Counterclockwise from top: The track of the F5 tornado through Tuscaloosa and Jefferson Counties; F5 tornado damage in Rock Creek; Radar image of the tornado as it approached Oak Grove
The tornado began in rural Tuscaloosa County at 7:42 PM CDT,entering Jefferson County shortly after,producing F1 damage. However within minutes,the tornado strengthened to F3 intensity as it entered Oak Grove,where it would destroy the town’s high school and fire station,claiming the lives of 3 people as the tornado destroyed a mobile home. The tornado then intensified further to F5 intensity as it impacted the town of Rock Creek,where many homes were destroyed or swept away. 11 people would be killed here. The tornado struck two power transmission lines just to the east,cutting off power to western Birmingham. The tornado then weakened before striking the town of Sylvian Springs at F4 intensity,where more homes were destroyed and 4 were killed. Shortly thereafter,the tornado would re-intensify to F5 once again,striking the communities of Edgewater and McDonald Chapel. The tornado claimed 14 more lives in this area,with multiple homes being swept away. It then began to weaken as it left McDonald Chapel,entering Northern Birmingham at F3 intensity shortly after,causing substantial damage to homes in the Pratt City Neighborhood. The tornado would then lift a few miles to the east of Birmingham International Airport,3 miles north of Interstate 20 along Highway 78.[1][3]
As of 2025,the Oak Grove-Birmingham tornado was the last F5 to hit the state of Alabama before the adoption of the Enhanced Fujita Scale in 2007. Since then,the state would be struck by 2 EF5 tornadoes in 2011,with one impacting Hackleburg and Phil Campbell,while the other would impact Rainsville,killing 72 and 25 people respectively.
Meteorological Synopsis
Storm Prediction Center Outlook for April 8,1998. A High Risk was issued and lasted for the entire Outlook Cycle.
A highly unstable atmospheric environment was present over the deep south on April 8,1998. A strong jet stream was active,and a cyclonic system (low-pressure system) was moving northeast from Iowa to southern Minnesota. At the same time,a weather disturbance from Texas was moving east into eastern Texas. High winds (over 120 knots) in the upper atmosphere were affecting north-central Texas on the evening of April 7 and moving into the lower Mississippi Valley by the evening of April 8.
In the middle atmosphere (about 700-500 mb),a strong weather front was developing over the southern plains in the morning and moved east into the lower Mississippi Valley by the evening. There was a "dry punch" in the southwest flow (a dry air mass) moving over southern Louisiana and southwestern Alabama in the evening. Closer to the ground,warm,moist air from the Gulf of Mexico was being pushed northward by south winds,causing temperatures and dew points to rise throughout the southeastern U.S.
Weather observations at the Shelby County Airport (south of Birmingham,Alabama) showed that the atmosphere became more unstable throughout the day. By 6:00 PM (UTC),the available energy for thunderstorms (CAPE) was 1300 J/kg and increased to 2370 J/kg by midnight. A very dry layer of air above 700 mb caused a steep temperature decrease with height,indicating instability. Storm rotation (helicity) values increased from 55 to 220 m²/s²between 6:00 PM and midnight,and the next forecast model predicted even higher helicity values in northern Alabama. In the lower levels of the atmosphere,wind shear increased from 18 to 26m/s (35 to 50 knots) between 6:00 PM and midnight.
Due to the conditions models showed for April 8,the Storm Prediction Center issued a high risk for severe thunderstorms across northern Mississippi,Alabama,and northwest Georgia,that would last the entire Outlook Cycle. At 2:00 PM CDT on April 8,the SPC would issue the first Tornado Watch for northern and central Mississippi and northern and central Alabama,which was valid until 8:00 p.m CDT. There would be multiple more tornado watches issued at 7:30 PM,7:36 PM,and 1:15 AM respectively.[2][3]
Tornado Summary
Tuscaloosa County
Satellite image of the tornado track through eastern Tuscaloosa County. (Credit:United States Geological Survey)
A high precipitation supercell formed along the Mississippi - Alabama border and would quickly become tornadic,producing an F3 tornado which tracked through rural areas north of Tuscaloosa,Alabama. The parent supercell would then cycle and drop the Oak Grove - Birmingham tornado in eastern Tuscaloosa County at 7:42 PM CDT,around 1.5 miles east of the Warrior River. At 7:45 PM a tornado warning was issued for Jefferson County. The tornado produced F0 damage to structures,destroying 1,000 acres of forest during its track through Tuscaloosa County.[4] The tornado struck the community of Bull City before crossing into Jefferson County shortly after.
Oak Grove
Oak Grove High School after the tornado. (Credit:NWS Birmingham)
At 7:50 PM CDT,the tornado entered Jefferson County at F0 intensity. However within minutes of entering Jefferson County,the tornado would rapidly intensify to F3 strength as the tornado entered the community of Oak Grove. The tornado destroyed a mobile home with 4 occupants inside,only one of which would survive. Oak Grove High School was struck shortly after,where a cheerleader squad consisting of 25 people were practicing in the school's gymnasium when the tornado hit. All 25 would dive into the schools lobby for shelter. The lobby was the only part of the structure to avoid collapse as the support beams bent from the center over the lobby,shielding it from debris. Debris consisting of metal lockers,concrete blocks,bleachers,and other materials littered the gymnasium floor,sometimes up to 3 feet deep. All 25 cheerleaders would escape serious injury. The tornado then destroyed the eastern Concord fire station in Oak Grove as it crossed County Road 23/54.[5][4]
Rock Creek and Sylvian Springs
F4 Damage in Sylvian Springs (Credit:NWS Birmingham)
The tornado continued to intensify and grow in size as it crossed Warrior River Road into Rock Creek,reaching F5 intensity for the first time as it damaged or destroyed multiple homes. The Central Concord Volunteer Fire Station was also destroyed. The Rock Creek Church of God's Family Life Center had its roof torn off,becoming a makeshift trauma center in the wake of the tornado to treat the injured. Unfortunately,11 people were killed in Rock Creek as multiple homes were swept clean by winds in excess of 260 MPH.[1][3] After exiting Rock Creek,the F5 tornado toppled large power transmission lines from the Miller Steam Plant electric generating station north of Rock Creek. The resulting power surge caused the western side of Birmingham to lose all power,captured on live television on the ABC 33/40 tower camera as meteorologist James Spann was covering the tornado.[6] The tornado then weakened slightly as it entered Sylvian Springs,where multiple additional homes in the area would be destroyed at F4 intensity,and an additional 4 people would lose their lives. The tornado tracked through mostly rural areas after leaving Sylvian Springs,although a few homes north of Pleasant Grove would be destroyed.
Edgewater and McDonald Chapel
F4 Damage in Edgewater (Credit:NWS Birmingham)
After tracking through mostly rural areas past Sylvian Springs,the tornado struck the community of Edgewater,causing very erratic damage as some homes would receive light damage,while others on the same blocks would be completely destroyed. The tornado then re-intensified to F5 strength once again as it entered McDonald Chapel,sweeping multiple homes off their foundations and destroying countless more as it tracked through the town. At the Open Door Baptist Church in McDonald Chapel,67 people were gathered for Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting. The church received a phone call about the incoming tornado around 15 minutes prior to the tornado striking the church,causing everyone to gather in one long hallway. As the tornado struck the church,the roof and multiple exterior walls collapsed,while the hallway the churchgoers were gathered in remained intact,protecting the lives of all 67 people,though multiple sustained injuries when flying debris struck like missiles. Multiple cars in the church's parking lot were picked up and tossed into a nearby ravine like toys. In both Edgewater and McDonald Chapel,13 people would lose their lives.[1][5][4]
Birmingham
F3 damage to apartment buildings in Sandusky (Credit:NWS Birmingham)
After tracking through McDonald Chapel,the tornado crossed Alabama 269 into Birmingham. The tornado claimed its last life as it struck the neighborhood of West Ensley. The supercell then detached from the outflow boundary at around this time,and the tornado would begin to weaken. Having weakened to F3 intensity,the tornado would enter the neighborhoods of Sandusky and North Pratt. The tornado removed the roof from apartment buildings in Sandusky,and destroyed more homes in North Pratt. Shortly after,at around 8:28 PM,the tornado dissipated in the neighborhood of Pratt City. Had the tornado stayed on the ground for another 2 –3 miles,it would have affected the high rise buildings in Northern Birmingham,and a few more miles beyond that,the tornado would have impacted the Birmingham International Airport.[1][4][5]
Aftermath
A 30.6 mile long track of destruction was left in the wake of the F5 tornado. 608 homes were destroyed,556 sustained major damage,and another 810 sustained minor damage according to an analysis by the American Red Cross. The US Forest Service estimated that 1,000 acres of timber were lost in Tuscaloosa County,and a further 4,000 were lost in Jefferson County. The tornado caused $202.83 million (1998 USD) in damages,claimed the lives of 32 people,with most being in Rock Creek,Edgewater,and McDonald Chapel,and injured a further 259. At the time,the Oak Grove - Birmingham F5 tornado was the seventh deadliest in Alabama state history,and the worst tornado in Alabama since the Marion,Alabama F4 during the 1932 Deep South Tornado Outbreak. Since then,two other tornadoes have caused more deaths,with the 2011 Hackleburg - Phil Campbell EF5 killing 72,and the 2011 Tuscaloosa - Birmingham EF4 killing 64,the latter of which affected some of the same areas as the Oak Grove - Birmingham F5.
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