level ▁jet ▁of ▁ 5 0 – 7 0   kn , ▁and ▁effective ▁storm - relative ▁hel icity ▁of ▁ 2 5 0 – 4 0 0   J / kg ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁highly ▁un stable ▁atmosphere ▁that ▁was ▁condu ci ve ▁to ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁strong ▁torn ado es . ▁The ▁lack ▁of ▁strong ▁con ve ct ive ▁in hib ition , ▁couple d ▁with ▁weak ▁forcing , ▁fav ored ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁numerous ▁discrete ▁super cell ▁th under st orm s ▁across ▁the ▁Florida ▁Pan handle , ▁sout he astern ▁Alabama , ▁much ▁of ▁central ▁Georgia , ▁and ▁into ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁Through out ▁the ▁afternoon , ▁numerous ▁super cell ▁th under st orm s ▁that ▁formed ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁squ all ▁line ▁produced ▁several ▁significant ▁and ▁dam aging ▁torn ado es , ▁including ▁the ▁violent ▁EF 4 ▁that ▁struck ▁Be a ure g ard , ▁Alabama . ▁As ▁the ▁squ all ▁line ▁moved ▁east ward , ▁embedded ▁circul ations ▁and ▁semi - dis crete ▁structures ▁within ▁the ▁line ▁produced ▁additional ▁strong ▁torn ado es ▁before ▁torn adic ▁activity ▁w an ed ▁with ▁east ward ▁pro gression ▁over night . ▁ ▁Cas ual ties ▁▁ ▁Tw enty - three ▁death s ▁occurred ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁single ▁torn ado ▁that ▁moved ▁through ▁Lee ▁County , ▁Alabama . ▁A ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁death s ▁occurred ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁the ▁small ▁Alabama ▁town ▁of ▁Be a ure g ard . ▁Four ▁of ▁the ▁dead ▁were ▁children . ▁Ten ▁of ▁the