A strong thunderstorm moving through northwest Huntsville produced occasional lightning that struck and damaged an apartment complex and a home in northwest Madison county, Alabama.
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 strong thunderstorm moving through northwest Huntsville produced occasional lightning that struck and damaged an apartment complex and a home in northwest Madison county, Alabama.
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 Sep 14, 11:20 PM CST, 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1220 AM CDT THU SEP 15 2011 .UPDATE...FOR 06Z TAFS && .AVIATION...COLD FRONT IS CONTINUING TO MOVE EWD ACROSS WRN TN/NRN MS THIS LATE EVENING...WITH SCT SHRA/TSRA PERSISTING ALONG/AHEAD OF THE FRONT. CONVECTION THOUGH SHOULD CONTINUE TO TRANSLATE EWD AND WEAKEN INTO THE OVERNIGHT HRS...AS THE FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. MVFR VIS/CEILINGS ARE POSSIBLE BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE BEFORE SFC FLOW TURNS TOWARD THE N AOA 12KT WITH GUSTS TO 20KT AFTER 12Z. CEILINGS SHOULD THEN BEGIN TO LIFT ABOVE VFR LEVELS AFTER 18Z. && .DISCUSSION...COLD FRONT LOOKS TO BE MAKING ITS WAY INTO WRN TN/NW MS THIS EVENING...WITH A PRE-FRONTAL SQUALL LINE MOVING EWD INTO MID TN. EARLIER CLUSTER OF TSTMS THAT IMPACTED PARTS OF NW AL HAS PUSHED SEWD INTO CNTRL AL AND WEAKENED A BIT. NEW GUIDANCE SUGGEST MUCH OF THE CONVECTION ALONG/AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL REMAIN JUST N OF THE AREA...OR MORE INTO TN PAST MIDNIGHT...WITH THE SFC BOUNDARY MOVING THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HRS. AS SUCH...HAVE ADJUSTED THE POP/WX GRIDS TO KEEP THE BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN CONFINED TO EXTREME NW AL/SRN MID TN...WITH THE CONVECTION TAPERING OFF AFTER 09Z. ALSO MADE SOME ADJUSTMENT TO THE HRLY TEMP/WIND GRIDS BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS. UPDATED GRIDS/ZONES ALREADY SENT. && .PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS A STRONG UPPER LOW OVER SERN ONTARIO WHICH IS DIGGING A TROF ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND WRN GREAT LAKES. MEANWHILE..A CUTOFF LOW CENTERED NEAR THE GRAND CANYON WAS EJECTING SMALLER SHORTWAVES EASTWARD THRU THE PLAINS INTO THE LWR MS VALLEY. ONE WAVE WAS CROSSING THE MS RIVER AND GENERATING A BAND OF MOSTLY ELEVATED CONVECTION FROM SRN IL/SERN MO INTO WRN TN. A STRONG CELL IN SWRN TN WAS BEING FED BY DEEPER MOISTURE (LOW 70S DEW POINTS) AND INSTABILITY (SB-CAPES OF 2-3K J/KG). A MUCH MORE DRY AND STABLE ENVIRONMENT OVER MIDDLE TN AND NRN AL IS ERODING THE ERN EDGE OF THIS ADVANCING RAIN AREA. THIS TREND SHOULD CONTINUE THRU EARLY EVENING...ALTHOUGH SOME -SHRA/SPRINKLES COULD REACH THE SHOALS BEFORE SUNSET. THE NEXT SHORTWAVE OF INTEREST WAS ENTERING THE WRN OZARK PLATEAU AND IS PROGGED TO ARRIVE LATE TONIGHT. THIS WAVE EXHIBITS A DECENT BAND OF -DIVQ...ESPECIALLY OVER MIDDLE TN. THIS IS ALSO WHERE DEEPER COLUMNAR MOISTURE WILL EXIST. FURTHER S...THE NOSE OF GREATER MOISTURE/INSTABILITY...ALBEIT MODIFIED BY ENTRAINMENT OF DRY AIR IN PLACE...WILL ADVECT INTO NRN AL/MIDDLE TN OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY. AT 8H...CONVERGENCE ALONG A MORE OR LESS E-W BOUNDARY WILL BE GREATEST ALONG THE KY/TN BORDER SUGGESTING A BETTER WIDESPREAD RAIN POTENTIAL N OF OUR AREA. THIS IS ALSO WHERE THE MAXIMA OF GFS QPF VALUES ARE ALIGNED. THERE IS A SECOND RELATIVE MAXIMA OF QPF NEAR THE SFC LOW TRACK ACROSS NRN AL AS WELL. THE COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY PINCH THE WARM SECTOR OFF RATHER QUICKLY...WITH LINGERING -SHRA THRU THE MORNING E OF I-65. IT WILL BE QUITE A CHANGE TO FALL- LIKE RAW/WET WEATHER WITH A BRISK NORTHERLY WIND EXPECTED. BY AFTERNOON...MOISTURE BECOMES SHALLOW...BUT UPSLOPE FLOW ALONG THE PLATEAU MAY PERSIST THRU THE DAY...WITH DRIZZLE IN OUR HIGHER ELEVATIONS A POSSIBILITY. WE'LL LET THE NEXT SHIFT ADD THAT IF LATER RUNS CONTINUE TO SUGGEST THIS. BY FRI...THE 8H LOW BECOMES A N-S TROF AXIS THAT STALLS OVER TN/AL...DIVIDING THE AREA BASICALLY IN HALF. SHALLOW ISENTROPIC LIFT AND MOISTURE KEEPING LOW CLOUDS IN PLACE ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE AREA...SHIFTING WWD ACROSS THE AREA THRU THE DAY. THE SKY FORECAST WILL CERTAINLY BE A TRICKY ONE DURING THE NEXT 48-60 HOURS DUE TO THIS FEATURE AS IT RETROGRADES WWD AND WEAKENS. WITH THIS IN MIND...THE GFS/MET MOS TEMPS APPEAR A BIT TOO HIGH...WHILE THE SREF/GRIDDED MOS LOOK MORE IN THE BALL PARK...SO TOOK A GENERAL BLEND OF THESE INTO ACCOUNT THRU FRIDAY. IN THE EXTENDED...A GENERAL WARM AND DRY TREND IS ANTICIPATED THRU EARLY NEXT WEEK AT LEAST. A NEARLY ZONAL PATTERN IN THE SOUTHERN CONUS TAKES SHAPE...WITH AMPLIFIED TROF/RIDGE POSNS REMAINING ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NRN TIER OF STATES. A WEAK POSITIVELY TILTED TROF AXIS ARRIVES AT 5H BY TUE OR WED...ALTHOUGH THERE IS HEAVY DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GFS AND 00Z ECMWF ON HIGH AMPLIFICATION OF A MIDWEST TROF AT MIDWEEK. FOR NOW...WL KEEP THE FCST DRY THRU DAY 7...ALTHOUGH THAT COULD EASILY CHANGE WITH TIME. CANNOT ARGUE MUCH WITH GFS MOS TEMPS AT THIS POINT LATE IN THE PERIOD. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && UPDATE/AVIATION...09 PREV DISCUSSION...KULA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1015 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-151000- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 1015 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG OR AHEAD OF THE FRONT...MAINLY FOR NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. A FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .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
647 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011
ALZ003-004-150030-
FRANKLIN-LAWRENCE-
647 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FRANKLIN AND SOUTHERN LAWRENCE
COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM CDT...
AT 647 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED NEAR PHIL CAMPBELL...OR
10 MILES NORTHWEST OF HALEYVILLE...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
NEWBURG.
MT HOPE.
LANDERSVILLE.
WREN...MOULTON.
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 3430 8760 3432 8793 3456 8790 3453 8712
3430 8712
TIME...MOT...LOC 2347Z 273DEG 24KT 3436 8768
70/DDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
728 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011
ALZ004-007-016-150115-
CULLMAN-LAWRENCE-MORGAN-
728 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN CULLMAN...SOUTHERN
LAWRENCE AND SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM CDT...
AT 728 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF MOULTON TO 14 MILES EAST OF HALEYVILLE TO 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF
JASPER TO 15 MILES EAST OF WINFIELD. THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING
EASTWARD AT 30 TO 35 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS OF 50 TO 55 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
WREN.
SPEAKE.
DANVILLE.
MASSEY...JONES CHAPEL.
HARTSELLE...LOGAN.
FALKVILLE...LEESDALE.
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 3389 8709 3392 8709 3398 8715 3400 8715
3400 8712 3429 8712 3430 8747 3445 8749
3446 8687 3438 8683 3431 8684 3416 8687
3388 8698
TIME...MOT...LOC 0027Z 251DEG 28KT 3442 8739 3424 8736
3404 8740 3393 8751
70/DDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
816 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011
ALZ016-150200-
CULLMAN-
816 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN CULLMAN COUNTY UNTIL
900 PM CDT...
AT 816 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CENTERED 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF
WILBURN...OR 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF JASPER...AND MOVING EAST AT 30
MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
WILBURN.
BREMEN...ARKADELPHIA.
COLONY.
BLACK BOTTOM.
GARDEN CITY.
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 8702 3389 8709 3392 8709 3398 8715
3400 8715 3400 8712 3409 8711 3406 8670
3404 8670 3395 8679 3394 8684 3391 8692
3388 8692 3385 8696 3386 8699
TIME...MOT...LOC 0115Z 275DEG 24KT 3401 8711
70/DDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1050 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011
ALZ001>003-150430-
COLBERT-FRANKLIN-LAUDERDALE-
1050 PM CDT WED SEP 14 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR COLBERT...NORTHERN FRANKLIN AND
EXTREME SOUTHERN LAUDERDALE COUNTIES UNTIL 1130 PM CDT...
AT 1050 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ALLSBORO...OR 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
IUKA...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS FROM 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
MYNOT...PLEASANT SITE.
MT HESTER.
CHEROKEE.
SRYGLEY CHURCH.
RED ROCK...BARTON.
POSEY LOOP...PRIDE LANDING.
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 3482 8811 3480 8791 3478 8770 3477 8757
3447 8762 3455 8815
TIME...MOT...LOC 0348Z 279DEG 25KT 3467 8812
70/DDSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1210 AM CDT THU SEP 15 2011 ALZ005-006-150600- LIMESTONE-MADISON- 1210 AM CDT THU SEP 15 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LIMESTONE AND MADISON COUNTIES UNTIL 100 AM CDT... AT 1210 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BELLE MINA...OR 8 MILES WEST OF MADISON... MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... CAPSHAW. MADISON. REDSTONE ARSENAL. HUNTSVILLE...NORMAL. FARLEY. HADEN. 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 3480 8641 3455 8644 3466 8697 3481 8696 TIME...MOT...LOC 0510Z 274DEG 23KT 3471 8686 CA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1236 AM CDT THU SEP 15 2011
ALZ006-008-009-150615-
JACKSON-MADISON-MARSHALL-
1236 AM CDT THU SEP 15 2011
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR JACKSON...MADISON AND MARSHALL
COUNTIES UNTIL 115 AM CDT...
AT 1235 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MOORES MILL TO HADEN
TO REDSTONE ARSENAL...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MOORES MILL TO
HUNTSVILLE TO REDSTONE ARSENAL...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
MAYSVILLE...HADEN.
HAMPTON COVE.
GURLEY.
OWENS CROSSROADS.
PRINCETON...HOLLYTREE.
TRENTON.
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 3482 8595 3464 8599 3452 8619 3463 8668
3473 8662 3489 8658
TIME...MOT...LOC 0535Z 280DEG 25KT 3485 8647 3471 8650
3465 8661
CAThe Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 58 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:38 UTC.
2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning sparked a fire at the Warren House apartments in northwest Huntsville. Extensive roof damage resulted.
Lightning struck a storm spotter and amateur radio operator's home through a phone line or other source on the 200 block of Hambrick Drive. The lightning knocked out four computers and a couple of amateur radio antennas.
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, September 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: 345376, 345387.