Well, comparisons are difficult at this point, but one topic of interest is that tornadic supercell that developed west of Philadelphia, MS and evidently moved all the way to northwest Georgia. Was it actually one tornado throughout or a cell that put down multiple tornadoes? Did it travel 300 miles? Depending on the answers to these questions, you can see the possible comparison to another historic event.
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Mark Blue, 1961-2023. See also RIP thread.
Rest in peace, Mark.
This is one of the most impressive videos of the day as well, tornado traversing terrain and the updraft/rotating supercell is great. The entire storm is rotating at high speeds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEr2lCnQcow&feature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEr2lCnQcow&feature=youtu.be
AHH! That is it! Thanks! Kudo's to Andy Gabrielson for an amazing shot!
This video shows how truely isolated tornadoes can, and usually are. The speed the storms were moving at today is just astounding. Also, given pw's ~1.5", the incredible shear allowed for such classic structure and permitted great views on many of the tornadoes which would of else-wise been hp's.
Chip
jeremy wilson
Not one consecutive tornado, guaranteed. I doubt any tornado has ever traveled 300 miles. The supercell was on the ground for an insane amount of time but that has happened many times in my lifetime.
This cell will go down as one of the higher end cyclic storms with the land it traveled and the damaged it caused but to compare this outbreak with the '74 beast is not fair. If this system happened 40 years ago the death toll would have been way higher. Would it have reached '74 status? Who knows?
I think I can say that this will go down as the worst outbreak this century. And thats saying alot!
EDIT: just looked at radar, I think that Tuscaloosa cell is still going and tornado warned again!! BATU!
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Lamar County (GA) Sheriff reporting heavy tress down and his residence has been hit. Just heard another Deputy report he took cover in his residence until the tornado passed, his house also hit....
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=7714
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=7714
jeremy wilson
Looks like a machine instead of a storm!! Some of the best tornado video I've ever seen considering the terrain and structure. WOW!
Saw this on another blog.. with 72 fatalities and counting this is the deadliest SPC High Risk day ever; it's already exceeded 3/28/84 and 2/5/08 (Super Tuesday).
This is the most impressive outbreak ive seen in my career, since 97 at least. It was extremely frustrating knowing all the parameters were in place, and not being able to get all those people out of the way--you really feel power-less. While it didnt have the breadth of the Superoutbreak, i think its fair to compare. The one thing that really struck me as similar to '74 is the multiple lines of discrete tornadic supercells, one after another; gravity waves, bores, or instabilities aloft--very reminiscent of '74.
Jared Knedler
AT 112 AM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND REPORTS FROM
EMERGENCY MANAGERS CONFIRM THAT A STRONG TORNADO HAS TRACKED ACROSS
NORTHERN MONROE COUNTY. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO
HOMES AND TO VEHICLES ON INTERSTATE 75 AND MILE MARKER 196.
EMERGENCY MANAGERS CONFIRM THAT A STRONG TORNADO HAS TRACKED ACROSS
NORTHERN MONROE COUNTY. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO
HOMES AND TO VEHICLES ON INTERSTATE 75 AND MILE MARKER 196.
jshields
That was my first thoughts as well. Absolutely amazing motion with that thing and the horizontal vortices were incredible. That is now the new poster video for a violent tornado. If this isn't an EF5, then I dunno what one is. I'm totally at a loss for words.
My prayers go out to all the victims and their families.
CNN now reporting 159 fatalities, 128 in Alabama. If this is true...can't even begin to comprehend it.
Article already asserts Tuscaloosa determined to be EF-5:
http://cw.ua.edu/2011/04/28/students-residents-feel-tornados-effects/
http://cw.ua.edu/2011/04/28/students-residents-feel-tornados-effects/
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Wow: "It was the first EF-5 ever recorded in Tuscaloosa, with winds maxing out at 287 mph, and the first in Alabama since 1998."
http://cw.ua.edu/2011/04/27/tornado-devastates-tuscaloosa/
http://cw.ua.edu/2011/04/27/tornado-devastates-tuscaloosa/
Unfortunately it was decently accurate.
I can't believe the death toll right now, and it is sure to rise a little bit more.
I wonder what their source of information is? As far as I know an official damage survey hasn't been completed or posted, so I would think damage speculations are just that right here and now.
Certainly an unprecedented day for the Deep South, what I think will bear monitoring is the effect of the first round of storms in the morning on the electrical infrastructure. How many of the caulties can/will be attributed to the lack of power and therefore common warning systems (radio/tv/cell phone/weather radio)?
Jared Knedler
I suspect that is part of the extraordinary death toll, especially in northern Alabama. Judging from the conflicting reports, no one still knows how many are still trapped in the worst hit areas. TWC has upped the death toll to 190, some reports saying 32 in Tuscaloosa alone. It feels like it's not possible, but it seems the news gets more heartbreaking by the minute. 
No, Jeremy, my comparison wasn't with 1974. The issue is whether that cell produced a continuous tornado that rivaled the Tri-State tornado. I don't know whether it did or did not, but to say you can "gurantee" there could be no such thing - doesn't hold much meaning. After all, we really don't have a decent climatalogical record of tornadoes extending back longer than 70 years or so. Unlike flood records, we really don't even know what is a 100-year event, etc. So, I don't discount the possibility of a 300 mile long tornado track and I don't think there's anything in the science that could discount it either. Not saying it happened, as there are more questions than answers at this early stage.
Unfortunately that seems like it will hold true. This is an unbelievably bad situation. It's almost hard to believe this many could be dead given the warnings and lead time. The SPC and NWS along with the local guys did a superb job all day yesterday and the day before for that matter.
Yet the loss of life is extensive and rapidly rising.
Looks like those two days will be well over 100 tor's.
Jared Knedler
Its just one of those tornadoes that even if you are in your basement, you aren't save. You have to be underground to be completely safe. Sadly a lot of people don't have basements in those areas, and combine that with the extremely powerful tornado, its a terrible situation.