An upper level disturbance and associated surface frontal system, moving across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, caused numerous thunderstorms across Central Alabama over a two day period. Many of the storms produced damaging winds, large hail, and locally heavy rainfall.
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 associated surface frontal system, moving across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, caused numerous thunderstorms across Central Alabama over a two day period. Many of the storms produced damaging winds, large hail, and locally heavy rainfall.
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 20, 1:55 PM CST, 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 255 PM CDT THU MAY 20 2010 .DISCUSSION... THIS AFTERNOON A NORTHWARD MOVING WARM FRONT WAS LOCATED BETWEEN FAYETTE AND MONTGOMERY. THE AIRMASS WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME MORE UNSTABLE AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES WITH SBCAPES PUSHING INTO THE 1000 TO 2000 J/KG RANGE. THE CUMULUS FIELD CONTINUES TO DEVELOP IN THE WARM SECTOR SOUTH OF THE WARM FRONT OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA. MEANWHILE A DYNAMIC SYSTEM IS APPROACHING FROM THE WEST WITH A SURFACE LOW AND UPPER-LEVEL JET STRUCTURE. BANDS OF ONGOING CONVECTION ARE PUSHING INTO WESTERN ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON. LOOK FOR THE WARM FRONT TO CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTHWARD. THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS WILL BE QUITE ACTIVE AS WE WILL SEE SEVERAL MCS DEVELOP AND SLIDE THROUGH THE AREA. TRYING TO PINPOINT THE TIMING IN REGARDS TO THE HWO IS VERY TROUBLESOME. AS MENTIONED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON THE DEVELOPMENT IN THE WEST IN THE MORE MOIST AIRMASS. THIS INITIAL LINE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST...AS CORFIDI VECTORS CONTINUE TO INDICATE THIS FLOW OVER THE NEXT 12 HOURS. BY FRIDAY MORNING THE FLOW BECOMES MORE EASTERLY AND EVENTUALLY SOUTHEASTERLY. THIS WILL HELP TO KICK MUCH OF THE PRECIP OUT BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. BEHIND THIS SYSTEM A STRONG RIDGE WILL BUILD INTO THE PLAINS AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY. MODELS CONTINUE TO AMPLIFY THIS RIDGE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES. THIS IS DUE TO THE DEEPENING OF THE TROUGH ALONG THE WEST COAST. THIS SCENARIO TYPICALLY ALLOWS FOR AN EASTERLY FLOW AND SLIGHTLY COOLER TEMPERATURES TO WORK IN UNDERNEATH THE RIDGE. MODELS ARE ALSO HINTING AT AN EASTERLY WAVE WORKING INTO THE SOUTHEAST BY THE END OF THE PERIOD...SETTING UP A REX-BLOCK IN THE EASTERN CONUS FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. ENSEMBLES ARE FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH THIS PATTERN. THIS WOULD KEEP RAIN CHANCES IN FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE TIME. CONFIDENCE IS GROWING ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE PATTERN. SOME DIFFERENCES ON THE PLACEMENT OF THE UPPER LOW IN THE SOUTHEAST...SO WILL STICK WITH MINIMAL RAIN CHANCES AT THE TIME. && .AVIATION...18Z TAF DISCUSSION. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER MS POISED TO MOVE INTO AT LEAST WESTERN ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTHWARD. AIR MASS WILL BE DESTABILIZING RAPIDLY OVER WESTERN ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON. COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS MAY AFFECT MAINLY THE NORTHERN TAF SITES AFTER 21Z THROUGH 06Z. EXPECT STRATUS CEILINGS NEAR 1500 FT TO DEVELOP IN THE WARM SECTOR AFTER 09Z...LIFTING ABOVE 2000 FT BY 15Z. NOTICE...KEET TAF WILL HAVE (AMD LTD TO VIS WIND AND WX) AMENDED TO THE END OF THE FORECAST UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE WHILE CEILOMETER DATA IS BEING MONITORED FOR ACCURACY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GADSDEN 66 82 66 90 65 / 70 60 30 20 10 ANNISTON 65 83 65 90 64 / 60 60 30 20 10 BIRMINGHAM 65 83 66 90 65 / 70 60 20 20 10 TUSCALOOSA 67 87 66 93 65 / 70 40 20 10 10 CALERA 66 85 66 91 66 / 60 50 20 20 10 AUBURN 65 85 64 89 64 / 40 50 30 20 10 MONTGOMERY 68 88 68 92 68 / 30 30 20 20 10 TROY 66 88 66 92 66 / 30 30 20 20 10 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && 16/03
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 115 PM CDT THU MAY 20 2010 ALZ011>015-017>050-211745- 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- 115 PM CDT THU MAY 20 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. A WEATHER SYSTEM WILL MOVE IN FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THIS SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS TO CENTRAL ALABAMA IN SEVERAL WAVES. THE INITIAL THREAT FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACROSS WESTERN ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON...AS SEVERAL BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL SLIDE THROUGH THE AREA. THE MAIN AREA OF CONCERN FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WEST OF A CARROLLTON TO JASPER LINE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREAT. AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS EAST. STRONG STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG AND TO THE NORTH OF THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR...MAINLY BETWEEN 4 PM AND MIDNIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. A SECOND WAVE OF THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP IN THE SOUTHEAST BY 5 PM AND PROVIDE A CHANCE FOR STRONG STORMS SOUTH OF THE INTERSTATE 20 CORRIDOR. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. A THIRD WAVE OF THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AND SLIDE THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT. DEPENDING ON THE ACTIVITY DURING THE AFTERNOON...A FEW STRONG STORMS MAY BE POSSIBLE FROM MIDNIGHT THROUGH 7 AM. CONFIDENCE IS LOW ON THIS THIRD WAVE AND MAY NEED TO BE REVISED AS THE NIGHT PROGRESSES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A FEW STRONG STORMS MAY LINGER INTO FRIDAY AS THE SYSTEM TRIES TO CLEAR THE AREA. THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20. OTHERWISE NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE NEEDED ACROSS WESTERN ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 221 PM CDT THU MAY 20 2010 ALZ012-022-202000- LAMAR-PICKENS- 221 PM CDT THU MAY 20 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LAMAR AND PICKENS COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM CDT... AT 217 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM COLUMBUS TO 19 MILES WEST OF PANOLA...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM COLUMBUS TO 26 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PICKENSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... FOREST. MELBORNE. STAR. PICKENSVILLE. HIGHTOGY. GARDEN. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 14
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 253 PM CDT THU MAY 20 2010 ALZ031-202045- GREENE- 253 PM CDT THU MAY 20 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR GREENE COUNTY UNTIL 345 PM CDT... AT 251 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR NEW WEST GREENE...OR 15 MILES WEST OF EUTAW... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 30 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... NEW MOUNT HEBRON. NEW WEST GREENE. WEST GREENE. CLINTON. LEWISTON. UNION. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 14
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 74 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:08 UTC.
21 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 lightning, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Stores in downtown Carrollton had merchandise blown down the street.
Several large limbs were blown down onto AL-86, near Gordo.
A swath of hail, ranging from the size of nickels up to the size of golf balls, was reported from the Fosters community northeastward into the southwestern portions of the city of Tuscaloosa. Several vehicles were damaged by golf ball sized hail at the intersection of US-11 and Gainsville Road, just east of Fosters.
Several trees were blown down at the intersection of US-11 and Gainsville Road, in the Fosters community.
Damage was reported in the Skyland Blvd. area of the city of Tuscaloosa. An auto parts store suffered the collapse of a roof, which subsequently flooded the inside of the store. Roof damage was also reported to portions of the McFarland Mall shopping center, with debris scattered around the parking lot. A Sam's Club and Walmart store across the street from the mall were also damaged, and several traffic lights in the area were blown down.
Four apartment buildings within an apartment complex were heavily damaged when trees were blown down onto them.
Water was reported flowing over the bridge in the Brookhaven area of Tuscaloosa, just off of US-82. Eight inches of water was reported in the University Mall area, near the intersection of US-82 and 15th Street.
Several trees were blown down at CR-13 and Environs Parkway, in the western portion of the county.
Trees were blown down at 1st Street South and Old Highway 31, in Alabaster.
A 61 mph wind gust was reported at Fox Valley, at the intersection of CR-17 and 1st Avenue in Alabaster.
A prolonged period of moderate to heavy rainfall led to flooding at several locations around the city of Birmingham. Emergency water rescues were performed at 9th Ave. North and 22nd Street North, and at Carraway Blvd. and 26th Street. Street flooding was reported on Arkadelphia Road near the railroad tracks, and on Happy Hollow Road in Trussville.
Sixty to 70 mph winds were estimated at the WIAT-TV studios, atop Red Mountain in Birmingham.
A person was reportedly injured by a lightning strike at a shopping center near the intersection of Greensprings Highway and Valley Avenue.
Peak winds reached 62 mph at the Birmingham Airport.
Large tree limbs were blown down across a large section of Wilsonville.
Trees and power lines were blown down near Carmichael Road, in the Woodmere area of Montgomery.
Trees were blown down, including one on a car, near the intersection of US-11 and AL-23.
Several trees were blown down near the condos at Alpine Bay Resort.
A suspected microburst destroyed 5 mobile homes, damaged 3 others, damaged 2 site built homes, destroyed 4 outbuildings, caused a tree to fall on and extensively damage a car, and destroyed 6 quail houses. The damage occurred on Antioch Church Road, about a mile west of AL-51, south of the Midway community in the southeastern portion of Bullock County.
Numerous trees were blown down near the Reeltown VFD, and some nearby baseball field dugouts were damaged by winds.
Several trees were blown down and blocked Wakefield Road, near AL-13 northwest of Haleyville.
A lightning strike set fire to a warehouse building in downtown Haleyville, resulting in a total loss of the building.
A tree was blown down onto AL-18, in the Corona community.
A portion of CR-122, north of Hamilton, experienced a short period of flash flooding.
Trees were blown down at two locations in the city of Hueytown.
Trees were blown down in downtown Birmingham.
Several areas in the southwestern suburbs of Birmingham became flooded due to heavy rain. The hardest hit areas included Parker Spring Street and Bessemer Street in Brighton, 9th Avenue at AL-150 and Dartmouth Avenue in Bessemer, and Perimeter Way at McCalla Road in McCalla. One car became submerged in Brighton.
Several trees were blown down on CR-7, north of Marion.
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, May 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: 236087, 236088, 236089, 236090, 236091, 236096, 236095, 236097, 236098, 236099, 236103, 236128, 236130, 236132, 236135, 236131, 236145, 236137, 236147, 236146, 236148, 236149, 236222, 236151, 236154, 236158, 236159, 236161, 236162, 236164, 236167, 236168, 236169, 236170, 236171, 236173.