Hail, Etowah
- When
- May 17, 8:48 PM CST
- Where
- Etowah County, Gadsden
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 34.017, -86.017
Penny size hail was observed across the northern part of Gadsden.
Hail in Alabama, May 17, 2003
1 hail, 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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 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 17, 1:45 PM CST, 7 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 17, 1:45 PM CST, 7 hours 3 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, AL 245 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003 SQUALL LINE THAT WAS PUSHING FROM MS INTO AL DURING THE DAY PRODUCED HEAVY RAIN IN WESTERN AL. PRIMARY THREAT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL BE INSTABILITY IN THE WARM SECTOR AHEAD OF THE GUST FRONT CAUSING LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES. A TORNADO WATCH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL 10PM. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. MIDDAY SOUNDING HAS H5 TEMPERATURE 2 DEGREES COOLER. SLOW MOVING CUT OFF UPPER LOW OVER EASTERN AR STILL FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTHWARD INTO MS AND EVENTUALLY SE LA AND INTO THE GULF BY MONDAY MORNING. FLOW AROUND THE LOW WILL CONTINUE TO BRING GULF MOISTURE INTO THE STATE. EVEN THROUGH THE LOW FILLS WITH TIME... STILL ENOUGH ASSOCIATED INSTABILITY TO PRODUCE ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY AFTERNOON ALTHOUGH HELICITY...CAPE... AND LI NOT AS IMPRESSIVE AS TODAY. SPC HAS SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOKED FOR THE AREA. WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WATCH FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING RAIN. BEYOND THE WEEKEND... MOISTURE AND AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE INTO NEXT WEEK. A FRONT MOVES INTO THE STATE AND STALLS OUT WED NIGHT INTO THU MORNING. MAY SEE SOME DRIER AIR BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK. PRELIMINARY NUMBERS FOR COORDINATION PURPOSES ONLY. BHM 070/083 068/085 066 45343 MGM 071/085 070/085 068 45333 .BHM...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT ALZ011>015-017>028-030>036 KEG 87
Hazardous weather outlook, May 17, 12:00 PM CST, 8 hours 48 minutes before
ALZ011>015-017>050-172000- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 100 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE (THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT)... THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SLOWLY MOVE EASTWARD TOWARD THE AREA. WITH WARM AND UNSTABLE AIR IN PLACE...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY HAZARDS FROM THE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE LIKELY ACROSS THE AREA...MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...WHICH MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN (SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY AS THE UPPER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED FOR THIS AFTERNOON...AND WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR TONIGHT.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 17, 6:51 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before
ALZ024-180145- THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 751 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003 .A THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY UNTIL 845 PM CDT... .FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS. AT 746 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM 21 MILES WEST OF WEST JEFFERSON TO 18 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NORTH JOHNS...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR NORTH JOHNS...SYLVAN SPRINGS...HUEYTOWN...BESSEMER...WEST JEFFERSON... PLEASANT GROVE...BRIGHTON AND MULGA THROUGH 845 PM CDT. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED JUST NORTHEAST OF THE BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT. IT WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 25 MH. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS...TAKE SHELTER NOW. IF LIGHTNING IS OBSERVED... WAIT AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST LIGHTNING STRIKE BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. LAT...LON 3348 8728 3324 8702 3355 8660 3381 8685
Local storm report, May 17, 7:24 PM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
824 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0809 PM PIEDMONT AL 1.75 IN HAIL
05/17/03 CALHOUN PUBLIC REPORT.
0812 PM PIEDMONT AL 0.88 IN HAIL
05/17/03 CALHOUN PUBLIC REPORT.Special weather statement, May 17, 7:31 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before
ALZ026-180200- THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 831 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003 .A THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR ST. CLAIR COUNTY UNTIL 900 PM CDT... .FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS. AT 827 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM MARGARET TO 11 MILES EAST OF ODENVILLE... MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR BRANCHVILLE...ODENVILLE...MARGARET AND SPRINGVILLE THROUGH 900 PM CDT. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS...TAKE SHELTER NOW. IF LIGHTNING IS OBSERVED... WAIT AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST LIGHTNING STRIKE BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. LAT...LON 3358 8650 3362 8621 3384 8614 3379 8652
Special weather statement, May 17, 7:47 PM CST, 1 hour 1 minute before
ALZ024-180230-
THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
847 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003
.A THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY
UNTIL 930 PM CDT...
.FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING
THUNDERSTORMS.
AT 842 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM 10 MILES SOUTH OF LIPSCOMB TO CARDIFF...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR
LIPSCOMB...FORESTDALE...CARDIFF...BROOKSIDE...FULTONDALE...TARRANT...
HOMEWOOD AND GARDENDALE THROUGH 930 PM CDT.
LAT...LON 3328 8698 3355 8690 3370 8702 3387 8684
3371 8657 3352 8657Special weather statement, May 17, 8:11 PM CST, 37 minutes before
ALZ018-019-180245-
THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
911 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003
.A THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR CALHOUN AND ETOWAH COUNTIES
UNTIL 945 PM CDT...
.FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING
THUNDERSTORMS.
AT 908 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM 5 MILES NORTH OF RIDGEVILLE TO 8 MILES
SOUTH OF SOUTHSIDE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR
SOUTHSIDE...RIDGEVILLE...RAINBOW CITY...ATTALLA...REECE CITY...
GADSDEN...WEAVER AND GLENCOE THROUGH 945 PM CDT.
THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING STRIKES. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE
STORMS...TAKE SHELTER NOW. IF LIGHTNING IS OBSERVED... WAIT AT LEAST
30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST LIGHTNING STRIKE BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR
ACTIVITIES.
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME
...PRODUCING LOCALIZED FLOODING OF STREETS AND DRAINAGE AREAS.
LAT...LON 3412 8624 3386 8606 3363 8596 3381 8565
3419 8594Special weather statement, May 17, 8:17 PM CST, 31 minutes before
ALZ017>021-023>045-047-180300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA 917 PM CDT SAT MAY 17 2003 THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 407... GREENE...HALE...JEFFERSON...SUMTER...TUSCALOOSA... THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES REMAIN IN TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 407 WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM... AUTAUGA...BIBB...BLOUNT...CALHOUN...CHAMBERS... CHEROKEE...CHILTON...CLAY...CLEBURNE...COOSA... DALLAS...ELMORE...ETOWAH...LEE...LOWNDES... MACON...MARENGO...MONTGOMERY...PERRY...RANDOLPH... SHELBY...ST CLAIR...TALLADEGA...TALLAPOOSA...
The radar
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:45 UTC.
Event by event
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Surf in American Samoa, May 17 to 26, 2003
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Alabama, May 17, 2003
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Georgia, May 17 to 18, 2003
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 17, 2003
- Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, May 17, 2003
- Tornadoes in Indiana, May 17, 2003
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 17, 2003
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, May 17, 2003
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Alabama, May 17, 2003
- Damaging Wind in Alabama, May 17, 2003
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 17, 2003
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 17, 2003
More
Every storm in Alabama in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, May 2003
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: 5360553.