1 thunderstorm wind, 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, 52 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 130 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ011>015-017>050-201900- 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- 130 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...(THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT). A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS AREAS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 BETWEEN 1 AND 4 PM...AND AFFECT AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 BETWEEN 4 PM AND 11 PM. DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND HAIL ARE THE MAIN THREATS. IN ADDITION...SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND AHEAD OF LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO OR TWO WILL OCCUR WITH THESE STORMS. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 ARE DEVELOPING IN A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AND AFTERNOON HEATING. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING JUST AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE STATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. .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
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
256 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0210 PM TSTM WND DMG ONEONTA 33.95N 86.47W
05/20/2005 BLOUNT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS COUNTY AND
ALONG STATE HIGHWAY 79 BETWEEN 210 PM AND 225 PM.
0238 PM HAIL 2 NE CARBON HILL 33.92N 87.50W
05/20/2005 1.75 INCH WALKER AL EMERGENCY MNGR
GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN NAVROO-PROSPECT AREAS.
&&
JPSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 318 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ047-048-202045- LEE-RUSSELL- 318 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR RUSSELL AND LEE COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CDT... ...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE FROM AN APPROACHING THUNDERSTORM... AT 315 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM OVER LADONIA...MOVING EAST AROUND 25 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR SMITHS STATION... LADONIA AND PHENIX CITY THROUGH 345 PM CDT. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THIS 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 THIS 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 322 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ041-043-044-202045- AUTAUGA-ELMORE-MONTGOMERY- 322 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR MONTGOMERY...AUTAUGA AND ELMORE COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CDT... ...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND TO LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS... AT 320 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM WETUMPKA TO DANNELLY FIELD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AROUND 25 MPH. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR PRATTVILLE...MILLBROOK...DANNELLY FIELD...COOSADA...WETUMPKA... MONTGOMERY...PINTLALA AND BLUE RIDGE THROUGH 345 PM CDT. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THIS STORM 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 THIS STORM 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...CORRECTED FOR TIME NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 322 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ALZ041-043-044-202100- AUTAUGA-ELMORE-MONTGOMERY- 322 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR MONTGOMERY...AUTAUGA AND ELMORE COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM CDT... ...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND TO LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS... AT 320 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM WETUMPKA TO DANNELLY FIELD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AROUND 25 MPH. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR PRATTVILLE...MILLBROOK...DANNELLY FIELD...COOSADA...WETUMPKA... MONTGOMERY...PINTLALA AND BLUE RIDGE THROUGH 400 PM CDT. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THIS STORM 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 THIS STORM 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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
331 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0318 PM HAIL 4 NW PHENIX CITY 32.51N 85.06W
05/20/2005 1.00 INCH LEE AL TRAINED SPOTTER
QUARTER HAIL
&&
JPSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
343 PM CDT FRI MAY 20 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0318 PM TSTM WND DMG SMITHS STATION 32.54N 85.10W
05/20/2005 LEE AL AIRPLANE PILOT
EMA REPORTED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
&&
JPSThe Birmingham radar (KBMX), 132 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:48 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees and power lines were blown down across the county. Numerous residences were temporarily without power.
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: 5449648.