Two fatalities reported as 9 tornadoes rip through Alabama
Nine tornadoes ripped through Alabama on Saturday, March 15, 2025, claiming at least two lives. The tornadoes were part of a larger severe weather outbreak that affected multiple states across the South and Midwest, resulting in at least 36 fatalities nationwide.
A school bus landed on the roof of Winterboro High School in Winterboro, Talladega County, Alabama, after an EF-2 tornado struck the area on March 15, 2025. Image credit: NWS Birmingham
Nine tornadoes struck Alabama on March 15, amid a severe weather outbreak that has claimed more than 30 lives across the U.S. since March 14.
Governor Kay Ivey confirmed two fatalities related to the severe weather event in Alabama—one in Plantersville and one in Winterboro. A tornado struck Plantersville at approximately 20:19 local time (LT), causing significant damage. Authorities have not confirmed whether the fatality in Plantersville resulted from the tornado.
An EF-2 tornado was confirmed by the National Weather Service in the Winterboro area of Talladega County with winds of 193 km/h (120 mph), causing significant damage in the area. The NWS will release a detailed report later on Sunday, March 16.
The tornado ripped the roof off a building and flipped a school bus onto the roof of Winterboro High School, as reported by local news outlets and confirmed through storm damage assessments.
The tornadoes ripped through the state, flipping over mobile homes, ripping off roofs, and damaging trees and powerlines across the affected regions. Damage has been reported in 52 of Alabama’s 67 counties, with multiple injuries. Authorities are continuing to assess the impact.
A tornado struck Elrod in Tuscaloosa County at 15:41 LT, ripping the roof off at least one house and causing extensive tree damage. It was observed crossing US-82 near Minas Road.
Two tornadoes were reported near Sipsey in Walker County. The first struck at 16:50 LT, damaging multiple homes and trees in the area. The second tornado hit at approximately 16:52 LT, about 3 km (2 miles) northeast of Sipsey, damaging multiple homes. Possible injuries were reported on Campbellville Road.
Two tornadoes were reported near Pletcher in Chilton County. The first struck at approximately 21:02 LT, causing extensive damage on US-82 near Maplesville. The second hit at around 21:05 LT, damaging two houses and one manufactured home near the CR-15 and CR-16 areas.
Tornadoes were also reported in Pickens and Shelby counties. One tornado tracked near Gordo in Pickens County, starting at 16:45 LT, snapping multiple trees along US-82.
Another tornado struck approximately 5 km (3 miles) southeast of Shelby County Airport, causing significant damage near the I-65 and US-31 intersection near Calera, impacting businesses and homes. It reportedly ripped off the roof of a church in the area on Saturday. The damage is still being assessed with the NWS indicating that it might have been an EF-1 with peak winds of around 145 km/h (90 mph)
Reports indicate that more tornadoes might have struck the region but official confirmations are yet to be made.
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References:
1 250315’s Storm Reports (20250315 1200 UTC – 20250316 1159 UTC) – NWS/SPC – March 16, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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