NWS Confirms Grant Microburst – peak winds of 95 mph

GRANT, Ala. (WHNT) — A severe line of storms pushed through the region Friday afternoon producing significant damage in the Grant community.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Huntsville traveled to Marshall County Saturday morning to survey storm damage associated with Friday’s storms.

Snug Harbor Road, White Elephant Road, Honeycomb Campground, and ALONG 431 were where the bulk of the damage occurred.

Marshall County Emergency Management Agency Director Blake Farmer said along with downed powerlines, power poles, and trees two homes that were under construction sustained damage. Farmer also added that three boathouses were flattened by the strong winds.

After surveying all the damage the NWS confirmed a microburst, producing peak winds of 95 mph, was a result of the line of severe storms.

They determined that the microburst began over the northern branch of Lake Guntersville and then surged eastward. The powerful winds uprooted and snapped trees along HWY 431 from Cooper Hill Road to Lucas Gap Road. The path of the microburst was around four and a half miles.

With many of the downed powerlines falling into the water, numerous utility crews were still out Saturday working to restore power to residents.

What Is A Microburst?

Strong thunderstorms require strong updraft winds to keep going. Updraft winds are the winds entering into a thunderstorm. During a downburst, the updraft winds weaken, causing wind and rain to surge toward the ground and spread out in all directions.

A downburst is classified by size and is called either a microburst or a macroburst. A microburst is when the downburst is 2.5 miles wide or less. A macroburst is when the downburst is greater than 2.5 miles wide.

Whether the downbursts are micro or macro, they can cause much damage from the high winds crashing to the ground. Sometimes, the damage can be comparable to a low-end tornado. The damage from a downburst can consist of major structural damage to leveled trees.

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