A weak area of convergence extending southwest from an area of low pressure in the New England area pushed southeast through northern Alabama by midnight on the 31st. Very moist low level moisture ahead of this convergence combined with dry air aloft to produce scattered microburst wind damage, particularly near and west of interstate 65.
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.
A weak area of convergence extending southwest from an area of low pressure in the New England area pushed southeast through northern Alabama by midnight on the 31st. Very moist low level moisture ahead of this convergence combined with dry air aloft to produce scattered microburst wind damage, particularly near and west of interstate 65.
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 31, 11:32 AM CST, 2 hours 48 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1232 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 .UPDATE...FOR 18Z TAFS. && .AVIATION... SCT CONV FORMING ALONG A BOUNDARY FROM JUST WEST OF WATERLOO THROUGH KCSV IN TN. THIS BOUNDARY IS MOVING TO THE SE AT 25 KTS. AHEAD OF THIS BOUNDARY...CLOUD COVER IS LOWERING AND INCREASING IN COVERAGE. AT KMSL...CEILINGS HAVE DROPPED INTO MVFR CATEGORY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE AND SPREAD EAST. AS CONVECTION INCREASES CIGS AND VIS WILL DROP IFR WITH ANY TSRA. HAVE LEFT 3 HOUR WINDOW IN TAFS FOR TSRA...UNTIL DEVELOPMENT BECOMES MORE DEFINED. MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS IN PORTIONS OF NE AL AND N GA...DUE TO TSRA. && .DISCUSSION /ISSUED 1052 AM CDT THU JUL 31 2008/ EXPECTING STORMS TO BEGIN FIRING AROUND 17-19Z ESPECIALLY OVER AREAS WEST OF INTERSTATE 65. AREA SOUNDINGS SHOW A MOISTENING PROFILE. THERE IS SOME INDICATION OF A SUBSIDENCE LAYER AT LOW LEVELS WHICH MAY CONTRIBUTE TO SHALLOW MICROBURST ACTIVITY WITH ANY STORMS. PWATS (BOTH IN FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND CIRA AMSU/SSMI BLENDED) ARE WELL IN THE 1.8-2.0 RANGE. THUS...ANY T-STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL BE HEAVY RAIN PRODUCERS. WINDS ALOFT UP TO AROUND 600 MB ARE HIGHER...WHICH WILL ALLOW STORMS TO ACTUALLY MOVE NE TO E AT AROUND 10 KTS. TRAINING OF CELLS IS POSSIBLE AS FRONT MOVES CLOSER AND WILL MONITOR FOR FLASH FLOODING POTENTIAL. && AVIATION...20 PREV DISCUSSION...SL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 228 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-010500- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 228 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA...ALONG AND AHEAD OF A WEAK COLD FRONT. DUE TO A VERY MOIST SUB-TROPICAL ENVIRONMENT...HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT. HOWEVER...BRIEF STRONG WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH STORMS THAT INITIALLY DEVELOP. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER INTO THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE GRADUALLY DIMINISHING OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. A LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EAST FROM THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS THE FIRST PART OF NEXT WEEK. AS THIS OCCURS...VERY HOT CONDITIONS CAN BE EXPECTED...WITH AFTERNOON HIGH TEMPERATURES RANGING FROM 95 TO 100 DEGREES. THE ADDED HUMIDITY WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ELEVATE HEAT STRESS LEVELS. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH TONIGHT. SL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 229 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 TNZ076-312000- MOORE- 229 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR MOORE COUNTY UNTIL 300 PM CDT... AT 229 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTH OF CHESTNUT RIDGE...OR 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SHELBYVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 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... LYNCHBURG. 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. KTW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 245 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ALZ009-312015- JACKSON- 245 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 315 PM CDT... AT 245 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM LARKIN TO HOLLYTREE TO GURLEY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AROUND 20 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... HOLLYTREE. SKYLINE. TRENTON. GARTH. LIM ROCK. LARKINSVILLE. HOLLYWOOD. 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. KTW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 250 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ALZ009-312015- JACKSON- 250 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR NORTHEASTERN JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 315 PM CDT... AT 250 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BASS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 17 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... BASS. RUSSELL CAVE NATIONAL MONUMENT. FACKLER. STEVENSON. BRIDGEPORT. 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. KTW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 300 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 TNZ096-312030- LINCOLN- 300 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LINCOLN COUNTY UNTIL 330 PM CDT... AT 300 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CHESTNUT RIDGE...OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SHELBYVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... CHESTNUT RIDGE. NORTHERN PORTIONS OF BELLEVILE. EASTERN PORTIONS OF PETERSBURG. 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. KTW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 312 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ALZ009-312045- JACKSON- 312 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR EASTERN JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 345 PM CDT... AT 312 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM BRIDGEPORT TO STEVENSON TO FACKLER...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... STEVENSON. FABIUS. FACKLER. LONG ISLAND. FLAT ROCK. 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. KTW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 320 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ALZ007-016-312100- CULLMAN-MORGAN- 320 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR NORTHERN CULLMAN AND SOUTHEASTERN MORGAN COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM CDT... AT 320 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM VALHERMOSO SPRINGS TO MASSEY TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MASSEY...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... HARTSELLE. VALHERMOSO SPRINGS. LEESDALE. FALKVILLE. LACON. FLORETTE. 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. KTW
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:19 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds at the intersection of Mount Rabor Road and Southeast Thompson Road.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds along Greasy Cove road in the Rock Creek area.
A few trees were downed by thunderstorm winds along County Road 1544 in the Fairview community.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds across Dupree Hollow Road.
A few trees were downed by thunderstorm winds on Indian Trace Road in the Indian Trace Subdivision approximately two miles east-southeast of Athens.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds at Tanner.
A slow moving severe thunderstorm dumped intense rainfall over portions of east central Limestone county. This produced widespread flash flooding in the Indian Trace Subdivision and in the Canebrake Subdivision.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds across County Road 240.
An outbuilding was blown across County Road 214 by thunderstorm winds, northeast of Moulton.
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: 120777, 120706, 120714, 120707, 122185, 120776, 122186, 120721, 120775.