An upper level disturbance and a nearby stationary front combined to produce numerous severe thunderstorms across Central Alabama, that included damaging winds, large hail, and several 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.
An upper level disturbance and a nearby stationary front combined to produce numerous severe thunderstorms across Central Alabama, that included damaging winds, large hail, and several 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 6, 5:44 AM CST, 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 644 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 .UPDATE...FOR 12Z AVIATION. && .DISCUSSION... ONCE AGAIN...BUSY WITH WEATHER...SO I WILL BE BRIEF. ANOTHER DAY...SAME FORECAST...AS YET ANOTHER VORT MAX AND JET MAX ENTER NORTHWEST ALABAMA THIS MORNING AND WILL FOCUS STORMS...THE STRONGEST THIS AFTERNOON...MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA BY EARLY AFTERNOON. THESE STORMS...STRONG WITH A GOOD MIX OF SEVERE WILL LINGER INTO THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT AS THE FOCUSING MECHANISM DRIFTS FURTHER SOUTH THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. LOOK FOR MUCH OF THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS OVERNIGHT PERIODS...FOR THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO LAST WELL INTO THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. INTO THURSDAY...WE WILL ONCE AGAIN DEAL WITH ACTIVE WEATHER...AS WEDNESDAYS SLOW MOVING BOUNDARY WILL ONCE AGAIN TRIGGER MAINLY AFTERNOON STORMS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE CWA. ISOLATED SEVERE WEATHER WILL ONCE AGAIN BE IN THE CARDS AS SHEAR VECTORS AND LAPSE RATES REMAIN RATHER LARGE...AGAIN THOUGH...THINKING THE BEST CHANCES WILL LIKELY BEGIN TO MOVE FURTHER SOUTH AS THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING PROGRESSES. WE WILL HOPEFULLY BEGIN SEEING OUR FIRST BREAK IN THE ACTION BY LATE THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY INTO THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD ON FRIDAY MORNING. FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND INTO THE WEEKEND...WE MAY CATCH A BIT OF A REST AS THE AFTERNOON SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SEEM TO BE A BIT MORE ON THE DISORGANIZED SIDE...ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF SEVERE WEATHER. HOWEVER...EXPECT TO SEE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED DEVELOPMENT EACH DAY...MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20. BEYOND THE WEEKEND...IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER SAGGING FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE STATE...SO GET READY FOR ANOTHER FEW DAYS OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD. I DONT SEE A LOT OF UPPER LEVEL DYNAMIC SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZED SEVERE OUTBREAK TYPE WEATHER...BUT CERTAINLY ANY VORT OR JET MAX WILL BRING THE ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SEVERE THREAT ONCE AGAIN TO CENTRAL ALABAMA...TYPICAL MONTH OF MAY PATTERN. && .AVIATION...12Z TAF DISCUSSION. CHALLENGE TODAY IS TIMING THE SQUALL APPROACHING FROM MISSISSIPPI. AMENDMENTS MAY BE NEEDED BASED ON INCREASE OR DECREASE IN SPEED. IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED WITHIN LINE. PRE-SQUALL LINE CONDITIONS WILL BE MVFR. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MARION-WINSTON-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WALKER-BLOUNT- ETOWAH AND CHEROKEE UNTIL 12 PM. && 17/88
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 630 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ALZ011>015-017>050-070940- 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- 440 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 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 EXPECTED TO IMPACT MUCH OF CENTRAL ALABAMA FROM THE MORNING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED TORNADOES CAN NOT BE RULED OUT. THE SEVERE THREAT WILL SLOWLY PUSH SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND EVENTUALLY WILL BE CONFINED TO AREAS ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF INTERSTATE 85 AND HIGHWAY 80 THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE MAINLY ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AREAS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA ON THURSDAY...MAINLY BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 6 AM AND 10 PM. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...BUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE NEEDED TODAY AND POSSIBLY THURSDAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 237 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ALZ012-060815- LAMAR- 237 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LAMAR COUNTY UNTIL 315 AM CDT... AT 233 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES EAST OF ABERDEEN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... STAR. BEDFORD. VERNON. SULLIGENT. CREWS. BEAVERTON. 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 310 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ALZ011-012-060845- LAMAR-MARION- 310 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LAMAR AND MARION COUNTIES UNTIL 345 AM CDT... AT 310 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CREWS...OR NEAR SULLIGENT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... PINE SPRINGS. HENSON SPRINGS. PIKEVILLE. GU-WIN. PEA RIDGE. PEARCES MILL. 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 351 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ALZ011-014-015-060915- MARION-WALKER-WINSTON- 351 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR MARION...WALKER AND WINSTON COUNTIES UNTIL 415 AM CDT... AT 351 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BRILLIANT...OR NEAR WINFIELD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... WINFIELD. BRILLIANT. PINEY GROVE. LAKE BUTTAHATCHEE. NATURAL BRIDGE. 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 614 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ALZ018-020-061145- CHEROKEE-ETOWAH- 614 AM CDT WED MAY 6 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR CHEROKEE AND ETOWAH COUNTIES UNTIL 645 AM CDT... AT 612 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CHEROKEE ROCK VILLAGE...OR 8 MILES WEST OF CENTRE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
652 AM CDT WED MAY 06 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0643 AM HEAVY RAIN SNEAD 34.12N 86.40W
05/06/2009 E3.00 INCH BLOUNT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
HEAVY RAIN CAUSING URBAN FLOODING OF ROADWAYS.WATER OVER
THE ROAD AND TELCO CONNECTION BOXES PARTIALLY UNDERWATER.
&&
KSUMRALLThe Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 43 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:06 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind, 9 tornado, 4 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were blown down on US-278 in Hamilton.
Several trees were blown down west of the Moreland Community.
The tornado touched down along the Tombigbee River basin near the Rogersville Camp area. It then tracked northeastward for about a mile before it lifted. Several trees were snapped off and several tops of trees were taken off along the path. Some of the fallen trees landed on trailers and caused varying degrees of damage.
Several trees were blown down near Panola.
The tornado touched down in Carrollton near the intersection of Rose Street and CR-35. It then tracked east-northeast and lifted in a rural area along Lubbub Creek. Several trees were snapped off or were blown down along the path. A few of the trees fell on homes and caused varying degrees of damage.
An estimated 3 to 4 inches of rain caused US-278 in Sulligent to become impassable due to flooding.
The tornado touched down briefly near AL-13, south of the New Lexington Community. Two homes sustained moderate damage. One home had its garage door blown in and subsequently a wall blown out. Wind entered into another home's attic and blew out a portion of the roof. A wooden projectile (1 by 6) was blown approximately 100 yards and embedded into the side of a home. A pontoon boat was also overturned.
The tornado touched down along CR-21 on the western side of Lake Arnedra, crossed the lake, and then lifted on the eastern shore. Two large hardwood trees were blown down onto houses causing major damage to one of the homes and making it uninhabitable. Another hardwood was toppled on the western shore of the lake.
A mobile home was damaged by thunderstorm winds in the Fosters Community.
Several trees were uprooted on Mitchell Mountain Road, near the Corona Community.
Storm spotters reported trees down and roof damage to a building.
The tornado touched down near the eastern city limits of Jasper, tracked eastward across Highway 78, and lifted near Golf Course Road. Five structures were damaged. A bank drive through structure was detached from the main building and rotated 90 degrees. Two car dealerships sustained damage. Forty cars were totaled, mostly due to broken windows resulting in water damage. Three air handlers atop the dealerships were rolled. Numerous trees were uprooted. A billboard was also impaled by a fiberglass missile.
The tornado touched down on the west side of Cordova along South Street. It then moved east-northeastward through the city of Cordova, and lifted shortly after it crossed near the intersection of Disney Street and Mass Avenue, near Cane Creek. Numerous trees were snapped off or were uprooted along the path. At least 15 homes were damaged by the fallen trees. One of the trees fell on a train and damaged some of the cars but the train did not derail.
At least two vehicles were flipped on future I-22, near the Cordova/Parrish exit.
A tornado briefly touched down along Highway 69 and crossed the road before lifting. A carport was destroyed with debris scattered across the road. Several trees were uprooted and snapped and a trampoline was carried 200 yards downwind. A utility pole was also snapped but was likely impacted by debris.
The tornado briefly touched down along CR-5, approximately 2 miles west of Interstate 65. The tornado uprooted several trees in a relatively small concentrated area.
The tornado briefly touched down in the Albritton Road and Sparks Drive area near Warrior. Several large hardwood trees were uprooted, and several pines were snapped. Some of the trees fell onto and caused damage to houses. Several other homes in the area lost roof shingles.
Widespread wind damage was reported across the Birmingham metro area. Trees and power lines were blown down in numerous locations, and several homes were damaged by the fallen trees. Locations that reported damage included Irondale, Bessemer, Hoover, Birmingham, Pinson, Vestavia Hills, Warrior, Corner, and Fairfield.
Several trees were blown down on AL-79, near Cleveland.
A tree was blown down on US-231 near Oneonta.
Trees were blown down between Ohatchee and Alexandria.
Hail up to the size of nickels was reported at the WAKA-TV studio.
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, May 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: 175997, 175999, 176000, 176011, 176001, 175998, 176002, 176009, 176010, 176012, 176014, 176013, 176015, 176016, 176017, 176018, 176019, 176040, 176021, 176020, 176024, 176025, 176028, 176029, 176035.