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Alabama Adds Yet Another Dubious Honor To It's Weather History
Tornadoes are more commonly associated with the spring months in Alabama and not January.
Since 1950, there had been 59 tornadoes recorded in January. Yesterday's severe weather outbreak,
however, has chocked up another first for Alabama. Based on information from the National Weather Service
in Birmingham as well as the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, the fatality that occurred in
Tuscaloosa County yesterday was the first recorded tornado-related death in the United States in 1997.
This dubious honor adds to some of the events over the last several years that have also been record-setting. In
1994, Alabama led the country with the highest number of tornado deaths, 22, all occurring with the Palm Sunday
tornado on March 27, 1994. In 1995, Alabama led the nation for the second year in a row in the number of tornado
deaths, seven (7). In 1996, Alabama again recorded seven (7) tornado deaths which was the second highest
number in the nation. And now, 1997 has begun with a substantial outbreak of severe weather.
All of these records underscore the need to continually emphasize severe weather awareness. The National
Weather Service along with the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, the American Red cross, and the
Alabama Department of Education are sponsoring severe weather awareness week in Alabama during the
week of February 24 to 28. Materials promoting severe weather awareness will be mailed to media outlets
during the first week of February.
And, on a positive note, thanks to the support provided by the Alabama Department of Education, for the first
time ever in the State of Alabama, every school in the state will be receiving the severe weather awareness
material to use in promoting weather safety to students.
back to the Survey of the Tuscaloosa Tornado 24 January, 1997
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