During the afternoon and evening of May 27, 1973, a violent and long-tracked tornado tracked across Central Alabama, where it produced catastrophic damage in the cities of Greensboro, Brent, Centreville, Montevallo, Columbiana, Wilsonville, and Childersburg.

[1][2] The tornado was on the ground for an exceptionally long time, crossing six counties along a track of 139.1 miles (223.9 km).

The National Weather Service (NWS) rated the tornado F4 on the Fujita scale, with winds estimated to be between 210 and 261 mph (338 and 420 km/h).

Tornado expert Thomas P. Grazulis documented that 90 percent of Brent was destroyed, with parts described by John Brasher as being "beyond recognition".

[2] As the tornado formed near Demopolis, Dale Black, a radar operator at the NWS office in Centreville, stated that if the storm "holds together it will pass right over us".