HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Sunday afternoon, July 23, the National Weather Service in Huntsville performed a storm survey near the Hampton Cove community to come to a conclusion that an EF-1 tornado touched down during Friday, July 21, afternoon's storms.
The EF-1 tornado initially touched down northwest of Highway 431 south in Hampton Cove along Paul Drive off of Old Big Cove Road. It skipped southeast as it crossed Highway 431 at Hampton Cove Cemetery, causing sporadic tree and limb damage. From there the tornado moved southeast as it approached Old Highway 431, crossing portions of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Hampton Cove. Sporadic tree damage was noted along Masters Drive, Augusta Trace, and Hampton Cove Way into the main entrance of the neighborhood on the bypass. Trees were snapped and uprooted at this location near the waterfall at the entrance to the subdivision, and tornado width was estimated at about 40 yards.
From there, the tornado continued southeast across mainly rural portions of the golf course as it approached Old Highway 431 heading to Cherry Tree Road. Trees were downed at the ball fields at this location, before the tornado strengthened as it approached homes further down Cherry Tree Road. A home suffered damage when trees were blown down onto the structure, as well as trees snapped near the bases at this location. The tornado was at its strongest at this location, with 93 MPH wind speeds and a width of 50 yards as it snapped the trees about 2-5 feet from their bases.
From this point southeast the tornado produced sporadic tree damage following Goose Creek along Cherry Tree Road. The last noted damage occurred near the intersection of Cherry Tree Road and Old Gurley Pike.