Update on Tornado Near Birmingham

Ok as of 4:01 just want to note, signature is still very strong as this moves off into St. Clair County - is not past Birmingham yet, mind you! And keep getting damage reports. I actually wrote more than this, but the internet connection blinked out and I had to redo it. Watch this live stream as well.

4:03 - It's past Gardendale, Fultondale . . . coming up on Tarrant, Center Point, Trussville - most immediate areas. Definitely, if in the path of this rather long-track tornado, TAKE SHELTER. This is nothing to mess around with.

4:07 - Tornado crossing Center Point Parkway near Wal-Mart.

4:10 - This is one mean looking tornado signature on radar, and my spidey sense tells me it's likely that ABC 33/40's SkyCam at Center Point just got taken out by this storm. At least they have lost power from it. Next call to action is Trussville. But areas to the northeast also . . . take shelter - this is about to cross into St. Clair County.

Still getting damage reports - structural damage.

4:14 - Springville/Odenville . . . if you're not already in shelter, get there right now.

4:15 - Also Argo - it's pretty much there by now. Knocking on your door, you might say. Clay, Chalkville. Anywhere close. This is a life threatening situation.

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
348 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

ALC009-073-115-231030-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-120123T1030Z/
BLOUNT AL-JEFFERSON AL-ST. CLAIR AL-
348 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN ST. CLAIR...
NORTHEASTERN JEFFERSON AND SOUTHEASTERN BLOUNT COUNTIES UNTIL 430 AM
CST...

AT 345 AM CST...EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED DAMAGE WITH THIS
STORM. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR FORESTDALE...OR 6 MILES WEST
OF BIRMINGHAM...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BIRMINGHAM...FULTONDALE...GARDENDALE...IRONDALE...
PINSON-CLAY-CHALKVILLE...LEEDS...TRUSSVILLE...MOODY...SPRINGVILLE
AND ODENVILLE.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 260 THROUGH 272...
INTERSTATE 459 EXIT NUMBERS 27 THROUGH 33...
US 78 EXIT NUMBER 91...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 120 THROUGH 156...
INTERSTATE 59 EXIT NUMBERS 130 THROUGH 156...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.