A second MCS within 24 hours pushed southeast across northern Alabama. This system downed trees in portions of Lauderdale, Madison, and Marshall counties in Alabama.
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 second MCS within 24 hours pushed southeast across northern Alabama. This system downed trees in portions of Lauderdale, Madison, and Marshall counties in Alabama. Intense rainfall rates combined with previous rainfall from an early morning MCS, caused isolated flash flooding to occur in portions of downtown Huntsville. Intense and frequent lightning helped cause extensive power outages in Madison and eastern Lauderdale counties. At one point, about 2,500 homes and businesses had power outages.
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 12, 7:54 PM CST, 2 hours 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 854 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 .UPDATE...FOR CURRENT TRENDS WITH APPROACHING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. && .DISCUSSION...A VERY MOIST AND MODESTLY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT (ESPECIALLY OVER NW AL) PREVAILS ACROSS THE TN VALLEY TONIGHT FOLLOWING A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING EARLIER. DEWPOINTS ARE IN THE LOW TO MID 70S WITH MSAS INDICATING A THETA-E N-S AXIS FROM SOUTH OF NASHVILLE TN TO CULLMAN AL. SBCAPES APPEAR TO BE IN THE 1000-3000 J/KG. RADAR/SATELLITE CONTINUES TO SHOW A STRONG/SEVERE MCS ACROSS CENTRAL TN AND S KY RAPIDLY PROGRESSING SOUTHEAST. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY CLIP THE SOUTHERN MIDDLE TN AND EXTREME NE AL AREAS BEFORE PROCEEDING FURTHER SOUTHEAST. THE ENVIRONMENT HAS BEEN WORKED OVER A BIT FROM PREVIOUS CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. HOWEVER...THIS FACT WILL LIKELY NOT KEEP THESE STORMS FROM WEAKENING UNTIL MOVING FURTHER EAST OF THE AREA. FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD...ANALYSIS OF A WEAK WAVE BEHIND THE MCS ALONG WITH A (CURRENTLY) STAIONARY FRONT OVER N TN AND CONVECTIVE INITIATION OVER W TN...INDICATES THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER SHOT OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE TIMING LOOKS TO BE MAINLY FROM 09-12Z. AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY...NW AL IS THE MOST UNSTABLE AND EXPECT THIS AREA TO BE THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO STRONGER STORMS. PWATS ARE STILL AROUND 2.0 INCHES WHICH MEANS THERE IS THE POSSIBLITY OF HEAVY RAINFALL WITH ANY OF THESE STORMS. ADJUSTED POPS/WX AND SKY GRIDS FOR CURRENT TRENDS ALONG WITH TEMP ADJUSTMENTS. && .PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 240 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009/ AFTERNOON CONVECTION HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AS THE PARADE OF MCS/S AND SHORTWAVES CONTINUES. THE PARADE IS NOT OVER EITHER...AS WE AWAIT THE ARRIVAL OF A STALLED/SLOW-MOVING COLD FRONT THAT STILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE IT GETS HERE. SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT)... ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT WE SHOULD SEE A BREAK IN THE PRECIP THIS EVENING. AS SUCH...I MAY ONLY CARRY LOW CHANCE POPS FOR MOST OF THE EVENING HOURS. HOWEVER...ALL THE MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT IN SHOWING DEVELOPMENT OF ANOTHER STORM COMPLEX TO THE NORTH/NORTHWEST AND FILTERING THAT INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT. GIVEN THE STRONG MODEL AGREEMENT AND HIGH POPS GIVEN BY THE MOS...WILL RAISE POPS AFTER MIDNIGHT INTO AT LEAST THE LIKELY RANGE...PERHAPS CATEGORICAL IF A FAVORED AREA CAN BE DISCERNED. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT OVERNIGHT AS PWATS CROSS ABOVE 2 INCHES...AND PERHAPS GET OVER 2.25 INCHES...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR MULTIPLE BANDS OF RAIN. CANNOT RULE OUT STRONG/MARGINALLY SEVERE WIND GUSTS EITHER...BUT THIS IS A SECONDARY THREAT. CURRENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT SOME LINGERING PCPN IS EXPECTED ON MONDAY MORNING...WITH PERHAPS A BREAK DURING THE MID-MORNING...THEN REDEVELOPMENT IN THE AFTERNOON. THE AFTERNOON REDEVELOPMENT HOLDS THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE ACTIVITY...ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE ANY BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS DURING THE MORNING HOURS TO ALLOW TEMPS TO GET INTO THE UPPER 80S/AROUND 90 AS WE ARE FORECASTING. CAPE VALUES OF 4-6 KJ/KG ARE BEING FORECASTED BY THE MODELS...AND AS SPC NOTED IN THEIR DAY 2 SVR DISCUSSION...SOME OF THE AFTERNOON REDEVELOPMENT COULD CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS. POPS TOMORROW ARE A LITTLE MISLEADING SINCE THE BETTER RAIN CHANCE IS EARLY IN THE MORNING...BUT SCTD ACTIVITY SHOULD PERSIST OFF AND ON THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY. THE SFC FRONT SHOULD BE PUSHED DOWN TOWARD THE AREA BY THE CONVECTION ON MONDAY...BUT WHERE IT WILL BE MONDAY NIGHT IS STILL QUITE UNCERTAIN. FOR NOW...WILL HOLD ON TO A CHANCE POP ALL NIGHT THOUGH ULTIMATELY THINGS MIGHT END UP DRY. SOME PATCHY FOG IS POSSIBLE...IF NOT LIKELY...AFTER MIDNIGHT MONDAY NIGHT...AND SO IT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE FORECAST. EXTENDED (TUESDAY THROUGH NEXT WEEKEND)... THE SFC FRONT QUICKLY EITHER RETREATS OR WASHES OUT ON TUESDAY. THE END RESULT IS THE SAME...AS SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS IN THE LOW-LEVELS BEGIN TO PUMP A HOT AND HUMID AIRMASS INTO THE AREA. THIS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY. WE WILL BE VERY CLOSE TO HEAT ADVISORY CRITERIA...ESPECIALLY WEST OF I-65...BOTH DAYS. ALTHOUGH A ROGUE SHRA/TSRA CANNOT BE RULED OUT TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY...WILL LEAVE BOTH DAYS DRY AT THIS TIME. SHOULD SEE PATCHY FOG AGAIN TUESDAY NIGHT IN THE SOUPY AIRMASS. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF UPPER RIDGING NOSING INTO THE AREA...THE TROUGH PATTERN RESUMES STARTING WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH THE MODELS DROPPING A FRONT TOWARD THE AREA AND POTENTIAL MCS DEVELOPMENT EVEN FURTHER SOUTH/EAST OF THAT. WILL ADD POPS TO WEDNESDAY NIGHT... HIGHEST IN TN...WITH JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE SOUTH OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY DIVIDE. WILL KEEP DECENT RAIN CHANCES AROUND AS THE NEXT SFC FRONT JUST SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH THE AREA THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...AND PERHAPS EVEN FRIDAY NIGHT. STILL SOME TIMING UNCERTAINTIES THERE. EVENTUALLY THOUGH...THE DEVELOPING TROUGH PATTERN WILL GET THE FRONT THROUGH... LEAVING WHAT CURRENTLY LOOKS LIKE A REALLY NICE WEEKEND...WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW NORMAL AND DRY CONDITIONS. && .AVIATION.../FROM 00Z TAF ISSUANCE/ NO CHANGES. VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD PREVAIL FOR THE NEXT 5-7 HOURS AT BOTH TAF SITES. GIVEN THE RAINFALL AND MOIST AIR MASS IN PLACE...FOG FORMATION IS POSSIBLE...DROPPING VIS TO MVFR BY 04-05Z. TSRA IS POSSIBLE BTWN 10-14Z AS A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX MOVES SOUTHEAST FROM AR/W TN TO N AL POTENTIALLY DROPPING VIS TO IFR. VIS/CIG SHOULD RETURN TO VFR AT BOTH TAF SITES BTWN 15-16Z BEFORE ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA MOVES OVER REGION BEGINNING 19-20Z DUE TO A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT. HAVE INCLUDED SHRA ACTIVITY DURING THAT TIME FRAME GIVEN TIMING UNCERTAINTY WITH FRONTAL MOVEMENT. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && PREV DISCUSSION...JE/23 UPDATE/AVIATION...SL.77
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 718 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-130630- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 718 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND NORTHEASTERN ALABAMA THIS EVENING. MOST OF THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH. A COOL FRONT WILL MOVE CLOSER TO THE AREA TONIGHT...AS AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM PUSHES IN FROM THE NORTHWEST. THESE FEATURES SHOULD CAUSE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LATE TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE GUSTY WINDS...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND ISOLATED INSTANCES OF FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE INTO MONDAY AS A WEAK FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL CONTINUE TO BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. HOWEVER...STRONG OR DAMAGING WINDS WILL ALSO BE A THREAT IN ANY STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THEN RETURN TO THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AS ANOTHER COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE REGION. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS POSSIBLE EARLY MONDAY MORNING AND AGAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON. KDW/SL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 519 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ALZ009-122245- JACKSON- 519 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 545 PM CDT... AT 519 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HIGDON...MOVING EAST AT 25 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... HIGDON. THE GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES...TREE LIMBS...AND POWERLINES. SEEK SAFE SHELTER 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. JLL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 927 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ALZ009-TNZ097-130315- FRANKLIN-JACKSON- 927 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FRANKLIN AND JACKSON COUNTIES UNTIL 1015 PM CDT... AT 926 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM ALTO TO FRANCISCO...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. PEOPLE IN FRANKLIN AND NORTHERN JACKSON COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF ALTO...FRANCISCO...WINCHESTER...DECHERD...BEANS CREEK... MAXWELL...BELVIDERE...HUNTLAND...COWAN AND LARKIN...SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. THE GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREES...TREE LIMBS...AND POWERLINES. SEEK SAFE SHELTER 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. JLL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
952 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0852 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 E PETERSBURG 35.33N 86.58W
07/12/2009 LINCOLN TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
911 CENTER REPORTED A TREE DOWN ON PETERSBURG CHESTNUT
RIDGE RD. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
0905 PM LIGHTNING 11 NNE LYNCHBURG 35.42N 86.26W
07/12/2009 MOORE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN AND ON FIRE ON HWY 41A NEAR THE
BEDFORD...COFFEE...MOORE COUNTY LINE.
&&
CCROWEThe Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 135 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:17 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down on CR 73 near Green Hills.
A tree was blown down at the intersection of highway 157 and CR 6 near Cloverdale.
Two feet of water was reported by a highway patrol unit on Carters Gin Road in the Toney area.
A tree was blown down on Nick Davis road in the Harvest area.
Flash flooding from intense rainfall rates from strong to severe thunderstorms caused Cook Avenue to be closed.
Trees and power lines were blown down on Wilson Mann road.
Trees and power lines were blown down on Richard Branum Drive.
Trees and power lines down on Lemley Circle in New Hope.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Arab, especially on Brindley Mountain.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Guntersville. At one point, 1,500 customers were without power, mainly in the Sand Mountain area.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Boaz.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, July 2009
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: 177637, 177635, 191394, 177639, 177669, 177645, 177652, 177646, 177648, 177649, 177651.