2021-03-25-19z-macon–ohatc
After the previous EF3 tornado that affected the Birmingham area lifted, the same supercell produced another strong tornado, which touched down southeast of Ragland along Boiling Springs Road at about 2:32 p.m. CDT (19:32 UTC). It quickly intensified to high-end EF2 intensity as it moved northeast, snapping or uprooting dozens of trees, damaging the roof of a metal building, and obliterating a mobile home along Simpson Bend Road. Continuing at high-end EF2 strength, the tornado caused major damage in the small community of Macon, destroying several mobile homes, ripping the roofs off of several residences while knocking down some exterior walls, and snapping or uprooting numerous trees. Maintaining its strength, the tornado crossed Ragan Chapel Road, destroying two mobile homes and inflicting major roof damage to a frame home. Northeast of this location, the tornado reached its peak intensity as it destroyed Precision Materials, a manufacturing facility housed in a large metal warehouse building southwest of Ohatchee. The building was almost totally collapsed, with severe twisting and buckling of metal support beams noted, and damage in this area was rated low-end EF3. The tornado caused more high-end EF2 damage as it crossed SR 77, destroying multiple mobile homes, a church, and a large outbuilding. One of the fatalities occurred in this area along Mudd Street, where a very small and unanchored home collapsed, while the others occurred in mobile homes. The tornado also downed many trees and snapped power poles, shattered windows, and ripped large sections of roofing off of multiple houses along this segment of the path before continuing to the northeast. It then weakened to high-end EF1 strength as it moved northeastward through the southern and eastern fringes of Ohatchee. Trees, mobile homes, outbuildings, and houses in and around Ohatchee all sustained damage as the tornado approached and crossed SR 144. As it passed near Grayton, it briefly regained EF2 intensity, snapping trees and destroying four mobile homes. A few other residences and mobile homes in the area were also damaged to a lesser extent. The tornado weakened back to EF1 strength and continued to snap trees and cause roof damage to homes as it approached the western side of Wellington. Homes, outbuildings, and trees were moderately damaged in Wellington as the tornado crossed US 431 before it reached EF2 intensity for a third time east of the highway along Wellington Road, destroying more mobiles homes and snapping more trees. One residence had its roof torn off and exterior walls collapsed, two more were shifted off their foundations, and several others had their roofs ripped off. Several barns and outbuildings were also destroyed, and a few vehicles were flipped in this area as well.
After briefly weakening, the tornado reached EF2 strength again along Old Sulphur Springs Road, destroying mobile homes, ripping the roof off of a house, and damaging trees. The tornado then narrowed some and weakened to EF1 strength as it passed northwest of Jacksonville, damaging a number of mobile homes, outbuildings, and trees. It then intensified to low-end EF2 strength one last time as it passed near Asberry, snapping a number of trees. It also caused some roof damage to homes. It then weakened to high-end EF1 strength near Allsop, damaging several homes and mobile homes along Roy Webb Road and snapping or damaging trees. One mobile home was shifted off its foundation and an outbuilding lost several roof panels. To the northeast along Old Piedmont Gadsden Highway, another outbuilding was completely overturned. The tornado then crossed US 278 northwest of Piedmont, damaging or uprooting trees. Continuing to travel northeast, the tornado caused additional tree damage along Bramlett Road. On Gnatville Road, an outbuilding was leveled while a nearby house sustained minor damage. The tornado then began to quickly narrow and weaken as it crossed into Cherokee County, damaging trees at EF0 strength while crossing SR 9. A house and an outbuilding sustained minor roof damage along County Road 2 as the tornado turned to the east-northeast. Minor tree damage continued to County Road 29 and lights were blown off a stadium light pole at the intersection of County Road 29 and County Road 8 before the tornado dissipated just northwest of Pleasant Gap.
The tornado was rated low-end EF3, travelled 38.44 miles (61.86 km), and was on the ground for 56 minutes, reaching a maximum width of nearly 1 mile (1.6 km). It was the deadliest of the outbreak, with six fatalities. Ten other people were injured, including two people that were taken to the hospital after being trapped in their destroyed homes.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAMwD47rRWc
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