EF4 tornado | |
---|---|
Tornado near peak strength at 2:16 PM. | |
Date | April 22, 2037 |
Times | 1402-1441 |
Touchdown location | 2:02 PM CDT |
Highest winds |
180 mph (estimated) |
Injuries | 341 |
Fatalities | 17 |
Damage | $1.4 billion (2037 USD) |
Areas affected | Winfield, Alabama suburbs |
Part of the 2037 Tornado Season |
The 2037 Winfield, Alabama tornado was a destructive and violent EF4 tornado which impacted areas of western Alabama in the afternoon of Wednesday, April 22, 2037. The tornado did not directly strike any large towns or cities but made a close approach to Winfield while near peak strength. The tornado remained strong throughout most of the remainder of its path through Walker County, then dissipated to the east of Carbon Hill.
The tornado remained on the ground for 39 minutes over a 41-mile path and reached a peak width of 680 yards in Marion County. The tornado's greatest damage, to the south of Winfield, was rated mid-range EF4, with estimated wind speeds of 180 miles per hour. Although the tornado only passed through wilderness and small rural communities, it was responsible for a total of 17 fatalities and 341 injuries over its path. Most of the fatalities occurred in poorly-built frame houses and mobile homes.
The Winfield tornado was the first violent tornado in the state of Alabama since the Prattville, Alabama EF4 on February 16, 2019, and the deadliest tornado in Alabama since the 2011 Super Outbreak on April 27, 2011. The Winfield tornado was the third of 25 violent tornadoes produced by the 2037 Super Outbreak, and became one of the most obscure in the years following the outbreak, as no storm chasers were able to record the tornado, and relatively little media coverage was given during or after the tornado. As a result, the Winfield tornado was unofficially dubbed the "Silent Killer" by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham.