I think this is a great summary of yesterday.
I'm guessing by the time that all damage surveys are completed that we had something approaching high risk verification (30% or higher within 25 miles) across central Alabama. However, most of the tornado activity occurred just on the edge or just outside of the 30% contour. Virtually the entire high risk area west of Alabama busted yesterday (literally wasn't a tornado report indicated in the high risk area of MS for example). The only part of the 45% contour that even saw tornado reports was the eastern tip surrounding Tuscaloosa.
Yesterday was a middling performance for a high risk today. Looking at this 2017 article that was published on the day of January 21st High Risk, when you look at how all high risk areas performed between 2010 and 2014 (last one issued until 1-21-2017), a little over half of those days saw at least one violent tornado. All but two saw at least several significant tornadoes too. We didn't have anything violent yesterday, but I'm guessing at least a handful of tornadoes may have reached strong intensity (EF2+). https://www.ustornadoes.com/2017/01/22/heres-last-15-high-risks-tornadoes/
Part of the reason why it feels like high risks have been busting lately is because we haven't had a high risk day since April 28, 2014 that's produced a significant number of tornadoes AND produced violent tornadoes. The SPC had a hell of run with their high risks from April 27, 2011 to April 28, 2014 partly because we saw some really high-end outbreaks. I think that may have distorted our expectations a bit as to what high risk days usually do.
That said, they have had a great deal of bad luck with the high risks that they have issued since that April 28, 2014 outbreak. Some have, I think, quite rightfully questioned their decisions on some days that probably shouldn't have gone high. 2017 had a number of busts in this regard (the April GA one being the most obvious). Few questioned the decision to go High on May 20, 2019, though, and I think few would blame them for issuing that forecast even in hindsight. One or two subtle things being off that day might have saved us from a historic outbreak. A similar thing occurred on January 21, 2017. It's easy to second guess decisions with the benefit of hindsight, but not all high risk days were considered mistakes at the time that they were issued. This dynamic played out the other way with the major outbreak we saw on April 12 last year (community seemed split on issuing a high risk, most thought they were right not to after only two discrete cells did anything, then the QLCS threat more than verified a high risk).
I also think this discussion tends to look past one key element too: that the SPC outlooks are probability based. When we talk about what FEELS like a high risk day (multiple discrete cells producing long-tracking, violent tornadoes) this is different than what the SPC's criteria are. It's crucial to remember this.
One last thing I would add is that days like yesterday are a good reminder that, for as much the science of meteorology has advanced, there is still much left that still need to learn. That's why I love the work that many of you do in this field as outside observer.