Alabama, 1983

Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Alabama, May 16, 1983

May 16, 1983 · NWS AT · 9 events in 7 counties and zones

7 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
1
Property damage
$253,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Elmore

When
May 16, 1:45 AM CST
Where
Elmore County
Coordinates
32.600, -86.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When
May 16, 2:00 AM CST
Where
Montgomery County
Coordinates
32.200, -86.200

Tornado, Macon

When
May 16, 2:30 AM CST
Where
Macon County
Rating
F1
Path length
6 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
32.450, -85.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Lee

When
May 16, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Lee County
Coordinates
32.650, -85.370

Tornado, Coffee

When
May 16, 3:10 AM CST
Where
Coffee County
Rating
F3
Path length
1.5 mi
Path width
150 yd
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
31.380, -85.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Russell

When
May 16, 3:45 AM CST
Where
Russell County
Coordinates
32.470, -85.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When
May 16, 4:00 AM CST
Where
Henry County
Coordinates
31.500, -85.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When
May 16, 4:30 AM CST
Where
Henry County
Coordinates
31.400, -85.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When
May 16, 5:00 AM CST
Where
Henry County
Coordinates
31.400, -85.130

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alabama in 1983Every state in 1983This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 1983

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 9977503, 9977504, 9977505, 9977506, 9977507, 9977508, 9977509, 9977510, 9977511.