Flash Flood and Hail in Alabama, August 15, 2005

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in Alabama, August 15, 2005
Start: 2005-08-15T12:55
End: 2005-08-15T16:30
Location: Alabama

August 15, 2005 · NWS HUN · 8 events in 3 counties and zones

5 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 flash flood, 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: 0
Property damage: $250,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 15, 12:39 PM CST, 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 15, 12:39 PM CST, 16 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
139 PM CDT MON AUG 15 2005

.DISCUSSION...
DESPITE THE 5H RIDGE CENTER LOCATED NEARLY ON TOP OF THE LOCAL
AREA...CONVECTIVE COVERAGE IS CONSIDERABLY GREATER THAN
YESTERDAY. THIS IS LIKELY DUE TO THE HIGHER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN
PLACE WITH SFC DEW POINTS OF 70-75F. COVERAGE SHOULD BE HIGHEST
NEAR RESIDUAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IN MID TN. NEAR STORM ENVIRONMENT
IS YIELDING SBCAPES IN EXCESS OF 3500 J/KG OVERALL...WHICH WILL
LIKELY EXCEED 4000 J/KG WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. GOES WINDEX
VALUES ARE NOW EXCEEDING 60...WITH WMSI VALUES CORRESPONDING TO
50-65KT WET MICROBURST POTENTIAL. KHTX SHOWED A RECENT PROXIMITY
STORM WITH DIVERGENT BASE VELOCITY SIGNATURE AND MAX OF 35KT SO
FAR. I SUSPECT WITH FURTHER HEATING...ELEVATED CORES WILL
INTENSIFY THE LOCAL DAMAGING WIND THREAT. AS WITH THE LAST SEVERAL
DAYS...EXPECT STORMS TO DISSIPATE RAPIDLY TOWARD SUNSET.

PERSISTENCE TYPE FORECAST LOOKS LIKE BEST ROUTE TO GO THROUGHOUT
THE 7 DAY PERIOD...EVEN IN THE LONG TERM. LONG TERM MODEL
CONFIDENCE IS PRETTY SHAKY WITH NO RUN TO RUN CONTINUITY SINCE
YESTERDAY. FOR DAYS 1 TO 3...FORECAST CONCERN IS WHETHER OR NOT
THE SHORTWAVE WILL AID LIFT AND WIDER SPREAD RAINFALL ON
WEDNESDAY. I BELIEVE THE MODELS ARE DERIVING THIS WAVE FROM MCS
ACTIVITY IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS INTO THE MID SOUTH. THIS IS
PLAUSIBLE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT...BUT NOT ENOUGH TO HANG MY HAT ON
FOR INCREASING GOING CHANCE POP FORECAST. SO...HAVE LEFT THIS
ALONE FOR NOW. INDEED...IF AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IS GENERATED
TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WHICH TAKES RESIDENCE IN THE TN
VALLEY...POPS WILL INCREASE GIVEN THE CURRENT BUOYANT AIRMASS IN
PLACE.

ONLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE EXTENDED FORECAST WERE TO RAISE
HIGH TEMPS A BIT DAYS 5-7 GIVEN LOW CONFIDENCE IN COLD FRONT
ARRIVING THIS FAR S. IM TAKING A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH ON THIS
GIVEN THAT THE 5H RIDGE LOOKS TO REMAIN STRONG THROUGH THIS WEEK.

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
HUNTSVILLE	73 94 73 91 / 20 40 30 40
SHOALS		73 95 72 91 / 20 40 30 40
CULLMAN		73 93 72 91 / 20 40 30 40
FAYETTEVILLE	72 94 71 91 / 20 40 30 40
FORT PAYNE	70 91 71 88 / 20 40 30 40

&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...NONE.
TN...NONE.
&&

KULA

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 15, 10:42 AM CST, 2 hours 13 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1142 AM CDT MON AUG 15 2005

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-160200-
COLBERT-CULLMAN-DE KALB-FRANKLIN AL-FRANKLIN TN-JACKSON-LAUDERDALE-
LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-LINCOLN-MADISON-MARSHALL-MOORE-MORGAN-
1142 AM CDT MON AUG 15 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PARTS OF
SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...(TODAY AND TONIGHT)...

THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON.  A FEW OF
THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING MICROBURSTS...OR LOCALIZED
DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH.  THE STORMS WILL ALSO CONTAIN FREQUENT
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...AND SMALL HAIL.

AREAL COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN SMALL...SO
RELIEF FROM THE HEAT WILL BE LIMITED.  HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW
TO MID 90S ALONG WITH VERY HUMID CONDITIONS WILL YIELD HEAT INDICES
FROM 100 TO 108 DEGREES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY)...

THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

SCATTERED AFTERNOON AND EVENING THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH
THE PERIOD.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...
ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS
NOT EXPECTED THROUGH THE OUTLOOK PERIOD.

KULA

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 15, 12:43 PM CST, 12 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
143 PM CDT MON AUG 15 2005

ALZ003-151915-
FRANKLIN-
143 PM CDT MON AUG 15 2005

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY UNTIL 215 PM...

AT 140 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RUSSELLVILLE. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY
STATIONARY.

WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY
DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
  ISBELL.
  RUSSELLVILLE.
  PLEASANT RIDGE.

THE GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES...TREE
LIMBS...AND POWERLINES. SEEK SAFE SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.

10

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:54 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Franklin

When: August 15, 12:55 PM CST to 12:58 PM CST
Where: Franklin County, Russellville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.517, -87.733

A tree was blown down on to power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dekalb

When: August 15, 2:25 PM CST to 2:28 PM CST
Where: Dekalb County, 5 mi NW of Mentone
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.633, -85.667

A tree was blown down at Sequoyah Caverns.

Flash Flood, Madison

When: August 15, 3:19 PM CST to 4:30 PM CST
Where: Madison County, Huntsville
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.733, -86.617

Water up to three feet deep covered several roads in downtown Huntsville including the intersection of Oakwood and Washington Streets and the intersection of Pratt Avenue and Meridian Street.

Hail, Madison

When: August 15, 3:30 PM CST to 3:34 PM CST
Where: Madison County, 2 mi ENE of Huntsville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 34.750, -86.583

Nickel size hail was reported on U.S. Highway 72 on the east side of Chapman Mountain.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: August 15, 3:30 PM CST to 3:33 PM CST
Where: Madison County, 1 mi E of Huntsville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 34.733, -86.600

Several trees were blown down near the intersection of Maysville Road and U.S. Highway 72.

Hail, Madison

When: August 15, 3:33 PM CST to 3:37 PM CST
Where: Madison County, Huntsville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 34.733, -86.617

Quarter size hail was reported at the intersection of Sparkman Drive and North Memorial Parkway.

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When: August 15, 3:35 PM CST to 3:39 PM CST
Where: Madison County, 2 mi N of Huntsville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.767, -86.617

A few trees were blown down across Chase Road and Blue Springs Road near the Alabama A&M Campus.

Thunderstorm Wind, Dekalb

When: August 15, 3:50 PM CST to 3:55 PM CST
Where: Dekalb County, Ft Payne
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $250,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 34.433, -85.733

A microburst resulted in significant damage to the Ft Payne High School football stadium. Roofs were removed from several out buildings. The stadium bleachers were flipped over several times and destroyed. Also, several trees were blown down.

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.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
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

Every storm in Alabama in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Alabama, August 2005

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: 5469760, 5469761, 5469762, 5469763, 5469764, 5469765, 5469766, 5469767.