Alabama, 2008

Drought in Alabama, May 1 to 31, 2008

May 1 to 31, 2008 · NWS BMX · 30 events in 30 counties and zones

Several storm systems across Central Alabama brought limited improvement to the ongoing drought that had begun in the Spring of 2007, but also helped keep the drought from getting worse. By the end of the month, less than one quarter of Central Alabama remained in Extreme Drought (D3), although a large portion of the region remained in a Severe Drought (D2) designation.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 30 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
30

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS BMX wrote it up.

Several storm systems across Central Alabama brought limited improvement to the ongoing drought that had begun in the Spring of 2007, but also helped keep the drought from getting worse. By the end of the month, less than one quarter of Central Alabama remained in Extreme Drought (D3), although a large portion of the region remained in a Severe Drought (D2) designation.

What forecasters said that day

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 Apr 30, 11:12 PM CST, 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 30, 11:12 PM CST, 48 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1212 AM CDT THU MAY 01 2008

.UPDATE...06Z AVIATION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
CURRENT TEMPERATURES HAVE FALLEN INTO THE UPPER 50S TO MID 60S WITH
MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. EXPECTING TEMPERATURES TO CONTINUE TO COOL INTO
THE MID 40S IN THE NORTHEAST AND LOW/MID 50S ELSEWHERE.

CURRENT FORECAST PACKAGE LOOKS GOOD. MADE A FEW TWEAKS TO UPDATE
HOURLY TRENDS.

14

&&

.AVIATION...06Z TAF DISCUSSION.

VFR CONDITIONS THROUGHOUT THE TAF PERIOD...WITH JUST A FEW PATCHES
OF PASSING HIGH CLOUDS FROM TIME TO TIME. EXPECT SOUTHERLY WINDS TO
PICK UP AND BECOME GUSTY BY LATE MORNING...PERHAPS AS HIGH AS
15G25KT...IN RESPONSE TO INCREASING PRESSURE GRADIENT...AS WELL AS
MIXING DOWN STRONGER WINDS ALOFT. WINDS NOT QUITE AS HIGH AT TOI...
CLOSER TO THE HIGH/FARTHER AWAY FROM THE APPROACHING SYSTEM. WINDS
SHOULD DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET.

JD/81

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 30, 7:13 PM CST, 4 hours 47 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
813 PM CDT WED APR 30 2008

CORRECTED FOR EXPIRATION TIME

ALZ011>015-017>050-020113-
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-
813 PM CDT WED APR 30 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON ON THURSDAY AS
WELL AS FRIDAY. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE 10 TO 20 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS...ESPECIALLY WEST OF INTERSTATE 65 NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20.

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON
THROUGH SATURDAY AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. THE MAIN
THREAT IS DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE
NECESSARY FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY MORNING SATURDAY.

JD/81

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

30 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Autauga

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Autauga forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.535, -86.643 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Bibb

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Bibb forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.999, -87.126 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Blount

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Blount forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.981, -86.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Calhoun

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Calhoun forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.771, -85.826 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Chambers

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Chambers forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.914, -85.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cherokee

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cherokee forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.176, -85.604 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Chilton

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Chilton forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.848, -86.719 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Clay

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.269, -85.861 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Cleburne

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Cleburne forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.675, -85.519 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Coosa

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Coosa forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.936, -86.248 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Dallas

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Dallas forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.326, -87.106 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Elmore

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Elmore forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.597, -86.149 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Etowah

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Etowah forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.045, -86.035 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Fayette

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Fayette forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.721, -87.739 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hale

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Hale forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.763, -87.629 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Jefferson

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.554, -86.896 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lee

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lee forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.601, -85.356 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lowndes

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lowndes forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.155, -86.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Macon

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Macon forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.386, -85.693 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Marion

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Marion forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.137, -87.887 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Montgomery

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.220, -86.208 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Perry

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Perry forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.639, -87.294 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Randolph

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Randolph forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.294, -85.459 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Shelby

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Shelby forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.264, -86.661 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, St. Clair

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
St. Clair forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.716, -86.315 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Talladega

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Talladega forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.380, -86.166 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Tallapoosa

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Tallapoosa forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
32.862, -85.797 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Tuscaloosa

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Tuscaloosa forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.290, -87.525 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Walker

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Walker forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
33.803, -87.297 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Winston

When
May 1, 12:00 AM CST to May 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Winston forecast zone
Reported by
Other Federal Agency
Coordinates
34.149, -87.374 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alabama in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, May 2008

Sources

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: 109105, 109106, 109107, 109108, 109109, 109111, 109113, 109114, 109115, 109116, 109117, 109118, 109119, 109120, 109121, 109122, 109124, 109125, 109126, 109127, 109129, 109130, 109131, 109133, 109134, 109135, 109136, 109137, 109138, 109139.