Clusters of thunderstorms produced at least two areas of wind damage during the early evening.
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.
Clusters of thunderstorms produced at least two areas of wind damage during the early evening.
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 14, 5:20 PM CST, 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 620 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011 .UPDATE...FOR 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION && .AVIATION... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE GREATER TENNESSEE VALLEY THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED FRIDAY MORNING. WITH BOUNDARIES BEING THE MAIN TRIGGER FOR STORM DEVELOPMENT THIS EVENING...CONFIDENCE IN TS LOCATION IS LOW...SO HAVE UTILIZED CB/VCSH AND WILL AMD AS NEEDED. PATCHY FOG WILL DEVELOP DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THIS FOG MAY FALL BELOW MVFR...AND WILL ADDRESS THAT FURTHER WITH THE 06Z TAF PACKAGE. && .DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 301 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011/ THE SFC BOUNDARY CAUSING MUCH OF THE CONVECTION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE PUSHING NORTHWEST AS A WARM FRONT. THOUGH THIS BOUNDARY IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN, THE NAM/GFS ARE INDICATING THAT THE LOW WILL LIKELY MOVE NORTHWEST TOWARDS N AL DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AND MAY PROVIDE THE FOCUS FOR STORMS TONIGHT. IT APPEARS THAT THE MAIN REASON FOR THE MOVEMENT OF THIS FRONT NORTHWARD IS THE BUILDING OF THE SFC HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM EAST TOWARDS THE WESTERN ATLANTIC TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW. WITH THE FRONT MOVING CLOSER TO THE SOUTHERN PERIPHERY OF OUR FORECAST AREA (MARSHALL, CULLMAN, DEKALB, FRANKLIN AL, LAWRENCE, MORGAN) HAVE ADJUSTED POPS TO THE LIKELY CATEGORY. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING ACROSS N AL THROUGHOUT THE DAY ON FRIDAY INTO THE EVENING BEFORE IT CLEARS BY 00-02Z. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY SHOULD CONTINUE UNTIL JUST AFTER SUNSET ONCE THE FRONT MEANDERS NORTH. ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT THE MODELS TEND TO HAVE GREAT DIFFICULTY HANDLING FRONTAL MOVEMENT THIS TIME OF YEAR. THUS, DID KEEP THUNDERSTORM CHANCES THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. HOWEVER, THIS MAY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED. TEMPS ON SATURDAY WILL LIKELY BE LOWER GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER THAT IS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND POTENTIAL FOR MICROBURST GIVEN THE VERY HIGH PWATS, MODERATELY INVERTED V PROFILES, AND LACK OF WIND SHEAR. AS THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES TOWARD BERMUDA, SOUTHEASTERLY TO EASTERLY FLOW WILL DEVELOP (AT LEAST AT THE LOW LEVELS) BRINGING SOMEWHAT COOLER AND DRIER AIR OFF THE APPALACHIANS OVER N AL. THUS, HAVE KEPT THE COOLER (ABOUT 5 DEGREES) AND SOMEWHAT DRIER TREND ESPECIALLY OVER NE AL. AS THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDS OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS, NORTHERLY FLOW WILL SETUP OVER THE SOUTHEAST. MODELS ARE HINTING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A MCS/SHORTWAVE FEATURE DROPPING SOUTH ACROSS THE MIDWEST ACROSS W TN/N MS ON SUNDAY MORNING. THUS, WILL KEEP CHC OF THUNDERSTORMS. BY MONDAY AND CONTINUING THROUGH MID WEEK, THE STRONG RIDGE CENTERED OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL BEGIN TO MEANDER TOWARDS THE EAST AS A BROAD TROUGH CROSSES MANITOBA AND ALBERTA. THIS WILL RESULT IN A GRADUAL WARMUP BACK INTO THE VERY HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS. ONE THING THAT WILL BE DIFFERENT FOR THE CONDITIONS THIS TIME IS THAT THE HIGH WILL ALMOST BE PARKED ON TOP OF US, WHICH WILL LIKELY MEAN LOWER CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS. SO, HAVE PRETTY MUCH KEPT SCHC OF THUNDERSTORMS ON MONDAY WITH OROGRAPHIC DEVELOPMENT ON TUESDAY OVER NE AL. LITTLE (IF ANY) DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY WHICH WITH HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 90S (HEAT INDICES LIKELY ABOVE 105) MEANING LITTLE RELIEF FROM THE HEAT. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && DISCUSSION...77 AVIATION...JLL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1243 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-150145- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 1243 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND DURING THE EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG WITH GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR FLASH FLOODING DUE TO SLOW STORM MOVEMENT AND HIGH ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE LEVELS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... A SOMEWHAT BETTER CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED FRIDAY...AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES ACROSS THE DEEP SOUTH...AND HIGH MOISTURE LEVELS CONTINUE. THE STRONGER STORMS AGAIN WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAINS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. SLOW STORM MOVEMENT AND CELLS MOVING ACROSS THE SAME AREA WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE A RISK OF FLASH FLOODING. A CHANCE FOR MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND AND THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. HOT CONDITIONS WILL ALSO CONTINUE THROUGH NEXT WEEK. DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL GRADUALLY WARM BACK INTO THE MID 90S AND HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL CLIMB BACK INTO THE 100-108 DEGREE RANGE BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... FORMAL ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...TIMELY REPORTS OF WIND DAMAGE AND FLOODING WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. CCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 445 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011 ALZ009-142230- JACKSON- 445 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR JACKSON COUNTY UNTIL 530 PM CDT... AT 445 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FACKLER...OR 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BRIDGEPORT...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... FACKLER. PISGAH. MARTINTOWN. HOLLYWOOD. THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. && LAT...LON 3462 8594 3480 8604 3486 8579 3476 8573 TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 057DEG 7KT 3479 8586 KDW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
522 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
ALZ016-142300-
CULLMAN-
522 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CULLMAN COUNTY UNTIL 600 PM
CDT...
AT 523 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR GARDEN CITY...OR 12 MILES SOUTH OF
CULLMAN...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
BLACK BOTTOM.
COLONY.
BREMEN...WILBURN.
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE
STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
&&
LAT...LON 3388 8708 3390 8710 3391 8709 3393 8711
3411 8711 3409 8672 3402 8672 3395 8679
3395 8684 3393 8687 3391 8689 3391 8692
3389 8692 3388 8701
TIME...MOT...LOC 2223Z 088DEG 9KT 3400 8683
KDWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
614 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
ALZ010-142345-
DE KALB-
614 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DEKALB COUNTY UNTIL 645 PM CDT...
AT 613 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FYFFE...OR NEAR RAINSVILLE...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.
WINDS UP TO 40 MPH AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
PEOPLE IN CENTRAL DEKALB COUNTY...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF POWELL...
RAINSVILLE...SHILOH...FYFFE...GUEST AND PEEKS CORNER...SHOULD MONITOR
THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE
PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
&&
LAT...LON 3433 8597 3447 8605 3449 8598 3454 8593
3461 8580 3464 8578 3465 8575 3447 8574
TIME...MOT...LOC 2313Z 329DEG 4KT 3447 8593SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
625 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
ALZ016-150000-
CULLMAN-
625 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CULLMAN COUNTY UNTIL 700 PM
CDT...
AT 625 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WILBURN...OR 15 MILES NORTHEAST OF JASPER...
MOVING WEST AT 15 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
WILBURN.
LEWIS SMITH LAKE.
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE
STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
&&
LAT...LON 3390 8710 3391 8709 3394 8711 3396 8712
3397 8714 3399 8715 3400 8712 3408 8712
3410 8701 3393 8695 3388 8709
TIME...MOT...LOC 2325Z 074DEG 12KT 3399 8709
KDWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
644 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
ALZ010-150015-
DE KALB-
644 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DEKALB COUNTY UNTIL 715 PM CDT...
AT 644 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RAINSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
FORT PAYNE.
ADAMSBURG.
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE
STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
&&
LAT...LON 3448 8557 3447 8556 3446 8558 3443 8558
3438 8562 3436 8565 3440 8594 3455 8591
3457 8588 3456 8552 3455 8551 3452 8551
TIME...MOT...LOC 2344Z 277DEG 15KT 3448 8579
KDWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
651 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
ALZ006-150030-
MADISON-
651 PM CDT THU JUL 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MADISON COUNTY UNTIL 730 PM
CDT...
AT 651 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR OWENS CROSSROADS...OR 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
HUNTSVILLE...MOVING WEST AT 5 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
HAMPTON COVE.
OWENS CROSSROADS.
HADEN.
FARLEY...HUNTSVILLE.
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE
STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.
&&
LAT...LON 3450 8653 3458 8657 3475 8661 3475 8636
3463 8636 3462 8633 3453 8632 3451 8634
3452 8635 3451 8637 3452 8639 3450 8639
3448 8642 3448 8648
TIME...MOT...LOC 2351Z 076DEG 4KT 3460 8644
KDWThe Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 43 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:01 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees were knocked down on power lines on McMullen Road near Gurley.
A metal roof was peeled back several feet off of a barn. Doors were also blown out. Gates were blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, July 2011
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: 337970, 337971.