Alabama
While the tornado outbreak was getting under way in the Great Lakes region, activity was also picking up in the Southeast United States. Unseasonably warm weather, combined with deep moisture surging northward from the Gulf of Mexico, was setting the stage for the clash between the air masses. All that was needed was a triggering mechanism and it came in the form of a cold front which spawned supercell thunderstorms that quickly turned tornadic around 2:00 pm producing the first killer tornado in Calhoun County.
Three killer tornadoes moved across eastern Alabama, and then moved into western Georgia. Hardest hit was Elmore County which was struck by two tornadoes within 15 minutes of each other; the latter being an F4, long-track storm that moved rapidly across Elmore, Tallapoosa, and Chambers Counties in Alabama, and then into Troup County, Georgia. This violent tornado first touched down near Red Hill and moved rapidly east-northeast at 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), finally dissipating northeast of West Point, Georgia. This tornado killed 17 and injured 125, destroying 60 homes as it passed through Agricola, Susanna and Red Ridge.
Read more about this topic: 1920 Palm Sunday Tornado Outbreak
Famous quotes containing the word alabama:
“Oh! Susanna, do not cry for me;
I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee.”
—Stephen Collins Foster (1826–1864)
“While over Alabama earth
These words are gently spoken:
Serve—and hate will die unborn.
Love—and chains are broken.”
—Langston Hughes (20th century)