<p>I was considering applying to UA, but then I read that there was a huge tornado in April from which the town and the school are still recovering. Is this true? How bad is/was the damage? Is this typical?</p>
<p>Yes, there was a major tornado that went through Tuscaloosa. The campus was not directly hit. Tornados are not atypical, but one of that magnitude is not common. The way my D is viewing it - since there was a big tornado last April, there’s not going to be another one like that for quite some time.</p>
<p>I’ve talked to some of the students that were there, and they said it came within 4 blocks of campus but didn’t hit it, and that there is still visible damage throughout Tuscaloosa. I don’t think a tornado that powerful is common at all.</p>
<p>Thank you both. I’m from Maryland, so as soon as I heard that there was a tornado I started freaking out.</p>
<p>grammargirl…the south does get tornados…they are somewhat seasonal… thankfully there are weather alert systems in place…warnings, watches issued immediately. unlike earthquakes where there is no notice… have lived here 27 years and thankfully no damage experienced here but you cant take the warnings etc casually… UA has procedures in place…follow them…BUT i would not use tornadoes to exclude UA from your list.</p>
<p>I have always been afraid of tornadoes, and do worry about my D going to UA for this reason.</p>
<p>There hasn’t been a major tornado like that for over 40 years. It was a “once in a generation” event.</p>
<p>Virtually everywhere you could go to school there could be some kind of weather-related situation…ice/snow storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc.</p>