Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 155, NWS Birmingham, AL

August 21, 2026Marengo County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 21, 2026, 7:04 PM CDT for Marengo County, Alabama. It was in force for 41 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
Aug 21, 2026, 7:04 PM CDT (00:04 UTC)
Expired
Aug 21, 2026, 7:45 PM CDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Marengo County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 140 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:04 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 nearest sounding before it

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 216 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Jackson, MS at 00:00Z on 2026-08-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 949 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Jackson, MS at 00:00Z on 2026-08-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 148 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
949 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-161 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1464 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
148 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
166 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
5.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Aug 21, 6:23 PM CDT, 41 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Issued at 622 PM CDT FRI AUG 21 2026
  • Heat: Minor HeatRisk will continue through the weekend. Heat indices are forecast to remain below 105 degrees.
  • Thunderstorms: Severe storms are expected through early evening across southern Central Alabama, with damaging winds and heavy rain remaining the main concerns.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 21, 6:23 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
623 PM CDT Fri Aug 21 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 622 PM CDT FRI AUG 21 2026

- Heat: Minor HeatRisk will continue through the weekend. Heat
  indices are forecast to remain below 105 degrees.

- Thunderstorms: Severe storms are expected through early evening
  across southern Central Alabama, with damaging winds and heavy
  rain remaining the main concerns.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
(This afternoon through Thursday)
Issued at 1251 PM CDT FRI AUG 21 2026

The KBMX radar reveals a few lingering showers from this
morning's convective activity. A quick look at water vapor
imagery reveals an upper trough situated across the Tennessee
Valley and an upper ridge building out to our west. At the
surface, a cold front can be analyzed drifting slowly across the
northern half of the state. This boundary will continue its
southward movement through the day. Meanwhile, a shortwave will
round the base of the trough, triggering another round of
convection, generally to the south of the front. SPC maintains a
Marginal Risk (Level 1 out of 5) for the southern half of the CWA
due to the threat of damaging wind gusts. Forecast soundings once
again suggest ample instability, dry mid-level air, and high
DCAPE which supports the threat of downbursts with today's
storms. Additionally, PWATs nearing 2" (per the 12Z KBMX sounding
and GOES TPW imagery) would lead to heavy rainfall and a
localized flash flooding threat.

Narrowing dew points, condensation pressure deficits falling to 2-
5mb and light winds in the wake of today's convection will help
promote patchy fog development around sunrise Saturday morning.
Fog will be most likely for those that receive rain this
afternoon and evening.

Upper-level ridging will attempt to build in over the weekend.
Increased subsidence and drier air will lower rain chances
through the weekend, though precipitation looks to return early
next week as a series of shortwaves rotates through with the
northwest flow aloft.

High temperatures will continue in the low to mid-90s over the
coming days. Persistent humidity will promote daily heat indices
in the 105-109 degree range today. The Heat Advisory remains in
effect through 02Z Saturday. Drier air arriving this weekend will
help keep heat indices in check, generally in the 95-100 range.

95/Castillo

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 622 PM CDT FRI AUG 21 2026

A batch of rain is currently moving right over EET, between TCL
and BHM. Look for the activity to remain possible through 02Z for
the north. MGM and AUO may see some additional activity after 00Z
through 03Z. MVFR cigs/vis and gusty winds will be likely with
any passing storms. Will continue with PROB30 mentions to account
for this activity. As winds become light overnight, there will be
a low (20-30%) chance for patchy MVFR fog around sunrise. Best
chances will be at terminals that receive rain this afternoon and
evening. Dry conditions are expected through much of the area on
Saturday.

Note: AMD NOT SKED for AUO due to a weather observation outage.

16

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

Drier air filtering into the area on Saturday will result in a
decrease in relative humidity (35 to 45%) for most locations.
However, wind speeds are expected to remain light, which should
negate any significant fire weather concerns during this period.
Moisture gradually begins to return early next week.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Gadsden     70  94  70  92 /  10   0  10  10
Anniston    70  92  69  91 /  10   0  10  10
Birmingham  72  93  72  92 /  10   0  10  10
Tuscaloosa  73  98  73  96 /  10   0  10  10
Calera      72  94  72  93 /  20   0  10  10
Auburn      72  91  72  90 /  40   0   0   0
Montgomery  73  96  73  96 /  30   0   0   0
Troy        72  95  71  95 /  40  10   0   0

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for the following
counties: Autauga-Barbour-Bibb-Bullock-Chilton-Dallas-Elmore-
Fayette-Greene-Hale-Jefferson-Lamar-Lowndes-Macon-Marengo-Marion-
Montgomery-Perry-Pickens-Pike-Russell-Shelby-St. Clair-Sumter-
Tuscaloosa-Walker.

&&

DISCUSSION...95/Castillo
AVIATION...16

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 21, 5:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 21, 6:04 PM CDT, 1 hour before
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Special weather statement, Aug 21, 6:13 PM CDT, 51 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 21, 6:19 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Aug 21, 6:44 PM CDT, 20 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 21, 7:06 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXChambers24 min
Aug 21, 7:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBibb35 min
Aug 21, 7:35 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXClay25 min
Aug 21, 7:41 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXClay34 min
Aug 21, 7:48 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBibb42 min
Aug 21, 8:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXTallapoosa35 min
Aug 21, 8:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMarengo24 min
Aug 21, 8:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTallapoosa43 min
Aug 21, 8:36 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXWilcox24 min
Aug 21, 8:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXChambers36 min
Aug 21, 9:00 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXShelby2 hr
Aug 21, 9:37 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXElmore38 min
Aug 21, 10:07 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMacon23 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

Sources

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