April 8, 1998 Birmingham F5 Tornado

Stephen Quinn looks back at the F5 tornado that tore through the western suburbs of Birmingham on April 8, 1998, killing 32 people. It changed weather coverage in this market forever.

[@BamaDega]

I remember before church being so excited, because my father finally let me take their new (Jeep Grand Cherokee) out ever. 25 years later, the feeling of that tornado scares me. Thanks for staying on the air while we had power. Prayers for all lost during that F5.

[@user-rn2ph8lk6f]

I won’t forget this ever I was a senior in high school and working and lived close to Birmingham at the time that was really sad my heart broke that night

[@darktoadone5068]

I went through a EF-5 in Greensburg Kansas, it destroyed my life and I had to start all over and was homeless for months and finally got lucky and moved thanks to a church that helped me and I now live in SC, I will never go back to Kansas, to many bad memories.

[@BigDiesel1989]

Spann is the OG of meteorology.

[@willwipf3043]

yes he is, him and reed timmer

[@douglascooper1987]

Thank You Mr. Spann and your coworkers for all you do.🙏👍🙏👍

[@donaldthomason4588]

James Spann is a hero every time a tornado touches down.

[@jessiefrye3045]

I just got married, and my hubby took our 1977 Electra 225, and pulled cars and people out of the streets, that were made into rivers. When the Buick got water logged he took our 1975 Ford Grenada and pulled people out.
He worked all night helping.
God bless everyone.

[@MetallicAAlabamA]

I went and looked at the SPC's Moderate/High risk days for Alabama since April 1982. Alabama has been under these 2 defined risk areas 42 times since 1982 (Technology from 1982-2023 had greatly increased over time, especially with the inception of Nexrad.) Alabama has been under the majority of Moderate/High risk days whenever the SPC has announced those areas of concern, which has been 29 times, 26 times parts of north and northwest Alabama has been under these days. That imo is pretty telling when it comes to where the most severe weather has occurred in the US. And that's not including tropical storm 🌪's, which usually isn't a high risk situation for tornadoes. Just thought that was interesting.

[@SlyRecord]

6 years before I was even born..... wow

[@DeAngeloStevens]

Linda Mays, Dave Baird, Pam Huff, Keisa Sharpe, Brenda Ladun, Josh Thomas, Tiffany Taylor, Ike Piggott, Kevyn Stewart, Dyan Patterson, Casey Jones, Dawnn Holmes were there in 1998.

[@Sommerdal68]

I remember that. I was living in Louisiana at the time, but my parents were in East Lake. My dad said the twister went right over the top of their house.

[@danabnormal5988]

I lived about 5 miles away from Edgewater at that time. Terrifying.

[@Hopeful_Libertarian]

I remember the tornado as a weather dweeb & nerd and as it being the night before mom's 50th birthday. Sunday she would've been 75 & only 2nd time in her life on Easter. Sadly she passed away last September.

[@tonydouglas334]

Crazy

[@davidparnell1903]

Hi

[@unofficialjuicewrldunrelea2580]

ballin