Damaging Wind in Alabama, March 20, 2006

Name: Damaging Wind in Alabama, March 20, 2006
Start: 2006-03-20T19:40
End: 2006-03-20T20:00
Location: Alabama

March 20, 2006 · NWS BMX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 thunderstorm wind, 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: $50,000
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 Mar 20, 2:48 PM CST, 4 hours 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 20, 2:48 PM CST, 4 hours 52 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
248 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT - WEDNESDAY NIGHT)

NEEDLESS TO SAY...ITS GOING TO RAIN TONIGHT. RADARS ARE COVERED UP
FROM NORTH ALABAMA INTO EASTERN LOUISIANA. THIS MASS WILL CONTINUE
TO SHIFT EASTWARD OVERNIGHT AND FINALLY EXIT EAST ALABAMA TUESDAY
MORNING...AHEAD OF APPROACHING DRY LINE. WITH LOW LEVEL JET
ENHANCING OVERNIGHT AND WARM FRONT ACROSS OUR EXTREME SOUTHERN
COUNTIES...CANT COMPLETELY RULE OUT SEVERE THREAT FOR AREAS FROM
ALICEVILLE TO TUSKEGEE. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE ISSUE FOR AREAS
NORTH OF THERE AND FLASH FLOOD WATCH COVERS THIS WELL.

ONCE DRYLINE PUNCHES THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...IT WILL BE ANOTHER
HALF DAY BEFORE THE COLD AIR REALLY MOVES IN. TUESDAY WILL
ACTUALLY WARM UP FAIRLY QUICKLY WITH SUNSHINE AND DRY AIR IN
PLACE. HIGHS ON TUESDAY WILL RANGE FROM THE UPPER 50S NORTH TO MID
70S SOUTHEAST.

BY WEDNESDAY...THE EDGE OF LARGE CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL SINK
INTO THE SOUTHEAST WITH SOME OF THE COOLEST TEMPERATURES WEVE HAD
IN A WHILE. LOWS WEDNESDAY MORNING APPROACHING FREEZING ACROSS
THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH MID AND UPPER 30S
SOUTH. HIGHS RANGING FROM 50 TO 60 ON WEDNESDAY WITH MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES.

.LONG TERM...(THURSDAY - MONDAY)

ANOTHER SHORT WAVE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST ON THURSDAY.
AIRMASS WILL REMAIN VERY DRY...AND EVEN THOUGH GFS SHOWS SOME
LIGHT QPF SCATTERED AROUND THE SOUTHEAST...DOUBT ANY MORE THAN A
FEW CLOUDS. BEHIND THIS SHORT WAVE, UPPER FLOW BECOMES INCREASING
NORTHWEST ALLOWING FOR COOL CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE INTO THE
WEEKEND. MORNING LOWS WILL FLIRT WITH FREEZING WHILE HIGHS WILL BE
A GOOD 10+ DEGREES COOLER THAN AVERAGE FOR WHAT WILL BE LATE
MARCH. POSSIBLY WARMING UP SUNDAY AND MONDAY AHEAD OF NEXT
DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME LARGE
INCONSISTENCIES WITH LONG TERM PATTERN LATELY.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     45  63  33  55 / 100  20   0   0
ANNISTON    52  66  34  55 / 100  10   0   0
BIRMINGHAM  50  62  32  53 / 100  10   0   0
TUSCALOOSA  49  64  35  57 / 100  10   0   0
CALERA      50  64  36  57 / 100  10   0   0
AUBURN      53  66  37  57 / 100  10   0   0
MONTGOMERY  54  72  37  60 / 100  10   0   0
TROY        56  76  38  60 /  90  10   0   0

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...NONE.

&&

88/88

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 20, 2:00 PM CST, 5 hours 40 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
200 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

ALZ011>015-017>050-211151-
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-
200 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

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 RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...NEAR AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM
ALICEVILLE TO TUSKEGEE THROUGH MIDNIGHT.  THIS AREA INCLUDES THE
CITIES OF MONTGOMERY...TROY...SELMA...AND DEMOPOLIS.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF
MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT MAY LEAD TO
FLASH FLOODING AND RIVER FLOODING.  A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN
ISSUED UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT FOR AREAS MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF
INTERSTATE 20. RAINFALL AMOUNT BETWEEN 2 TO 4 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE
ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM TUSCALOOSA...TO CALERA...TO
ROANOKE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

RIVER FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ACROSS WEST ALABAMA ON TUESDAY AS
RIVER RISES WILL RESULT FROM THE MONDAYS HEAVY RAINFALL.

ALSO...OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL DROP TO NEAR FREEZING WEDNESDAY
MORNING AS MUCH COLDER AIR FILTERS INTO THE AREA. A FREEZE WATCH MAY
BE NECESSARY AS THE GROWING SEASON HAS BEGUN.

OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WILL
BE NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

KNS/99

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 20, 2:15 PM CST, 5 hours 25 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
215 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

ALZ011>015-017>050-210400-
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-
215 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

...SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA...

THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL EXIST NEAR AND SOUTH OF A LINE
FROM ALICEVILLE TO TUSKEGEE. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING
WINDS...BUT A STRONG ISOLATED TORNADO WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE IN THIS
AREA.

A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS...WITH A
WARM FRONT EXTENDING EASTWARD TO NEAR EVERGREEN ALABAMA. THE LOW
WILL MOVE EAST NORTHEAST THROUGH THIS EVENING...WITH THE WARM FRONT
EDGING ITS WAY NORTHWARD. SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT...THE AIRMASS
HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE AND MOISTURE WAS PLENTIFUL.

STRONGER STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO SUMTER AND MARENGO BETWEEN 2
AND 4 PM...WITH THE THREAT EXPANDING TO NEAR MONTGOMERY BETWEEN 4
AND 6 PM. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO LOSE SOME OF THEIR
INTENSITY BETWEEN 8 AND 9 PM...AND GENERALLY DROP BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS. THE RAIN WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST BEGINNING BETWEEN
MIDNIGHT AND 2 AM ALONG THE ALABAMA-MISSISSIPPI STATE-LINE...AND
ENDING IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA BETWEEN 3 AND 5 AM.

INTERESTS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN AWARE OF THE LATEST
WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH THIS EVENING...AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
ACTION IF A WATCH OR WARNING IS ISSUED.

75/LINHARES

Local storm report, Mar 20, 6:26 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
626 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0555 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     3 S EQUALITY            32.72N 86.10W
03/20/2006                   ELMORE             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0600 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     5 SW PRATTVILLE         32.41N 86.51W
03/20/2006                   AUTAUGA            AL   PUBLIC

0610 PM     HAIL             5 N SYLACAUGA           33.25N 86.26W
03/20/2006  E0.25 INCH       TALLADEGA          AL   PUBLIC

&&

JD/81

Local storm report, Mar 20, 7:03 PM CST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
703 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0555 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     9 NE WETUMPKA           32.64N 86.09W
03/20/2006                   ELMORE             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            BETWEEN EQUALITY AND SEMAN.

0600 PM     HAIL             WETUMPKA                32.54N 86.20W
03/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       ELMORE             AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            E G40MPH

0615 PM     TSTM WND DMG     W WETUMPKA              32.54N 86.20W
03/20/2006                   ELMORE             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SPORADIC DOWNED TREES WESTERN PORTION OF COUNTY.
            POWERLINES DOWN.

0630 PM     HAIL             DADEVILLE               32.83N 85.77W
03/20/2006  E0.25 INCH       TALLAPOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

MBAER

Local storm report, Mar 20, 7:15 PM CST, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
715 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

&&

MBAER

Local storm report, Mar 20, 7:17 PM CST, 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
717 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0710 PM     HAIL             5 S LAFAYETTE           32.83N 85.40W
03/20/2006  M0.75 INCH       CHAMBERS           AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

MBAER

Local storm report, Mar 20, 7:34 PM CST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
734 PM CST MON MAR 20 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0705 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NW AUBURN               32.59N 85.48W
03/20/2006                   LEE                AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS NW LEE CNTY. E G45MPH IN AUBURN

0710 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MONTGOMERY              32.35N 86.28W
03/20/2006                   MONTGOMERY         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            WIDESPREAD TREE LIMB DAMAGE CITY WIDE. E G60MPH IN MGM.

0730 PM     TSTM WND DMG     OPELIKA                 32.65N 85.38W
03/20/2006                   LEE                AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN SEVERAL LOCATIONS.

&&

MBAER

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bullock

When: March 20, 7:40 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Bullock County, Countywide
Measured: 75 kt (86 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 32.067, -85.700

The main damage was in a broad area between CR 37 and Union Springs, in a swath estimated to be more than 6 miles across at its widest point, and more than 11 miles long. The hardest hit communities included High Log and Cornerstone. Roughly 1000 trees or more were snapped off above the ground in this area, with about 100 trees uprooted. Structural damage was limited to an unsecured outbuilding that was destroyed one mile southeast of Fitzpatrick, and a tree that fell on a mobile home in Cornerstone. Additional damage occurred east of Union Springs, near the intersection of CR 40 and CR 109, as well as along SR 51 between Sehoy Lake and the Macon County line.

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

Every storm in Alabama in 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Alabama, March 2006

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: 5497908.