Posted on 01/13/2023 3:41:26 AM PST by blueplum
A giant storm system billowing across the South on Thursday killed at least six people in central Alabama, where a savage tornado ripped roofs off homes and uprooted trees in historic Selma.
In Autauga County, Alabama, 41 miles northeast of Selma, at least six fatalities were confirmed and an estimated 40 homes were damaged or destroyed by a tornado that cut a 20-mile path across two rural communities...
...southeast of Atlanta, the storm appeared to have knocked a freight train off its tracks, officials said.
Officials in Griffin, south of Atlanta, told local news outlets that multiple people had been trapped inside an apartment complex after trees fell on it....
...School systems in at least six Georgia counties on the southern fringes of metro Atlanta canceled classes on Friday. Those systems enroll a total of 90,000 students.....
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Prayers for these people.
In Autauga County, Alabama, 41 miles northeast of Selma, at least six fatalities were confirmed and an estimated 40 homes were damaged or destroyed by a tornado that cut a 20-mile path across two rural communities, said Ernie Baggett, the county's emergency management director.
Several mobile homes were launched into the air and at least 12 people were injured severely enough to be taken to hospitals by emergency responders, Baggett told The Associated Press. He said crews were focused Thursday night on cutting through downed trees to look for people who may need help.
The press is reporting from Selma AL, but the storm track went several hundred miles through Alabama and Georgia.
Storms rolled through metro Atlanta just as schools were dismissing and buses began rolling. The weather forced many districts to cancel afternoon activities.
Late Thursday, the Griffin-Spalding County school system was working with the county emergency management agency to determine when roads would be cleared for travel.
Who has the Georgia ping list?
Looks like Ukraine.
I was extremely lucky. The big tornado that basically went all the way across central Alabama was less than 10 miles north of me. My daughter was on business trip in North Alabama and had to try 3 different routes before finding a way home. Tons of damage in Selma and also in tiny town of Titus which is close to my former home. Six fatalities in neighboring town. I’m thinking I’ll probably know some of them as I retired from large industry in that area...sigh Praying for those that lost lives and their families and for those that lost their homes...
Happy to hear your daughter is safe and at home and glad you’re ok, too. Looks really bad in the pix. Prayers for all.
It was a *strong* squall line/ cold front storm system. The ‘storm’ was short-lived, maybe 20 minutes as the front passed, although the rains persisted for several hours. Had a beautiful sunset once we got to the clear line.
Lots of moisture, lifting action (convection), unstable lapse rates, and strong shear at altitude.
Good recipe for strong storms.
To call it “giant” is hyperbole.
Arguably there’s no big uptick in “extreme weather” here, there’s just SOOOO many more ground targets now than there were even 20 years ago, due to population and industrial growth.
It’s of course bad for the folks affected. I feel for them, and have (years ago/’younger’) responded to storm areas for reconstruction. The devastation strong storm winds can wreak is astonishing - both in strength and ‘damage here’ but not right across the same street.
We lost utility power here briefly due to lightning/winds, but no material damage in N GA reported.
My daughter had a meeting in Selma. Upset by the devastation. Said it reminded her of the Tuscaloosa tornados several years ago.
We are in Southern Gwinnett County right on the Gwinnett/Dekalb county line and we got lucky. The storm just brushed by us. But my sister got it worse up in Gainesville and tomorrow we have to run up to Habersham just North of there to our rural property and make sure our travel trailer is still there. What a crazy January.
My younger brother is a retired paramedic living on 5 acres about 15 minutes outside of Selma. He and his wife had evacuated their home to try to escape along a nearby interstate highway. The car was being SERIOUSLY buffeted by winds. He stopped at an intersection of highways and got out of the vehicle to try to determine where the funnel was and where it was heading. Visibility was near zero.. .
Looking at weather maps at his home later on TV he saw that apparently the storm had been parallel to him and tracking along his escape route. After taking refuge on the interstate for about an hour he decided to return home to see if his property still existed. The funnel missed his property by a scant few hundred yards ! He called me at this point. The phone connection was hideous !
Thank the LORD Jesus Christ for looking out for my brother and his wife ! Prayers up for all the people and animals suffering.
Wow! They were blessed. I’d hate to be on a car during a tornado. Tornados always seem to follow certain tracks. I’ve been lucky to avoid those places. I’m 68 y.o. and have lived in central Alabama most of my life and I’ve only “seen” 2 tornados in my life...both in the air. My friend’s friend has his house totaled. Thankfully adults were at work and their 3 kids were at school.
We live NW of your sister. We had strong straight-line winds but nothing OMG. Didn’t read any news of anything other than wind damage in Hall. Same for Habersham.
We didn’t even have any small limbs down. Lightning was impressive for about 2 min.
Best wishes for you and yours.
Thanks. Our rural property is in the yellow area. Hopefully no damage. We are running up there to make sure tomorrow.
Gonna be CHILLY in Habersham tomorrow 😉
Got chainsaw, fuel, bar oil and sharpener?
Any reason to go to the mountains is a good reason.
There was an outbreak of some 34 tornadoes on the 12th across the southeast.
May GOD rest their souls.
It’s just “weather”. No sarcasm tag required, I’m totally serious.
OMG! Weather HAPPENED!
Too bad for those caught in this latest bit of weather, but weather, like shit, happens.
My house was blown away by a hurricane!
Where do you live?
Florida.
My house was blown away by a tornado!
Where do you live?
Kansas.
My house, my car, my whole city is BURIED in FEET of snow.
Where do you live?
Buffalo, New York!
I just can’t stand this heat! Today, January 13, 2022, it was 50.7 C (123.26 F) degrees.
Where do you live?
Onslow, Western Australia
We all make choices. Don’t cry about it when the “WEATHER”, where you choose to live, “happens”.
Yes any excuse to run up there. And yes we are taking 2 chainsaws and this Stihl brush cutter Mr. GG2 picked up. 😉
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