The combination of a warm moist airmass and daytime heating lead to the development of isolated thunderstorms across the region.
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.
The combination of a warm moist airmass and daytime heating lead to the development of isolated thunderstorms across the region.
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 May 11, 1:20 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 220 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 .MESOSCALE UPDATE... STORMS ACROSS THE HUN CWFA HAVE BEEN VERY TYPICAL PULSE VARIETY STORMS THUS FAR. HAVE SEEN AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN STORMS INDICATE AN ELEVATED CORE OF 60-65DBZ NEAR THE FREEZING LEVEL OF 12KFT...AND ONE OR TWO STORMS HAVE APPROACHED THE 50DBZ CRITERIA NEAR 30-32KFT. HOWEVER...THE STRONGEST STORM EARLIER NEAR HARVEST PRODUCED ONLY DIME SIZED HAIL. THE HIGHEST IMPACT STORM OCCURRED NEAR ATHENS SO FAR WITH WINDS NEAR 55 MPH DAMAGING TREE LIMBS. HOWEVER ITS REFLECTIVITY CHARACTERISTICS WERE NOWHERE NEAR AS IMPRESSIVE AS OTHER STORMS ACROSS THE AREA THAT HAD LESS OF AN IMPACT. IN GENERAL...ELEVATED CORES HAVE DISPLAYED WEAKENING REFLECTIVITY TRENDS OVER THE LAST 30 MINS. BCC/HA && .DISCUSSION... SUMMERTIME WEATHER CONTINUES ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY...BUT SOME RELIEF IS ON THE WAY. UNFORTUNATELY...THAT RELIEF WILL BE FROM THE HEAT AND NOT SO MUCH FROM THE DRY CONDITIONS. THAT SAID...THERE ARE SOME SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON. THE BIG WINNERS FROM YESTERDAYS RAINFALL SAW AROUND TWO INCHES OF RAIN...BUT MANY WERE LEFT OUT ONCE AGAIN. SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)... BULK OF ACTIVITY SHOULD DISSIPATE AFTER SUNSET...LEAVING ANOTHER MUGGY NIGHT WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR PATCHY FOG WHERE IT RAINED. WILL MAKE A LAST-MINUTE DECISION ON WHETHER TO INCLUDE THE FOG MENTION IN THE ZONES BASED ON RAINFALL COVERAGE. WE REPEAT IT ALL AGAIN TOMORROW AS A COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED UPPER WAVE SLIDE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. SHRA/TSRA WILL AGAIN BE SCATTERED AT BEST THOUGH. UPPER WAVE PASSES DURING THE AFTERNOON SATURDAY AND THE DRIER AIR GETS HERE BY EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...USHERING IN SOME WELCOME RELIEF. EXTENDED (SUNDAY THROUGH NEXT FRIDAY)... SUNDAY MAY STILL BE FAIRLY WARM DUE TO SUNNY SKIES AND A MILD START TO THE DAY. BUT A SHARP COOLDOWN COMES SUNDAY NIGHT AND LASTS FOR ABOUT 36 HOURS...INTENSIFYING A BIT ON MONDAY AS WINDS TURN EASTERLY AND MODELS SHOW WE MAY WEDGE IN BRIEFLY. SOUTHERLY FLOW RETURNS...BRIEFLY...ON TUESDAY AND THAT MAY LEAD TO ANOTHER WARM DAY. THE NEXT COLD FRONT IN A (THANKFULLY) PROGRESSIVE PATTERN SWINGS ACROSS ON WEDNESDAY. HARD TO BELIEVE...BUT MOISTURE RETURN IS A BIT IN QUESTION DUE TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE LOW-LEVEL RIDGE. WILL KEEP JUST THE LOW-END CHANCE POPS WE ARE RUNNING NOW. FOLLOWING THAT FRONTAL PASSAGE...ANOTHER SHOT OF SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR ARRIVES...AND THERE COULD BE YET ANOTHER BRIEF PERIOD OF WEDGING AT THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. REGARDLESS...HIGHS SHOULD RETREAT TO THE 70S AND LOWS TO THE 50S...WHICH IS WELCOME RELIEF AFTER THE RECENT 90 PLUS HEAT. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... HUNTSVILLE 65 86 63 84 / 30 30 10 0 SHOALS 64 86 63 84 / 30 30 10 0 CULLMAN 63 84 63 83 / 30 30 10 0 FAYETTEVILLE 64 84 62 82 / 30 30 10 0 ALBERTVILLE 65 86 63 84 / 30 30 10 0 FORT PAYNE 63 86 63 82 / 30 30 10 0 && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && JE/23
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 130 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-121000- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 130 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THROUGH TONIGHT... A WEAK STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. WIND GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH...HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE IN STRONGER STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY AS A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. SOME THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF SMALL HAIL...STRONG WIND GUSTS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN. THE NEXT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. SS/JE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
220 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0205 PM TSTM WND DMG ATHENS 34.80N 86.97W
05/11/2007 LIMESTONE AL BROADCAST MEDIA
RELAYED FROM BROADCAST MEDIA...SPOTTER REPORTS WIND GUSTS
TO AROUND 55 MPH AND TREE LIMBS BLOWN DOWN IN ATHENS.
0210 PM HAIL COLLINSVILLE 34.27N 85.86W
05/11/2007 E0.25 INCH DEKALB AL EMERGENCY MNGR
STATE EMA OFFICIAL REPORTS PEA SIZED HAIL ALONG I-59 IN
COLLINSVILLE.
&&
DLSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 223 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 TNZ097-112015- FRANKLIN- 223 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR SOUTHWEST FRANKLIN COUNTY UNTIL 315 PM CDT... AT 220 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HUNTLAND...MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... HUNTLAND. BEANS CREEK. SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 14
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 234 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ALZ009-112015- JACKSON- 234 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR EASTERN JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 315 PM CDT... AT 232 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BRIDGEPORT. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... HIGDON FLORAL CREST. SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 14
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 258 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 TNZ076-097-112045- FRANKLIN-MOORE- 258 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FRANKLIN AND MOORE COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CDT... AT 254 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF COWAN...OR 9 MILES SOUTH OF WINCHESTER. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. ANOTHER INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN EXTREME NORTHEAST MOORE COUNTY AND EXTREME NORTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY...NEAR TULLAHOMA. THIS STORM WAS ALSO NEARLY STATIONARY. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH BOTH STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... BELVIDERE. OAK GROVE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ONE TO ONE AND ONE HALF INCHES ARE POSSIBLE FROM THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY. THIS MAY RESULT IN BRIEF RUNOFF PROBLEMS AND PONDING OF WATER ON AREA ROADWAYS. IF ON OR NEAR TIMS FORD LAKE OR WOODS RESERVOIR...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE OUT TO 15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW. DONT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM 27
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 303 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ALZ009-112045- JACKSON- 303 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 345 PM CDT... AT 258 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN JACKSON COUNTY. ONE STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY NEAR HIGDON...OR 7 MILES SOUTH OF BRIDGEPORT. OTHER STRONG CELLS WERE LOCATED JUST EAST OF HOLLYWOOD AND NEAR SKYLINE. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... MARTINTOWN. SKYLINE. HIGDON. SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 14
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 307 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ALZ007-112045- MORGAN- 307 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR EASTERN MORGAN COUNTY UNTIL 345 PM CDT... AT 306 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MORGAN CITY...OR JUST NORTHEAST OF FLORETTE...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 5 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... MORGAN CITY. FLORETTE. EVA. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 27
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:27 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds downed a large tree along highway 68 that blocked the road.
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, May 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: 31671.