Several severe thunderstorms caused damage across Central 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 BMX wrote it up.
Several severe thunderstorms caused damage across Central 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 Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 20, 9:30 AM CST, 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1030 AM CDT FRI JUL 20 2007 .UPDATE... UPDATED TO INCREASE POPS...ADD SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 546 AND OTHER ADJUSTMENTS IN THE SHORT TERM. 12/SIRMON && .DISCUSSION... .TODAY AND TONIGHT... A SOMEWHAT COMPLEX FORECAST AS SEVERAL DIFFERENT SCENARIOS COULD PLAY OUT OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. AT THE MOMENT...AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WAS PUSHING SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY REGION. THERE IS NO RAIN ALONG THIS BOUNDARY AS IT HAS OUTRUN UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT...AND DO NOT EXPECT ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT ALONG IT. SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER WESTERN TENNESSEE...JUST AHEAD OF MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE TROF. IT IS THIS BATCH OF RAIN THAT WILL LIKELY PRODUCE ANOTHER BOUNDARY THAT WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA LATER THIS MORNING. RUC MODEL IS MODEL OF CHOICE AT THIS TIME AS IT IS BETTER DEPICTING PLACEMENT OF CURRENT CONVECTION OVER TENNESSEE. RAIN WILL BE CONFINED MOSTLY TO AREAS NORTH OF I-20 BEFORE NOONTIME AS DRIER MID LEVEL AIR AND LITTLE IF ANY FOCUSING MECHANISM AVAILABLE SOUTH OF I-20. THERE IS A POTENTIAL THAT CURRENT BOUNDARY ACROSS TENNESSEE VALLEY COULD MOVE FAR ENOUGH SOUTH AND TEMPORARILY STABILIZE AIR MASS FOR AREAS NORTH OF I-20. THIS BOUNDARY COULD THEN BE FOCUS FOR AFTERNOON CONVECTION...AND LEAVE NORTHERN COUNTIES WITH LESS CONVECTION THAN CURRENTLY FORECAST. THIS SCENARIO IS SOMEWHAT SUPPORTED BY 06Z NAM MODEL. POPS FOR TODAY WILL BE BASED ON FIRST SCENARIO MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH. LIKELY POPS WERE EXPANDED SOUTHWARD DUE TO STRENGTH OF MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE TROF AND POTENTIAL INSTABILITY ACROSS SOUTHERN COUNTIES THIS AFTERNOON. SURFACE TEMPERATURES WILL RISE INTO THE MIDDLE 90S ACROSS SOUTHERN COUNTIES WITH FORECAST LIFTED INDICES AROUND -6 DEGREES CELSIUS AND CAPES NEAR 2500 J/KG. MAIN INHIBITOR FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL BE WEAK MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES. THE POTENTIAL DOES EXISTS FOR WET MICROBURSTS AND WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW WARNINGS THIS AFTERNOON. ACTUAL SURFACE FRONT WILL NE NEAR HUNTSVILLE BY 7 PM TONIGHT AND NAM MODEL SHOWS RE-DEVELOPMENT OF TSTMS ALONG FRONT LATER TODAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...BUT SHOULD DIMINISH QUICKLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. 58/ROSE .LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. STORMS AHEAD OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY REALLY GET A NICE PUSH THROUGH THE CWA BY SATURDAY SO NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY OF LINGERING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LEFT SLIGHT CHANCE IN FOR THE EXTREME SOUTH IN CASE DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS TO OCCUR RIGHT ALONG THE BOUNDARY ITSELF. ELSEWHERE...WEEKEND LOOKS TO BE QUITE PLEASANT WITH LOWER HUMIDITIES FILTERING IN FROM THE NORTH. STRUGGLED A BIT THOUGH WITH THE TEMPS AS DRIER AIR CAN OFTEN WARM US UP SIGNIFICANTLY ESPECIALLY IN LATE JULY. DURING THE WORK WEEK QUESTIONS START TO ARISE. A SIGNIFICANT UPPER RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS WHILE CLOSER TO HOME AN EAST COAST CUTOFF LOW WILL BEGIN THE INFLUENCE OUR WEATHER PATTERN. GUIDANCE SUGGESTS THAT THIS LOW MAY ACTUALLY BEGIN TO RETROGRADE TO THE WEST SLIGHTLY BRINGING EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA RAIN CHANCES. FOR NOW LEFT POPS IN FOR MUCH OF THE EASTERN HALF OF THE CWA STARTING ON MONDAY THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. IF THIS LOW CONTINUES WEST...RAIN SHOWERS WILL EVENTUALLY INFLUENCE THE ENTIRE REGION. THIS IS EXPECTED BY THE END OF THE WEEK IF FORECAST STAYS ON TRACK. PLENTY OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS FORECAST AS OFTEN HAPPENS WITH CUTOFF LOWS...SOMETIMES THEY REALLY HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. 17/KLAWS && .AVIATION...12Z TAF DISCUSSION. VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT ALL TAF SITES THRU 17Z WITH ONLY SCATTERED LOW TO MID LEVEL CLOUDS AND VSBYS ABOVE 5 MILES. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL TRIGGER NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND TSTMS FROM 17-21Z AT BHM...EET...TCL..ANB...AND 21-24Z AT MGM AND TOI. AFTER 17Z...SCT-BKN CLOUDS WITH BASES ARND 5000 FEET WITH LCL CIGS ARND 2000 FEET NEAR TSTMS. A LINE OF TSTMS WILL AFFECT MGM AND TOI LATER IN THE AFTERNOON WITH VSBYS BELOW 2 MILES AND AND WIND GUSTS NEAR 40 KNOTS. ONLY ISOLATED TSTMS EXPECTED AFTER 01Z. WESTERLY SURFACE WINDS THIS MORNING WILL BECOME NW AFTER 17Z. 58/ROSE && .POINT TEMPS/POPS... GADSDEN 88 64 91 59 90 / 60 30 10 10 10 ANNISTON 90 64 90 61 90 / 60 30 10 10 10 BIRMINGHAM 89 66 91 61 90 / 60 30 10 10 10 TUSCALOOSA 92 68 91 61 93 / 60 40 10 10 10 CALERA 92 68 90 63 90 / 60 40 10 10 10 AUBURN 93 69 91 65 91 / 50 40 10 10 10 MONTGOMERY 94 72 91 64 92 / 50 40 20 10 10 TROY 94 71 89 65 92 / 50 40 20 10 10 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1048 AM CDT FRI JUL 20 2007 ALZ011>015-017>050-211130- 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- 1048 AM CDT FRI JUL 20 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH 8 PM. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 60 MPH OR HIGHER...LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I-20 WILL EXPERIENCE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AFTER 12 NOON...WHILE NORTH OF I-20 THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY STARTED. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL APPROACH ALABAMA FROM THE NORTH TRIGGERING NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THESE STORMS WILL SLOWLY PROPAGATE SOUTH AND EAST COVERING A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH THIS EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR MUCH OF THE AREA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1043 AM CDT FRI JUL 20 2007 ALZ018-201630- ETOWAH- 1043 AM CDT FRI JUL 20 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR ETOWAH COUNTY UNTIL 1130 AM CDT... ...THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...ATTALLA...GADSDEN AND HOKES BLUFF... AT 1040 AM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 14 MILES EAST OF SARDIS CITY TO 8 MILES NORTH OF WALNUT GROVE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THE PRIMARY THREAT IS STRONG GUSTY WIND OF 35 TO 45 MPH. WINDS OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL BREAK OFF SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS SUCH AS LAWN FURNITURE AND TRASH CANS. IF WEATHER PERMITS...SECURE LOOSE ARTICLES BEFORE THE STORMS ARRIVE. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR ALABAMA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1052 AM CDT FRI JUL 20 2007 ALZ014-201630- WINSTON- 1052 AM CDT FRI JUL 20 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR WINSTON COUNTY UNTIL 1130 AM CDT... ...THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF HALEYVILLE... AT 1051 AM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF ADDISON TO 4 MILES NORTH OF HALEYVILLE...MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH. THE PRIMARY THREAT IS STRONG GUSTY WIND OF 35 TO 45 MPH. WINDS OF THIS MAGNITUDE WILL BREAK OFF SMALL TREE LIMBS AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS SUCH AS LAWN FURNITURE AND TRASH CANS. IF WEATHER PERMITS...SECURE LOOSE ARTICLES BEFORE THE STORMS ARRIVE. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR ALABAMA.
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:18 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 3 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and power lines were blown down in several areas around the city of Gadsden. At least two trees fell onto homes.
Several trees were blown down in and around the city of Piedmont.
The 911 center in Oneonta was struck by lightning and sustained damage. Several trees in the area were also struck by lightning, and subsequently caught fire.
Several trees and powerlines were blown down across East Central Cleburne County. A few homes suffered significant damage due to fallen trees.
Several trees and power lines were blown down across the city of Springville.
A very large tree was uprooted and fell onto a house.
Several trees were blown down along AL-158, east of Opelika.
Numerous trees were blown down in the Smiths Community. One tree was blown down on a mobile home, briefly trapping two people inside.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across the western portion of the city of Tuscaloosa. At least two trees fell onto and damaged homes.
Lightning struck a house on Bear Creek Road, causing it to catch on fire.
Lightning struck a house on Dry Creek Road, causing it to catch on fire.
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, July 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: 49063, 49065, 49068, 49069, 49072, 49074, 49075, 49078, 49079, 49081, 49082, 49089, 49088.