Weogufka endures second tornado this year
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An EF1 tornado impacted the Weogufka community Saturday night, resulting in property damage such as this along County Road 29. Photos by Craig Martin
By Christa Jennings
Senior Staff Writer
With rounds of severe storms impacting almost the entire state Saturday night, the Weogufka community found itself in the midst of a second tornado already this year.
As of press time, the U.S. National Weather Service’s forecast office in Birmingham, which serves central Alabama, has identified at least 14 tornado tracks from the March 15 storms. The information is still considered preliminary.
While the National Weather Service reports that ground surveys are likely completed, it stated that additional analysis via satellite imagery and other sources remains ongoing. As such, some details are subject to change, and additions could still be made before the results are considered final.
Of the 14 tornadoes confirmed across central Alabama, there were three rated EF0, four EF1 tornadoes, six rated EF2, and one EF3 tornado.
The tornado that went through Weogufka has been named the “County Road 29 Tornado” by the National Weather Service. The preliminary reports have the tornado rated as an EF1 with estimated peak winds of 110 mph.
While there was tree and property damage, there were no fatalities or injuries in the tornado, which had a path length of 12.02 miles and a path width of 200 yards, according to preliminary findings.
The tornado started at 9:33 p.m. Saturday, March 15, northwest of Dollar and ended at 9:50 p.m. southeast of Weogufka.
According to the survey summary, meteorologists with the National Weather Service surveyed damage in rural southwestern Coosa County and determined that the damage was in fact consistent with a tornado.
The tornado reportedly began over the Coosa Wildlife Management Area in extreme southwestern Coosa County, just east of the Coosa River based on satellite imagery. However, NWS reported that the area of the county was inaccessible by the survey crew.
The first area of damage that was accessible occurred just southwest of County Road 15, where numerous trees were snapped and uprooted. From there the tornado continued northeast, crossing Camp Road where weak tree damage was noted.
The tornado then intensified as it moved northeast and crossed County Road 29. The most extensive damage was found at that location, where numerous trees were snapped and a double-wide manufactured home was destroyed, with no anchors being found where the manufactured home originally stood.
Additionally, farm outbuildings at the same residence on County Road 29 were also destroyed, along with roof damage to surrounding homes in the area. Here winds were estimated at 110 mph at this location.
The NWS survey crew reported that although it was difficult to access, ED0 and EF1 tree damage was also noted farther to the northeast along County roads 56 and 18.
“With areas farther northeast inaccessible and no damage noted along U.S. Highway 231, the end point was estimated just beyond County Road 18,” the NWS survey reports.
This was the second tornado to hit Weogufka in as many months, with an EF0 tornado crossing the community just last month.
The February 16 tornado occurred in the early morning hours and had estimated peak winds of 75 mph, with a path length of 10.75 miles and width of 250 yards.
That tornado also crossed a section of County Road 29, just north of the Weogufka Family Worship Center. In crossing through Weogufka, the EF0 tornado caused minor damage.
Following Saturday’s rounds of severe storms and the EF1 tornado that hit Weogufka, Sheriff Michael Howell credited the county’s volunteer fire departments, EMA Director Sheldon Hutcherson and others who went out to various areas to assess the damage and respond to multiple calls to clear roads from trees and debris, as well as respond to wrecks.
In addition to working together with county officials during the storm event, Howell said that he was contacted by Rep. Ben Robbins and representatives from Sen. Katie Britt’s office to check on Coosa County.
An EF1 tornado impacted the Weogufka community Saturday night, resulting in property damage such as this along County Road 29. Photos by Kayla Culver
