A cluster of high based supercell thunderstorms tracked eastward into northwest Alabama during the evening hours. One of the storms developed a moderate intensity mesocyclone which evolved into a small bow echo with isolated damaging wind.
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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 cluster of high based supercell thunderstorms tracked eastward into northwest Alabama during the evening hours. One of the storms developed a moderate intensity mesocyclone which evolved into a small bow echo with isolated damaging wind. Prolific lightning was also reported across northwest and north central Alabama with these thunderstorms. Telephone outages were also reported in northwest Alabama due to lightning.
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 Feb 21, 9:25 PM CST, 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 925 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010 .UPDATE...FOR 00Z TAF AMENDMENTS && .AVIATION...SHRA WITH EMBEDDED TSTMS ARE MOVING WWD ACROSS NW AL THIS EVENING. BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER TSTMS THROUGH THE EVENING HRS...WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS NEAR 30KT ALSO POSSIBLE. MVFR CONDITIONS ARE THEN XPCTED OVERNIGHT AS SHRA CONTINUES TO MOVE EWD ACROSS THE AREA. MVFR CONDITIONS ARE XPCTED THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD...ALTHOUGH SHRA ACTIVITY WILL BEGIN TO TAPER OFF AFTER 14Z. && .DISCUSSION...SHOWERS ARE GRADUALLY BEGINNING TO MOVE EWD INTO NW AL THIS EVENING. A FEW EMBEDDED ELEVATED TSTMS ARE ALSO WORKING THEIR INTO NW AL DESPITE DEW PTS PREDOM IN THE 30S. CLOUD HEIGHTS ALSO REMAIN QUITE HIGH THIS EVENING WITH THE DRIER AIR IN PLACE AT THE LOWER LEVELS. CEILINGS THOUGH SHOULD BEGIN TO GRADUALLY DROP FROM W TO E LATER THIS EVENING AS THE MOISTURE PROFILE THICKENS. ELEVATED INSTABILITY SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO INCREASE WWD ACROSS THE AREA INTO THE OVERNIGHT HRS...WHICH SHOULD HELP/MAINTAIN ELEVATED TSTMS AS THE PRECIP AXIS GRADUALLY MOVES WWD. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AS WELL WITH ANY OF THESE ELEVATED TSTMS GIVEN THE STRONGER LOW-LEVEL INFLOW. NEVERTHELESS...WILL GO AHEAD AND INCREASE TSTM CHANCES TO CAT FOR THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT TO GO WITH THE FORECAST FOR WIDESPREAD SHOWERS. REST OF THE FORECAST LOOKS REASONABLE. UPDATED GRIDS AND ZONES OUT SHORTLY. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && 09
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 910 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-221100- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 910 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA TROUGH THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE BRIEF WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
840 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
ALZ003-220315-
FRANKLIN-
840 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY UNTIL 915 PM
CST...
AT 838 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
NEAR ATWOOD...OR 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF RED BAY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
40 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
BELGREEN...DUKETON.
ROCKWOOD.
ISBELL...SPRUCE PINE.
PLEASANT RIDGE...RUSSELLVILLE.
THARPTOWN.
SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
&&
LAT...LON 3432 8807 3440 8813 3457 8779 3457 8756
3456 8753 3455 8753 3444 8753 3431 8786
TIME...MOT...LOC 0239Z 241DEG 37KT 3437 8797
KULASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
927 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
ALZ001-004-005-007-TNZ076-220415-
LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MOORE-MORGAN-
927 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LAUDERDALE...LAWRENCE...
LIMESTONE...MOORE AND MORGAN COUNTIES UNTIL 1015 PM CST...
AT 925 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF ATHENS TO
MOULTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
CARTWRIGHT...CADDO.
TRINITY...ELKMONT.
TANNER...HOLLAND GIN.
FRENCH MILL...BETHEL.
CAPSHAW.
SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
SIGNIFICANT LIGHTNING HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS.
&&
LAT...LON 3532 8635 3523 8637 3524 8638 3524 8643
3499 8678 3462 8679 3438 8738 3498 8723
3501 8717 3499 8678 3524 8642 3527 8641
3530 8644 3533 8636
TIME...MOT...LOC 0327Z 244DEG 47KT 3494 8714 3452 8725
KULASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
929 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
ALZ001-004-005-007-TNZ076-220415-
LAUDERDALE-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MORGAN-
929 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR
LAUDERDALE...LAWRENCE...LIMESTONE...AND MORGAN COUNTIES UNTIL 1015
PM CST...
AT 925 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 14 MILES NORTHWEST OF ATHENS TO
MOULTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
CARTWRIGHT...CADDO.
TRINITY...ELKMONT.
TANNER...HOLLAND GIN.
FRENCH MILL...BETHEL.
CAPSHAW.
SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
SIGNIFICANT LIGHTNING HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS.
&&
LAT...LON 3532 8635 3523 8637 3524 8638 3524 8643
3499 8678 3462 8679 3438 8738 3498 8723
3501 8717 3499 8678 3524 8642 3527 8641
3530 8644 3533 8636
TIME...MOT...LOC 0327Z 244DEG 47KT 3494 8714 3452 8725
KULAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
936 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0849 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 W RUSSELLVILLE 34.51N 87.78W
02/21/2010 FRANKLIN AL EMERGENCY MNGR
POWERLINES REPORTED DOWN ALONG WITH A SHED BLOWN DOWN
ALONG HWY 36 AT HWY 24 WEST OF RUSSELLVILLE.
0855 PM TSTM WND GST 5 SSE RUSSELLVILLE 34.44N 87.70W
02/21/2010 E60.00 MPH FRANKLIN AL TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED STRONG THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
ALONG HWY 243 SOUTH OF RUSSELLVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT.
&&SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
953 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
ALZ004-007-220430-
LAWRENCE-MORGAN-
953 PM CST SUN FEB 21 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LAWRENCE AND MORGAN COUNTIES
UNTIL 1030 PM CST...
AT 952 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
NEAR WREN...OR 6 MILES SOUTH OF MOULTON...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.
WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
SPEAKE.
DANVILLE.
NEEL...MASSEY.
FLINT CITY...BASHAM.
DECATUR.
PRICEVILLE...SOMERVILLE.
SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
&&
LAT...LON 3444 8743 3462 8696 3459 8692 3458 8687
3456 8683 3455 8677 3446 8672 3430 8726
3430 8736
TIME...MOT...LOC 0353Z 248DEG 41KT 3440 8728
KULAThe Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:54 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds blew a shed over on a property along CR 144 southeast of Russellville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, February 2010
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: 214378.