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Tornado outbreak of April 1977

A violent severe weather outbreak struck the Southeast on April 4–5, 1977. A total of 22 tornadoes touched down with the strongest ones occurring in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. The strongest was a catastrophic F5 tornado that struck the northern Birmingham, Alabama, suburbs during the afternoon of Monday, April 4. 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, and another fatality was reported east of Birmingham in St. Clair County. In the end, the entire outbreak directly caused 24 deaths and 158 injuries. The storm system also caused the crash of Southern Airways Flight 242, which killed 72 and injured 22.[nb 1]

Outbreak statistics

Confirmed tornadoes

Prior to 1990, there is a likely undercount of tornadoes, particularly E/F0–1, with reports of weaker tornadoes becoming more common as population increased. A sharp increase in the annual average E/F0–1 count by approximately 200 tornadoes was noted upon the implementation of NEXRAD Doppler weather radar in 1990–1991.[9][nb 5] 1974 marked the first year where significant tornado (E/F2+) counts became homogenous with contemporary values, attributed to the consistent implementation of Fujita scale assessments.[13][nb 3] Numerous discrepancies on the details of tornadoes in this outbreak exist between sources. The total count of tornadoes and ratings differs from various agencies accordingly. The list below documents information from the most contemporary official sources alongside assessments from tornado historian Thomas P. Grazulis.

Birmingham–Smithfield, Alabama

Developing 4 mi (6.4 km) northwest of Birmingham, near US 78, this extremely violent tornado proceeded northeastward through northern Jefferson County. Near the point of touchdown, Daniel Payne College suffered extensive damage, forcing it to permanently close due to the extent of the destruction. Rapidly intensifying, it generated F5 damage in the neighborhood of Hayes Highland, particularly along and near a lane and drive each named Smithfield, from which the tornado derived its moniker. In this area, abutting the intersection of I-65 and US 31, hundreds of homes were completely destroyed, many of which were completely swept away, despite being well-built. Some of the homes built into hillsides even had their cinder-block basement walls swept away, and at least one home was reportedly annihilated, with even its foundation said to be missing. Many trees in the area were snapped and debarked and vehicles were thrown and destroyed. A pair of dump-trucks were thrown through the air as well. Ted Fujita followed the tornado and supercell from an airplane and while surveying damage; he rated the Smithfield tornado F5, but initially considered assigning a rating of F6. (He once rated the 1970 Lubbock and 1974 Xenia tornadoes as such, but his preliminary estimates were subsequently revised to the official ratings of F5.) The NCEI incorrectly list the path as extending from west of Birmingham to east-northeast of Tarrant.[48]

Non-tornadic impacts

The storms that brought the tornadoes on April 4 also brought a large squall line across Alabama. This proved disastrous when Southern Airways Flight 242 attempted to fly around the storm and instead flew straight into it. Massive amounts of very large hail and very heavy rain battered the plane and destroyed its engines. With no way to keep flying, it attempted a landing on a stretch of highway in New Hope, Georgia. The road section used for the forced landing, formerly called Georgia State Route 92 Spur, is now called Dallas–Acworth Highway (formerly Georgia State Route 381). The DC-9 actually landed successfully, but then crashed into a gas station, grocery store, and other structures and vehicles during the rollout. The plane was destroyed, killing the flight crew, 60 passengers, and nine people on the ground.[49]

Aftermath, recovery, and records

The F5 tornado touched down near the end of the path of three other violent tornadoes that struck the Birmingham region in 1956, 1998, and 2011. The 1956 tornado was an F4 that struck McDonald Chapel and continued through Edgewater, northern Birmingham, Fultondale, and Tarrant before dissipating, killing 25. In 1998, an F5 tornado touched town in a rural area near Tuscaloosa before impacting Rock Creek, Sylvan Springs, Edgewater and McDonald Chapel, killing 32. The 2011 tornado was an EF4 that devastated Tuscaloosa and then struck Concord, Pleasant Grove, McDonald Chapel, northern Birmingham, and Fultondale before lifting, killing 64.[50]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ An outbreak is generally defined as a group of at least six tornadoes (the number sometimes varies slightly according to local climatology) with no more than a six-hour gap between individual tornadoes. An outbreak sequence, prior to (after) the start of modern records in 1950, is defined as a period of no more than two (one) consecutive days without at least one significant (F2 or stronger) tornado.[1]
  2. ^ a b All dates are based on the local time zone where the tornado touched down; however, all times are in Coordinated Universal Time and dates are split at midnight CST/CDT for consistency.
  3. ^ a b The Fujita scale was devised under the aegis of scientist T. Theodore Fujita in the early 1970s. Prior to the advent of the scale in 1971, tornadoes in the United States were officially unrated.[2][3] Tornado ratings were retroactively applied to events prior to the formal adoption of the F-scale by the National Weather Service.[4] While the Fujita scale has been superseded by the Enhanced Fujita scale in the U.S. since February 1, 2007,[5] Canada used the old scale until April 1, 2013;[6] nations elsewhere, like the United Kingdom, apply other classifications such as the TORRO scale.[7]
  4. ^ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Data publication does not list exact damage totals for every event, instead giving damage categories. As such, damage for individual tornadoes is not comprehensive.
  5. ^ Historically, the number of tornadoes globally and in the United States was and is likely underrepresented: research by Grazulis on annual tornado activity suggests that, as of 2001, only 53% of yearly U.S. tornadoes were officially recorded. Documentation of tornadoes outside the United States was historically less exhaustive, owing to the lack of monitors in many nations and, in some cases, to internal political controls on public information.[10] Most countries only recorded tornadoes that produced severe damage or loss of life.[11] Significant low biases in U.S. tornado counts likely occurred through the early 1990s, when advanced NEXRAD was first installed and the National Weather Service began comprehensively verifying tornado occurrences.[12]
  6. ^ All starting coordinates are based on the NCEI database and may not reflect contemporary analyses
  7. ^ The listed width values are primarily the average/mean width of the tornadoes, with those having known maximum widths denoted by ♯. From 1952 to 1994, reports largely list mean width whereas contemporary years list maximum width.[14] Values provided by Grazulis are the average width, with estimates being rounded down (i.e. 0.5 mi (0.80 km) is rounded down from 880 yards to 800 yards.[15][16]

References

  1. ^ Schneider, Russell S.; Brooks, Harold E.; Schaefer, Joseph T. (2004). Tornado Outbreak Day Sequences: Historic Events and Climatology (1875–2003) (PDF). 22nd Conf. Severe Local Storms. Hyannis, Massachusetts: American Meteorological Society. Retrieved September 17, 2019.
  2. ^ Grazulis 1993, p. 141.
  3. ^ Grazulis 2001a, p. 131.
  4. ^ Edwards et al. 2013, p. 641–642.
  5. ^ Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "Enhanced F Scale for Tornado Damage". The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC). Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  6. ^ "Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF-Scale)". Environment and Climate Change Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  7. ^ "The International Tornado Intensity Scale". Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. Tornado and Storm Research Organisation. 2016. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  8. ^ Tornado reported between 04/04/1977 and 04/05/1977 (2 days). Storm Events Database (Report). NOAA. Retrieved 4 December 2023 – via National Centers for Environmental Information.
  9. ^ Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1496.
  10. ^ Grazulis 2001a, pp. 251–4.
  11. ^ Edwards, Roger (March 5, 2015). "The Online Tornado FAQ (by Roger Edwards, SPC)". Storm Prediction Center: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  12. ^ Cook & Schaefer 2008, p. 3135.
  13. ^ Agee and Childs 2014, pp. 1497, 1503.
  14. ^ Agee and Childs 2014, p. 1494.
  15. ^ Brooks 2004, p. 310.
  16. ^ Grazulis 1990, p. ix.
  17. ^ Storm Data 1977, p. 5.
  18. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10050008
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Grazulis 1993, p. 1192.
  20. ^ a b c Storm Data 1977, p. 6.
  21. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10050009
  22. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10050010
  23. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10050011
  24. ^ "Severe Weather Database Files (1950-2021)". Storm Prediction Center Maps, Graphics, and Data Page. Norman, Oklahoma: Storm Prediction Center. July 11, 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  25. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10059535
  26. ^ a b c d e f Storm Data 1977, p. 2.
  27. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9976465
  28. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9976467
  29. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9976468
  30. ^ a b c Storm Data 1977, p. 4.
  31. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10033923
  32. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9976470
  33. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9976471
  34. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9976472
  35. ^ a b c d e Storm Data 1977, p. 3.
  36. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9995222
  37. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9995224
  38. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9995225
  39. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10016135
  40. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9995229
  41. ^ Storm Data 1977, p. 7.
  42. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10091000
  43. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #9995230
  44. ^ Storm Data 1977, p. 12.
  45. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10151506
  46. ^ Storm Data 1977, p. 8.
  47. ^ Storm Data Publication 1977, #10117988
  48. ^ Multiple sources:
    • Edwards, Roger, ed. (March 19, 2021). "F5 and EF5 Tornadoes of the United States, 1950-present". The Online Tornado FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about Tornadoes. Norman, Oklahoma: Storm Prediction Center. Retrieved 3 February 2022.
    • Grazulis 1984, p. A-92
      • Grazulis 1993, p. 1192
      • Grazulis 2001b, p. 28
    • Grazulis, Thomas P.; Grazulis, Doris, eds. (1998). "Other Disastrous Birmingham Area Tornadoes". St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
    • "Smithfield Tornado 4/4/1977". NWS Birmingham, Alabama Weather Forecast Office. Calera, Alabama: National Weather Service. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
    • Storm Data 1977, p. 2
    • Storm Data Publication 1977, #9976475
  49. ^ Ayres, Jr., B. Drummond (April 6, 1977). "Hail in Engines Is Blamed in Georgia Crash Killing 68". The New York Times. p. 20.
  50. ^ Grazulis, Thomas P.; Grazulis, Doris, eds. (1998). "Other Disastrous Birmingham Area Tornadoes". St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. Archived from the original on 3 June 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2023.

Sources