Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 66, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 6, 2026, 8:11 PM CDT for 5 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 23 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, 8:11 PM CDT (01:11 UTC)
- Expired
- May 6, 2026, 8:34 PM CDT
- In force
- 23 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 1.0 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Marengo County, AL, Perry 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 00:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 112 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 690 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -23 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 710 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 73 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 159 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 213 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.0
- Supercell composite
- 6.7
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, 6:47 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Issued at 645 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2026
- An enhanced risk (levels 3 out of 5) for severe thunderstorms is in effect through 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 through Thursday morning, especially in urban or poor drainage areas.
Area forecast discussion, May 6, 6:47 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 647 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 645 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2026 - An enhanced risk (levels 3 out of 5) for severe thunderstorms is in effect through 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 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... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 645 PM CDT WED MAY 6 2026 Scattered to numerous storms will continue across the area through Midnight. The activity remains strong to severe across the south (MGM and AUO). Storms in the north, associated with the main frontal zone, remain on the weaker side with pockets of heavy rain and a few strikes. Confidence remains high that MGM and AUO will see the biggest impacts through the first 6 to 9 hours. Rain and MVFR to IFR clouds will build in behind the storms 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. 16 && .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 57 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 67 77 55 73 / 100 80 0 10 Montgomery 67 77 54 74 / 100 70 0 20 Troy 68 78 56 74 / 80 90 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...16
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 6, 7:53 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, May 6, 8:02 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, May 6, 8:07 PM CDT, 4 minutes before
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</html>Special weather statement, May 6, 8:07 PM CDT, 4 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
807 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026
ALZ033-040-041-070145-
Autauga AL-Dallas AL-Perry AL-
807 PM CDT Wed May 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN AUTAUGA...CENTRAL
PERRY AND CENTRAL DALLAS COUNTIES THROUGH 845 PM CDT...
At 807 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Vaiden, or 8 miles south of Marion, moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch 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...
Selma, Valley Grande, Marion, Selmont-West Selmont, Bogue Chitto,
Vaiden, Gardner Island, Tyler, Old Cahaba Park, Dallas County Horse
Arena, Paul M Grist State Park, Memorial Stadium, Burnsville, Marion
Junction, Potter Station, Radford, Hazen, Craig Field Aiport, Valley
Creek Junction, and Selma Drag Strip.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT for central and
south central Alabama.
&&
LAT...LON 3239 8743 3263 8737 3263 8680 3226 8687
TIME...MOT...LOC 0107Z 275DEG 32KT 3251 8729
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
44Local storm report, May 6, 8:09 PM CDT, 2 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
809 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.
0451 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Montgomery 32.37N 86.30W
05/06/2026 Montgomery AL Emergency Mngr
Montgomery County EMA reports 3303 power
outages, 7 trees down, 4 power lines down
and 5 traffic lights out. Time and location
approximate.
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.
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.
0502 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Dannelly Field 32.30N 86.39W
05/06/2026 M58 MPH Montgomery AL Official NWS Obs
MGM 062202Z 35014G50KT 1/2SM +TSRA FG BKN018
BKN034 OVC044 22/21 A2991 RMK AO2 PK WND
33050/2155 WSHFT 2146 LTG DSNT N-SE P0059
T02170211.
0503 PM Hail 1 SE Auburn Univ Montgo 32.36N 86.17W
05/06/2026 E2.50 Inch Montgomery AL Emergency Mngr
Report of tennis ball size hail reported
along Taylor Road near Eastchase Mall. Time
approximate.
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.
0504 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 S Pinedale 32.26N 86.23W
05/06/2026 Montgomery AL Storm Chaser
Report of trees down along Snowdoun Chambers
Road southeast of Montgomery. Time and
location approximate.
0505 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 SSE Brachias 32.26N 86.17W
05/06/2026 Montgomery AL Utility Company
Report and photo of trees down, some
impacting power lines near Trotman Road west
of Pike Road.
0507 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 WSW Pike Road 32.28N 86.13W
05/06/2026 Montgomery AL Public
Public reported a portion of a tree fell on
a car near Pike Road close to U.S. 231. Time
and 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.).
0512 PM Hail 1 SSE Mount Meigs 32.35N 86.09W
05/06/2026 E1.00 Inch Montgomery AL Public
Quarter sized hail reported by the public at
Mellow Mushroom. Time approximate.
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.).
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.
0533 PM Hail Pike Road 32.28N 86.10W
05/06/2026 M1.00 Inch Montgomery AL Public
Location approximate.
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.
0545 PM Hail Fort Davis 32.24N 85.71W
05/06/2026 M1.00 Inch Macon AL Public
Quarter sized hail reported by the public in
Fort Davis around 5:45 pm. Time and location
approximate.
0710 PM Hail 2 SSW Forkland 32.63N 87.88W
05/06/2026 E1.50 Inch Greene AL Public
Report of Ping Pong Ball sized hail at
Forkland Campground.
0711 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 WNW Forkland 32.65N 87.88W
05/06/2026 Greene AL Broadcast Media
Broadcast media relayed viewer report of at
least golf ball hail covering the ground,
backyard garden destroyed.
0711 PM Hail 1 W Forkland 32.65N 87.88W
05/06/2026 E1.50 Inch Greene AL Public
Public submitted photo of ping pong ball
sized hail in Forkland.
0713 PM Hail 3 S Birdine 32.57N 87.84W
05/06/2026 E2.75 Inch Greene AL Public
Photo submitted by the public of baseball
sized hail along U.S. Highway 43 in Greene
County. Time and location approximate.
0728 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 NE Arcola 32.58N 87.74W
05/06/2026 Hale AL Public
Report of trees down with large hail in the
Lock Five community. Time and location
approximate.
0733 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 2 W Cedarville 32.61N 87.69W
05/06/2026 Hale AL Emergency Mngr
Hale County EMA reports many without power
in Southern Hale County, many trees down and
some power poles snapped. Hail up to golf
ball size reported west of Newbern.
&&The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 6, 7:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Sumter | 64 min |
| May 6, 7:23 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Macon | 52 min |
| May 6, 7:42 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Sumter | 48 min |
| May 6, 7:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Dallas | 26 min |
| May 6, 8:04 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Macon, Russell | 41 min |
| May 6, 8:07 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Dallas | 38 min |
| May 6, 8:23 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Clay | 37 min |
| May 6, 8:39 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Russell | 36 min |
| May 6, 8:43 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Dallas, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Sumter | 3 hr |
| May 6, 9:09 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Autauga, Bullock, Elmore, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery and 1 more | 3 hr |
| May 6, 9:57 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Autauga | 48 min |
| May 6, 11:21 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Pike | 39 min |
| May 6, 11:30 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Autauga, Chambers, Chilton, Dallas, Elmore, Lee and 4 more | 4 hr |
| May 7, 2:24 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Marengo | 36 min |
| May 7, 2:34 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Hale, Marengo | 26 min |
| May 7, 2:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Dallas, Perry | 35 min |
| May 7, 3:28 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Chilton | 47 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.