St. Clair, Calhoun, Cherokee Counties - Tornado (F4)
A tornado began about 1 mile south-southwest of Ragland in St. Clair County at to 5 miles northeast of Rock Run 10:55 am CST. It traveled northeast at between 45 and 55 miles an hour crossing the Alabama/ Georgia border about 5 miles northeast of Rock Run in Cherokee County. The tornado moved across County Highway 144 just south-southwest of Ragland where it first began then destroyed a number of structures along 144 to the east of Ragland. The tornado crossed primarily wooded land before moving through a camping area on the west side of Neely Henry Lake. A woman was killed outside on the west side of the lake as she tried to secure a boat. The tornado crossed Neely Henry Lake just north of the dam as it moved into Calhoun County. Twenty-six homes were damaged, 18 homes were destroyed, and 20 mobile homes were destroyed in St. Clair County.
Moving into Calhoun County at 11:04 am CST, the storm continued on a steady northeast track (60 degree heading) crossing the north side of Ohatchee. The storm crossed US Highway 431 at 11:20 am where one man was killed when the van he was in was thrown into a ditch. Three other people in the van were injured. The storm continued northeast across mostly woodlands with only scattered structures, mostly homes, in its path. It crossed US Highway 278 between four and five miles west-northwest of Piedmont.
The storm entered Cherokee County at 11:35 am CST. At 11:39 am CST the tornado destroyed the Goshen United Methodist Church located 1 mile north of the Cherokee/Calhoun County line on County Highway 9 killing 20 people and injuring 92. The tornado continued northeast across Cherokee County reaching the Alabama/ Georgia state line at approximately 11:52 am CST.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/significant ... rmdata.php
