An abundance of rain fell across the central and western portions of Central Alabama during the first half of the month of August, with some locations receiving over 5 inches. This allowed conditions to improve for several counties on the western edge of the worse drought conditions, dropping them below severe drought criteria.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 abundance of rain fell across the central and western portions of Central Alabama during the first half of the month of August, with some locations receiving over 5 inches. This allowed conditions to improve for several counties on the western edge of the worse drought conditions, dropping them below severe drought criteria.
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 Jul 31, 10:45 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1145 PM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012 .UPDATE... AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .DISCUSSION... THE NORTHERLY TO NORTHWESTERLY FLOW CONTINUES ALOFT ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS EVENING...AND A FEW SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED WELL TO OUR NORTH AND NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTHERN KENTUCKY AND EASTERN TENNESSEE ASSOCIATED WITH A SHORTWAVE MOVING SOUTHWARD AROUND THE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE ONCE AGAIN. WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPECTING QUIET CONDITIONS OVERNIGHT TONIGHT...BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY KEEP AN EYE ON RADAR FOR ANY CONTINUED NORTHWEST FLOW MISCHIEF THAT MAY OCCUR. OTHERWISE...THE MAIN IMPACT WE ARE ANTICIPATING THROUGHOUT THE CWA TONIGHT WILL BE FOG FORMATION. AREAS THAT RECEIVED VERY HEAVY AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL FROM EARLY THIS MORNING WILL STILL HAVE LOTS OF STANDING WATER ON THE SURFACE WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO AREAS OF FOG FORMATION. WE WILL WATCH TRENDS CLOSELY THROUGH THE NIGHT TO DETERMINE IF WE NEED TO ADD AREAS OF DENSE FOG...AND DENSE FOG INTO THE HWO FOR WEDNESDAY MORNING AS WELL. UPDATES ARE OUT. 56/GDG && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF DISCUSSION. SOME LIGHT FOG ALREADY DEVELOPED IN SPOTS...AND I THINK MOST PLACES (WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF BHM) WILL GO TO MVFR CATEGORY VISIBILITIES AT SOME POINT OVERNIGHT. SATELLITE IMAGERY WAS SHOWING SOME PATCHY CLOUDINESS BETWEEN 2000 AND 3000 FEET. BUT IT APPEARED TO BE TRANSITORY IN NATURE...AND NOT EXPANDING IN COVERAGE. ONCE THE FOG BURNS OFF WEDNESDAY MORNING...CONDITIONS WILL BE VFR THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD. /61/ && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 645 PM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012 ALZ011>015-017>050-012330- 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- 645 PM CDT TUE JUL 31 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Pike County began the month in Severe (D2) drought conditions. However, on August 14th, drought conditions ended.
Lowndes County began the month in Severe (D2) drought conditions. However, on August 14th, drought conditions ended.
Autauga County began the month in Severe (D2) drought conditions. However, on August 14th, drought conditions ended.
Shelby County began the month in Severe (D2) drought conditions. However, on August 14th, drought conditions ended.
Chilton County began the month in Severe (D2) drought conditions. However, on August 14th, drought conditions ended.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, August 2012
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: 411006, 411007, 411008, 411009, 411010.