A back-door cold front interacting with a tropical air mass produced numerous damaging wind occurrences and a few instances of large hail across Northern Alabama.
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 episode as NWS HUN wrote it up.
A back-door cold front interacting with a tropical air mass produced numerous damaging wind occurrences and a few instances of large hail across Northern Alabama.
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 17, 1:05 PM CST, 0 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 205 PM CDT FRI AUG 17 2007 .DISCUSSION... .SYNOPSIS... THE HISTORIC HEAT AND DROUGHT WILL LIVE ON IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND REMAIN THE PRINCIPAL FORECAST ISSUES. RAIN CHANCES LOOK TO REMAIN 10 PERCENT OR LESS...EXCEPT FOR PERHAPS THE NEXT FEW HOURS. MORE ON THIS IN A MOMENT. WE HAVE TIED OUR LONGEST STRETCH OF 100+ TEMPS AT KHSV...AND SHOULD BREAK IT ON SATURDAY. IM ALSO BECOMING MORE CONVINCED THAT WE WILL SEE THIS STRETCH RUN INTO NEXT WEEK. 5H T-5D MEAN HEIGHTS SUGGEST ANOTHER 594-595DKM HEIGHT CENTER REBUILDING ATOP AL AND GA BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK...POSSIBLY BREAKING WEAKENING SOME BY NEXT WEEKEND. .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND SATURDAY... CONVERGENCE ZONE STRETCHING FROM JUST N OF KSNH THROUGH KMDQ TO JUST S OF KRMG IS BEGINNING TO LIGHT UP WITH CONVECTION. CONVECTIVE TEMPS HAVE BEEN REACHED...AND THREAT OF DOWNBURSTS IS FAIRLY GOOD PER LAPS SOUNDINGS SHOWING WINDEX ABOVE 60KT AND SB CAPES RUNNING GT 2500 J/KG WITH STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES ONCE AGAIN. THE DROUGHT IS ALSO LEAVING OUR TREES SUSCEPTIBLE TO BREAKING/FALLING MORE EASILY. WILL ADDRESS POPS CLOSER TO PRESS TIME...BUT MAY BE ABLE TO LEAVE MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA DRY AFTER 00Z. THE AIR DRIES OUT SOMEWHAT N OF THIS BOUNDARY ACROSS TN WHERE DEW POINTS FALL INTO THE LOWER 60S. HOWEVER...THE TRUE COOL FRONT IS CLOSER TO THE OH RIVER. I DO EXPECT DECENT DRY ADVECTION OVERNIGHT AS NE FLOW INCREASES PER FORECAST SOUNDING. WE MAY SEE A SOMEWHAT REFRESHING BREEZE THIS EVENING...ESPECIALLY ON OUR RIDGE TOPS WITH 10-15KT FLOW. WILL COOL TEMPS DOWN INTO THE 60S ACROSS SOUTHERN TN AND OUR FAR NE AL COUNTIES. WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT TO COOL DOWN THAT READILY FURTHER S AND W. SATURDAY SHOULD PROVE LESS HUMID...BUT THAT IS A TRADE OFF FOR MORE HEAT AND TEMPS NEAR OR AT 100F. WE SHOULD EASILY MIX DEEP ENOUGH FOR DEW POINTS TO FALL INTO THE 50S...WHICH MAV GUIDANCE SUPPORTS...WITH THE MET AND MET KEEPING IT TOO MOIST AND THUS COOLER. .LONGER TERM...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... THE MODELS BOTH INDICATE A MOIST SURGE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING...ESPECIALLY AT 925 MB...PER DEVELOPING LLJ AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT MAXIMUM. THIS HINTS AT POTENTIAL NOCTURNAL PRECIP...BUT FOR NOW WILL LEAVE OUT WITH CHANCES APPEARING QUITE LOW. THIS AXIS OF CONVERGENCE AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL SHIFT WELL TO OUR NORTH BY SUNDAY NIGHT WITH RIDGE BECOMING ANCHORED OVER THE SOUTHEAST AT THE SURFACE THROUGH 8H. THIS SHOULD KEEP THE LOCAL AREA IN A LIGHT S-SE MOIST FLOW. HOWEVER...THE MODELS SHOW AFTERNOON MIXING LIKELY DROPPING DEW POINTS DOWN EACH AFTERNOON...SO UNSURE IF WELL REACH HEAT ADVISORY CRITERIA NEXT WEEK. I HAVE RAISED TEMPS TO THE CENTURY MARK MUCH OF NEXT WEEK AGAIN PER POSITION OF THE RIDGE...AND RECENT PERFORMANCE OF MEX/MEN GUIDANCE UNDERCUTTING HIGHS CONSISTENTLY. IT IS CONCEIVABLE WE WILL KEEP THE ONGOING 100+ CONSECUTIVE STREAK GOING. THE ONLY WAYS I SEE THIS NOT HAPPENING ARE POTENTIAL INCREASED HIGH CLOUD COVER FROM THE UPPER LOW TRACKING WEST ACROSS FL AND INTO THE GOM THIS WEEKEND. THIS WOULD BE MOST LIKELY ON MONDAY OR TUESDAY. WITH AREA BENEATH THE 5H CENTER...WE WILL KEEP POPS AOB 10 PERCENT ALL WEEK. WISH I HAD BETTER NEWS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... HUNTSVILLE 69 101 74 99 / 10 10 10 10 SHOALS 70 102 71 99 / 10 10 10 10 CULLMAN 72 100 73 98 / 10 10 10 10 FAYETTEVILLE 68 99 72 99 / 10 10 10 10 ALBERTVILLE 70 99 73 98 / 10 10 10 10 FORT PAYNE 66 98 71 97 / 10 10 10 10 && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && KULA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 100 PM CDT FRI AUG 17 2007 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-180400- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 100 PM CDT FRI AUG 17 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... HEAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM TODAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL REACH AROUND 100 DEGREES...BUT INCREASED HUMIDITY COMPARED TO RECENT DAYS WILL MAKE IT FEEL MORE LIKE 105 TO 110 DEGREES. HOWEVER...A FEW LOCATIONS MAY SEE SOME RELIEF FROM THE HEAT IN THE FORM OF SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS. THESE ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NEAR A SURFACE BOUNDARY MOVING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA...AS IT INTERACTS WITH THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT. A FEW STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF STRONG WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. FOR AREAS THAT RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL...MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AND URBAN AREAS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. DRIER AND MORE STABLE CONDITIONS WILL PUSH ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH NORTH TO SOUTH THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. DJN/BCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1110 AM CDT FRI AUG 17 2007 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-172300- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLORENCE...MUSCLE SHOALS... RUSSELLVILLE...MOULTON...ATHENS...HUNTSVILLE...DECATUR... GUNTERSVILLE...SCOTTSBORO...FORT PAYNE...CULLMAN...LYNCHBURG... FAYETTEVILLE...WINCHESTER 1110 AM CDT FRI AUG 17 2007 ...HIGHER HUMIDITY WILL INCREASE HEAT STRESS TODAY... YET ANOTHER VERY HOT DAY IS ANTICIPATED WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES SOARING BACK TO AROUND 100 DEGREES AT MOST LOCATIONS. SULTRY CONDITIONS WILL BE APPARENT AS HUMIDITY STAYS A BIT HIGHER THAN RECENT AFTERNOONS. THIS WILL YIELD HEAT INDEX VALUES FROM 105 TO 110 DEGREES...THEREBY INCREASING THE DANGER FROM PROLONGED HEAT STRESS. A FEW AREAS MAY SEE A BREAK FROM THE HEAT IN THE FORM OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW OF WHICH COULD CONTAIN LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS. DUE TO THE DRY CONDITIONS...SOME TREES MAY BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BREAKING AND FALLING DUE TO THE GUSTY WINDS...EVEN THOSE WINDS NOT MEETING SEVERE WEATHER CRITERIA...OR 58 MPH OR HIGHER. STAY INSIDE STURDY SHELTER DURING ANY THUNDERSTORM. DURING THIS HEAT WAVE...PLEASE CHECK ON THE ELDERLY OR THOSE WHO YOU KNOW DO NOT LIVE IN AN AIR CONDITIONED HOME. LIMIT OUTDOOR EXPOSURE...AND TAKE FREQUENT WATER BREAKS. KULA
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 98 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:03 UTC.
30 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A portion of a barn's roof sustained heavy damage and was pealed back in the Holly Pond community.
Large oak tree and other smaller trees were blown down on highway 72 just west of the Athens city limits.
Several trees were blown down on Preston Island. 50 mph winds were recorded in Guntersville.
Trees were blown down in the Dutton community.
Power lines were blown down 3 miles west of Zip City on County Road 139.
Trees were blown down across County Road 24 north of Florence off Highway 17.
Trees were blown down in the Dutton community.
Trees and street signs blown down on Highway 227 between Muscle Shoals and Zip City.
Trees and street signs were blown down on Highway 227 in the northeastern section of Guntersville.
Power lines were blown down in Petersville area.
Powerlines and trees were blow down on County Road 7 in the Underwood-Petersville area.
Trees were blown down 4 miles N of the Anderson community on County Road 510.
In the vicinity of Zip City near the intersection of county road 17 and county roads 7 and 11, trees were blown down.
Trees were blown down in the Underwood area on county road 7.
Trees and some powerlines were downed by a large downburst, which produced a 3/4 mile damage swath.
A barn roof was blow off and a shed damaged northwest of Anderson on County Road 510.
Powerlines were blown down at the intersection of Highway 31 and Kayo Road in the Decatur area.
A tree was blown down on County Road 97 just south of County Road 27 between Fort Payne and Sylvania.
A large tree was blown down on a mobile home. Power lines were also blown down.
Trees and power lines were blown down at Brocks Chapel Road and Mountain View Road. Some trees were 4 feet in diameter and over 100 feet tall.
A severe thunderstorm produced wind damage in a swath 3 miles long and 2 miles wide. Numerous large trees were blown down. The winds produced roof damage to multiple chicken houses and outbuildings.
A tree was blown down 3 miles west of Union Grove.
Trees were blown down in the West Point community.
Trees were blown down in Cullman.
Power lines were blown down in the Arona community, which caused power outages in the area.
Trees were blown down onto power lines along County Road 271 in Dog Town.
Trees were blown down on County Roads 27 and 97.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Baileyton and Fairview.
A tree was blown down and blocked a road southwest of Arab.
Hail up to golfball size occurred in the Center community.
Trees were blown down in the Hanceville community.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, August 2007
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: 55293, 55294, 55295, 55296, 55297, 55298, 55299, 55300, 55301, 55302, 55304, 55305, 55306, 55307, 55309, 55310, 55311, 55313, 55314, 55315, 55318, 55320, 55321, 55322, 55323, 55324, 55325, 55328, 55329, 55292, 55331.