Alabama, 1983

Tornado and Damaging Winds in Alabama, May 3, 1983

May 3, 1983 · NWS AT · 10 events in 7 counties and zones

9 thunderstorm wind, 1 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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

9 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Walker

When
May 3, 6:55 AM CST
Where
Walker County
Coordinates
33.750, -87.050

Tornado, Cullman

When
May 3, 7:10 AM CST
Where
Cullman County
Rating
F1
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
34.270, -86.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When
May 3, 7:25 AM CST
Where
Jefferson County
Coordinates
33.570, -86.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Etowah

When
May 3, 8:10 AM CST
Where
Etowah County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
34.020, -86.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
May 3, 8:40 AM CST
Where
Washington County
Coordinates
31.430, -88.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Mobile

When
May 3, 9:05 AM CST
Where
Mobile County
Coordinates
30.750, -88.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Mobile

When
May 3, 9:05 AM CST
Where
Mobile County
Coordinates
30.700, -88.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Mobile

When
May 3, 9:20 AM CST
Where
Mobile County
Coordinates
30.750, -88.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Mobile

When
May 3, 9:35 AM CST
Where
Mobile County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
30.700, -88.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery

When
May 3, 9:38 AM CST
Where
Montgomery County
Coordinates
32.380, -86.300

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: 9976421, 9976422, 9977493, 9977494, 9977495, 9977496, 9977497, 9977498, 9977499, 9977500.