Many areas across Alabama were hit by severe weather late Saturday into Sunday morning. Athens, one of the hardest hit areas, was damaged by an EF-1 tornado.
ABC 33/40 Chief Meteorologist James Spann took to social media to explain why the National Weather Service (NWS) did not issue a tornado warning.
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Spann said a severe thunderstorm warning was issued at 10:32 p.m. and 10:54 p.m. The tornado touched down at 11:15 p.m.
"We did our best through the day yesterday in messaging to remind you to 'take severe thunderstorm warnings seriously," Spann posted on Facebook. "It was a classic nighttime QLCS (quasi linear convective system) with isolated, brief tornadoes, but a much larger area of straight line wind damage. Hundreds of trees were blown down statewide."
"It is practically impossible to provide a specific tornado warning for a tornado that is down for only five minutes, like the one in Athens last night (it was down from 11:15 to 11:20)," he continued. "By the time the warning is drawn up and disseminated, the tornado is already gone."
There were no reports of injuries in Athens. Spann said those with a weather radio would have heard the severe thunderstorm warnings.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email erica.thomas@1819news.com.
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