Alabama tornado video

[Dave Gallaher]

It's interesting how the two sedans are picked up and clapped together. I would assume that this is due to the rear ends of the vehicles being lighter than the fronts, but they are thrown toward each other first, then dropped and blown toward the road. Can't do a frame-by-frame, but quick pause action reveals the two rear ends lifting toward a central point. Yet vehicles on the side of them away from the vortex don't seem to move much while the pickup blows airborne across the road.

There is a second security cam view on the site now, a little farther away, but not much help in revealing storm detail.

 

[Jason Harris]

Sam Sagnella had the storm report attached in the DISC thread, but here it is again, since we should all be on the same page that this tornado was estimated at 125 mph:

--
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
541 PM CDT FRI MAY 9 2008

..PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY INFORMATION ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA

A PRELIMINARY STORM SURVEY OF THE DAMAGE INCURRED ACROSS NORTHEAST
COLBERT...EASTERN LAUDERDALE...AND EXTREME NORTHWEST LAWRENCE
COUNTIES /ALABAMA/ HAS BEEN COMPLETED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
AND COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. THE EVENT OCCURRED
THURSDAY...MAY 8 2008. INITIAL FINDINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

* EVENT: TORNADO

* LOCATION: LEIGHTON TO ROGERSVILLE, ALABAMA

* ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 125.0 MPH
* PRELIMINARY RATING: EF-2

* PATH LENGTH: 9.6 MILES
* MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH: 250 YARDS

* SUMMARY: SURVEILLANCE CAMERA FROM AN EQUIPMENT COMPANY NORTHEAST
OF LEIGHTON CAPTURED A TORNADO PICKING UP AT LEAST 2 CARS AND
THROWING THEM NEARLY 40 FEET. LARGE TREES WERE SNAPPED AND
UPROOTED NEAR FOSTERS MILL...ALONG COUNTY ROAD 40. JUST TO THE
NORTHEAST OF FOSTERS MILL...SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
OCCURRED AT THE DOUBLEHEAD RESORT AND LODGE. A 2-STORY HOUSE WAS
COMPLETELY LIFTED OFF ITS FOUNDATION AND MOVED NEARLY 20 FEET.
THE ENTIRE WEST-FACING SIDE OF THIS HOUSE WAS RIPPED OFF ALONG
WITH SIGNIFICANT ROOF DAMAGE. ADDITIONAL SPORADIC DAMAGE
OCCURRED TO A GARAGE AND OTHER LARGE TREES FROM JOE WHEELER
STATE PARK TO ROGERSVILLE.

THESE FINDINGS ARE PRELIMINARY AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
PICTURES AND SUMMARY MATERIALS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB
PAGE AT WEATHER.GOV/HUNTSVILLE /ALL LOWER CASE/.

SURVEYED BY: NADLER/LATIMER

----

So . . . would someone have been better off staying in that car and getting slammed (but wearing a seatbelt and airbags) or getting out and risk having debris (including the car) knocked into one? I know the official line is to not stay in your car, and the weather commentator said as much from the news channel, but I wonder what veteran chasers and metereologists really think about this when it comes to calling a particular action for a particular storm.

Also, how would this compare with the effect of a straight-line wind event of 125 (including a hurricane)? Is a swirling column of wind at 125 mph better suited towards tossing cars?

 

[John Peters]

Shane
Is there a link to that MN video for us to see?

I am thinking that via Bernoulli's principle force that the cars got lifted off by the winds under the chasee and around the tires more then being pushed by the car from the back? I mean those two cars really got a tuble and the tornado was only EF-2.
right wrong both?

::

bernoulii's principle would entail a lower pressure above the vehicle than below due to faster fluid (air) velocities above the vehicle. I too wonder if this is at least partially responsible for vertical motion during tornadoes.

 

[Jerry Prsha]

That being said, and seeing how those cars were SO EASILY picked up and tossed, what does this say about the TIV and its chances of surviving something similar? I would hate to see someone like Sean and crew hurt but seeing this video makes me really wonder how safe they would be had that been right over them.

I agree with this idea. I keep thinking that the TIV is a "Darwin Award" waiting to happen. Train cars getting knocked down by wind should be a good clue.

I don't like the thought of anyone getting hurt and hopefully this video will teach a lesson in humility... But I doubt it will be viewed that way or any lessons learned...

 

[Darrin Rasberry]

Surprised this one wasn't posted yet. Watch the trash bin at 00:30.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPoHb1nPGlk