Abundant low level moisture and dry air aloft combined with strong daytime heating ahead of an approaching cold front resulted in isolated wind damage in southwestern portions of northern 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 HUN wrote it up.
Abundant low level moisture and dry air aloft combined with strong daytime heating ahead of an approaching cold front resulted in isolated wind damage in southwestern portions of northern 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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 23, 9:57 AM CST, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1057 AM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 .UPDATE... DECREASED POPS FOR THE MORNING PERIOD...AND QPF THROUGH 00Z TO FOLLOW CURRENT TRENDS. && .DISCUSSION... TRICKY FORECAST IS UNFOLDING FOR THE REST OF TODAY. THE COLD FRONT THAT IS APPROACHING THE TENNESSEE VALLEY IS CURRENTLY DRAPED ALONG THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY...EXTENDING THROUGH KENTUCKY...MISSOURI...AND INTO SERN KANSAS. DRY AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FRONT IS ALREADY KNOCKING ON THE DOORSTEP IN SRN MIDDLE TN...AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK INTO THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. STORM POTENTIAL IS THE TRICKY PORTION OF THE FCST FOR THIS AFTN/EVENING. FORCING ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT WILL ALLOW CONVECTION TO DEVELOP ARND MIDDAY. AS OF 15Z...CONVECTION HAS BEEN MAINLY RESTRICTED TO AREAS S OF THE CWA. MODEL DATA IS NOT SUGGESTIVE OF WIDESPREAD CONVECTION THIS MORNING DUE TO WEAK CONVERGENCE...BUT WITH THE HEATING OF THE DAY...EXPECT TO SEE COVERAGE INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA. MAIN QUESTION REVOLVES AROUND EXACTLY WHERE...AND TO WHAT EXTENT THE COVERAGE WILL BE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTN/EVENING. WITH PWATS THIS AFTN RANGING FROM 1.5 TO 2...HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT RECEIVED SEVERAL INCHES OF RAINFALL WITH THE ACTIVITY YESTERDAY. IN ADDITION...WITH THE DRIER AIR ALOFT PUSHING ITS WAY INTO THE CWA...AFTN MIXING WILL ALLOW DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY STRONGER STORMS THAT DEVELOP. WILL MONITOR THE SITUATION AND ISSUE MESOSCALE UPDATES IF NECESSARY THIS AFTN. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 545 AM CDT WED JUL 23 2008/ DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 403 AM CDT WED JUL 23 2008/ AS THE NRN STREAM RIDGE PUSHES BY TO OUR NORTH ON THURS...WINDS SHOULD REMAIN LIGHT NRLY. NOW THINKING THAT THERE WILL BE VERY LITTLE CHANCE FOR ANY CONVECTION...WITH VERY DRY AIR ALOFT AND A DECENT SUBSIDENCE INVERSION AROUND THE 700MB-800MB LYRS. FOR THURS NIGHT...A SHORT WAVE IN NW FLOW ALOFT MAY GENERATE DEEP CONVECTION OR MCS ACTIVITY IN THE MID-MISS/LOWER OH VALLEY REGION. THIS FEATURE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH OUR AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. DONT HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE THAT RESULTING CONVECTION WILL ACTUALLY SURVIVE ALL THE WAY INTO OUR AREA. NEVERTHELESS...THOUGHT IT WAS WORTHY TO AT LEAST MENTION AN ISOLD CHANCE. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY AGAIN WILL ENCROACH UPON THE AREA LATE FRIDAY INTO SAT. HAVE LEFT POPS AS IS FOR NOW WITH CHANCE MENTION ON FRIDAY IN THE HIGHER THETA-E AIRMASS...AND HAVE RETAINED A 20 POP FOR NOW ON SAT. LATEST THINKING IS THAT THE PROGRESSION OF EVENTS MAY BE A LITTLE SLOWER WITH THE FRONT STALLING PERHAPS TO OUR NORTH ON SAT...BUT WILL GO WITH PERSISTENCE FOR NOW UNTIL A CLEAR PICTURE EMERGES. THE REST OF THE PERIOD REMAINS A LITTLE MUDDLED...WITH SLIGHT CHANCES FOR CONVECTION EACH PERIOD...AS THE REGION WILL REMAIN PRIMARILY IN A FAIRLY MOIST SWRLY/WRLY FLOW REGIME AMIDST NWRLY FLOW ALOFT. MED RANGE GUIDANCE IS STILL PERSISTENT IN DIGGING AN ERN CONUS TROUGH EARLY/MID NEXT WEEK...AND PUSHING YET ANOTHER SFC FRONT INTO THE TN VALLEY AT THAT TIME. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && PREV DISCUSSION...KDW DISCUSSION...12
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 106 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-240400- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 106 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... A WEAK COOL FRONT WILL DROP SOUTH INTO THE CENTRAL TENNESSEE VALLEY TODAY...TRIGGERING ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG WITH WIND GUSTS OF UP TO 50 MPH...HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. THE STORM THREAT WILL SHIFT SOUTH OF THE TENNESSEE RIVER BY THIS EVENING BEFORE ENDING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... THE NEXT APPRECIABLE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT AS ANOTHER WEAK COOL FRONT APPROACHES FROM OUR NORTHWEST. SEVERAL WEAK DISTURBANCES WILL TRAVEL FROM THE PLAINS INTO THE SOUTHEAST FROM SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. EACH WILL CARRY A THREAT OF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. MP/BCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 203 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 TNZ096-231930- LINCOLN- 203 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LINCOLN COUNTY UNTIL 230 PM CDT... AT 203 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM APPROACHING FAYETTEVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. WINDS UP TO 45 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... HOWELL. FAYETTEVILLE. MOLINO. KELSO. CRYSTAL SPRINGS. 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. BCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 208 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 ALZ005-006-231945- LIMESTONE-MADISON- 208 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LIMESTONE AND MADISON COUNTIES UNTIL 245 PM CDT... AT 208 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ATHENS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... ATHENS. TANNER. FRENCH MILL. INTERSTATE 65 AND 565 INTERCHANGE. BELLE MINA. MOORESVILLE. WEST AND SOUTH MADISON. 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. BCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 217 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 TNZ097-231945- FRANKLIN- 217 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY UNTIL 245 PM CDT... AT 213 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ESTILL SPRINGS...OR NEAR WINCHESTER...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...PEA SIZE HAIL... AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... ESTILL SPRINGS. DECHERD. COWAN. SEWANEE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. MP
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 220 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 TNZ096-232000- LINCOLN- 220 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LINCOLN COUNTY EXTENDED UNTIL 300 PM CDT... AT 216 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FAYETTEVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 13 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... FAYETTEVILLE. SKINEM. MOLINO. KELSO. CRYSTAL SPRINGS. SMITHLAND. 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. BCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 230 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 ALZ004-007-232015- LAWRENCE-MORGAN- 230 PM CDT WED JUL 23 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR EASTERN LAWRENCE AND WESTERN MORGAN COUNTIES UNTIL 315 PM CDT... AT 225 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TRINITY...OR 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF MOULTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... CHALYBEATE SPRINGS. CADDO. BASHAM. NEEL. DANVILLE. MASSEY. 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. MP/BCC
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:46 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A few power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds near Caddo.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed trees and damaged a barn in the Jones Chapel area.
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, July 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: 119570, 119562.