The March 27, 1994 tornado

F4St. Clair, Calhoun and Cherokee counties, Alabama

An F4 tornado on a 50.0-mile path that killed 22 and injured 150. It was one of 29 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 9 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Watch how it happened Part of the outbreak of March 27, 1994: 29 tornadoes in 5 states

F4 tornado · March 27, 1994

How it happened

Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.

About this replay

Local time (CST)—Historical replay — logged times

Distance—of 50.0 miles

Now in—

RatingF4

The tornado

Rating: F4; Fujita scale
Path length: 50.0 mi; Width up to 880 yards
Killed: 22; Along the whole path
Injured: 150; Along the whole path
Date and time: Sunday, March 27, 1994; 10:55 AM CST
That day: 29; tornadoes in the U.S.; every one, with a replay of the day

The National Weather Service account

Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.

A tornado began about one mile south-southwest of Ragland in St. Clair County at 1055 CST and traveled northeast at between 45 and 55 miles an hour crossing the Alabama/Georgia border about five 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 1104 CST, the storm continued on a steady northeast track (60 degree heading) crossing the north side of Ohatchee. The storm crossed U.S. Highway 431 at 1120 CST 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 U.S. Highway 278 between four and five miles west-northwest of Piedmont. The storm entered Cherokee County at 1135 CST. At 1139 CST the tornado destroyed the Goshen United Methodist Church located one 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 1152 CST. Deaths: St. Clair County - (F540); Calhoun County - (M49V); Cherokee County - (F02O) (M03O) (F04O) (M05O) (F10O) (M12O) (F24O) (M25O) (F34O) (M34O) (M37O) (M38O) (M39O) (M44O) (F50O) (M54O) (F54O) (M64O) (F72O) (M79O)

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Counties on its path

Other notable tornadoes that day

F4, Floyd County3 killed
F3, Bartow County9 killed

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.