A cold front pushing through Alabama from the north helped spark several severe thunderstorms with damaging winds.
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 pushing through Alabama from the north helped spark several severe thunderstorms with damaging winds.
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 Aug 7, 9:48 AM CST, 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1048 AM CDT THU AUG 7 2008 .UPDATE... AS TEMPERATURES CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 80S TO NEAR 90 DEGREES CONVECTION IS DEVELOPING RIGHT ON QUE ACROSS THE AREA. MEANWHILE CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST. LOOKS LIKE WERE IN FOR A BUSY AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST...MOVING INTO A VERY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE. IF ANYTHING...GUIDANCE IS SLIGHTLY UNDERESTIMATING SURFACE DEWPOINTS BASED ON CURRENT OBSERVATIONS. THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS ARE HIGH...BUT NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY FOR AUGUST. DYNAMICS ARE MORE OUT OF THE NORM...WITH 50 KNOT WINDS AT 500 MB OVER THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND SOME RARE AUGUST UPPER LEVEL JET ENERGY ALSO SUPPORTING CONVECTION. LOOK FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AREA WIDE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. 12/SIRMON && .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM WEATHER IMPACTS ARE CENTERED AROUND CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPROACHING...RATHER DIFFUSE...SURFACE COLD FRONT. SOME OF THIS CONVECTION WILL BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS FOR A LARGE PART OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS...DEADLY LIGHTNING...LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL...AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. SHORT TERM MODELS ARE EXHIBITING THE TYPICAL DISAGREEMENTS... ESPECIALLY THE MORE MASS FIELDS AND SOUNDINGS YOU LOOK AT. BUT THE OVERALL UPPER LEVEL EVOLUTION AND TRANSITION OF THE SURFACE PATTERN ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT. WILL GENERALLY TAKE A MIX OF SEVERAL SOLUTIONS DURING THE PERIOD...WITH THE PREVIOUS FORECAST TREND LOOKING GOOD. SLOPED FRONTAL SURFACE MUCH MORE APPARENT ALOFT AS IT CROSSES THROUGH CENTRAL ALABAMA ON THE LATEST MODEL RUNS. THE UPWARD MOTION AND LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROUGH WILL BEGIN AFFECTING NORTHWEST SECTIONS JUST AFTER NOON...AND PUSH SOUTHWARD BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE BEST LIFT WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR AROUND 00Z...THEN QUICKLY SHIFTING OUT OF THE AREA BY 12Z FRIDAY MORNING. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 FROM 1 PM THROUGH 7 PM...AND FROM INTERSTATE 20 TO INTERSTATE 85 BETWEEN 3 PM AND 9 PM. THE STORMS SHOULD LOSE SOME STRENGTH AND COVERAGE WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING. MORE DISCRETE CELLS DEVELOPING EARLIER IN THE DAY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20...WILL HAVE SOME POTENTIAL TO BECOME STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE. BUT OVERALL...THE WET MICROBURST POTENTIAL LOOKS WEAKER THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY. 75/LINHARES SHORT RANGE MODELS ARE NOW TAKING THE RAIN SOUTH OUT OF THE AREA EARLY FRIDAY...AND BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO BE RAINFREE AREAWIDE. THE AIR MASS BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE...WITH LOWER DEWPOINTS AND TEMPERATURES...SHOULD BE A NOTICEABLE CHANGE FROM THE RECENT HOT SPELL. LAST FRONTAL PASSAGE LIKE THIS WAS BACK AROUND THE FIRST OF JULY. THE DRY WEATHER SHOULD LAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS SUGGEST AN INCREASE OF MOISTURE BY TUESDAY....IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN IT IS JUST HARD TO KEEP DEWPOINTS DOWN THIS TIME OF YEAR. WHILE THE GFS AND ECMWF AGREE ON A GENERAL PICTURE OF AN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA LONGWAVE TROUGH THROUGH MOST OF THE PERIOD...THOSE MODELS HAVE VARYING VERSIONS OF TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF SHORTWAVE TROUGHS IN THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW. THEREFORE...FORECAST CONFIDENCE AFTER MONDAY NOSEDIVES PRETTY QUICKLY. WILL DEFER TO A ENSEMBLE BLEND OF TEMPS AND POPS FOR THIS TIME PERIOD...UNTIL THE MODELS CAN BETTER LOCK IN ON SOME OF THE DETAILS. /61/ && .AVIATION...12Z TAF DISCUSSION. ANB/TCL/TOI WILL EXPERIENCE BRIEF MVFR BETWEEN 12-13Z IN BR/HZ. A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE NORTH BRINGING A GOOD CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE REGION. FLIGHT CONDITIONS WILL GENERALLY REMAIN VFR OUTSIDE OF THE RAIN AREAS WITH CEILINGS GENERALLY ABOVE 035. TCL/BHM/EET/ANB WILL SEE CB BY AROUND 17-18Z...THEN VCTS BY 20-21Z. INSTALLED A TEMPO GROUP GENERALLY FROM 19-24Z DUE TO ABOUT A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN. THE LATE AFTERNOON PERIOD ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT AND DAYTIME HEATING APPEARS TO BE THE BEST TIMING. MGM/TOI GET VCTS AROUND 20Z...WITH TEMPO 23-03Z. THEREAFTER...IT APPEARS TO BE VFR WITH GRADUALLY THINNING CONVECTIVE DEBRIS CLOUDS. DRIER AIR BEGINS WORKING INTO THE REGION FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AFTER 06Z. IF TIMING GETS BETTER ESTABLISHED...A PREVAILING GROUP MAY NEED TO BE ENTERED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. 75/LINHARES && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1101 AM CDT THU AUG 7 2008 ALZ011>015-017>050-081130- 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- 1101 AM CDT THU AUG 7 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 11 AM THIS MORNING...THROUGH 9 PM THIS EVENING. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS...LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL...SMALL HAIL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING. THE BEST CHANCE OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 BETWEEN 11 AM AND 7 PM...AND BETWEEN INTERSTATE 20 AND INTERSTATE 85 FROM 3 PM UNTIL 9 PM. THE STORMS WILL GRADUALLY LOSE SOME INTENSITY AFTER SUNSET. THESE STORMS WILL FORM IN THE VICINITY OF A COLD FRONT AS IT CROSSES CENTRAL ALABAMA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. JD/81
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1127 AM CDT THU AUG 7 2008 ALZ020-071715- CHEROKEE- 1127 AM CDT THU AUG 7 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR CHEROKEE COUNTY UNTIL 1215 PM CDT... AT 1127 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TENNALA...OR NEAR CENTRE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... TENNALA. ELLISVILLE. SPRING GARDEN. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA. 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), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:43 UTC.
24 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were blown down on AL-9, including one that fell onto a church, east of Gaylesville.
Several trees were blown down on Owls Hollow Road, north of Gadsden.
A single tree was blown down on CR-9, southwest of Vernon.
Several trees were blown down in the area around Rocky Ford Road and Reeves Road, east of Hokes Bluff.
A couple trees were blown down on CR-3, southeast of Millport.
A 120 foot radio tower was blown down, about a half mile south of the intersection of AL-69 and US-82.
A couple of trees were blown down on Al-17, just south of Sulligent.
Numerous tree limbs were blown down in Guin.
Several trees and power lines were blown down around Alabaster, including one tree that fell onto a house.
Several trees and power lines were blown down around Chelsea.
Power lines were blown down at the intersection of CR-302 and CR-303, near Shelby.
Several trees were blown down at the intersection of Higgins Road and CR-311, near Shelby.
Several trees were blown down near the intersection of CR-55 and CR-56, northwest of Wilsonville.
A tree fell across AL-25, near Harpersville Fire Department.
Several trees were blown down on CR-165, southwest of Booth.
Several trees were blown down at the intersection of 6th Street and North memorial Drive, in Prattville.
A tree was blown down onto a house, on Dewey Drive in Auburn.
One tree was blown down at the 6000 block of AL-51, south of Opelika.
A tree was blown down on Foster Street, in Auburn.
A tree was blown down on Shady Grove Road, near Hurtsboro.
A tree was blown down at the intersection of Fire Tower Road and CR-39.
Several trees were blown down across the railroad tracks near CR-288 and US-280, northwest of Smiths Station.
A tree was blown down on Williams Road, between Rutherford and Pittsview.
A tree was blown down onto a house, causing significant damage. Trees were blown down at several other locations around Phenix City.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, August 2008
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: 132479, 132480, 132481, 132482, 132483, 132484, 132485, 132486, 132487, 132489, 132491, 132509, 132492, 132493, 132494, 132495, 132506, 132496, 132497, 132501, 132500, 132504, 132498, 132502.