Crazy spring weather!
11th April 2008
Crazy stormy weather blew through here this afternoon.
We
were watching the weather coverage on TV, as they were highlighting the
6 rotating storms throughout Alabama on radar while it got darker and very windy out the
back. (We were already in the basement since that’s where Brian and the kids had been working/playing.) The tornado sirens went off,
but the weather guy assured us it was for the northern part of the
county (we’re in the south). Then the downpour started, and then the hail. The wind was wild and swirly, and we were sure a tree was going to
come down in the backyard as we watched out the windows. It only lasted a few minutes, and then a couple minutes after it calmed down, the weather guy says, "We’re getting
reports of a funnel cloud on Rocky Ridge Road…" No kidding – that’s where
we are! Like 10 minutes too late! There are tons of people without
power – not us, luckily, and lots of damage reports in our area, though they haven’t actually confirmed any tornados. But
our porch rockers were blown over, and the double stroller – with
brakes on! – was blown all the way across the porch!
These spring/summer storms in the South can be CRAZY! (And I’m not even
talking about the hurricanes!) Meanwhile, both my sister are in Duluth, MN getting a
certified BLIZZARD and my mom lost power last night in the "thundersnow" and had school canceled today, all this on April 11th! 
on the interstate not too far from us, right when the nasty weather was blowing over.
(We’ve got pictures too, but we’re too tired to resize them.)
April 12th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Update — this was definitely a very close call. The National Weather Service has assessed the damage and concluded that a tornado did touch down in the Cedarbrook Apartments and then headed northeast DIRECTLY towards us. It must have lifted up before it got here, but the winds were just incredible as it went overhead. Neighbors across the street had a tall pine tree snap in two. Debris everywhere in our neighborhood. Here is the full report from the NWS:
The National Weather Service has surveyed damage in Jefferson
County in the city of Hoover. It has been concluded that the
damage on Friday, April 11 was caused by a tornado.
The tornado touched down at approximately 425 PM… in the colonial
grand apartment complex uprooting and snapping multiple trees. The
tornado traveled northeast causing damage in the Cedar Brook
apartment complex. Multiple trees were snapped and major roof damage
occurred when a brick fire wall used to separate units collapsed.
The path length of this brief tornado touchdown was approximately
2000 feet… one third of a mile… and was 25 yards wide at its
widest point. The tornado has been rated an EF-0 on the Enhanced
Fujita scale as damage was consistent with winds of 75 to 80 miles an
hour.