Tornadoes strike SE Alabama overnight

We don’t always associated tornadoes and severe weather with the winter season, but overnight Saturday in southeast Alabama, that proved to be the case.

The low pressure system that was the source of our abundant rainfall in south central Kentucky also brought isolated severe weather and one supercell across Alabama. This supercell was embedded within a squall line. Its longevity was quite impressive.

@weatherchannel @JimCantore @spann From earlier in Midland City, photos credit Bryan Shaw of Midland City, AL. pic.twitter.com/gG8kHTUCv8 — @BAMABOSS1984 (@BAMABOSS1984) January 4, 2015

Dale County storm damage “@BJshaw1104: @DanManWX @danpeckwx @BAMABOSS1984 @JimCantore @spann @weatherchannel pic.twitter.com/T0pJ1xyzJ6” — James Spann (@spann) January 4, 2015

SE Alabama storm damage “@BJshaw1104: @DanManWX @danpeckwx @BAMABOSS1984 @JimCantore @spann 231 south bound lane pic.twitter.com/BEC27LWrHW” — James Spann (@spann) January 4, 2015

A look at the signatures this had on radar:

Radar seeing #Tornado debris in this storm on the AL/GA state line moving toward Bluffton, GA #alwx #gawx pic.twitter.com/OSS8dmJboQ — Ari Sarsalari (@AriWeather) January 4, 2015

The damage hasn’t been confirmed to be a tornado yet, but all signs indicate that it was possibly a series of tornadoes. Notice the unique shape of the squall line. This is called a mesoscale vortex, which is essentially a mini-low pressure system within a squall line. They are know for producing tornadoes, and this one reminded me of one that produced 16 tornadoes within an hour on the morning of April 27, 2011.

@AriWeather those things are quite self sustaining and last a while too. Look at QLCS morning of 4/27 outbreak. Not as strong, but still

— Pierce Larkin (@pierce_larkin) January 4, 2015

@pierce_larkin That one actually came to mind for me too pic.twitter.com/K2EEkpxWE1 — Ari Sarsalari (@AriWeather) January 4, 2015

This system just goes to prove that no matter what time of day or year, severe weather can strike.