An advancing cold front, pushing down from the north, helped set off thunderstorms across Central Alabama, some of which became quite strong.
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.
An advancing cold front, pushing down from the north, helped set off thunderstorms across Central Alabama, some of which became quite strong.
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 Sep 8, 1:50 PM CST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 250 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. ALL EYES WILL BE ON HURRICANE IKE AS IT IS CURRENTLY FORECAST TO MOVE WESTWARD THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. IN THE MEANTIME...ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO DEW-POINT AXIS SHIFTING WESTWARD INTO EAST-CENTRAL ALABAMA. EXPECT THIS ACTIVITY TO DIMINISH LATER THIS EVENING...BUT WILL ADD A REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON TO THE PACKAGE TO COVER ON-GOING WEATHER. COLD FRONT TO OUR NORTHWEST WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST OVERNIGHT AND BE JUST TO OUR NORTH TUESDAY MORNING. THIS FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA ON TUESDAY AND WASH OUT LATER TUESDAY NIGHT. WILL CARRY SLIGHT CHANCE POPS OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS. FOR TUESDAY WILL GO WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AREA-WIDE WITH THE HIGHEST POPS EXTREME NORTH. LATER TUESDAY NIGHT WILL GO WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR ALL SECTIONS MAINLY DURING THE EVENING HOURS. LOWS TONIGHT UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. HIGHS TUESDAY 85 TO 90 NORTH AND LOWER 90S SOUTH. LOWS TUESDAY NIGHT UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...IKE FORECAST TO REMAIN ON A WEST- NORTHWEST TRACK...ALLOWING A MOIST EAST-SOUTHEAST LOW LEVEL FLOW TO GRADUALLY INCREASE ACROSS THE AREA. MODELS INDICATE PRECIP. WATER TO INCREASE IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES THROUGH THIS PERIOD. WILL FORECAST A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY WITH THE BEST CHANCE OF RAIN COMING ON THURSDAY. HIGH MAINLY MIDDLE TO UPPER 80S...EXCEPT SLIGHTLY COOLER EAST. OVERNIGHT LOWS UPPER 60S TO LOWER 70S. FOR SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...LOW CONFIDENCE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD AS FORECAST HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON MOVEMENT OF IKE. FOR NOW WILL GO WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY. HIGHS 85 TO 90 WITH SLIGHTLY COOLER READINGS EAST. OVERNIGHT LOWS MAINLY IN THE 60S. && .AVIATION...18Z AVIATION. SCATTERED CUMULUS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON. INITIALLY...THE BETTER CHANCE FOR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE IN THE SOUTHEAST NEAR MGM AND TOI. ADDITIONAL ISOLATED SHOWERS AND STORMS COULD WORK FARTHER NORTH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON BUT COVERAGE APPEARS MOST LIKELY NEAR MGM AND TOI. WILL COVER THOSE AREAS WITH VC WORDING FROM MID AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING. FOR TONIGHT...ATLANTIC FLOW WILL CONTINUE WITH PLENTY OF SURFACE MOISTURE ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. WILL EXPECT A FEW AREAS TO HAVE MVFR CEILINGS FOR A FEW HOURS AROUND SUNRISE. SOUTHEAST FLOW ALSO HAS TENDENCIES TO BREAK IN STRATUS TO TOI AND MGM. LATEST MODEL SOUNDINGS NOT REALLY SHOWING THIS DEVELOPING BUT SHOULD BE SOMETHING WORTH WATCHING FOR LATER TONIGHT. TUESDAY...A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BEGIN ITS APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST. THIS WILL HELP INITIATE SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS BY LATE MORNING FOR AREAS IN THE NORTH. WILL ADD VC WORDING FOR LATE MORNING IN THE NORTH. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GADSDEN 66 87 66 86 67 / 20 40 20 30 20 ANNISTON 69 88 69 88 69 / 20 40 20 30 30 BIRMINGHAM 69 88 69 88 70 / 20 40 20 30 20 TUSCALOOSA 68 90 69 90 71 / 20 40 20 30 20 CALERA 70 89 69 88 70 / 20 30 20 30 20 AUBURN 70 88 69 87 70 / 20 30 20 30 30 MONTGOMERY 71 91 70 90 72 / 20 30 20 30 30 TROY 70 91 69 88 70 / 20 30 20 40 30 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && 50
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 228 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ALZ011>015-017>050-091932- 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- 228 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH 8 PM THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS ARE DEVELOPING ALONG A WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. STRONG WINDS OF UP TO 50 MPH AND PEA SIZE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 142 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ALZ029-081930- RANDOLPH- 142 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR RANDOLPH COUNTY UNTIL 230 PM CDT... AT 139 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ROANOKE...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 19 MPH. MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... ROANOKE. CRYSTAL LAKE. ROCK STAND. NAPOLEON. TENNANT. WEDOWEE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 61
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 146 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ALZ038-081915- CHAMBERS- 146 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR CHAMBERS COUNTY UNTIL 215 PM CDT... AT 144 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WHITE PLAINS...OR 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF STROUD... MOVING NORTHWEST AT 13 MPH. MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... WHITE PLAINS. PENTON. TRAMMEL CROSSROADS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 220 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ALZ025-035-082000- CHILTON-SHELBY- 220 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR CHILTON AND SHELBY COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM CDT... AT 217 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF LAY LAKE DAM...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH. MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... SHELBY. MINOOKA PARK. CALERA. THE GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES...TREE LIMBS...AND POWERLINES. SEEK SAFE SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. 61
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 233 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ALZ027-036-082015- COOSA-TALLADEGA- 233 PM CDT MON SEP 8 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR COOSA AND TALLADEGA COUNTIES UNTIL 315 PM CDT... AT 230 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR STEWARTVILLE...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH. MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... STEWARTVILLE. GANTTS QUARRY. SYLACAUGA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. OAK GROVE. FAYETTEVILLE. VARNONS. THE GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES...TREE LIMBS...AND POWERLINES. SEEK SAFE SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. 61
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 44 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:38 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A few power lines were blown down on Old Sylacauga Highway, by winds estimated around 40 mph.
Trees were blown down at several locations across St. Clair County, including Pell City, Cook Springs, Springville, and Odenville.
One person was struck by lightning on Tabor Cut-off Road, near Noccalula Falls.
Trees were blown down at several locations in the north side of Gadsden, by winds estimated around 45 mph.
A few trees were blown down around Millport and Coosada, by winds estimated around 35 mph.
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, September 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: 133839, 133840, 133838, 133841, 133842.