Downtown Athens was struck by a tornado Dec. 28 as a powerful storm system raced through the state. The city and portions of Limestone County were under a severe thunderstorm warning at the time, but no tornado warning had been issued. The town suffered significant damage, including a portion of the roof being ripped off the county courthouse.
Experts say instead of waiting for a tornado warning, people should to heed weather warnings and advisories, with an eye to possibilities of conditions worsening quickly during Alabama’s severe weather season.
“Thirty years ago, we said Alabama had two severe weather seasons; November and December, and then March, April and May,” said Josh Johnson, chief meteorologist for WSFA. “We really have one severe weather season, November through May.”
The EF1 tornado that struck Athens packed winds of up to 100 miles per hour, touched down at 11:15 p.m. and was on the ground until 11:20 p.m., according to a storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service office in Huntsville. The path of the storm covered about four miles and was 160 yards wide at its widest point.