A very moist and unstable environment was in place as a weak frontal boundary dropped southward toward northern Alabama. Two waves of thunderstorms resulted, one during the early to mid afternoon and another during the late afternoon and early evening hours.
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 very moist and unstable environment was in place as a weak frontal boundary dropped southward toward northern Alabama. Two waves of thunderstorms resulted, one during the early to mid afternoon and another during the late afternoon and early evening hours. Isolated damaging winds were reported that downed trees and power lines. Rainfall of 2 to 3.25 inches were observed in eastern Limestone and west central Madison Counties.
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 9, 10:54 AM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1154 AM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010 .UPDATE...FOR 18Z AVIATION. && .AVIATION...WEAK/DIFFUSE SFC BOUNDARY WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR SCT SHRA/TSRA THROUGH MID EVENING. ALTHOUGH TIMING/LOCATION OF CONVECTION WILL BE DIFFICULT TO PIN DOWN...EXPECT IMPACTS TO BOTH KMSL/KHSV TODAY AND WILL INCLUDE AT LEAST VCTS IN BOTH TERMINALS THROUGH 03Z. BASED ON TRENDS...MAY ALSO INCLUDE MORE SPECIFIC TIMING/POTENTIAL FOR MVFR/IFR CONCERNS AT ISSUANCE TIME. ALSO INCLUDED MENTION OF FOG AT BOTH SITES FOR LATE TONIGHT/EARLY SAT DUE TO RECENT AND ANTICIPATED PRECIP ACROSS THE REGION. && .DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 940 AM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010/ MORNING SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS A FRONT EXTENDING FROM NEAR THE OH RIVER THROUGH THE ARKLATEX REGION. OTHER THAN A VERY NON- DESCRIPT PRESSURE TROUGH AND SOME MODEST DIP IN MOISTURE...THE SFC FRONT IS VERY HARD TO DISCERN THIS MORNING. U/A ANALYSIS DOES SHOW A VERY WEAK S/W TROUGH APPROACHING THE MID MS RIVER VALLEY THIS MORNING. CLOSER TO HOME...ANOTHER VERY WARM AND STICKY MORNING IS ALREADY SHAPING UP WITH TEMPS IN THE M/U 80S AND DWPTS IN THE L/M 70S UNDER MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. VIS IMAGERY SHOWS LEADING EDGE OF CLOUD COVER...ASSOCIATED WITH FRONTAL BOUNDARY...MOVING INTO WEST TN AND NRN MS. BASED ON MORNING RAOBS...EXPECT MOST AREAS TO REACH CONVECTIVE TEMPS SHORTLY. THUS..EXPECT EXPANSIVE CU FIELD BY LATE MORNING. WITH PWATS AOA 2" TODAY AND SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY (MLCAPE VALUES BETWEEN 1.5-2 KJ/KG)...EXPECT SHRA/TSRA DEVELOPMENT TODAY IN ADVANCE OF WEAK FRONT. SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE IS ALL OVER THE MAP IN TERMS OF AREAL COVERAGE/PLACEMENT OF CONVECTION WITH THE OPERATIONAL WRF KEEPING THE BULK OF THE DEVELOPMENT IN TN WHILE THE NSSL WRF AND LOCAL WRF SHOW SIG COVERAGE ACROSS NRN AL BY 21Z. BASED ON THE UNCERTAINTY...CURRENT 50-60% POPS SEEM REASONABLE (WITH HIGHER POPS NORTH). ANY STORMS THAT DO DEVELOP WILL CERTAINLY BE EFFICIENT RAIN PRODUCERS WITH ISOLATED/BRIEF FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE. QUICK SCAN OF WET MICROBURST PARAMETERS INDICATE MARGINAL POTENTIAL/CONCERN AS MID/UPPER LEVELS WILL BE MOISTENING OVERALL WITH TIME. HOWEVER...WILL NEED TO MONITOR STRONGER CELLS FOR BRIEF DOWNDRAFTS. AN UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED SHORTLY TO ADJUST TEMPS UPWARD IN SPOTS BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS AND ANTICIPATED ARRIVAL (AND DEVELOPMENT) OF CLOUDS. CURRENT POPS SEEM REASONABLE...AND DON'T ANTICIPATE MAJOR CHANGES THERE. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && AVIATION...15 DISCUSSION...15
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1121 AM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-101100- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 1121 AM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ANTICIPATED ACROSS THE AREA TODAY AS A WEAK COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST. SOME STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE...AND LOCALIZED FLOODING MAY BECOME A CONCERN WHERE SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS LINGER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. AN UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN WILL PERSIST INTO THE NEXT WORK WEEK AS A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES. AT THIS TIME...THE BEST CHANCE OF RAIN IS EXPECTED MONDAY. A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...AGAIN CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... FORMAL ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 115 PM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010 ALZ004-091845- LAWRENCE- 115 PM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LAWRENCE COUNTY UNTIL 145 PM CDT... AT 110 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HATTON...OR 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF MOULTON... MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... MOULTON...WREN. CHALYBEATE SPRINGS. CADDO...SPEAKE. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. && LAT...LON 3460 8710 3439 8713 3445 8745 3464 8740 TIME...MOT...LOC 1814Z 281DEG 16KT 3453 8734
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
118 PM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010
ALZ005-091845-
LIMESTONE-
118 PM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LIMESTONE COUNTY UNTIL 145 PM
CDT...
AT 115 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CARTWRIGHT...OR 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF
ATHENS...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND
HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
ELKMONT.
ATHENS.
FRENCH MILL...BETHEL.
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE
STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
&&
LAT...LON 3493 8679 3479 8679 3471 8682 3483 8711
3499 8705
TIME...MOT...LOC 1818Z 287DEG 12KT 3488 8702SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 139 PM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010 ALZ006-091915- MADISON- 139 PM CDT FRI JUL 9 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MADISON COUNTY UNTIL 215 PM CDT... AT 137 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HARVEST...MOVING EAST AT 20 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... NORTH HUNTSVILLE. GLADSTONE. MERIDIANVILLE...NORMAL. MOORES MILL. DEPOSIT...MAYSVILLE. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. && LAT...LON 3495 8636 3472 8639 3477 8679 3496 8678 TIME...MOT...LOC 1839Z 275DEG 23KT 3486 8674
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 61 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:51 UTC.
13 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 1 flash flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A power outage was reported at the intersection of Sam Thomas and Pine Grove Roads in Harvest. Power was knocked out in the Magnolia Springs subdivision.
A large tree was knocked down due to a lightning strike near Alabama Highway 20.
A large tree was struck by lightning on County Road 25.
Four large trees were knocked down near the intersection of Capshaw Road and Sam Thomas Road in Harvest on Blanca Drive. The trees caused minor damage to a fence and home.
A large tree was knocked down near the Magnolia Springs subdivision.
A tree was blown down on Sam Thomas Road.
A tree was knocked down at the intersection of Balch Road and Bordeaux Lane. Time was estimated by radar.
Wind gusts up to 60 mph were estimated.
Power lines were knocked down along Old Railroad Bed Road.
Multiple trees were knocked down. One tree landed on top of a mobile home off Bledsoe Road.
Two trees were knocked down onto a home on McKinley Avenue. Time was estimated by radar.
A large oak tree was knocked down near Jeff Road. Time was estimated by radar.
Six inches of flowing water was reported on the intersection of Nance Road and Capshaw Road.
Thunderstorm wind damage knocked 2 trees down on top of a pickup truck at the intersection of Gallatin and Marsheutz. Time estimated based on radar.
A large tree was blown down on John Wright Drive NW.
Trees were knocked down onto two pick-up trucks on near the intersection of Gallatin and Marsheutz Roads. Time estimated by radar.
Heavy rainfall of 3.25 inches was measured 3 miles northwest of Capshaw. Most of the rain fell in a 35 minute period during a severe thunderstorm.
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, July 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: 231312, 231310, 231311, 231313, 231314, 231320, 231315, 231323, 231316, 231317, 231318, 231319, 231309, 232158, 231321, 232130, 231299.