Tracey's Tornado Tale: Alabama's Deadliest Day

0:00It's April 27. This is Birmingham News Today, AI-powered stories from your city. 15 years after April 27, 2011, former WVTM, 13 chief meteorologist Jerry Tracy still vividly recalls Alabama's deadliest tornado outbreak. That day, massive storms unleashed multiple twisters across the state, leveling towns like Hackelberg and Tuscaloosa, claiming hundreds of lives and reshaping communities forever. After that morning, sirens blared as an EF-2 tornado barreled toward Kahaba Heights. Tracy rushed to the studio, dodging the storm on his drive, sensing it would be a grueling shift ahead with his team. As afternoon storms ramped up, the destruction hit hard. Pratt City and Tuscaloosa got hammered, debris flying even near the station. Tracy and Cruz stayed on air wall-to-wall, pushing updates through the chaos till around 2.30 the next morning. The toll ran deep, shifting Tracy's view on life and his role in crises. He calls it the most impactful storm of his career, a reminder of how many good folks suffered

1:04and the real blessing of aiding them in their darkest hour. Even now, that day weighs heavy, fueling his gratitude for weather teams that warned first and helped communities rebuild stronger.