In the late evening hours of January 25, 2021, a large and intense tornado hit the cities of Fultondale and Center Point, both located north of Birmingham, Alabama. The tornado, which was on the ground for 10 miles (16 km), inflicted extensive damage to homes and businesses, reaching a maximum intensity of EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. The tornado damaged 265 homes and killed one person who was sheltering in a basement. Fultondale was previously hit by an EF4 tornado on April 27, 2011; the 2021 tornado tracked just north of the 2011 tornado.

The tornado touched down at 11:40 pm CDT, producing EF0-rated damage to homes and trees while slowly picking up in intensity. The tornado damaged a Hampton Inn & Suites on Fulton Road as it rapidly intensified, inflicting EF2 damage to power poles and homes. Another motel was hit by the tornado as it reached EF3 intensity for the first time over Lykes Boulevard. The tornado, at this point maintaining wind speeds estimated to have been as high as 150 miles per hour (240 km/h), began to shatter storefront windows and deroof homes. The tornado reached its peak intensity on Oak Street and New Castle Road, impacting a row of homes at EF3 intensity and shifting at least one home off its foundation. One person, a 14-year-old, was killed while sheltering inside of a basement. The tornado continued to inflict heavy damage to structures before lifting near Country View Court at 11:55 pm, shortly before midnight.