County-by-County: School, road closures from deadly Alabama tornado outbreak
TO GET OVER THE FACT OF ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY’VE LOST. AND IT’S A LOT OF DAMAGE HERE RIGHT NOW AT FIVE. A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. WVTM 13 BRINGS YOU TEAM COVERAGE AS WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE DAMAGE FROM LAST NIGHT’S DEADLY STORMS AND A WIDESPREAD TORNADO OUTBREAK ACROSS ALABAMA. HOW MANY WARNINGS WE GOT THE TRACKS AND I’LL SHOW YOU THE FORECAST FOR NEXT WEEK. COMING UP. AND IT’S SELECTION SUNDAY. CAN UAB PUNCH ITS TICKET IN THE 11TH HOUR? WHERE ALABAMA AND AUBURN HEADED? I’M FOLLOWING IT ALL IN SPORTS. LIVE LOCAL, LATE BREAKING WVTM 13 NEWS AT FIVE STARTS NOW. THE DEATH TOLL IS RISING ACROSS THE SOUTH IN THE AFTERMATH OF LAST NIGHT’S STORMS. MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE WERE KILLED, WITH THREE OF THOSE VICTIMS HERE IN ALABAMA, YOU’RE TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE DESTRUCTION LEFT BEHIND IN CALERA. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE AT 5:00. I’M BRITTANY DECKER. WVTM 13 WAS LIVE WITH TEAM COVERAGE FOR MORE THAN NINE HOURS STRAIGHT YESTERDAY, AS WE SAW TWO DOZEN TORNADOES. EVEN MORE WARNINGS, TWO DOZEN WARNINGS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. DURING THAT TIME. TWO PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN PLANTERSVILLE AND ANOTHER PERSON DIED IN WINTERBORO IN TALLADEGA COUNTY. THE OLD WINTERBORO HIGH SCHOOL WAS ALSO HEAVILY DAMAGED IN THE STORM. I WANT TO SHOW YOU HERE A SCHOOL BUS WAS THROWN RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT SCHOOL BUILDING BY THE POWERFUL WIND HERE, ACCORDING TO GOVERNOR KAY IVEY, THERE ARE REPORTS OF DAMAGE LIKE THIS IN AT LEAST 52 OF OUR 67 COUNTIES. SHE GOES ON TO SAY, QUOTE, WE PRAY FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS, AND LINEMEN WHO ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW. MANY OF THOSE CREWS ARE WORKING TO RESTORE POWER ACROSS THE STATE TO MORE THAN 6000 PEOPLE. HERE IN ALABAMA, STILL WITHOUT ELECTRICITY AT THIS HOUR. THIS IS ACCORDING TO POWER OUTAGE DOT US. WHILE THERE’S A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY AHEAD, CENTRAL ALABAMA COMMUNITIES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO HELP ONE ANOTHER. WE HAVE OUR WVTM 13 GLADYS BAUTISTA LIVE FOR US THIS EVENING IN CHILTON COUNTY. GLADYS WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? WELL, BRITTANY, AS YOU MENTIONED, SO MANY COUNTIES IN ALABAMA HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH THESE TORNADOES AND THE AFTERMATH RIGHT NOW HERE IN CHILTON COUNTY. THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE HERE ARE DEALING WITH. JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MOBILE HOME THAT WAS DESTROYED BY THE STORMS YESTERDAY. RIGHT NOW WE’RE IN MAPLESVILLE. THIS IS COUNTY ROAD 15 AND THREE 4340 NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF THOSE. AND YOU CAN JUST SEE THE DESTRUCTION HERE OF THIS MOBILE HOME. EVEN AS YOU LOOK ON THE GROUND, YOU CAN SEE PIECES OF WHAT WAS INSIDE THE HOME. YOU CAN SEE BOTH. AND IF YOU HEAR AND ACTUALLY SEE THE MATTRESS OF THE WOMAN WHO LIVES INSIDE THIS MOBILE HOME, THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY MOBILE HOMES IN THIS RURAL PART OF CHILTON COUNTY THAT WERE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS. I GOT A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH A MAJOR WITH THE CHILTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. HE TELLS ME THAT THEY TRIED TRACKING HOW LONG THIS STORM WAS. HE SAYS THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO COUNT MAYBE ABOUT 15 MILES OF THE STORM TRACK RIGHT NOW. BUT OF COURSE WE ARE WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABOUT THE TRACK OF THE STORMS AND HOW MANY EXACTLY THEY WERE RIGHT NOW. 16 UNCONFIRMED. AS OF NOW. WE’RE WAITING FOR THAT EXACT NUMBER. HE SAYS THAT LIKE THIS FAMILY AFFECTED BY THE STORMS YESTERDAY, MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE. HE EXPECTS WERE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS YESTERDAY. AND THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT THIS FAMILY FROM BEING HURT YESTERDAY WAS THIS STORM SHELTER HERE. AS YOU CAN SEE, FAMILY MEMBERS ARE STANDING AROUND IT. BUT THAT WAS THE STORM SHELTER THAT THEY TELL ME THEY WENT INTO. WHEN THEY HEARD THAT THE STORM WAS HEADING THIS WAY. SO A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE ARE THANKFUL. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS A REBUILDING EFFORT TODAY. THIS IS A PICKING UP THE PIECES, PICKING UP THIS DEBRIS THAT IS HERE. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE PIECES OF EQUIPMENT HERE. THERE’S ANOTHER TRAILER HERE TO HELP PICK UP THIS DEBRIS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS NEXT FOR THIS FAMILY. LIKE MANY OTHERS IN ALABAMA TODAY. REALLY, IT’S AT A POINT TODAY WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO TERMS WITH WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT AND THINKING ABOUT THE STEPS FORWARD, WHAT COMES NEXT AFTER THIS DESTRUCTION THAT WE SAW LAST NIGHT. AND THIS HOMES ARE NOT THE ONLY THING THAT WAS AFFECTED HERE IN CHILTON COUNTY. ISABELLA HIGH SCHOOL IN MAPLESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL CLOSED TOMORROW BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE SCHOOLS WERE DAMAGED IN LAST NIGHT’S STORM. SO THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS REALLY COMING TOGETHER TODAY. WE MET WITH A CHURCH WHO WAS PACKING UP FOOD, COMING TO AREAS LIKE THIS THAT WERE AFFECTED BY LAST NIGHT’S TORNADOES, WHERE WE’RE SEEING DESTRUCTION, GIVING OUT THAT FOOD. SO PEOPLE IN THESE COMMUNITIES ARE REALLY COMING TOGETHER. LATER ON TONIGHT, WE’RE GOING TO TELL YOU THAT STORY. WE’RE GOING TO SPEAK TO THE FAMILY MEMBERS WHO HAD TO RUN OUT OF THIS MOBILE HOME AND GO INTO THEIR SAFE PLACE TO RIDE OUT THE STORM. WHAT THEY HEARD, WHAT THEY SAW, AND HOW THEY FELT WHEN THEY CAME OUT AND SAW THIS DESTRUCTION. FOR NOW, WE’RE LIVE IN CHILTON COUNTY FOR YOU THIS EVENING. GLADYS BAUTISTA WVTM 13 GLADYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT IT’S LIKE. YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT A PILE OF ALL OF YOUR BELONGINGS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES. METEOROLOGIST JORDAN WEST IS JOINING ME NOW. JORDAN, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. REALLY BUSY GOING OUT TO EACH OF THESE LOCATIONS, AND THEY HAVE TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE TO REALLY FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION. THAT’S RIGHT. WE HAVE WE KNOW HOW MANY TORNADO WARNINGS WERE ISSUED. WE HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW MANY TRACKS AND HOW MANY CONFIRMED TORNADOES THERE ARE, BUT WE DON’T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS JUST YET. HERE’S A LOOK AT ALL OF THE WARNINGS THAT WERE ISSUED, AND NOT JUST IN CENTRAL ALABAMA, BUT STATEWIDE. I COUNTED EVERY ONE OF THEM. 39 TORNADO WARNINGS WERE ISSUED. AND REMEMBER, THERE ARE DIFFERENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES AT PLAY. YOU HAVE THE ONE IN MOBILE, YOU HAVE THE ONE IN BIRMINGHAM, AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE THE ONE IN HUNTSVILLE. BUT YOU CAN SEE MAJORITY OF THOSE WARNINGS ENDED UP IN CENTRAL ALABAMA. AND WE SAW THAT YESTERDAY. BOTH TAYLOR SARALLO AND JASON SIMPSON WERE TRACKING THESE. I MEAN, FOR HOURS OVER NINE HOURS YESTERDAY. AND HERE’S AN IDEA OF THE SUSPECTED TORNADOES AND THEIR TRACKS, AT LEAST IN CENTRAL ALABAMA. YOU SEE SOME IMPACTING TROY AND BANKS FURTHER SOUTH. JACKSONS’ GAP DAVISTON LUGOVKA, ALPINE CALERA DOWN TOWARDS MAPLESVILLE, BETHEL GROVE. THAT’S U2 GREENSBORO, NEWBERN, LIVINGSTON, ELROD, GORDO FRANKLIN FERRY, EMPIRE. I MEAN JUST MULTIPLE TRACKS THAT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS TO GO OUT AND SURVEY. SO WE’RE GOING TO KEEP AN EYE OUT ON THESE. BUT WHAT WE KNOW NOW IS THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED FIVE TORNADOES, AN EF ZERO TORNADO, AND THOMAS MILL THAT’S IN BIBB COUNTY. AND WE ONE TORNADO, TWO OF WHICH WERE IN SHELBY COUNTY NEAR CALERA EF TWO TORNADO IN TALLADEGA COUNTY, WINTERBORO AND AN EF THREE TORNADO IN PLANTERSVILLE. THAT’S IN DALLAS COUNTY. THAT’S THE SYSTEM THAT CAME THROUGH YESTERDAY HERE IN CENTRAL ALABAMA. WE’RE ON THE DRIER SIDE OF THINGS NOW, BUT AS WE MOVE INTO NEXT WEEK, WE DO HAVE A COUPLE MORE RAIN CHANCES IN THE MIX. I’LL TIME IT OUT FOR YOU. COMING UP IN YOUR FULL FORECAST. JORDAN, THANKS SO MUCH. TONIGHT, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUES TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. AS WE’VE BEEN MENTIONING ALL WEEKEND LONG, OUR CREWS HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND BRINGING YOU THE LATEST UPDATES. WE CONTINUE OUR TEAM COVERAGE IN SIPSEY WITH WVTM 13 S MAGDALA LOUISSAINT. RECOVERY AND CLEANUP IS UNDERWAY IN SIPSEY, ALABAMA. THE FIRE CHIEF TELLING ME ONE MAN RODE OUT THE STORM IN BETWEEN THIS CAR AND A BOAT BECAUSE HE COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE STORM SHELTER ON TIME. AND WHILE HE WAITED FOR THE STORM TO PASS BY, IT PICKED UP THE AWNING AND THREW IT ALL THE WAY OVER THERE. FIRE DEPARTMENTS TRAVELING 35 TO 40 MINUTES AWAY FROM SIPSEY ARE NOW HERE TO LEND A HELPING HAND. THEY BROUGHT THEIR CHAINSAWS AND THEY’RE WORKING SIPSEY FIRE CHIEF SAYS OVER 100 PEOPLE TOOK COVER IN THE TOWN’S STORM SHELTER. WHILE THE TORNADO WREAKED HAVOC IN THEIR SMALL TOWN OF UNDER 400 PEOPLE. GOOD NEWS HERE NO ONE DIED. THE FIRE CHIEF SAYING ONE PERSON WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. WE’VE SEEN CHURCH MEMBERS FROM ACROSS WALKER COUNTY RALLY BEHIND THIS COMMUNITY. THIS PASTOR AND HIS MEMBERS HANDING OUT SAUSAGE, BISCUITS AND WATER TO THOSE CLEANING UP. MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN, YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT EATING, YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT DRINKING, YOU THINK ABOUT JUST HOW YOU’RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME A TORNADO HIT THE TOWN OF SIPSEY HARD LIKE THIS. ON APRIL 27TH, 2011, TWO PEOPLE DIED. IT’S GOING TO BE A LITTLE WHILE BEFORE THIS TOWN GOES BACK TO NORMAL, BUT I’M TOLD THEY’LL PERSEVERE. IN SIPSEY, I’M MAGDALA LOUISSAINT BACK TO YOU. THE WINTERBORO HIGH SCHOOL CREWS HAVE BEEN ASSESSING THE SCENE AFTER A BUS WAS THROWN INTO THE SIDE OF THE SCHOOL AFTER A TORNADO, BUT THIS IS JUST ONE SMALL PIECE OF THE DAMAGE THAT WAS LEFT BEHIND BY THAT SEVERE WEATHER. THE GYM AT WINTERBORO HIGH SCHOOL ALSO DESTROYED. DEBRIS, LINED THE PARKING LOT, AND WHEN STANDING IN FRONT OF THE GYM, YOU’RE ABLE TO SEE THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE. ONE RESIDENT TELLING US THAT THE TORNADO PASSED THROUGH AND CAUSED ALL OF THAT DAMAGE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. JUST SAD ABOUT ALL THAT. YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DID A LOT OF STUFF IN THAT GYM AND EVERYTHING, AND ME AND MY CLASSMATES AND EVERYBODY, YOU KNOW, IT’S A PART OF US EVERY TIME WE COME. THAT’S WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THAT. BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT’S ABOUT ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THAT. JUST GLAD WASN’T NOBODY DOWN HERE AT THE TIME. WINTERBORO HIGH SCHOOL, NOT THE ONLY STRUCTURE IN THE TORNADO’S PATH ACROSS THE STREET. TREE LIMBS COVERED THE GROUND AT WINTERBORO COMMUNITY CHURCH AND DAMAGED GRAVES IN A NEARBY CEMETERY AS WELL. VOLUNTEERS FROM CHURCH OF THE HIGHLANDS LEAPT INTO ACTION TO ASSIST WITH CLEANUP. I’VE BEEN LIVING IN THIS AREA FOR A LONG TIME AND I’VE. I’VE. MY DAUGHTER PLAYED BASKETBALL HERE AT WINTERBORO AT THIS GYM HERE. AND IT WAS IT WAS A IT WAS DIFFERENT. IT WAS IT COULD GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL SEEING SEEING A COMMUNITY TORN APART LIKE THIS. BUT FORTUNATELY, THROUGH THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST, WE’RE GOING TO BRING THEM ALL TOGETHER. IT’S AND THIS COMMUNITY IS GOING. IT’S GOING TO GROW. NO WORD ON WHEN THAT BUS WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE SCHOOL, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THIS COMMUNITY RECOVERS FROM THAT TORNADO IN WINTERBORO MYA CALEB WVTM 13. LAST NIGHT’S POWERFUL STORMS CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE HERE IN CALERA. RIGHT NOW WE’RE AT CALERA BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE AS YOU CAN SEE, A PORTION OF THEIR ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF LAST NIGHT. YOU’RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE DAMAGE THERE. NOW, JUST BELOW THAT ROOF DAMAGE, YOU CAN SEE TREES WERE ALSO DOWN AND THEN ACROSS THE FIELD BEHIND THE CHURCH, TREES ALSO DOWN THERE. NOW, IN THE WAKE OF LAST NIGHT’S STORMS, THE PEOPLE HERE IN CALERA, THEY HAVE SHOWN UP FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. AS YOU CAN SEE, VOLUNTEERS ARE CLEANING UP AROUND THE CHURCH, ALSO HELPING OUT IN NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS. NOW, JUST A FEW MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD, SEVERAL HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE DAMAGED. THIS WAS ON 14TH STREET. THIS TRAILER YOU SEE HERE WAS DESTROYED. A BUILDING HOME TO SEVERAL LOCAL BUSINESSES WAS ALSO DAMAGED, WITH WINDOWS BLOWN OUT AND THE CEILING OF THE DAYCARE THERE DAMAGED. WE ALSO SAW A LOT OF FALLEN TREES ALONG THIS ROAD. ONE LANDING ON A HOUSE. AS YOU CAN SEE, ANOTHER NARROWLY AVOIDING THESE CARS. NOW, I TALKED WITH LUIS RAMIREZ, WHO LIVES THERE. HE SAYS. LAST NIGHT WAS SCARY. HE SAYS. IT WAS LOUD, THE WINDS RUSHING AROUND HIS HOME. ME AND MY DAUGHTER AND MY MY, MY, MY SON IN LAW. WE GOT TOGETHER AT THE SAME PLACE AND STAY OVER THERE AND SAID, GOD, PLEASE PROTECT US. BUT NOTHING HAPPENED INSIDE, JUST OUTSIDE THE TREE. ALL THE ALL THE THINGS WE NEED TO REPAIR. BUT WE. OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. BECAUSE GODS TAKE CARE OF US. OF COURSE, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT FAMILY IS OKAY AND THAT OTHERS ARE TOO CALERA POLICE TELL US THERE WERE NO SERIOUS INJURIES FROM LAST NIGHT, SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN REALLY BE THANKFUL FOR AS THIS COMMUNITY WORKS TO CLEAN UP THIS DAMAGE AND CALERA EMMA OWEN, BACK TO YOU. AND A TENNESSEE ORGANIZATION IS HELPING WITH THE CLEANUP EFFORT IN SIPSEY. VOLUNTEERS WITH CHAINSAWS FOR JESUS TRAVELED HERE FROM NASHVILLE TODAY. THE GROUP TRAVELS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AFTER STORMS, SETTING UP SHOP IN DAMAGED COMMUNITIES AND SHARPENING PEOPLE’S CHAINSAWS FOR FREE. WE SPOKE WITH ONE VOLUNTEER WHO SAYS HE’S HAPPY TO HELP. THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT, AND YOU KNOW, YOU GOT ALL THESE VOLUNTEERS THAT SHOW UP. SO TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THEM, THAT’S THAT’S WHAT WE’RE HERE FOR. SO AND AND TO SHARE A LITTLE JESUS. SO THE JOURNEY WAS ABOUT THREE HOUR DRIVE FOR THE GROUP. ORGANIZERS SAY THAT THEY COULD RETURN TO HELP OUT AGAIN IF NEEDED. ALL RIGHT. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE TRAFFIC HERE. BECAUSE OF COURSE, WITH STORM DAMAGE COMES IMPACTS TO TRAVEL. SO IT’S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF THE ROADS TODAY. BUT I WANT TO SHOW HERE IN HALE COUNTY KEPT ON THE SUSPECTED TORNADO TRACK HERE IN THIS AREA. AND RIGHT NEARBY YOU SEE TWO ROADS THAT ARE CLOSED DOWN AT THIS POINT. COUNTY ROAD 12 NEAR CEDAR CREST CHURCH AREA. AND WE ALSO SEE COUNTY ROAD 61 THAT’S BLOCKED TO TO COUNTY ROAD TEN COMPLETELY BLOCKED AT THIS POINT NEAR THE NEW BERN AREA. I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT CALERA TO A TORNADO TRACK RIGHT THROUGH THE CALERA AREA, WHICH YOU CAN SEE THERE INDICATED IN RED. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE STREET LEVEL, YOU SEE 65 IS RED AT THIS POINT TOO, INDICATING SOME VERY SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC. AT THIS POINT, NO ACCIDENTS IN THIS AREA, SO I COULD ASSUME THIS IS A DUE IN PART DUE TO THE STORM DAMAGE, POSSIBLY SOME TREES DOWN, AND THAT COULD BE THE CASE FOR A LOT OF ROADS, A LOT OF SIDE ROADS IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES. EVEN IF YOU DIDN’T EXPERIENCE A TORNADO STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS AND DEBRIS FROM YESTERDAY’S STORMS COULD IMPACT TRAVEL, SO BE SURE TO TAKE IT SLOW OUT THERE. AND OF COURSE, THIS WILL BLEED INTO THE MORNING COMMUTE AS WELL. WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED AND YOU CAN FIND A FULL LIST OF ROAD CLOSURES COUNTY BY COUNTY. THAT’S ON OUR FREE WVTM 13 APP. ALSO, TURN ON PUSH ALERTS SO THAT YOU NEVER MISS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. ALL RIGHT, LET’S GET BACK OUT TO CALERA NOW, WHERE SEVERE WEATHER ALSO CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE. RIGHT NOW, LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE HELPING ALL OF THOSE AFFECTED. WVTM 13 S BRYCE OSELEN IS JOINING US LIVE. BRYCE, WHAT CAN YOU SHARE WITH US? YEAH, I’M AT A MOBILE HOME PARK IN THE CITY OF CALERA. AND ALTHOUGH THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS PASSED, YOU CAN SEE THE AFTERMATH OF THIS WEATHER SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE COMMUNITY. I SPOKE WITH THE GENTLEMAN WHO LIVES IN THIS HOME OFF CAMERA. HE SAYS THAT HE’S NEARLY LOST EVERYTHING DUE TO RECENT WEATHER. YOU CAN LOOK INSIDE THIS HOME. YOU CAN SEE WHAT USED TO BE A KITCHEN. AND THEN IF YOU LOOK UP TOP, YOU CAN SEE HOW DAMAGED HIS ROOF IS FROM LAST NIGHT’S WEATHER. THE HOME BESIDE IT, OF COURSE, NOT AS SEVERELY DAMAGED, BUT IT WAS AFFECTED AS WELL. MOMENTS AGO WE ALSO SAW VOLUNTEERS OUT HERE WITH A TENT. WE SPOKE WITH THEM. THEY SAID THAT THEY JUST WANTED TO COME OUT AND HELP. AND SO THEY STARTED GIVING AWAY HOT DOGS FOR FREE. AND THEN THAT GREW. AND THEY WERE ALSO SUPPORTED BY THE RED CROSS. I SPOKE WITH THE FAITH LEADER OF THIS COMMUNITY, WHO SAYS HE’S AIMING TO SPREAD LOVE TO THOSE AFFECTED. THE PREMISE OF OUR WHOLE BELIEF IS THAT WE LOVE OTHERS, AND GOD LOVES US, AND FROM THAT WE CANNOT. WE CANNOT BACK UP. WE CANNOT RESCIND FROM THAT. SO AS WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE LOVED BY GOD, WE’VE GOT TO LOVE OTHERS. AND IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY’RE DOING AND WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCE. WE WANT TO WE WANT TO LOVE PEOPLE. AGAIN, THE RED CROSS WAS HERE. THEY TELL ME THAT THEY PLAN TO RETURN TO THIS LOCATION TOMORROW WITH MORE VOLUNTEERS. LIVE IN CALERA BRYCE OLSON, WVTM 13. BRYCE, THANKS SO MUCH. AND WE WANT TO SAY WE APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH FOR SENDING IN PICTURES. SETTING IN VIDEO. OUR TEAM OF METEOROLOGIST I MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW. THEY WERE LIVE NONSTOP WITHOUT EVEN TAKING A BREATH FOR NINE HOURS YESTERDAY. SO YOU SENDING IN SAFELY, TAKING YOUR PICTURES AND VIDEO ARE GOOD EYES. OF COURSE WE HAVE OUR CREWS OUT, BUT JUST TO BE ABLE TO SEE AND CONFIRM WHAT’S ACTUALLY GOING ON. SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY AND FOR EVERYBODY WHO IS IN THEIR SAFE PLACE. YESTERDAY IN STORM SHELTERS, PEOPLE REALLY LISTENED TO THE PRECAUTIONS. THAT’S RIGHT. PEOPLE LISTEN. AND YEAH, WE WE REALLY LOVE THOSE PICTURES AND VIDEOS. MAKE SURE YOU SEND THEM IN. WE LOVE SERVING OUR COMMUNITY. SOMETIMES WE DON’T KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING WITHOUT THOSE PICTURES AND VIDEOS, SO WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT. BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED A TON OF TORNADO WARNINGS YESTERDAY. I MEAN, LIKE YOU SAID, THEY WERE ON FOR NINE PLUS HOURS YESTERDAY, STREAMING ON ALL PLATFORMS. LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MANY TORNADO WARNINGS WE SAW STATEWIDE. I COUNTED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, AND THE NUMBER IS 39. NOW, JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A WARNING DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THERE WAS A TORNADO ON THE GROUND. THERE ARE DIFFERENT OFFICES AT PLAY TOO. YOU HAVE THE THE BIRMINGHAM OFFICE FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA. YOU HAVE THE HUNTSVILLE OFFICE FOR NORTH ALABAMA, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE MOBILE OFFICE FOR SOUTH ALABAMA AS WELL. BUT HERE IN CENTRAL ALABAMA, THE OFFICE, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE HAVE SAID THAT THEY SUSPECT THAT AT LEAST 16 TORNADOES TOUCHED DOWN ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA, EVEN PORTIONS OF SOUTH ALABAMA, TOO. HOWEVER, THEY HAVE NOT OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED THIS JUST YET. THEY’RE STILL GOING OUT TO DIFFERENT PLACES TO SEE THE DAMAGE AND RATE THE TORNADOES TO. WE HAVE DAMAGE AND SPOTS LIKE JACKSONS’ GAP AND DAVISTON LUGOVKA ALPINE CALERA, WHERE BRYCE WAS JUST OUT AT EARLIER MAPLESVILLE GREENSBORO NEWBERN TOWN DOWN TO LIVINGSTON GORDO SAW SOME PRETTY EXTREME DAMAGE. TO THE FRANKLIN FERRY EMPIRE, EVEN DOWN THERE TOWARDS TROY AND BANKS. THAT MADE THIS A POTENTIAL TORNADO OUTBREAK YESTERDAY. BUT THE SUN IS OUT NOW, AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS OUT SURVEYING THOSE DAMAGES, AND THEY HAVE ALREADY OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED FIVE TORNADOES. ONE WAS AN EF ZERO TORNADO AND THOMAS MILL AND BIBB COUNTY. THERE WERE TWO EF ONE TORNADOES IN SHELBY COUNTY NEAR CALERA. AN EF TWO TORNADO IN TALLADEGA COUNTY AND EF THREE TORNADO. SO FAR THE STRONGEST ONE CONFIRMED IN PLANTERSVILLE. AND THAT’S IN DALLAS COUNTY A LITTLE BIT FURTHER SOUTH. BUT HERE’S THE SYSTEM THAT BROUGHT ALL THOSE TORNADO WARNINGS AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS YESTERDAY. BUT NOW CENTRAL ALABAMA AND BIRMINGHAM IS NICE AND CLEAR FROM THE RAIN. GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL CUMULUS CLOUDS OUT THERE IN THE DISTANCE AND TEMPERATURES SITTING AT 63 DEGREES. CHECK OUT THAT WIND THOUGH. WEST 16MPH, SO STILL A BIT BREEZY AT TIMES, BUT AS WE GO OVER THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS, A WHOLE LOT MORE SUNSHINE IN THE PICTURE. IF YOU HEADED OUT TO DO SOMETHING FOR SAINT PATRICK’S DAY. NOTHING BUT SUNSHINE 56 BY 1:00 PM, 61 BY 3:00 PM. OUR NEXT RAIN CHANCE DOESN’T COME UNTIL WEDNESDAY. NOT EXPECTING A WHOLE LOT OUT OF THIS, BUT BY 3:00 PM WE’LL START TO SEE THOSE SHOWERS COME IN FROM NORTHWEST ALABAMA. THE SHOWERS ROLL IN OVERNIGHT, NOT EXPECTING ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH THIS, AND THIS IS NOW MOVING INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. STILL SEEING SOME SHOWERS IN EAST ALABAMA. NOT CONCERNED WITH THAT AT ALL BECAUSE AS WE MOVE INTO THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, THE SUN, THE SUNSHINE RETURNS. WE WAKE UP FRIDAY MORNING WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S, SOME SPOTS LOWER THAN THAT, IN THE LOWER 30S. THE FARTHER NORTH YOU GO. AND THEN WE CLIMB TO THE MID 60S. COME FRIDAY AFTERNOON, STORMS DON’T RETURN UNTIL WE GET INTO SUNDAY WITH HIGHS IN THE MID 70S. AS O
County-by-County: School, road closures from deadly Alabama tornado outbreak
Updated: 6:40 PM CDT Mar 16, 2025
LATEST FORECAST | CONFIRMED DEATHS | CONFIRMED TORNADOES AND DAMAGE SURVEYS | INTENSE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS | POWER OUTAGES | WVTM 13 LIVE DOPPLER RADAR | UPLOAD YOUR WEATHER PHOTOS | TURN ON WEATHER NOTIFICATIONSVideo above: Intense video shows snapped trees, major damage in Sipsey, AlabamaRoads and schools are closed because of damage from the deadly tornado outbreak on Saturday.Three people are confirmed dead following the storms in Alabama.The National Weather Service is surveying the damage and releasing initial results, including damage consistent with tornadoes stronger than EF-1 strength.Closures:Greene CountyAll lanes on U.S. 43 near mile marker 141, in Greene County are currently closed and will be for an undetermined amount of time because of a fallen tree.Pickens CountyGordo High School and Gordo Elementary School will not have school on Monday. Students won’t report to the career center.”Numerous downed trees, power lines, structural damage, and hazardous road conditions make bus travel unsafe,” EMA officials told Pickens County Schools.Some rural roads remain impassableDrone video below by “Henry’s Weather Channel” shows damage in Gordo.Shelby County (confirmed EF-1 tornado)Calera Intermediate School is closed on Monday because of storm damage. Cleanup is underway and the school is expected to reopen on Tuesday.Highway 31 at Whippoorwill Lane closed because of storm damageHighway 82 in Maplesville closed because of storm damage Talladega County (confirmed EF-2 tornado)Highway 76 and Highway 21 near Winterboro High School closed because of storm debrisWalker CountySipsey Road closed because of storm damage cleanupThis list will be updated as information is made available. For more on the forecast: Weather coverage from WVTM 13
LATEST FORECAST | CONFIRMED DEATHS | CONFIRMED TORNADOES AND DAMAGE SURVEYS | INTENSE PHOTOS AND VIDEOS | POWER OUTAGES | WVTM 13 LIVE DOPPLER RADAR | UPLOAD YOUR WEATHER PHOTOS | TURN ON WEATHER NOTIFICATIONS
Video above: Intense video shows snapped trees, major damage in Sipsey, Alabama
Roads and schools are closed because of damage from the deadly tornado outbreak on Saturday.
Three people are confirmed dead following the storms in Alabama.
The National Weather Service is surveying the damage and releasing initial results, including damage consistent with tornadoes stronger than EF-1 strength.
Closures:
Greene County
- All lanes on U.S. 43 near mile marker 141, in Greene County are currently closed and will be for an undetermined amount of time because of a fallen tree.
Pickens County
- Gordo High School and Gordo Elementary School will not have school on Monday. Students won’t report to the career center.
- “Numerous downed trees, power lines, structural damage, and hazardous road conditions make bus travel unsafe,” EMA officials told Pickens County Schools.
- Some rural roads remain impassable
Drone video below by “Henry’s Weather Channel” shows damage in Gordo.
Shelby County (confirmed EF-1 tornado)
- Calera Intermediate School is closed on Monday because of storm damage. Cleanup is underway and the school is expected to reopen on Tuesday.
- Highway 31 at Whippoorwill Lane closed because of storm damage
- Highway 82 in Maplesville closed because of storm damage
Talladega County (confirmed EF-2 tornado)
- Highway 76 and Highway 21 near Winterboro High School closed because of storm debris
Walker County
- Sipsey Road closed because of storm damage cleanup
This list will be updated as information is made available. For more on the forecast: Weather coverage from WVTM 13
