Thread: Gulf Shores Tornado?>

From OBA fb link to Eddie Harper's video of strong straightline winds at The Wharf Marina in Orange Beach...
https://www.facebook.com/eddie.harpe...4882183884250/

From Blake Michaleski's fb page (screen grab of radar with strong return)...

Pics of limbs and a few trees down in the State Park...
https://www.facebook.com/GulfStatePa...type=3&theater

Just checked the cam and the power IS on at the pier.
it is rough as all getout, but the lights are on.

My first thought was this may NOT have been a tornado, but a microburst.
Almost all the pics seem to indicate straightline winds, but the NWS will make that call 'official' Tuesday...

My buddy Blake (a professional storm chaser and weather observer) was onsite and had a different opinion...

Damage was confined to a relatively narrow swath.
No doubt there was a strong but broad circulation within the storm based on radar presentation.
If it was a tornado, it was a relatively small one along the southern periphery of the larger scale circulation.
The majority of all debris that I saw during my brief survey was all laid towards the east and some north.
Farther north damage seemed fairly non-existent.
This is consistent with a small, fast-moving tornado in that surface velocities on the left side of the track center can essentially be zeroed out by the forward motion.
I am leaning towards that being the case.

Thought and Prayers to those suffering loss of life, it is bad but property can be replaced. Feel helpless way up here in N.C., just left Alabama Red Cross website, making disaster relief donation, suggest other out of staters do the same.

Again, Thoughts and Prayers to all with damage and dealing with loss of life, Stay Safe All.

Other than 12" of rain in 48 hours, we came through alright up in Mobile.

https://nwschat.weather.gov/p.php?pi...-NOUS44-PNSMOB

NOUS44 KMOB 032216
PNSMOBALZ051>060-261>266-FLZ201>206-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-041030-
Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Mobile AL
416 PM CST Tue Jan 3 2017...

NWS Damage Survey For the 01/02/17 Gulf Shores Alabama Thunderstorm Wind Event....
OVERVIEW...The National Weather Service in Mobile conducted a survey of the damage in Gulf Shores produced by a severe thunderstorm on the afternoon of January 2nd, 2017.
The survey focused on the area of greatest damage south of Fort Morgan Road along the Highway 59 corridor south to Highway 182.
Below is detailed information regarding the area surveyed. .
Gulf Shores Thunderstorm Wind Event...
Peak Wind: 70-80 mph
Path Length /statute/: 1 mile
Path Width /maximum/: 650 yards
Fatalities: 0
Injuries: 1
Start Date: January 2nd, 2017
Start Time: 2:47 pm CST
Start Location: Near intersection of Hwy 59 & Hwy 182
End Date: January 2nd, 2017
End Time: 2:48 pm CST
End Location: Just East of Hwy 59 & South of Hwy 180

Survey summary: A severe thunderstorm moved across Gulf Shores and produced a corridor of significant wind damage from near the intersection of Highway 59 and Highway 182 north and east to just east of Highway 59 and south of Fort Morgan road (Highway 180).
All damage surveyed was blown from a southwest to northeast direction,indicative of straight line wind damage.
The corridor of greatest damage occurred around 300 to 350 yards on either side of Highway 59.
Numerous trees were uprooted and had significant large branches broken off.
A few homes were damaged by the fallen trees along West 12th and 13th Avenues and a few homes suffered shingle damage.
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo experienced significant tree damage and damage to fencing and animal enclosures.
Fortunately, all of the animals survived.
Roofing material was blown off of a few commercial buildings near the zoo and also south close to Highway 182.
Outside of this main corridor of damage, sporadic straight line wind damage was observed and reported across Gulf Shores,Bon Secour, and Orange Beach.
There was one minor injury when a sunroom collapsed onto an elderly woman.
She was quickly rescued and suffered minor cuts and bruises.
The National Weather Service in Mobile would like to thank the Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency, the City of Gulf Shores, and the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo for their assistance today.

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

https://www.google.com/maps/@30.2735.../data=!3m1!1e3

Meanwhile at the State Park...
https://www.facebook.com/GulfStatePa...type=3&theater

Clean up from the storm is going to take a while but don't let that stop you from coming! Refuge Golf Course is hoping to have the front 9 holes open Thursday or Friday, cabins are being repaired and the trails are being cleared. Next post will be a share about the eagle nest.

I have some really sad news to share today. The Gulf Shore’s eagle nest did not survive last night’s storms and tornadoes. When I went out yesterday at dusk, I was able to see a silhouette of the nest and an eagle on top of it. I slipped back out there during my lunch break today and found the nest was pretty much wiped out, with one of the eagles sitting over it. Another area birder that was outthere before me, said that he saw both eagles alive and well.

The nests can weigh up to 1000lbs, so it’s not surprising that the nest came apart in the brutal winds we experienced. With that knowledge, it’s truly impressive that the tree survived at all. I can’t image what the ride at the top of that tree was like.

While the loss of the nest is truly devastating, it is also part of nature. My wife spent some time doing research this morning and learned a lot that should give us hope. Based off a 40 year study that took place in the Chesapeake Bay area, when a nest is destroyed, the eagles will generally either rebuild the old nest or they will build a new one in a nearby tree. That gives us a lot of hope that we will see the eagles again next year. We also learned that if a nest “fails” early enough in the season, the parents may “re-nest”, so this season may not be lost yet.

Also, USFWS told my wife that eagles will sometimes have a “backup nest” in the area and will occasionally resort to that nest and continue raising young during that season.

Another positive note is that my wife checked the Orange Beach nest today and it came through the storm just fine, although there is still no indication that the eagles are sitting on an egg yet.

As always, I will continue to keep an eye on both nests and let you know of new developments as I find them. While I am deeply saddened by this loss, I do look forward to seeing what our eagles do next.
Photos by Roger Reetz Lovely Lizards Photography https://www.facebook.com/LovelyLizardsPhotography Please Like, Share, and Follow Us.
— at Gulf State Park-Alabama.