A cold front pushed southeast into the Ohio Valley during the early afternoon hours on this day. Ahead of this front, a boundary developed which became the focusing mechanism for scattered showers and severe thunderstorms producing damaging winds and flooding rains.
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 cold front pushed southeast into the Ohio Valley during the early afternoon hours on this day. Ahead of this front, a boundary developed which became the focusing mechanism for scattered showers and severe thunderstorms producing damaging winds and flooding rains. This activity developed in the late afternoon hours. Just before this activity developed dewpoints were around 70 degrees, CAPE values were around 2000 J/KG, and strong daytime heating occurred.
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 9, 12:48 PM CST, 1 hour 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 148 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 .DISCUSSION... COLD FRONT STILL TO THE NORTH AND WEST OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AT THIS HOUR...WITH RADAR COVERAGE INCREASING AS CONVECTION CONTINUES TO DEVELOP IN THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT AT HAND. PER 16Z REDSTONE RAOB...CAPE VALUES ARE 3000 J/KG WITH WINDEX VALUES SUPPORTIVE OF SOME DAMAGING WIND GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. SPC HAS EXPANDED THE DAY 1 OUTLOOK AGAIN...ENCOMPASSING AREAS FURTHER WEST INTO CNTRL TN AND INCLUDING EXTREME NERN AL. THE MAIN THREATS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAINFALL...INCLUDE GUSTY WINDS AND MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL. CURRENT ATTENTION IS FOCUSED MORESO ON THE WIND THREAT AND HEAVY RAIN THREAT THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING...BUT WILL STILL MONITOR FOR THE POTENTIAL FOR HAIL. NOW...FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST... .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY... COLD FRONT APPROACHING THE TENNESSEE VALLEY IS THE MAJOR STORY FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS OR SO. MODEL CONSENSUS IS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT GIVEN THE CURRENT WX PATTERN...BUT MODEL OF CHOICE WAS PREDOMINATELY THE GFS FOR TIMING/STRENGTH OF THE APPROACHING SYSTEM. QPF DIFFERED QUITE A BIT BETWEEN THE MODELS...BUT MOST WERE TRENDING TOWARD A WETTER PATTERN FOR THIS SYSTEM. PWATS INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON TO AOA 2...AND WITH A CONVERGENCE ZONE SETTING UP ACROSS THE AREA...HEAVY RAINFALL POTENTIAL WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED. CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT AND INTO THURSDAY WITH UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT IN PLACE. TOMORROW POSES A BIT OF A PROBLEM BETWEEN THE MODELS WITH THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE IN PLACE ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. THE FRONT WILL WASH OUT SOMEWHERE ACROSS THE CWA BY FRIDAY...BUT AM NOT TOO CONFIDENT WITH EXACTLY WHERE. HIGHER POPS WILL LIKELY BE SOUTH OF THE TN RIVER WITH POPS DECREASING TO THE NORTH AS DRIER AIR FILTERS IN. POPS ARE STILL INCLUDED IN THE GRIDS DUE TO WEAK CONVERGENCE IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA DURING THIS TIME. .LONG TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... MODELS ARE NOW ADVERTISING A TROUGHING PATTERN IN THE ERN CONUS...WHICH IS APPARENTLY THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEY WERE SHOWING YESTERDAY. THE GFS/ECMWF ARE SHOWING A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SPINNING OVER THE UPR MIDWEST WITH A CDFNT DRAPED ACROSS THE SRN PLAINS. IF THIS SCENARIO PANS OUT...A CDFNT WILL ENTER NW AL SOMETIME BETWEEN 00Z MONDAY AND 6Z MONDAY AND WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA BY MONDAY AFTERNOON. THIS WOULD BRING INCREASED CHANCES OF RAIN ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY FOR THE TENNESSEE VALLEY...FOLLOWED BY COOLER TEMPS. WITH THAT SAID...AGREE WITH THE MID-SHIFT ISSUANCE THIS MORNING AND AM SKEPTICAL OF THIS ACTUALLY PANNING OUT. A GUESS AS TO WHY THIS SOLUTION SUDDENLY APPEARS IS MOST LIKELY HURRICANE BERTHA IN THE ATLANTIC. FOR NOW...THIS POSSIBLE SOLUTION IS ON THE RADAR SCREEN FOR LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE...BUT NOT MUCH STOCK WILL BE PUT INTO IT FOR NOW. MUCH MORE BELIEVABLE IN THE EXTENDED...HOWEVER... IS THE PRESENCE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING INTO THE REGION NEXT WEEK. TUESDAY THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND LOOKS TO BE DRY WITH HIGH PRESSURE ANCHORED OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY INTO THE VIRGINIAS. AS THE WEEK PROGRESSES...THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM SLIDES EASTWARD...ALLOWING FOR DIURNAL CONVECTION TO LIKELY DEVELOP. WILL ALLOW LATER MODEL RUNS TO COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT THOUGH BEFORE ADDING THIS TO THE GRIDS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... HUNTSVILLE 71 86 69 89 / 60 60 30 30 SHOALS 70 86 69 90 / 60 60 30 30 CULLMAN 70 85 69 88 / 50 60 30 30 FAYETTEVILLE 71 85 69 87 / 60 60 30 30 ALBERTVILLE 71 86 69 88 / 50 60 30 30 FORT PAYNE 71 86 68 89 / 50 60 30 30 && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && 12
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1235 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-100100- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 1235 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... A WARM...MOIST AND UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT WILL INTERACT WITH AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON TO CREATE THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE...WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT BEING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. OTHERWISE...THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD TONIGHT WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT BECOMING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. IMPACTS OF FLOODING COULD INCREASE OVER AREAS THAT RECEIVE ANY PROLONGED PERIOD OF SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. AT THIS TIME...THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE HEAVY RAIN. FLOOD IMPACTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORED THROUGH FRIDAY... ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS AND LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVE SEVERAL ROUNDS OF HEAVY RAINFALL. ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA LATE THIS WEEKEND WITH AN ONGOING CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL MAY BE REQUESTED FOR LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL ARE ENCOURAGED TO CLOSELY MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH THIS EVENING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1244 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ALZ005-006-091815- LIMESTONE-MADISON- 1244 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LIMESTONE AND MADISON COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM CDT... AT 1244 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR DECATUR...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... TANNER. BELLE MINA. MADISON. SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. KULA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 120 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ALZ001-091900- LAUDERDALE- 120 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR WESTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTY UNTIL 200 PM CDT... AT 120 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR PINEFLAT...OR 13 MILES NORTH OF IUKA... MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... WATERLOO. WRIGHT. IF ON OR NEAR PICKWICK LAKE...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE OUT TO 15 MILES FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER NOW. DONT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM KULA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 202 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ALZ001-002-092000- COLBERT-LAUDERDALE- 202 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR NORTHWEST COLBERT AND WESTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM CDT... AT 202 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED OVER PICKWICK LAKE. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS 9 MILES SOUTH OF WALNUT GROVE...OR 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF IUKA...MOVING EAST 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... WRIGHT. THREET. OAKLAND. CLOVERDALE. UNDERWOOD-PETERSVILLE. SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. KULA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 242 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ALZ001-002-092045- COLBERT-LAUDERDALE- 242 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR NORTHEAST COLBERT AND EASTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CDT... AT 242 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR UNDERWOOD-PETERSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 15 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... OAKLAND. SHEFFIELD. UNDERWOOD-PETERSVILLE. SAINT FLORIAN. FORD CITY. KILLEN. THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. KULA
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:34 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds that tore siding from a home and uprooted a plum tree. In addition, a medium sized tree was split due to the winds.
Slow moving thunderstorms produced intense rainfall rates with seven inches of water covering a portion of Shaw road in western portions of Athens.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed trees onto power lines at the intersection of Triana and Holmes Ave.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed a tree onto a house on Mastin Lake Road in Huntsville.
A severe thunderstorm downed power lines at the intersection of Pulaski Pike and Stringfield road. This storm produced a power outage that affected at least 1000 customers.
A severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds that downed a tree at 2112 Winchester Road.
Intense rainfall rates from strong to severe thunderstorms produced flash flooding at the intersection of Washington Street and Washington Circle in Huntsville.
A tree was blown down onto a car on highway 117 in Mentone by thunderstorm winds.
A severe thunderstorm moved northwest to southeast across southern portions of Hammondville, resulting in several trees downed and numerous power outages along County Roads 608, 751, and 752.
Severe thunderstorm winds downed several power lines along Lebanon Road/County Road 51 and produced scattered power outages in the southwestern portion of Fort Payne.
Intense rainfall rates from strong to severe thunderstorms caused six inches of water to cover portions of County Road 121 in the Blake community.
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: 112499, 112493, 112504, 112491, 112507, 112503, 112502, 112506, 112510, 112513, 112512.