1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
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 20, 1:58 PM CST, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 258 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 .SHORT TERM...(THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY)... NEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS BEING ISSUED...WHICH WILL INCLUDE MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ALABAMA. IMPRESSIVE LIGHTNING RATES WITH THE STORMS ACROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA...RATES HAVE EXCEEDED 15 CLOUD-TO-GROUND STRIKES PER MINUTE AT TIMES. SEVERE REPORTS HAVE BEEN TRICKLING IN...MOSTLY TREES DOWN...AND MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL. ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY IS THE RESULT OF SURFACE INSTABILITY AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. TRACK OF THE UPPER LOW IS SLIGHTLY FARTHER EAST THAN MODELS WERE SUGGESTING AT THIS TIME YESTERDAY...BUT ALL IN ALL GUIDANCE FOR THIS EVENT HAS BEEN ON TRACK. THIS COMPLEX OF STORMS SHOULD HAVE A STRONG ENOUGH COLD POOL TO MAINTAIN ITSELF INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...BUT WILL LIKELY EXIT OUR AREA OF CONCERN BY MIDNIGHT. 850 TROUGH SHOULD BE ORIENTED FROM AROUND MOBILE, AL TO MACON, GA BY SUNRISE...WITH GENERALLY CLEAR CONDITIONS TO THE NORTH OF THIS LINE...ENCOMPASSING VIRTUALLY ALL OF OUR CWA. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY LOOK NICE...BUT TEMPERATURES WILL QUICKLY REBOUND BACK INTO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 80S ON SUNDAY. A FEW 90S ARE ALSO EXPECTED...MAINLY IN THE URBAN AREAS. MORE SIGNIFICANT CLOUD COVER IS EXPECTED TO RETURN LATE SUNDAY. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)... A WEAK FAST MOVING COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA SUNDAY NIGHT. MOISTURE WILL BE QUESTIONABLE. INTRODUCED SOME CHANCE POPS (UPPER 20S LOW 30S) WITH THIS UPDATE...BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH. THERMAL RIDGE OVER THE SOUTHWEST WILL KEEP OUR AREA UNDER NORTHWESTERLY FLOW MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO ORGANIZED PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED FOR THE UPCOMING WORK WEEK...AT LEAST THROUGH THURSDAY. HOWEVER...WEAK IMPULSES IN NORTHWEST FLOW CAN BE VERY TRICKY...PRODUCING UPSTREAM THUNDERSTORM COMPLEXES THAT TRACK INTO CENTRAL ALABAMA. TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE FRONT EARLY MONDAY WILL BE A BIT COOLER THAN TEMPERATURES BEHIND THE FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. HIGHS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BREAK THE 85 DEGREE MARK FOR MOST LOCATIONS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY PROVIDING TEMPORARY RELIEF FROM THE SUMMERTIME CONDITIONS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED OF LATE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GADSDEN 62 81 57 83 / 10 0 0 10 ANNISTON 62 80 60 83 / 10 10 0 10 BIRMINGHAM 62 81 60 85 / 10 0 0 10 TUSCALOOSA 62 85 62 88 / 10 10 0 10 CALERA 62 83 61 85 / 10 10 0 10 AUBURN 64 82 59 84 / 50 10 0 10 MONTGOMERY 65 85 60 87 / 50 10 0 10 TROY 65 85 60 87 / 50 10 0 10 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && 12/12
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 515 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ011>015-017>050-211230- AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE- CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE- JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY- PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA- TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON- 515 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM COLUMBUS GEORGIA TO TUSCALOOSA TO ROANOKE IN RANDOLPH COUNTY THROUGH 11 PM. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...ESPECIALLY FOR AREAS WEST OF INTERSTATE 65. A TORNADO OR TWO EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LINE OF STORMS IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN AREAS NEAR AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT IN A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY). THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON MONDAY. OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH 11 PM. STEFKOVICH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 534 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ048-050-202300- BARBOUR-RUSSELL- 534 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR BARBOUR AND RUSSELL COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM CDT... ...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS... AT 534 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM HOLY TRINITY TO 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF EUFAULA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR SEALE...PITTSVIEW...HOLY TRINITY...GLENVILLE...FORT MITCHELL... EUFAULA AND COTTONTON THROUGH 600 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 FLASH OR THUNDER BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. ANOTHER THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS MINOR FLOODING. PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS... FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AREAS...RISING WATER ALONG CREEKS...AND UNDERPASSES WITH STANDING WATER ARE POSSIBLE. REMEMBER...DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS ROADWAYS COVERED WITH WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 536 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ037-043-202300- ELMORE-TALLAPOOSA- 536 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR ELMORE AND TALLAPOOSA COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM CDT... ...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS... AT 536 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM OVER ECLECTIC...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR WETUMPKA... KOWALIGA...ECLECTIC...BLUE RIDGE...KENT...TALLASSEE AND TALLAPOOSA CITY THROUGH 600 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 FLASH OR THUNDER BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. ANOTHER THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS MINOR FLOODING. PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS... FLOODING OF LOW-LYING AREAS...RISING WATER ALONG CREEKS...AND UNDERPASSES WITH STANDING WATER ARE POSSIBLE. REMEMBER...DO NOT DRIVE ACROSS ROADWAYS COVERED WITH WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 542 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ012>013-015-024>029-202339- 542 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE BEEN CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 45... CLAY FAYETTE JEFFERSON LAMAR RANDOLPH SHELBY ST. CLAIR TALLADEGA WALKER ALZ022>023-030>050-202339- 542 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES REMAIN IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 45... AUTAUGA BARBOUR BIBB BULLOCK CHAMBERS CHILTON COOSA DALLAS ELMORE GREENE HALE LEE LOWNDES MACON MARENGO MONTGOMERY PERRY PICKENS PIKE RUSSELL SUMTER TALLAPOOSA TUSCALOOSA
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
557 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0405 PM TSTM WND DMG LEEDS 33.55N 86.56W
05/20/2005 JEFFERSON AL FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
POWER LINES DOWNED
0345 PM TSTM WND GST 3 WNW PHENIX CITY 32.48N 85.06W
05/20/2005 0 MPH RUSSELL AL PUBLIC
60 MPH ESTIMATED WIND GUST
0401 PM TSTM WND DMG INVERNESS 33.40N 86.72W
05/20/2005 SHELBY AL FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
TREES DOWN
0520 PM HAIL TUSCALOOSA 33.24N 87.54W
05/20/2005 1.00 INCH TUSCALOOSA AL FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
QUARTER HAIL REPORTED BY COKER VOLUNTEER FD
&&
JPSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 602 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ043>045-047-202330- ELMORE-LEE-MACON-MONTGOMERY- 602 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR MONTGOMERY...MACON...LEE AND ELMORE COUNTIES UNTIL 630 PM CDT... ...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...WINDS 35 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR AND...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS... AT 559 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF SMITHS STATION TO MILLBROOK...MOVING SOUTH AT 25 MPH. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR WETUMPKA...OPELIKA...MILLBROOK...LOACHAPOKA...KENT...ECLECTIC... COOSADA AND NOTASULGA THROUGH 630 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 FLASH OR THUNDER BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 612 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ041-202345- AUTAUGA- 612 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR AUTAUGA COUNTY UNTIL 645 PM CDT... ...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE FROM AN APPROACHING THUNDERSTORM... AT 608 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF POSEYS CROSSROADS...MOVING SOUTH AT 25 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR BILLINGSLEY...POSEYS CROSSROADS...PRATTVILLE AND AUTAUGAVILLE THROUGH 645 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 FLASH OR THUNDER BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:13 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Several roads were temporarily impassable due to high water in and around Northport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, May 2005
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: 5449150.