A strong storm system and associated cold front swept through Central Alabama, causing numerous severe thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes.
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 strong storm system and associated cold front swept through Central Alabama, causing numerous severe thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes.
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 May 8, 11:30 AM CST, 0 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1230 PM CDT THU MAY 8 2008 .UPDATE...AVIATION DISCUSSION. MESOSCALE FORECAST 16Z THROUGH 00Z. SQUALL LINE EXTENDING FROM NW AL TO CENTRAL MS AT 16Z WILL REMAIN INTACT AS IT MOVES THROUGH REMAINDER OF AL DURING AFTERNOON. SHEAR ACROSS CENTRAL AL WILL REMAIN HIGHLY FAVORABLE FOR ROTATING STORMS WITHIN LINE...AND ANTICIPATE A FEW SUPERCELL STORMS TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF MAIN LINE. KJAN ISSUED A 15Z SOUNDING...WHICH COMPARED TO THE 12Z SOUNDING SHOWED A CAPPING INVERSION AT 850 MB HAD BEEN ERASED...BUT WARMER AIR WAS INCREASING IN THE MID LEVELS (AROUND 600 MB) WHICH HAD INCREASED THE TEMP BY 6 DEGREES C. STILL...NOT ENOUGH WARM AIR TO PRODUCE CONVECTIVE INHIBITION...BUT PLENTY OF CAPE AVAILABLE TO AGREE WITH SPC THAT ISOLATED TORNADOES...INCLUDING POSSIBILITY OF LONG TRACKS...ARE POSSIBLE. ENOUGH BREAKS IN CLOUDS IN WESTERN AL TO SUPPORT CONTINUED SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT AHEAD OF LINE...AND WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE RAPID SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT IN AREAS WHERE CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW 80S ARE REACHED. GOOD NEWS IS WITH WARM INTRUSION IN MID LEVELS...ARE NOT EXPECTED REDEVELOPMENT BEHIND SQUALL LINE. STEFKOVICH && SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TONIGHT. ALL READY WATCHING ROUND ONE WORK ITS WAY THROUGH MS. EXPECTING THE CONVECTIVE LINE OR LINES...IF YOU WILL...CONTINUE TO WEAKEN THROUGH THE REST OF THE OVERNIGHT. THEY ARE CURRENTLY MOVING INTO A LESS FAVORABLE ENVIRONMENT OF LOWER SURFACE DEWPOINTS AND A CAPPING INVERSION. AS WE PROGRESS...THE CONVECTION WILL BEGIN TO TRANSITION TO MORE SURFACE BASED DURING THE MID MORNING HOURS AS THE LOWER BOUNDARY LAYER CAP WILL QUICKLY ERODE WITH SUN UP. THIS IS WHEN THE ACTION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN INTENSIFYING...WITH A BROKEN CONVECTIVE LINE AND MOST LIKELY INDIVIDUAL SUPERCELL DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA THROUGH THE REST OF THE DAY. THE LINE PROGRESSION FROM WEST TO EAST MAY BE RATHER SLOW AS THE MAIN UPPER SYSTEM BEGINS LIFTING TO OUR NORTH...BUT THE MAIN CELL MOTION WILL BE RATHER QUICK BASED ON SHEAR PROFILES...FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. BIGGEST THREAT WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS BASED ON THE GIVEN LAPSE RATES AND WIND PROFILES. A DIFFICULT ELEMENT TO FOCUS ON WAS THE CHANCES OF TORNADIC DEVELOPMENT. THERE SEEMS TO BE A SMALL WINDOW WHERE LOW LEVEL SHEAR WILL REACH A MAXIMUM DURING THE MID TO LATE MORNING THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS...BUT QUICKLY...THE ATMOSPHERE VEERS AT LOW LEVELS...THEREBY DECREASING THE GENERAL RISK OF TORNADO DEVELOPMENT. EVEN AS THE LOWER BOUNDARY LAYER WINDS CONTINUE TO VEER...ENOUGH SPEED WITH SMALL DIRECTIONAL SHEAR WILL REMAIN TO KEEP THE STORMS ROTATING A MID LEVELS INCREASING THE RISK FOR LONG LIVED SUPERCELLS THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING. EVENTUALLY DO FEEL AS IF THE LINE WILL BECOME A LINEAR COMPLEX BY THE EVENT END. AS ALWAYS...I HAVE ONLY DESCRIBED OVERALL SYNOPTIC DETAILS...THE BIG MONKEY IN THE WRENCH WILL BE IN THE MESOSCALE DETAILS. OUTFLOWS...EXISTING BOUNDARIES...ETC...CAN CHANGE SHEAR PROFILES AT THE DROP OF A HAT...THAT IS THE REAL CHALLENGE OF TORNADIC FORECASTING. BEYOND THIS INITIAL WAVE OF ACTIVITY...THERE WILL BE A FOLLOW UP WAVE WITH THE QUOTE UNQUOTE FRONTAL BOUNDARY...LATE IN THE AFTERNOON THROUGH THE LATER EVENING. THIS LINE WILL MOST LIKELY REMAIN SHOWERY WITH SOME EMBEDDED THUNDER AS MOST OF THE SEVERE INDICIES WILL HAVE DROPPED OFF DRAMATICALLY BY ITS ARRIVAL...STILL WILL BE WORTH KEEPING AN EYE ON. 17/KLAWS .LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE AREA. LIFTED INDICES DURING EACH AFTERNOON EXPECTED TO BE MINUS 2 TO MINUS 4 AREA-WIDE. IN ADDITION...WEAK BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE CENTRAL SECTIONS WITH A WEAK IMPULSE FORECAST TO MOVE SOUTHEAST FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA. STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS NORTHERN THIRD OF THE AREA WITH A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE INSTABILITY AND MOISTURE IN PLACE AS WELL AS THE IMPULSE MOVING THROUGH. WILL FORECAST SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH THE PERIOD. HIGHS EACH DAY MIDDLE TO UPPER 80S...EXCEPT SLIGHTLY COOLER EASTERN SECTIONS. OVERNIGHT LOWS MAINLY IN THE 60S. SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT...ACTIVE WEATHER PERIOD EXPECTED AS THE NEXT STORM SYSTEM (SFC FRONT) MOVES INTO AND ACROSS THE AREA. VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS REMAINS IN PLACE...COUPLED WITH GOOD UPPER SUPPORT POINTS TO ANOTHER ROUND OF POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER. BEST INSTABILITY AND UPPER SUPPORT MOVES THROUGH DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS AND SHIFTS TO OUR EAST DURING THE EVENING. WILL FORECAST SCATTERED TO LIKELY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE HIGHEST POPS ACROSS THE NORTH. WILL TAPER POPS SUNDAY NIGHT FROM WEST (20 PERCENT) TO EAST (50 PERCENT) WITH THE HIGHEST POPS EXTREME EAST AS SYSTEM EXITS THE AREA. HIGHS SUNDAY UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S NORTH AND 80 TO 85 SOUTH. LOWS IN THE 50S. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...MUCH QUIETER WEATHER EXPECTED MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO AND ACROSS THE AREA. NEXT STORM SYSTEM ORGANIZES TO OUR WEST LATER TUESDAY NIGHT AND ADVANCES EASTWARD ON WEDNESDAY. DRY FORECAST FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY...WITH SLIGHT CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE EXTREME WEST LATER TUESDAY NIGHT. WITH SYSTEM APPROACHING ON WEDNESDAY WILL FORECAST A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AREA-WIDE. HIGHS EACH DAY UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S NORTH AND 80 TO 85 SOUTH. LOWS IN THE 50S EARLY IN THE PERIOD...THEN MAINLY 60S BY THE END OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...18Z DISCUSSION A SQUALL LINE WILL MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA BETWEEN 18Z AND 00Z THIS AFTERNOON RESULTING IN VFR CONDITIONS AT ALL TAF SITES FOR 1 TO 3 HOURS THIS AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS WILL BE ENHANCED BY DAYTIME HEATING SO STORMS SHOULD DISSIPATE QUICKLY AFTER SUNSET. WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG AND GUSTY...FROM THE SOUTH BETWEEN 10 AND 20 MPH...WITH GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 25. OVERNIGHT...CEILINGS WILL LOWER TO AROUND 500 FEET AFTER MIDNIGHT AND. && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...LAKE WIND ADVY IN EFFECT ALL ZONES 10 AM THRU 7 PM THIS EVENING. && 17/50
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 500 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2008 ALZ011>015-017>050-091000- 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- 500 AM CDT THU MAY 8 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY AS A STORM SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY 10 AM IN THE WEST...AND CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY...EXITING THE EASTERN COUNTIES AROUND 9 PM. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS GREATER THAN 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES. SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL WINDS AND LARGE AMOUNTS OF INSTABILITY IN PLACE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ARE FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOP OUT AHEAD OF A STRONG TO SEVERE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS. GIVEN THE NOTED CONDITIONS...SOME SUPERCELLS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE LONG TRACKED. THE MOST FAVORABLE AREAS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERCELLS WILL BE ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. BREEZY CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM HAS PROMPTED A LAKE WIND ADVISORY FOR THE ENTIRE AREA FROM 10 AM THROUGH 7PM. WINDS WILL BE 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS 25 TO 30 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON BOTH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. A COLD FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE THROUGH ON SUNDAY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THE TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THIS SYSTEM REMAIN UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME...BUT THE SYSTEM APPEARS SIGNIFICANT WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS FROM THE EARLY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER DETAILS IN FUTURE OUTLOOK PRODUCTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE NEEDED ON THURSDAY AND POSSIBLY AGAIN FROM FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. 17/KLAWS
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 42 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:28 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind, 3 tornado, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Metal siding was pulled off a building in downtown Hamilton.
Several trees and power lines were blown down along SR-17, north of Vernon.
The tornado initially touched down about two and a half miles southwest of the Bazemore Community, one mile north of the intersection of CR-50 and SR-129. The tornado then moved east-northeasward and crossed into Walker County near Barron Creek at State Highway 13. In Fayette County, this tornado destroyed one shed, and damaged another. Other damage in Fayette County was generally light, and confined mostly to snapped off and uprooted trees.
The tornado that had previously touched down in Fayette County crossed into Walker County near Barron Creek at SR-13. It then tracked east-northeastward to the Kansas Community, and lifted just before reaching US-78. In Walker County, numerous trees were snapped off and uprooted, including several very large trees in Kansas.
Several trees and power lines were blown down near the intersection of SR-17 and SR-96, just west of Kennedy.
Several trees were blown down on US-43, near the New Lexington Community.
This tornado touched down on Blooming Grove Road, about six tenths of a mile south of CR-43 near the Marylee Community. From there, it moved almost due east, crossing CR-43 and Smith Lake. Along its path in Walker County, the tornado blew down or snapped off hundreds of trees, damaged or destroyed at least 6 chicken houses, and destroyed at least 5 boat houses at the Euskin Point Marina on Smith Lake.
Several trees were blown down on Mountain View Road.
Several trees were blown down on Darty Hollow Road.
Several trees were blown down on SR-69.
Several trees were blown down at the intersection of SR-269 and Short Creek Road.
Several trees were blown down on CR-39, north of Altoona.
Several trees were blown down on Holt Lock and Dam Road.
Reported near the Eastwood Festival Center.
Several trees were blown down.
Several trees and power lines were blown down.
A tree and several power lines were blown down on Prospect Road, near Lake Martin.
The area of damage began around the Rosemont Estates area of Montgomery and extended about seven miles southeastward along US Highway 231. The most concentrated area of damage was near the Montgomery Mall, at the intersection of US-80 and US-231. In this area, wind speeds were estimated at near 100 mph. Damage included an automotive shop section within a small strip mall that was destroyed due to a collapsed wall, partially removed roofs from several units at an apartment complex, downed power poles, minor damage to an elementary school building, and several extensively damaged billboards. Elsewhere along the path, winds were estimated to be between 60 and 80 mph, and caused numerous trees to be snapped or uprooted, including at least 4 that fell onto homes. The area of damage was approximately 3 miles wide at its widest point. No injuries were reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 2008Warnings in Alabama, May 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: 105451, 105326, 98699, 98701, 105329, 105335, 98703, 105340, 105343, 105346, 105351, 105353, 105355, 105358, 105378, 105379, 105381, 105385, 105448.