2011 Rainsville tornado
Clockwise from top: The tornado exiting Rainsville at peak intensity; the track of the Rainsville supercell; aerial view of high-end EF4 damage to a neighborhood in Rainsville; the wrangled metal frame of a school bus that was inflicted at EF5 damage, considered some of the worst damage to this type of vehicle ever done by a tornado; radar loop of the tornado during its lifespan | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | April 27, 2011, 6:19 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00) |
| Dissipated | April 27, 2011, 6:55 p.m. CDT (UTC–05:00) |
| Duration | 36 minutes |
| EF5 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Path length | 36.63 miles (58.95 km) |
| Highest winds | >200 mph (320 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 25 |
| Injuries | Unknown |
| Damage | >$10 million (2011 USD) |
| Areas affected | DeKalb County, Alabama and Dade County, Georgia |
Part of the 2011 Super Outbreak and Tornadoes of 2011 | |
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During the early evening hours of April 27, 2011, a large and extremely powerful EF5 tornado, known most commonly as the Rainsville tornado, struck parts of northeast Alabama, causing incredible damage, notably in the town of Rainsville, Alabama. It was the fourth and final EF5 of the historic 2011 Super Outbreak, the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded. The multi-vortex tornado remained on the ground for 36 minutes, carving a path of 36.63 miles (58.95 km) long through DeKalb County, causing 25 deaths, an unspecified yet sizable number of injuries, and an estimated $10+ million in damage.
The supercell thunderstorm responsible for this tornado first developed at around 1:45 p.m. CDT near Harperville, Mississippi. It swiftly moved northeast, producing an EF5 tornado in Mississippi and an EF4 tornado in Central Alabama before entering DeKalb County by 5:45 p.m. CDT. The tornado touched down at 6:19 p.m. CDT near the Lakeview community and quickly escalated in intensity. EF5 damage was noted in several pockets near Shiloh, Rainsville, and Henagar, where severe ground scouring occurred and numerous homes were destroyed, resulting in the multiple fatalities and injuries. The damage path was characterized by extensive tree damage, the complete obliteration of structures, and extensive damage to property. The tornado eventually dissipated near Rising Fawn, Georgia.
2011 was a prolific year for tornadoes and tornado-associated fatalities, with multiple destructive outbreaks. In total, this specific tornado killed 25 people.