Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 63, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 6, 2026Greene County, Hale County, Sumter County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 6, 2026, 6:03 PM CDT for Greene County, Hale County, Sumter County, Alabama. It was in force for 72 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 6, 2026, 6:03 PM CDT (23:03 UTC)
Expired: May 6, 2026, 7:15 PM CDT
In force: 72 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Possible
Damage threat: Destructive
Hail: 2.75 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

Counties Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Sumter County, AL

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 6, 2:39 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 118 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 709 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 217 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 254 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

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 May 6, 1:04 PM CDT, 4 hours 59 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Issued at 102 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2026
An enhanced risk (levels 3 out of 5) for severe thunderstorms is in effect for Wednesday into early Thursday. Threats include isolated, brief tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, and large hail.
There is a Moderate Risk (level 3 of 4) of flash flooding with the thunderstorm activity Wednesday evening through Thursday morning, especially in urban or poor drainage areas.

Area forecast discussion, May 6, 1:04 PM CDT, 4 hours 59 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
104 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026

...New DISCUSSION, AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 102 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2026

- An enhanced risk (levels 3 out of 5) for severe thunderstorms is
  in effect for Wednesday into early Thursday. Threats include
  isolated, brief tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, and large hail.

- There is a Moderate Risk (level 3 of 4) of flash flooding with
  the thunderstorm activity Wednesday evening through Thursday
  morning, especially in urban or poor drainage areas.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
(This afternoon through Tuesday)
Issued at 102 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2026

A cold front will continue to move into the area through the rest
of the night into Thursday morning. Timing is generally around
1 pm in the far northwest, with a slow progression of the line of
storms towards the south and southeast. CAMs have been coming
into better agreement with timing, and show isolated storms
moving ahead of the main line. Instability is between 1500-
2500 J/kg with these initial storms, and 0-1 km shear is mild,
though 0-6 km shear is enough to support strong storms.  These
isolated storms could easily rotate and produce damaging winds
and a tornado, though the threat may be slightly lower than the
storms through the late afternoon and early evening.

With strong southerly flow, PW values will be around 2 inches or
higher today through the morning. This is much greater than max
for this time of year climatologically, and with the steering
flow parallel to the boundary, storms are likely to train over
the same areas, producing high rain rates and high rainfall
accumulations. The highest totals look to be in the southeast
where the greatest concentration of training storms is expected.
Values of 4-5 inches are expected, with locally higher amounts in
any stronger storms. Any storm will likely produce rain rates
enough to reduce visibilities so driving could become hazardous.
Flooding is a concern through the night, especially in those
training storms.

As the line moves south and east, individual storms are expected
to move along that line. Low LCLs, enough instability, and an
increase in 0-1 km shear to 40-50 kts will support an increased tornado
threat. Mid level winds increase from a strong mid level jet,
which causes that increase in low level shear, and will also
support stronger updraft and longer lived storms. CAMs have that
line moving into the I85 area after midnight, with a concentration
of weather in the southeast through the early morning.
Instability is slightly weaker in the southeast, values topping
around 1000-1500 j/kg, but shear will remain strong, with
damaging winds and an isolated tornado threat continuing.

Thursday morning, the front will continue to the south and east,
and should push all activity south of the area by sunrise.
Northerly flow will settle over the area, bringing drier and
slightly cooler air, as high pressure continues to build over the
southeast. By Friday evening, a shortwave approaches from the
south and west, bringing the next chance for rain through the
night Friday into Saturday. A low pressure system will move
across the Ohio Valley through the latter half of the weekend,
with a frontal boundary bringing widespread activity through
Sunday. Instability will be higher on Sunday, and shear will be
moderate, allowing for strong atoms to develop, though potential
for any severe storms remains low at this time.

The front will push south and east through night, with rain
decreasing through Monday morning, and northwest flow bringing
drier air to the state through the beginning of the work week.

24

&&

.AVIATION...
(18Z TAFS)
Issued at 102 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2026

Isolated thunderstorms will move into areas north of I85 through
the afternoon and early evening, ahead of a main line of storms.
Any storm moving over a TAF site will produce high rain rates to
drop visibilities to IFR or LIFR, and enough low level moisture
will be available for IFR ceilings overnight. Thunderstorms
should move south with rain lingering over each TAF site through
the early morning, before northerly flow brings dry air and a
decrease in rain through mid morning Thursday.

AMD NOT SKED will continue for TCL due to intermittent
observations.

24

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...

Scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms will bring
plenty of rain through the state tonight and Thursday morning. In
total, some locations are likely to see 2-4 inches of rain during
this timeframe, with 4-5 inches possible in the southeast.  After
a brief break in rain Thursday afternoon through Friday
afternoon, rain returns through the weekend. Given the higher
MinRH values and upcoming rain, fire weather concerns remain
little to none at this time.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Gadsden     56  72  45  73 / 100  20   0   0
Anniston    60  72  48  73 / 100  40   0   0
Birmingham  60  72  51  74 / 100  20   0   0
Tuscaloosa  60  75  51  75 / 100  10   0   0
Calera      61  75  51  75 / 100  30   0   0
Auburn      66  77  55  73 / 100  80   0  10
Montgomery  66  77  54  74 /  90  70   0  20
Troy        67  78  56  74 /  80  80  10  20

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Flood Watch through Thursday morning for the following counties:
Autauga-Barbour-Bibb-Blount-Bullock-Calhoun-Chambers-Cherokee-
Chilton-Clay-Cleburne-Coosa-Dallas-Elmore-Etowah-Greene-Hale-
Jefferson-Lee-Lowndes-Macon-Marengo-Montgomery-Perry-Pickens-
Pike-Randolph-Russell-Shelby-St. Clair-Sumter-Talladega-
Tallapoosa-Tuscaloosa.

&&

DISCUSSION...24
AVIATION...24

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 6, 5:36 PM CDT, 27 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
536 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0533 PM     Hail             Pike Road               32.28N 86.10W
05/06/2026  M1.00 Inch       Montgomery         AL   Public

            Location approximate.

&&

JH

Local storm report, May 6, 5:43 PM CDT, 20 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
543 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0230 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 NW Old Spring Hill    32.46N 87.81W
05/06/2026                   Marengo            AL   Broadcast Media

            Trees down across highway 69 south of
            Gallion.

0238 PM     Hail             2 WNW Faunsdale         32.47N 87.63W
05/06/2026  E0.70 Inch       Marengo            AL   Public

            Report of dime size hail near mile marker 47
            on us highway 80.

0504 PM     Flash Flood      2 S Huntingdon College  32.32N 86.28W
05/06/2026                   Montgomery         AL   Public

            Street flooding reported by the public.
            Location approximate.

0507 PM     Hail             2 E Auburn Univ Montgom 32.37N 86.14W
05/06/2026  E0.50 Inch       Montgomery         AL   Public

            Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.).

0509 PM     Hail             1 E Mitylene            32.38N 86.16W
05/06/2026  E0.75 Inch       Montgomery         AL   Public

            Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).

0516 PM     Hail             1 E Mount Meigs         32.36N 86.08W
05/06/2026  M0.75 Inch       Montgomery         AL   Public

            Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).

0533 PM     Hail             Pike Road               32.28N 86.10W
05/06/2026  M1.00 Inch       Montgomery         AL   Public

            Location approximate.

&&

Local storm report, May 6, 5:54 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
554 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0518 PM     Hail             1 WNW Waugh             32.37N 86.05W
05/06/2026  M2.75 Inch       Montgomery         AL   Trained Spotter

            Baseball sized hail reported along
            Interstate 85 at Exit 10 reported by trained
            spotter. Time approximate.

&&

JH

Local storm report, May 6, 5:57 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
557 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0459 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 SSW Gunter AFB        32.39N 86.26W
05/06/2026                   Montgomery         AL   Emergency Mngr

            Tree down along West Wareingwood Drive in
            Montgomery. Time approximate.

&&

JH

Local storm report, May 6, 5:59 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
559 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0453 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 SW Maxwell AFB        32.37N 86.38W
05/06/2026                   Montgomery         AL   Public

            Tree reported down across 180 West Blvd west
            of Montgomery. Time approxmiate.

&&

JH

Local storm report, May 6, 6:02 PM CDT, 1 minute before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
602 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0545 PM     Hail             1 N Fort Davis          32.26N 85.71W
05/06/2026  M1.00 Inch       Macon              AL   Broadcast Media

            Hail of at least quarter sized observed by
            broadcast meteorologist just north of CR 2
            in Macon County.

&&

JH

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 6, 4:52 AM CDT	Flood Watch	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 28 more	26 hr
May 6, 1:44 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Sumter	46 min
May 6, 1:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo, Sumter	49 min
May 6, 2:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Hale, Perry	33 min
May 6, 3:01 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Dallas	44 min
May 6, 3:35 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Autauga, Dallas	40 min
May 6, 3:45 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Winston	30 min
May 6, 4:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	58 min
May 6, 4:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Lowndes, Montgomery	62 min
May 6, 4:23 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Winston	37 min
May 6, 4:42 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Cleburne	33 min
May 6, 4:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Elmore, Macon, Montgomery	47 min
May 6, 5:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bullock, Macon, Montgomery	30 min
May 6, 5:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threat	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Macon, Russell	61 min
May 6, 6:08 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery	3 hr
May 6, 6:49 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Montgomery	41 min
May 6, 6:53 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Autauga	52 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2026 Every 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.