A line of slow moving thunderstorms moved across southwest Alabama and produced a tornado and wind damage along with very heavy rain that caused flash flooding.
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 MOB wrote it up.
A line of slow moving thunderstorms moved across southwest Alabama and produced a tornado and wind damage along with very heavy rain that caused flash flooding.
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 Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 25, 10:58 PM CST, 4 hours 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1158 PM CDT WED MAR 25 2009
.AVIATION UPDATE FOR 26/06Z...MVFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED ACROSS MOST
OF THE AREA THROUGH THURSDAY. MOST OF THE RAIN AND POSSIBLE IFR IN
RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE OVER THE INTERIOR
SECTIONS...GENERALLY NORTH OF A FLORALA TO WIGGINS LINE UNTIL LATER
TONIGHT. EXPECT IFR IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE IN FROM THE
WEST AND SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
THURSDAY MORNING. WINDS TO REMAIN BREEZY AND SOUTHERLY. /11
*************************PARTIAL PREVIOUS DISCUSSION************
.HYDROLOGY...HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA OVER THE
NEXT TWO DAYS WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT RISES ON MANY AREA RIVERS.
SEVERAL AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE ALREADY AT ELEVATED LEVELS AND
THIS RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE RAPID RISES ON MANY RIVERS LATE THIS
WEEK. WIDESPREAD BASIN AVERAGED RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES
WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 8 INCHES MAY CAUSE MANY AREA RIVERS AND
STREAMS TO RISE TO OR ABOVE FLOOD STAGE BY LATE THIS WEEK. RIVER
FLOOD WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE CHICKASAWHAY RIVER AT
LEAKESVILLE...THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER AT COFFEEVILLE AND AT LEROY. THERE
IS A POTENTIAL FOR MORE RIVER FLOODING ESPECIALLY OVER THE WESTERN
FLORIDA PANHANDLE BASED ON THE DAY TWO QPF VALUES. PLEASE SEE
BHMFLWMOB/BHMFLSMOB AND BHMRVSMOB FOR FURTHER DETAILS. /04
&&
.CLIMATE...THE HEAVY RAINFALL EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL SHOULD
HELP THE RAINFALL DEFICITS ACROSS THE AREA. AS OF 1 AM THIS
MORNING...MOBILE RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR STANDS AT 10.95 INCHES OR
5.57 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. PENSACOLA RAINFALL FOR THE YEAR STANDS AT
8.38 INCHES OR 6.71 INCHES BELOW NORMAL. /04
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
MOBILE 63 72 61 77 / 80 80 80 70
PENSACOLA 64 72 63 77 / 70 80 80 70
DESTIN 63 72 63 74 / 60 70 70 60
EVERGREEN 61 74 60 77 / 90 80 80 70
WAYNESBORO 58 76 60 78 / 90 70 80 80
CAMDEN 59 74 61 78 / 90 80 80 80
&&
.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
BUTLER...CHOCTAW...CLARKE...CONECUH...COVINGTON...
CRENSHAW...ESCAMBIA...LOWER BALDWIN...LOWER MOBILE...
MONROE...UPPER BALDWIN...UPPER MOBILE...WASHINGTON...AND
WILCOX.
FL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...COASTAL SANTA ROSA...
INLAND ESCAMBIA...INLAND OKALOOSA...AND INLAND SANTA ROSA.
MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM SATURDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
GEORGE...GREENE...PERRY...STONE...AND WAYNE.
GM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 5 PM THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20
NM...COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT
20 NM...MOBILE BAY...WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL
FROM 20 TO 60 NM...AND WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO
PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 1147 PM CDT WED MAR 25 2009 ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-GMZ630-650-655-670-675-MSZ067-075-076-078- 079-270500- CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW- ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE- LOWER BALDWIN-INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA- COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-MOBILE BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM-WAYNE-PERRY- GREENE-STONE-GEORGE- 1147 PM CDT WED MAR 25 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE...AND THE ADJACENT GULF COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY LATE TONIGHT. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI BETWEEN 3 AND 4 AM AND INTO SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AFTER 4 AM. A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...ISOLATED TORNADOES AND THE POSSIBILITY OF FLASH FLOODING. THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL INCREASE AS THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PASSES. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES POSSIBLE. THIS COULD CREATE FLASH FLOODING....ESPECIALLY IN AREAS THAT RECEIVED HEAVY RAIN WEDNESDAY...IN PARTICULAR PARTS OF GREENE...WASHINGTON AND CLARKE COUNTIES LATER TONIGHT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT. A MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WIND WILL MAINTAIN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT THROUGH THURSDAY...CONTINUING THE RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG AREA BEACHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL STALL NEAR THE AREA ON THURSDAY...PROVIDING THE FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG...POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN THURSDAY NIGHT AND LATE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. THE LATEST GUIDANCE SUGGESTS TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES IS POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF THE REGION THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. ISOLATED AREAS MAY RECEIVE MORE RAINFALL. DUE TO THE LONG DURATION OF FORECAST HEAVY PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA...FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS...SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE WEEK. SEVERAL AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE ALREADY AT ELEVATED LEVELS AND THIS RAINFALL WILL LIKELY CAUSE MANY RIVERS ACROSS THE AREA TO GO ABOVE FLOOD STAGE LATE THIS WEEK. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. A MODERATE TO OCCASIONAL STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND WILL CONTINUE...ALONG WITH SEAS OF 6 TO 9 FEET. A RISK FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE ALONG AREA BEACHES THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION FROM LATER TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY FOR FLASH FLOODING AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
The Mobile radar (KMOB), 146 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:51 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A large oak tree fell on a mobile home causing a hole in the roof and breaking windows in winds estimated at 60 mph.
Winds estimated at 60 mph knocked down trees on the north side of Thomasville.
The EF1 tornado touched down just south of Appleton where it destroyed a small barn behind a residence and uprooted several hardwood trees and snapped several pine trees. The tornado continued northeast where it strengthened and widened. At its strongest point the tornado snapped numerous large pine trees in a wooded area. On the periphery of the stronger winds several homes and outbuildings experienced minor roof and shingle damage. The tornado lifted about two miles northeast of Appleton.
Survey team found evidence of straight line wind damage to several homes and metal buildings. Most of the wind damage occurred to mobile homes and metal buildings with two mobile homes completely destroyed and several other suffering damage. A two story homes also experienced roof damage. Most of the damage was found in an area from one to two miles northeast of Onycha. Based on the damage evidence the team estimated winds around 90 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 2009Warnings in Alabama, March 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: 158442, 158466, 158495, 158498.