A cold front moving across Alabama caused isolated strong to severe thunderstorms, including a few that produced tornadoes.
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.
A cold front moving across Alabama caused isolated strong to severe thunderstorms, including a few that produced tornadoes.
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 Oct 18, 11:30 AM CST, 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1230 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2007 .UPDATE...AVIATION DISCUSSION LOOKING UPSTREAM TEMPERATURES ARE NOW NEAR 80 DEGREES IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI AND WE ARE STARTING TO SEE THE FIRST LIGHTNING STRIKES. DRIER AIR WORKING IN ACROSS THE AREA IS LEADING TO LESS CLOUD COVER ACROSS WESTERN ALABAMA. THIS TREND WILL SHIFT EASTWARD AND ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO APPROACH 80 DEGREES BY MIDDAY. FEEL LIKE TRENDS IN CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI WILL BE A GOOD INDICATION OF WHAT WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA WILL EXPERIENCE A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER. AFTERNOON INSTABILITY WHERE THE MORE SIGNIFICANT WARMING OCCURS WILL TOP OUT AROUND -4 LI AND CAPE IN THE 1000 TO 1300 RANGE. ALSO WITH 0-3 KM SRH NEAR 200 M/S STILL A BIT CONCERNED THAT ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP COULD BEGIN TO ROTATE. SEVERE THREAT SHOULD BE A BIT LESS IN EASTERN ALABAMA WHERE INSTABILITY WILL BE LIMITED BY CLOUD COVER. OVERNIGHT...ANY SEVERE STORMS SHOULD BE LARGELY CONFINED TO NEAR OR ALONG THE FRONT. MORE TO COME ON THE OVERNIGHT FORECAST. 12/SIRMON && .DISCUSSION... PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ACTIVE 24 HOURS OF WEATHER AHEAD OF US...WITH MAIN CONCERN BEING POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TO SEVERE WEATHER. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH MAIN FEATURES...BUT OF COURSE THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS. STRONG...MOIST...SOUTHERLY FLOW OUT AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL HELP PROVIDE AN ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF POTENTIALLY UNSTABLE AIR. A SERIES OF WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WELL OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL BRING WHAT LOOKS TO BE AT LEAST 2 EPISODES OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THE FIRST WAVE IS CURRENTLY IN SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA MOVING NORTHEASTWARD AT ABOUT 30 MPH...AND SHOULD AFFECT SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA...MGM/SEM/TOI...DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE HOURS. THESE STORMS HAVE SHOWN SOME ROTATION...AND WHILE HEAVY RAIN LOOKS TO BE THE MAIN CONCERN...THERE IS THE OUTSIDE SHOT OF A TORNADO POSSIBLY IF ANY OF THE CELLS CAN DEVELOP DEEP SUSTAINED CONVECTION. THIS WAVE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS PORTIONS EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...MAINLY EAST OF I-65 AND SOUTH OF I-20. LATER THIS MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON...WITH A JUICY WEDGE OF HIGH THETA-E AIR ACROSS THE AREA...THE COMBINATION OF HEATING OF THE DAY DECENT SHEAR SHOULD RESULT IN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...AND THE CONCERNS OF ISOLATED TORNADOES. TONIGHT...TWO AREAS TO FOCUS ON...AS WAVE 2 RACES NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN THIRD OR SO OF THE FORECAST AREA...AND THE FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING... BELIEVE THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER IN THE SOUTHEAST WILL DIMINISH A BIT...ALTHOUGH STORMS WILL STILL TEND TO ROTATE. AS THE FRONT APPROACHES NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA LATE TONIGHT...SEVERAL SEVERE WEATHER INGREDIENTS/PARAMETERS WILL COME TOGETHER AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH AMPLE INSTABILITY...GOOD LOW LEVEL JET AND RIGHT REAR QUADRANT OF THE UPPER LEVEL JET. WHILE DIRECTIONAL SHEAR IS A BIT LACKING...STILL ENOUGH SPEED SHEAR TO SUPPORT SUPERCELLS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. THAT SAID...SOME CONCERN THAT BEST DYNAMICS ARE HEADED NORTH...WHICH WILL HAVE TO BE KEPT IN MIND AS THE DAY DEVELOPS. TEMPS AND POPS...IT WILL BE WARM AND MUGGY WITH RAIN JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE BY TOMORROW MORNING. STAYED CLOSE TO GUIDANCE ON TEMPS...AT OR ABOVE GUIDANCE ON POPS. JD/81 ON FRIDAY...GIVEN CURRENT COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE TIMING BY MODELS... WOULD EXPECT TO HAVE A BIT OF LEFTOVER SHOWERS/STORMS IN THE EAST AND SOUTH EARLY ON. ALL RAIN SHOULD EXIT THE FORECAST AREA BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...LEAVING DRY CONDITIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEKEND. FROM MONDAY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF NEXT WEEK...FORECAST CONFIDENCE REMAINS JUST ABOUT AS LOW AS IT CAN GET. 00Z OPERATIONAL GFS MAINTAINS A FAIRLY PROGRESSIVE LARGE AMPLITUDE TROUGH THAT SWEEPS THROUGH HERE IN THE MONDAY/TUESDAY TIME FRAME. THE ECMWF INSISTS THAT A CUTOFF LOW WILL FORM SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF NEW MEXICO...AND REMAIN THERE UNTIL IT IS KICKED OUT BY THE NEXT WEST COAST SHORTWAVE THE END OF NEXT WEEK. THE GEM AND THE NOGAPS LEND THEIR SUPPORT TO THE WESTERN CUTOFF LOW SOLUTION...AS DO AT LEAST TWO 00Z GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS. SENSIBLE WEATHER IMPACTS ARE HUGE...AS THE GFS SHOWS HIGHS AROUND 70 DEGREES ON TUESDAY...WHILE THE PATTERN THE ECMWF DEPICTS SUGGESTS TEMPS AROUND 90 DEGREES NOT TO MENTION THE DIFFERENCE IN RAIN CHANCES BETWEEN THE TWO SOLUTIONS. WHAT TO DO...WHAT TO DO? MY GUT TELLS ME THAT THE CUTOFF SOLUTION IS THE ONE MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN...AND IS ONE I HAVE SEEN HAPPEN MORE OFTEN IN THE PAST. BUT THE OPERATIONAL GFS CANT BE COMPLETELY DISCOUNTED EITHER...AS IT SHOWS WHAT WOULD BE ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT RAIN EVENT FOR THE AREA. ULTIMATELY...I TRENDED THE FORECAST TOWARD THE CUTOFF SOLUTION...GOING WITH CHANCE POPS (A COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE LIKELY POPS OF THE GFS AND THE NIL POPS OF THE ECMWF). FOR HIGHS...I ENDED UP WITH A BLEND OF THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEAN AND THE HIGHEST ENSEMBLE MEMBER (WHICH BASICALLY SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED EXTREME POSSIBILITIES). GENERAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY CARRIES OVER INTO THE MORE SPECIFIC CONCERN OF SEVERE WEATHER ON MONDAY. OBVIOUSLY...THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT HINGES ENTIRELY ON THE EVENTUAL EVOLUTION OF THIS SYSTEM. THE ECMWF (AND ITS SUPPORTERS) WOULD BASICALLY FAVOR A NON-EVENT. EVEN THE CURRENT OPERATIONAL GFS SUGGESTS A RATHER MINIMAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...WITH VERY LIMITED INSTABILITIES AND NOT OVERLY IMPRESSIVE KINEMATIC FIELDS. HOWEVER...THERE IS STILL THE CHANCE (OR LIKELIHOOD?) THAT THE VERIFYING SOLUTION WILL BE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN...OR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. SO WHILE THE THREAT OF A SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE IS RATHER LOW BASED ON CURRENT MODEL OUTPUT...IT IS NON-ZERO. MEANING...LATER MODEL RUNS STILL NEED TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY. /61/ && .AVIATION...18Z DISCUSSION. RATHER CHAOTIC CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT ALL TAF SITES NEXT 24 HRS. EXPECT SHRA/TSTMS TO AFFECT MGM/TOI/ANB THIS MORNING...WITH OCNL TSTMS DEVLPG IN HEAT OF THE DAY THIS AFTN. OUTSIDE OF SHRA/TSTMS... EXPECT MVFR CIGS AT THE WORST. FOR TCL/BHM/EET...EXPECT SCT SHRA/TSTMS THROUGH THE DAY. TNGT...EXPCT LN OF TSTMS ALONG AND OUT AHEAD OF APCHG COLD FNT...BEGINNING TO AFFECT TCL AT ABOUT 03Z... BHM/EET AT 05Z...ANB AT 06Z...AND MGM/TOI 10Z. SHRA/TSTMS SHOULD LINGER THRU MOST OF THE REMNDR OF THE NGT. LCLY HVY RNFL...GUSTY WINDS... SGNFCNTLY REDUCED CIGS/VIS PSBL WITH THIS LINE OF STRMS... OTHRWS EXPECT MVFR CIGS. ABRUPT CLEARING AND CHANGE IN WIND DIRECTION CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT. WINDS WILL SHIFT NORTHWESTERLY AT AROUND 8 TO 10 KNOTS. CB UTILIZED AT MGM TO SIGNIFY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS IN THE REGION. 12/SIRMON && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...LAKE WIND ADVISORY NORTH HALF FROM 10AM TO 7 PM TODAY. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 101 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2007 ALZ011>015-017>050-191802- 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- 101 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2007 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 SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES POSSIBLE...ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM 1 PM THROUGH 8 PM WILL MAINLY BE AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 IN THE VICINITY OF THE BEST INSTABILITY. AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PEAK HEATING HOURS OF THE AFTERNOON...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP. THIS INCREASED HEATING WILL RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL FOR SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS...WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL LIKELY DIMINISH FROM 8 PM TO MIDNIGHT..THEN INCREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE WESTERN SECTIONS. THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH THE POTENTIAL OF ISOLATED TORNADOES ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT ALONG AND NEAR THIS COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A FEW LINGERING STRONG STORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE FRIDAY MORNING AS THE COLD FRONT EXITS SOUTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE STATE...MOST LIKELY SOUTHEAST OF INTERSTATE 85 BEFORE 10 AM. LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG AND AHEAD OF ANOTHER COLD FRONT NEXT MONDAY. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THE FORECAST OF THIS SYSTEM...AND ADJUSTMENTS TO TIMING AND MAGNITUDE OF THIS THREAT ARE LIKELY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...AND PERHAPS NEXT MONDAY. KSL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1243 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2007 ALZ012-181830- LAMAR- 1243 PM CDT THU OCT 18 2007 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LAMAR COUNTY UNTIL 130 PM CDT... AT 1238 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LAMAR COUNTY AIRPORT...OR 6 MILES NORTH OF VERNON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. WINDS UP TO 35 MPH AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. KSL
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:13 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 3 funnel cloud, 2 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Sheriff's Deputy observed and photographed a brief tornado touchdown. Subsequent investigation yielded no discernable damage in the area.
A tornado briefly touched down on Alabama Highway 129, southwest of the city of Haleyville. The tornado only struck one structure, a house that sustained damage to its carport, awning, and the front half of its roof. The tornado also damaged several trees and at least one power pole along its short path.
Straight line winds, estimated at 60 mph, damaged a 300 yards long by 300 yards wide area, just southeast of the Pebble Community. At least a dozen shingles were blown off two homes, one cedar tree was snapped, and few additional large limbs were blown down.
A few trees were blown down near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. and Hunter Creek Road. The fallen trees partially damaged a bridge, causing the road to become closed for several hours until repairs could be made.
Several trees were blown down near the Fayette County line, off Alabama Highway 171.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 2007Warnings in Alabama, October 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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 62455, 62457, 62458, 62459, 62460, 62461, 62462, 62463, 62464.