The Weather Channel - April 27, 2011, Super Outbreak

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

The Weather Channel coverage from this day has been sorely MIA for too long. Thanks for filling the historical record gap.

[@jamestaylor4480]

After this outbreak, the racing community would lose 2 time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon in October.

[@Elysian777]

I watched the Weather Channel cut to a several minutes long commercial right as James Spann was telling people in Alabama to TAKE COVER from a new tornado on the ground. I never watched it again. I am sure they had to do a lot of editing to assure the 'appearance' of a continual flow of coverage and warnings.

[@justintime2989]

@@Elysian777probably have to be careful what they can share. Like TWC during 2013 coverage could use the helicopter video but when switched to radar they couldn’t

[@NCS_SCPC]

@@jamestaylor4480 Yeah, but that wasn't for more several months.

[@RT-qd8yl]

@@Elysian777 The people James Spann was talking to were watching and listening to him on local stations.

[@harvardnshorty]

1:17:08 "Oh boy." When Dr. Forbes said that, you knew it was super serious.

[@MichaelOKeefe2009]

Welp, there goes Tuscaloosa!

[@nitrogaming993]

I miss the old Weather Channel...😢

[@elflingskitten]

Totally agree. I spent many Christmas' wrapping presents in the middle of the night, listening to the beautiful music they had on TWC. Special memories 💔

[@justintime2989]

We all do

[@boogitybear2283]

2005 Weather Channel was the best.

[@pkmnpolitoed]

I missed it as well, I would watch it almost everyday when I came back home after school

[@karloslee2386]

Facts

[@476233]

Man, this reminds me of how much I love Dr. Forbes. He was always so calm and informative and had a sense of humor.

[@Sid-ho6gj]

Hard to think of anything cooler than seeing Dr. Forbes provide in-depth analysis of a tornado on camera

[@coreyrattliff8121]

Been waiting for this for years. What we need next is KFOR's and The Weather Channel's coverage of May 24, 2011.

[@bdunk914]

I’m thought I saw KFOR coverage of 5-24-2011 on YT?!? Maybe it was KOCO..

[@coreyrattliff8121]

@bdunk914 There is KFOR coverage but only of the Piedmont, Chickasha, and Goldsby tornadoes. And they're all less than 10 minutes long. There's brief bits of KOCO's coverage too.

[@Smokeater342]

KWTV in two parts is on KZbin, but that's it. Like 2 hours total.

[@ILoveOldTWC]

This was a much more historic day. He has plenty of Oklahoma events uploaded. But this event was the worst outbreak in U.S. history, as 320 people died. Some of the single tornadoes of this day killed twice as many people as 2013 Moore. So I don't want to hear it. 😕 For example, Tuscaloosa had 44 fatalities, compared to Moore's 24. So Tuscaloosa's count exceeds Moore's by 20 people.

[@coreyrattliff8121]

@@ILoveOldTWC Still, weather lovers and tornado history nerds like myself really like studying May 24, 2011 enough to want to see more of how THAT outbreak unfolded.

[@jamestaylor4480]

When The Weather Channel was tracking the Tuscaloosa Alabama tornado, all I can remember was Dr. Forbes saying "Oh, boy! We have a debris ball!"

[@mothmanwich]

Hearing them talk about the fatalities towards the start of the video is so chilling, knowing how much worse it’s about to get

[@dustin6528]

It’s surreal to see the early stages of the iconic storms that would produce the Smithville and Hackleburg tornadoes.

[@elflingskitten]

IKR? Knowing what we know now, just hearing those names: Hackleburg, Tuscaloosa, Phil Campbell... my neck hairs stand on end 😢

[@commiehunter733]

Apocalyptic

[@Elysian777]

I was watching James Spann and a few live chase teams on my computer. When I turned the TV on in the same room, and watched the Weather Channel cut to commercial right as James Spann was telling people in Alabama to TAKE COVER from a new tornado warning, I turned it off and never watched it again. I knew it was lost in greed. I had great hopes for it at one time. But not after that moment.

[@scarpfish]

This is why your local TV meteorologist or YT channels like Ryan Hall Y'all are better than a cable network that has corporate masters to serve. I ditched my cable years ago, because I got tired of paying $75/mo to get channels that once had a specialty but were all morphing into lame reality shows, TWC included.

[@elvenham1]

Same here. Early in the video, my town name is mentioned under a warning, and they immediately cut to commercials. So thankful there were other options.

[@mikefromflorida8357]

TWC has become an entertainment network.

[@Smokeater342]

Big thanks for uploading this, any long form coverage from that day is highly appreciated. Wish there was more of it from Huntsville.

[@jefflemanski511]

How did you finally get this? Well done lad! Been waiting for this for 10 years!

[@DavidCrescent]

I remember watching this live on TV. Brings back a lot of memories. Thank you for posting this.

[@JesseLikesWeather]

Timeline: --- Cullman EF4 ---- 5:26 Cullman Tornado Mentioned 12:47 Webcam Shows Tornado via ABC 33/40 19:02 Next visual of Cullman Tornado --- Smithville EF5 --- 31:40 Smithville EF5 Begins 33:16 First Sign of Smithville Tornado on Radar 33:28 First mention of Smithville Tornado Around 34:18 Tornado Strikes Smithville --- Tuscaloosa EF4 --- 1:03:58 Tuscaloosa Tornado Begins (But it will be a while before it actually hits Tuscaloosa) 1:16:24 Tornado Enters Tuscaloosa 1:17:06 Radar Error, tornado actually slightly north. *This error may have resulted in the loss of 1 life. James Spann Covers this. 1:21:48 Tornado Leaves Tuscaloosa. 44 People were killed from the Tuscaloosa Area. 2:09:08 Tuscaloosa Tornado Dissipates. --- Hackleburg-Phil Campbell EF5 --- 12:43 Hackleburg-Phil Campbell EF5 Begins 13:38 Tornado Strikes Hamilton, Causing EF2 Damage. Shortly After striking Hamilton, the tornado intensifies 3 minutes after 22:53 Tornado strikes Hackleburg 26:02 Tornado Strikes Phil Campbell 34:04 Tornado Strikes Mt. Hope 1:42:37 Tornado Dissipates. 72 People are killed, making this the deadliest tornado in Alabama History. --- Ringgold GA EF4 --- No timestamps included 8:15 PM EDT Ringgold GA Tornado Forms 8:28 PM EDT Ringgold Tornado Dissipates. 8 People are killed. Please reply to this comment if there are any errors/mistakes. And if the owner feels like this comment is unnecessary, I will remove it.

[@Juniortvspace]

Do you know where the radar error is?

[@JesseLikesWeather]

@@Juniortvspace 1:17:06

[@Juniortvspace]

@@JesseLikesWeather I meant the clip of James talking about the error, sorry for the confusion.

[@JesseLikesWeather]

@@Juniortvspace This is the Weather Channel, not ABC 33/40.

[@Juniortvspace]

@@JesseLikesWeather I was trying to see if you knew why people keep saying there was a radar error, I can't find any indication of it. I may be wrong though.

[@haydenverner5458]

WHAT!! I’ve been waiting on this

[@ILoveOldTWC]

Thanks for posting this epic coverage of this historic and tragic event in its entirety.

[@silentbob3208]

32:40 The moment Weather Channel history was made. A 10/10 TorCon for the first time.

[@CaptainKeithMark]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[@ILoveOldTWC]

And they've only done that a couple of times since then. That's very, very rare. Forbes would never go with that unless he felt he absolutely had to.

[@StatsJames]

@@ILoveOldTWC What dates?

[@MichaelOKeefe2009]

That moment is when Alabama knew...They're fucked up.

[@renstimpy3568]

one thing ive learned from watching severe weather.....when James takes his jacket off.....find a basment

[@tannerlevasseur958]

Bless you for putting this out! I have been looking for something like this recently.

[@calebharper1590]

Thanks for uploading this. Still a day I haven't forgotten and I live near Atlanta so it wasn't as bad as it was to the west in Alabama but still bad once it came through Georgia. Still the scariest event I've experienced even if we came close to the Newnan, GA tornado from March 2021.

[@marcbyrnes293]

During the '74 super Outbreak at one point there were so many tornadoes on the ground in Indiana that the NWS put the entire state under one blanket tornado warning. That may be the only time in the history of the severe storm forecast center / storm predictions center where this has happened

[@MichaelOKeefe2009]

That was when Indiana found out...they're fucked.

[@younghurricane1995]

1:48:02 and 1:52:59 those 2 big lightning bolts right there, followed by big loud thunders, incredible ⚡ ... That Tuscaloosa-Birmingham storm was so strong and intense!!

[@tornadohunterjacarrirblxwx]

This was an Unbelievable outbreak of tornadoes even to this day. I am still speechless. I've had friends that were impacted by this outbreak of tornadoes on this day and i'm actually glad they survive

[@matthewgoodA1206]

I think I caught some of this live broadcast back then. It’s been many years, and a lot has happened since it. But I recall some live footage of the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF4, and its horizontal vortices being pointed out as a sign that the funnel was especially violent.

[@jgkidd82]

One of the scariest days of my life. I remember seeing the Tuscaloosa tornado. It was the largest tornado I had ever seen.

[@CPBreezy80]

Thanks for uploading this

[@linkrules32]

I remember this like it was yesterday. Was at work huge hail power outage, luckily I was missed in my town

[@TheSkyGuy77]

The tornado watch that day had maxed out risk for all severe weather categories. Greater than 95% chance for very destructive tornadoes, damaging winds, flooding, and very large hail. I don't think I've ever seen a PDS watch that severe since. O_o

[@zacharycalgher3978]

I was 15 years old when this happened, very sad.

[@Smokeater342]

Listening to Jeff Morrow say 6 fatalities, hopefully no more... Really eerie...

[@randyroyston2461]

The James Spann coverage of the outbreak covers many hours of coverage with live film of many of those tornadoes as they were occurring. That coverage of the outbreak was much better than what the weather channel tried to cover

[@lordfatcock]

Well... Keep in mind they cover the entire US. They will never be able to mimic someone who knows the area like the back of his hand. Even then James and Co had a hard time keeping up with all the cells moving over the border with Mississippi.

[@b.p.879]

My buddy found pieces of documents from people in Tuscaloosa in his front yard. He lived in Centerpoint, which is several miles east of the city of Birmingham! Every year since, I hope and pray that we don't get any big ones like April 27. Rest in peace to all the victims!

[@So1]

I wonder if you have any the weather channel coverage of the june 29th 2012 derecho, ive been looking for that for years.

[@ILoveOldTWC]

I didn't have power that day, as the squall line they mentioned, blew through my area with damaging straight line winds.

[@michaelistheman1533]

I remember watching this live

[@StormChaserJeremy]

The Birmingham tornado was the first one I've ever saw live on TV

[@mattmets1858]

NO WAY THIS GOT UPLOADED LETS GO

[@erikarabie]

That first reporter sounds creepily cheerful about life threatening weather

[@RIPjkripper]

I think this day took a few years off poor Dr. G's life

[@Manbunmen65]

I remember I went turkey hunting that morning and watched it all unfold throughout the day on TWC.

[@barneshomestead1240]

My aunt's house .09 of a mile from my house suffered moderate damage & beyond that was nothing but death & utter destruction...Pleasant Grove Alabama has never truly recovered & forever changed 12/23/2024.

[@TheJuliet316]

When you see Jim Cantore in your area, get to shelter or get out!

[@pkmnpolitoed]

THIS GOT UPLOADED YES

[@TristanWhiteWx]

OH MY GOSH!!!!

[@loveandlight8286]

Weather channel soo bad now days its aweful dr forbs is missed

[@Ryandupont0896]

I know the weather channel is a general weather news program, but aside from Tuscaloosa and Birmingham they were completely off the mark during this broadcast. The people in smithville, Philadelphia, rainsville, hackleburg, Phil Campbell, ringgold didn’t get enough coverage of their storms

[@intellectualredneck1813]

I've seen better recording quality from the 1999 may 3rd tornado.....

[@BenLefebvre-w6r]

You should watch the OTHER 2 hour Weather Channel broadcast of the April 27, 2011 super outbreak that was posted then

[@easilyscan]

The weather channel isn't even watchable in 2024. Might as well rename it the climate change channel.

[@supertornadogun1690]

Nah man it's the highway through hell channel lol

[@biggirldances]

@@supertornadogun1690 stop omg you’re so right. 😂

[@pm5206]

They did climate cult stuff for over 20 years.

[@GBKmartReturnsScratchOfficial]

or "The Weathality Channel"

[@TheSkyGuy77]

Climate change is real and you're ignorant for pretending it doesn't exist.

[@coreyburns2074]

I live in Alabama me and my gf at the time got woke up and rushed to my uncle’s house he had a basement we had no cell service at all it was bad

[@mattmets1858]

MARCH 2, 2012 NEXT

[@123souldedout321]

Been looking for that footage forever

[@roneagle8038]

Too bad it was such poor-quality video and audio.

[@nickjohnson4874]

Cool

[@w.atne.y]

My 21st birthday

[@ILoveOldTWC]

Tuscaloosa should've been an EF-5. In fact, Dr. Greg Forbes said so. But Tim Marshall wouldn't have it and the NWS Birmingham storm survey crews wouldn't have it.

[@claybarnett6350]

For what reason do you believe they'd "disallow" a rating of EF-5? You seem to believe there are people at the NWS who have nefariously chosen to rate a tornado differently. Dr. Forbes did not perform a storm survey, so his opinion means nothing in this exchange.

[@J3MOdh3NOWX3S]

Who is this guy? Hey we saw a lighting strike over there.. as a giant wall cloud barrels down behind him lmao

[@danspotter8618]

I'm the 500th Liker

[@PrincessSylveon]

NO ONE CARES!