05 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   25 YARDS
FATALITIES:             0
INJURIES:               1

START DATE:             JUNE 19, 2021 
START TIME:             3:16 AM CDT
START LOCATION:         CEDAR POINT PIER, AL
START LAT/LON:          30.3103/-88.1384

END DATE:               JUNE 19, 2021
END TIME:               3:17 AM CDT
END LOCATION:           CEDAR POINT PIER, AL
END LAT/LON:            30.3111/-88.1382

SURVEY SUMMARY: A TORNADO MOVED ACROSS CEDAR POINT PIER. THE PIER SUFFERED
DAMAGE TO SOME RAILINGS AND LIGHT POLES. A LARGE METAL STORAGE UNIT WAS LIFTED
AND MOVED TEN FEET, HEAVILY DAMAGING THE STRUCTURE. A UTILITY POLE WAS ALSO 
KNOCKED OVER. A 2X4 BOARD WAS LAUNCHED THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A PICKUP TRUCK. 
THE OCCUPANT OF THE TRUCK SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE END POINT IS AN ESTIMATION 
AS THE TORNADO COULD HAVE CONTINUED TO THE NORTH. HOWEVER, GIVEN THIS AREA IS MARSH, 
THE SURVEY TEAM WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND A DEFINITIVE END POINT. 

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE FOLLOWING
CATEGORIES.

EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
EF2...STRONG....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
EF5...VIOLENT...>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. 

---

Acknowledgements: Page created by Morgan Barry (Forecaster) and Jason Beaman (Warning Coordination Meteorologist). Updated by Michael Mugrage (Forecaster)

LAST UPDATED: March 2024