Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 135, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 17, 2025Lamar County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 17, 2025, 2:37 AM CDT for Lamar County, Alabama. It was in force for 38 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: May 17, 2025, 2:37 AM CDT (07:37 UTC)
Expired: May 17, 2025, 3:15 AM CDT
In force: 38 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 1.0 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County Lamar County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 25 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:39 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 17, 2:17 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 17, 1:43 AM CDT, 54 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 17, 1:43 AM CDT, 54 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, May 16, 3:31 PM CDT, 11 hours 6 minutes before

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In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 17, 2:27 AM CDT, 10 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
227 AM CDT Sat May 17 2025

ALZ011>015-170845-
Fayette AL-Walker AL-Winston AL-Marion AL-Lamar AL-
227 AM CDT Sat May 17 2025

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT WESTERN WALKER...MARION...
WINSTON...FAYETTE AND LAMAR COUNTIES THROUGH 345 AM CDT...

At 226 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Fairview to 6 miles southeast of
Smithville to near Aberdeen. Movement was east at 55 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Cody, Henson Springs, Camp McDowell, Wayside, Clear Creek, Lynn,
Ashbank, Rankin Fite Airport, Fayette, Pebble, Bull Branch, Coon
Creek, Pine Springs, Marion County Public Lake, Hightogy, Piney
Grove, Natural Bridge, Black Pond, Weiss, and Bazemore.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 AM CDT for
central, northwestern and west central Alabama.

&&

LAT...LON 3432 8817 3430 8711 3399 8711 3399 8715
      3395 8711 3361 8739 3361 8763 3352 8768
      3354 8828
TIME...MOT...LOC 0726Z 271DEG 50KT 3435 8824 3403 8830 3383 8860

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

12/Robinson

The office that day

Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 17, 2:27 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston	78 min
May 17, 3:43 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Pickens, Walker, Winston	62 min
May 17, 4:00 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Fayette, Greene, Jefferson, Lamar, Pickens and 3 more	60 min
May 17, 4:27 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Blount, Etowah, St. Clair	48 min
May 17, 4:59 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby	46 min
May 17, 5:05 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	40 min
May 17, 5:21 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Tuscaloosa	54 min
May 17, 5:34 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Calhoun, Talladega	26 min
May 17, 5:55 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Bibb	35 min
May 17, 6:04 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Clay, Cleburne, Randolph	56 min
May 17, 6:16 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene	29 min
May 17, 6:29 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Chilton, Shelby	46 min
May 17, 6:51 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa	24 min
May 17, 5:01 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas	44 min
May 17, 6:15 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas	45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2025 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2025

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.