Fort Morgan, Alabama – A tornado warning issued for Fort Morgan in coastal Baldwin County was allowed to expire at 4:30 p.m. CT on Sunday and was not extended. Radar indicated that two waterspouts may have moved onshore along the Fort Morgan Peninsula, but so far there have been no reports of damage. The situation was made much more challenging by an ongoing radar communication outage affecting the National Weather Service radar in Mobile.
Two Possible Waterspouts Near Fort Morgan
Radar images showed two areas of interest near the Fort Morgan Peninsula, the narrow strip of land that stretches west from Gulf Shores toward the mouth of Mobile Bay. One area was located near the western end of the peninsula, close to the entrance of Mobile Bay, while the second was farther east along the coast.
It is possible that both waterspouts moved onshore, which is why a tornado warning was issued for the area. When a waterspout moves from water onto land, it is treated as a tornado, since it can cause damage to homes, trees, and power lines.
No Damage Reports So Far
The good news is that, so far, no damage has been reported from the possible waterspouts. Fort Morgan is home to beach houses, condos, and the historic Fort Morgan State Historic Site, so any reports of damage would be important to confirm. Officials and residents will continue to watch for any signs of damage now that the storms have moved through.
Not Visible From Gulf Shores Camera
A weather camera located in Gulf Shores was monitoring the area during the warning, but the waterspouts could not be seen from that view. The camera showed gray, overcast skies, rain, and low clouds hanging over the beach and coastline, which likely made it difficult to spot any waterspouts in the distance.
Conditions at the time in Gulf Shores included a temperature of about 77 degrees, with northeast winds around 6 mph.
Radar Outage Makes the Situation Challenging
The warning came in the middle of a rare radar communication outage affecting several radars along the Gulf Coast, including the KMOB radar in Mobile. While the radar itself was working normally, and the National Weather Service office in Mobile could still see the data, the information was not reaching the public, weather apps, or local media…