April 1977 Birmingham tornado
| Type | Tornado outbreak |
|---|---|
| Duration | April 4-5, 1977 |
| Tornadoes confirmed | 21 |
| Max rating1 | F5 tornado |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
| F5 tornado | |
|---|---|
| Max rating1 | F5 tornado |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale | |
The April 1977 Birmingham tornado was a powerful tornado that struck the northern suburbs of the Greater Birmingham Area in central Alabama during the afternoon of April 4, 1977.
Beginning just a few miles north of Birmingham near Tarrant, the tornado proceeded north through northern Jefferson County producing F5 damage in Smithfield, northeast of Ensley. The tornado, which was at times 3⁄4 mile (1.2 km) wide, was blamed for 22 deaths, more than 125 injuries, and $25 million in damage. Hundreds of homes were completely destroyed, many of which were completely swept away, despite being well-built. Some of the homes built into hillsides even had their cinder-block basement walls swept away. Many trees in the area were snapped and debarked and vehicles were thrown and destroyed. Two dump-trucks were thrown through the air near I-65 as well. Daniel Payne College suffered extensive damage, forcing it to permanently close due to the extent of the destruction. Dr. Ted Fujita followed the tornado and supercell from an airplane and while surveying damage he rated the Smithfield tornado an F5.
In addition to this tornado, several other tornadoes were reported from the same system in the Midwest, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina. One tornado in Floyd County, Georgia, killed one person, and another fatality was reported east of Birmingham in St. Clair County. The severe weather that day also contributed to the crash of Southern Airways Flight 242, which crashed near New Hope, Georgia, killing 70 people.
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