A climatological perspective on the 2011 Alabama tornado outbreak

Abstract

This paper presents a comparison of the recent 27 April 2011 tornado outbreak with a tornado climatology for the state of Alabama. The climatology for Alabama is based on tornadoes that affected the state during the 19812010 period. A county-level risk index is produced from this climatology. Tornado tracks from the 2011 outbreak are mapped and compared with the climatology and risk index. There were 62 tornadoes in Alabama on 27 April 2011, including many long-track and intense tornadoes. The event resulted in 248 deaths in the state. The 2011 outbreak is also compared with the April 1974 tornado outbreak in Alabama.