By Alabama Public Radio
Huntsville, AL – A powerful tornado struck Huntsville 15 years ago Monday. It happened around 4:30 P-M on November 15th, 1989. The storm initially eluded weather service radar and caught the city by surprise. National Weather Service data indicate the tornado left an 18-and-a-half mile trail of destruction. The path averaged half a mile wide, reaching a mile in width in some areas. The storm was an F-4, one of the most powerful categories of tornados. The storm killed 21 people and injured 463. Hundreds of homes, businesses and automobiles were destroyed or damaged. Estimates ranged from 100 to 250 million dollars worth of losses.