In the evening hours of April 27, 2011, a large and violent EF4 tornado devastated the northern portion of Ohatchee and the beachside homes on the Coosa River and many other communities in Eastern Alabama.

On April 23, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) began monitoring the potential for a substantial severe weather outbreak in the extended range.

[1] As a shortwave trough tracked across portions of the Mid-South and southeastern United States, moderate instability and strong wind shear ahead of a trailing cold front was expected to promote the development of supercell thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds.

Throughout the afternoon hours, in the wake of two earlier mesoscale convective systems, the air mass across western and northern portions of Alabama began to quickly destabilize, with mixed layer convective available potential energy (CAPE) estimated in the 2500–4000 j/kg range and low-level dew points of 70–72 °F (21–22 °C) surging northward from Louisiana.

[11][12] The tornado crossed into western St. Clair County and intensified slightly as it passed immediately north of Odenville, producing EF1-level damage.

[11] [9] At 7:05 p.m. CDT, the National Weather Service office in Birmingham issued a tornado emergency for northern St. Clair, northwestern Calhoun and southern Etowah counties.

In Calhoun County, the Shoal Creek Valley-Ohatchee tornado caused $126 million in damages, killed nine people and injured 25 others.

In Floyd County, the tornado downed trees and power lines and caused light to moderate damage to homes.

Finally, the tornado entered Bartow County, where it weakened further to EF1 strength, destroyed two chicken houses and brought down multiple trees and power lines.

The agency also provided ten of thousands of bags of ice, cases of water bottles, meal kits, and boxes of tarpaulins.