A quick moving cold front and an upper level storm system combined to cause a few severe thunderstorms 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.
A quick moving cold front and an upper level storm system combined to cause a few severe thunderstorms 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 Feb 12, 5:53 AM CST, 9 hours 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 553 AM CST TUE FEB 12 2008 .UPDATED...FOR 12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TONIGHT. COLD FRONT THAT HAS BEEN ON THE SCOPE FOR SEVERAL DAYS NOW TAKING SHAPE OFF TO OUR NORTHWEST WITH AN ICY...AND THUNDERY...MESS OVER THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. FRONTAL CONVERGENCE JUST ABOUT COULDNT BE ANY MORE OBVIOUS OR BETTER...AND THE RESULT IS RATHER OBVIOUS. FORECAST QUANDARY FOR TODAY IS WHEN...NOT IF. 24 HOUR RAIN CHANCES JUST ABOUT BURY THE NEEDLE...BUT THE TRICK IS REALLY THE FIRST 12 HOURS...AND WHAT WE WILL SEE BEFORE 00Z. NAM/GFS IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT...AND HAVE SLOWED DOWN PRECIP ONSET A BIT...WITH THE COLD FRONT ENTERING THE NORTHWESTERN CORNER MID-AFTERNOON...AND THE BULK OF THE RAIN FOLLOWING BEHIND THE FRONT. ON THE OTHER HAND...WITH A WARM AND SLIGHTLY UNSTABLE AIR MASS...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WORKING UP FROM THE SOUTH IN THE AFTERNOON. THAT SAID...WILL STAY CLOSE TO WHERE WEVE BEEN POP- WISE THE LAST FEW DAYS...BUT SHARPEN UP THE GRADIENT EVEN MORE... WITH 100 PERCENT NORTHWEST...AND DURN NEAR 0 POP IN THE SOUTHEAST. SLIGHT RISK NOTED BRUSHING OUR SOUTHWESTERN PERIPHERY...AND WILL NEED TO WATCH TRENDS OF CONVECTIVE PARAMETERS CLOSELY. TONIGHT...A BIT MORE STRAIGHT FORWARD...AS THE FRONT WILL BE RACING THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT...AND MOST AREAS WILL SEE RAIN. MODELS ARE HINTING AT SOME RATHER GUSTY NORTHWESTERLY WINDS ON THE RATHER SHARP BACK EDGE OF THE RAIN BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT... ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHERN PORTIONS. THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF DEBATE AS TO HOW MUCH MOISTURE WILL RECOVER AHEAD OF THE FRONT...MAKING FOR TRICKY DEWPOINT FORECAST. IN THIS HIGHLY ADVECTIVE 24 HOUR PERIOD...WARM ADVECTION TODAY...COLD TONIGHT...COMPUTED MAX AND MIN TEMPS OFF HOURLY TEMPERATURES DUE TO NON-STANDARD TEMP CURVES. JD/81 .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. WILL START ON WEDNESDAY WITH SOME LEFT OVER POCKETS OF RAIN ACROSS THE EAST THROUGH 9 OR 10 AM. ONCE THIS LEAVES THE AREA...WE WILL SEE A FEW DRY DAYS...WITH THE NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHING THE AREA SOMETIME LATE FRIDAY. HERE IS WHERE THE MEDIUM TERM MODELS DISAGREE AGAIN. THE CANADIAN AND 00Z GFS MOS GUIDANCE AGREE WITH A SOLUTION THAT BRINGS A FRONT INTO THE AREA ON SATURDAY AND THEN STALLS IT OUT OVER CENTRAL ALABAMA. A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE THEN DEVELOPS AND WILL SWING ALONG THE FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT AND INTO SUNDAY. THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL THEN SWING THROUGH DURING THE DAY SUNDAY...CLEARING THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING. THIS SOLUTIONS ACTUALLY AGREED WITH THE 12Z ECMWF. THE 6Z RUN IN COMING IN CLOSE TO THE SAME TIMING AS THE 00Z RUN. HOWEVER...THE 00Z ECMWF CAME IN 12 TO 18 HOURS SLOWER...WITH THE BULK OF THE RAIN SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING. THE 00Z ECMWF...ACTUALLY STALLS THE FIRST FRONT IN TENNESSEE. NOT QUITE SURE IF WE ARE TO THAT TIME OF THE YEAR YET...ESPECIALLY SINCE THE FRONT ON MONDAY WORKED DOWN TO THE BIRMINGHAM AREA. HOWEVER...THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS AGREE WITH THIS SLOWER SOLUTION AS WELL. NEEDLESS TO SAY THERE ARE QUITE A BIT OF DIFFERENCES WITH THIS WEEKEND. WENT AHEAD AND WENT CLOSE TO THE GFS...ALBEIT A TAD SLOWER...TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DIFFERENCES WITH THE GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS AS WELL. WILL NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE THIS SYSTEM SLOW DOWN A LITTLE MORE. STILL LOOKING AT THE BEST RAIN ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...WITH OVERRUNNING AND SLOW FRONTAL PASSAGE. WILL LIKELY SEE SOME STRONG STORMS SUNDAY AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH. STILL LOOKING AT SOME PRETTY GOOD RAIN POSSIBILITIES ONCE THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THIS WEEKEND. ONCE THE SYSTEM CLEARS...WILL SEE DRIER AND COOLER WEATHER THROUGH TUESDAY. 16 && .AVIATION...06Z DISCUSSION. RATHER BUSY TAFS...COINCIDENT WITH APPROACHING AND DEPARTING COLD FRONT IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. BREEZY CONDITIONS EXPECTED ACROSS THE BOARD AT ALL SITES...WITH SOUTH WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 23 KTS OR SO AHEAD OF THE FRONT...THEN ABOUT THE SAME OUT OF THE NORTHWEST BEHIND THE FRONT. ALSO EXPECT INCREASING AND LOWERING CLOUDS TODAY... WITH MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITY EXPECTED TO DEVELOP JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH AND EVENTUALLY PASSES...WE WILL LIKELY SEE BRIEF/TEMPO IFR CONDITIONS...BUT WILL NOT INCLUDE IN THIS PACKAGE UNTIL BETTER TIMING RESOLUTION IS CALLED FOR. BACK EDGE OF PRECIP TONIGHT SHOULD MARK A SHARP SHIFT IN THE WINDS TO THE NORTHWEST...AS WELL AS AN IFR CEILINGS AND PERHAPS DRIZZLE IN THE COOLER AIRMASS. CLEARING IS POSSIBLE LATE AT TCL AND BHM. JD/81 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...LAKE WIND ADVISORY 9 AM TUESDAY THROUGH 3 AM WEDNESDAY FOR ALL ZONES. && 81/16/81
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 107 PM CST TUE FEB 12 2008 ALZ011>015-017>050-131900- 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- 107 PM CST TUE FEB 12 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THROUGH 8 PM TODAY ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE BEST CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES... IS ROUGHLY ALONG AND SOUTH A LINE FROM LIVINGSTON...TO SELMA...TO MONTGOMERY...TO EUFAULA. GUSTY WINDS OF 25 TO 30 MPH ARE ALSO EXPECTED ON AREA LAKES AND WATERWAYS THROUGH 3 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. 61
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 220 PM CST TUE FEB 12 2008 ALZ012-022-122100- LAMAR-PICKENS- 220 PM CST TUE FEB 12 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LAMAR AND PICKENS COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM CST... AT 220 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NEW HOPE...OR 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF PICKENSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... PINE GROVE. ETHELSVILLE. MCSHAN. SHAW. MILLPORT. THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 10/ARM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 325 PM CST TUE FEB 12 2008 ALZ022-023-031-122215- GREENE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA- 325 PM CST TUE FEB 12 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR GREENE...PICKENS AND TUSCALOOSA COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM CST... AT 325 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BENEVOLA...OR 9 MILES EAST OF ALICEVILLE... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... BENEVOLA. PIONEER. REFORM. GORDO. ECHOLA. THE GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES...TREE LIMBS...AND POWERLINES. SEEK SAFE SHELTER 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. 10/ARM
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 152 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:28 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees and powerlines were blown down on Sumter Academy Road, between York and Livingston.
A single tree was blown down on AL-171, near Lake Lurleen State Park.
A few power lines were blown down on 12th Avenue in the city of Tuscaloosa.
Several trees were blown down near US-31 in downtown Prattville, resulting in some power outages in the city.
A tree fell through a residence on Hickory Drive in Montgomery.
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, February 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: 84420, 84421, 84422, 84424, 84427.