Alabama, 2001

Damaging Winds in Alabama, May 27, 2001

May 27, 2001 · NWS BMX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Thunderstorm wind produced a path of scattered damage about 6 miles long primarily in the form of downed trees. The damage path extended from just southwest of Calcis in northeastern Shelby County to a point slightly more than a mile into St.

Where it happened

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$11,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS BMX wrote it up.

Thunderstorm wind produced a path of scattered damage about 6 miles long primarily in the form of downed trees. The damage path extended from just southwest of Calcis in northeastern Shelby County to a point slightly more than a mile into St. Clair County. The path of damage crossed the Shelby/St. Clair county line at US 231. Damage to structures was minimal.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at May 27, 8:01 PM CST, 2 hours 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 27, 8:01 PM CST, 2 hours 18 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, AL
901 PM CDT SUN MAY 27 2001

BEEN CHASING THUNDERSTORMS AS SCATTERED STORMS CONTINUE TO FLARE
ACROSS THE CWA THIS EVENING.  WHILE THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
SEEMS TO HAVE DIMINISHED, THE SPC HAS KEPT MUCH OF OUR CWA WITHIN
THE SLIGHT RISK SO WILL CONTINUE THE POSSIBLY SEVERE WORDING.  WILL
CUT BACK ON THAT WORDING IN SOUTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL SECTIONS.
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN FIRING UUP QUICKLY PRODUCING SOME SMALL
HAIL AND LIGHTNING.

LARGE COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOPED SOUTH OF MEMPHIS ALONG
MS RIVER HAS PUSHED AN AREA OF RAIN THAT HAS ENTERED WEST CENTRAL
ALABAMA.  DEWPOINT DISCONTINUITY WAS LYING FROM THE MEMPHIS AREA
SOUTHEASTWARD TO APPROXIMATELY ANNISTON.  THIS BOUNDARY WAS
GRADUALLY SHIFTING NORTHEASTWARD WITH MOST OF THE SHOWERS ALONG THE
BOUNDARY AND BEHIND IT.

WILL MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO FORECAST WITH UPDATE SHORTLY.
TEMPERATURES LOOKS REASONABLE.

-57-

.BHM...NONE.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 27, 8:40 PM CST, 1 hour 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
940 PM CDT SUN MAY 27 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0906 PM    ANNISTON                  AL   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   CALHOUN                        CALHOUN CTY 911 REPORTED
                                          SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN
                                          DIME SIZE HAIL IN ANB

0915 PM    5E ANNISTON               AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/27/01   CALHOUN                        SPOTTER REPORTED GOLF
                                          BALL SIZE HAIL WITH
                                          SMALLER HQAIL FROM 909 PM
                                          TO 915 PM EAST SIDE ANB

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 40 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When
May 27, 10:19 PM CST
Where
Shelby County, 3 mi NW of Vincent
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$8,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
33.417, -86.450

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Clair

When
May 27, 10:27 PM CST
Where
St. Clair County, 9 mi SW of Cropwell
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$3,000
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
33.450, -86.383

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alabama in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, May 2001

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: 5245751, 5245752.