Thunderstorms moved across the area in the morning and produced high winds and caused minor damage in southwest 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 MOB wrote it up.
Thunderstorms moved across the area in the morning and produced high winds and caused minor damage in southwest 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 Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 23, 9:51 AM CST, 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 951 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012 MESOSCALE UPDATE...TORNADO WATCH 11 IS CANCELLED FOR ALL COUNTIES. RADAR CONVECTION SIGNATURE HAS WEAKENED. THE JET DYNAMICS AND THERMODYNAMICS HAVE BECOME UNFAVORABLE FOR SEVERE CONVECTION. THEREFORE A WATCH IS NO LONGER WARRANTED. WE HAVE ALSO REMOVED THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY OVER THE MARINE AREA DUE TO VISIBILITY HAVING RISEN TO 3 TO 5 MILES. PREV DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 826 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012/ MESOSCALE UPDATE...TORNADO WATCH 11 IS NOW EFFECTIVE ONLY FOR WILCOX...CLARKE...BUTLER...CRENSHAW...AND CONECUH COUNTIES UNTIL 10 AM. WE EXPECT MUCH OF THE HELICITY AND INSTABILITY COULD BECOME MORE FAVORABLE FOR BRINGING SEVERE CONVECTION SHOULD INSOLATION UPSTREAM MODIFY THE VERTICAL SIGNATURE OF TEMPERATURE. CONVECTION IN MUCH OF THE WESTERN REACHES OF THE AREA IS BEING SUPPRESSED DUE TO THE RIGHT EXIT REGION OF A SMALL JET MAX CAUSING LARGE SCALE SUBSIDENCE. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 318 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012/ .TOR WATCH 11 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST FOR THE AREA... .SEVERE WEATHER EXPECTED TO SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA TODAY... SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT)...AS OF 08Z...BANDS OF BROKEN CONVECTION CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS CTRL MS SOUTH INTO SE LA...ALONG A LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE AXIS AND WELL AHEAD OF THE SYNOPTIC COLD FRONT WHICH IS JUST NOW BEGINNING TO CROSS THE MS RIVER. THE FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE SLOWLY EAST TODAY SINCE THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE OVER THE MID-SOUTH WILL PULL OFF TO THE NE...LEAVING SW UPPER FLOW...WHICH IS PARALLEL TO THE SFC BOUNDARY. THEREFORE...THE FRONT WILL LIKELY TAKE UNTIL MIDDAY TO REACH THE I-65 CORRIDOR...AND WILL FURTHER SLOW OVER THE EASTERN CWA DURING THE AFTN. SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY WILL CONTINUE TO RESIDE AHEAD OF THE FRONT WITH MLCAPES OF 500-1000 J/KG TO RESULT IN A BROKEN BAND OF CONVECTION ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY. AS FAR AS THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT GOES...DEEP LAYER WIND FIELDS WILL BE ON THE DECREASE THIS MORNING AS THE MAIN SHORTWAVE ENERGY PULLS AWAY. HOWEVER...DEEP LAYER SHEAR (AROUND 50 KT) AND 0-1KM SRH (250-300 M2/S2) WILL REMAIN CONDUCIVE FOR ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS NORTH OF HWY 84 AND WEST OF I-65...THROUGH 15Z. HOWEVER...THE BEST TIME FRAME FOR SEVERE STORMS IN THAT LOCATION WILL BE THROUGH DAYBREAK. WE ARE STILL LOOKING AT THE THREAT FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES...LOCALIZED DAMAGING WINDS GUSTS...AND LARGE HAIL IN THE AFOREMENTIONED AREA. FURTHER TO THE SOUTH AND EAST THE THREAT IS MUCH LOWER DUE TO WEAKER UPPER LEVEL FORCING AND WIND FIELDS. HOWEVER...A BRIEF ISOLATED SEVERE STORM WITH A WIND/HAIL THREAT CANNOT BE COMPLETELY DISCOUNTED...ESPECIALLY OVER INTERIOR SW AL/S CTRL AL. THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO ONCE AGAIN CLIMB INTO THE LOW TO MID 70S. 34/JFB THE WEAKENING COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING AND INTO THE NORTHERN GULF OVERNIGHT. WILL KEEP IN GENERALLY SMALL POPS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA FOR LINGERING RAIN...EXCEPT FOR LOW END CHANCE POPS PRIMARILY OVER MUCH OF THE NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE WHERE SLIGHTLY BETTER QPF SUPPORTS LOW END CHANCE POPS. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE SOMEWHAT MILD AND RANGE FROM LOWER TO MID FIFTIES OVER THE COASTAL COUNTIES WITH MID TO UPPER FORTIES FURTHER INLAND. /29 FOR TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...AN UPPER SYSTEM OVER THE DESERT SOUTHWEST WORKS ITS WAY SLOWLY EAST...TO OVER TX(RANGING FROM THE TX PANHANDLE FOR THE GFS TO OVER THE RIO GRAND VALLEY FOR THE ECMWF AND CANADIAN). THE SURFACE FRONT WHICH MOVES SOUTH OF THE CWA TODAY AND TONIGHT STARTS TO RETREAT NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT...BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA TO THE AREA. NAM IS QUICKER TO MOVE THE WARM FRONT NORTH ACROSS THE FA THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...BUT BY WEDNESDAY...GUIDANCE IS IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT. HAVE BLENDED THE GUIDANCE FOR TUESDAY/TUESDAY NIGHT FOR THE PACKAGE. FOR WEDNESDAY...WITH GUIDANCE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT...HAVEN'T DEVIATED SIGNIFICANTLY. LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON)THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK... GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO ADVERTISE THE EASTWARD TREK OF THE UPPER LOW FROM OVER TX...TO OVER THE LOWER RIO GRAND VALLEY BEFORE MOVING ACROSS THE FA IN THE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY TIME FRAME. 00Z ECMWF AND 00Z GFS IN PRETTY GOOD E/W POSITION...MOVING THE SHORTWAVE ACROSS THURSDAY NIGHT...THOUGH THE GFS IS FARTHER NORTH. THE 00Z CANADIAN DRAGS BEHIND...MOVING THE UPPER SYSTEM ACROSS THE FA FRIDAY. BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE SURFACE FRONT CROSSING THE FA THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT...WITH THE CANADIAN ADVERTISING THURSDAY NIGHT. HAVE STUCK PRETTY CLOSE TO GUIDANCE THROUGH MID WEEK AND FROPA. FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY...THE SYSTEM GETS DRAWN INTO AN UPPER TROUGH SWINGING AROUND THE SOUTH-SIDE OF AN UPPER LOW CENTERED NEAR HUDSON BAY... ACCELERATING QUICKLY EAST FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE HEADS SOUTHEAST OVER THE SW-ERN CONUS...PUSHING A RE- ENFORCING FRONT ACROSS THE FA SATURDAY NIGHT. THE ECMWF IS MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH THE RE-ENFORCEMENT DUE TO A STRONGER SHORTWAVE. HAVE WENT AT OR BELOW GUIDANCE THIS PERIOD. SATURDAY NIGHT ON...YET ANOTHER UPPER SYSTEM WORKS ITS WAY SOUTHEAST OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN CONUS...WITH THE GFS ADVERTISING A MORE STRONGLY DEVELOPED SYSTEM. THIS MORE STRONGLY DEVELOPED SYSTEM IN THE GFS PUSHES THE POST-FRONTAL SURFACE HIGH THAT HAS MOVED OVER THE LOWER MISS RIVER VALLEY AND NORTH-CENTRAL GULF COAST QUICKLY EAST...RESTORING STRONGER ONSHORE FLOW OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS...THEN THE FA...SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. AVIATION...(12Z ISSUANCE)...IFR CEILINGS PREVAIL THIS MORNING THEN LIFT TO MVFR CEILINGS THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE TO IMPROVE TO VFR CEILINGS BY THIS EVENING. BEST CHANCES FOR CONVECTION AT THE TAF SITES PEAKS NEAR 18Z THEN DECREASES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS A WEAKENING COLD FRONT SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. WILL NEED TO HAVE VCSH AT PNS FOR TONIGHT WITH DRY CONDITIONS AT MOB/BFM. /29 MARINE...A COLD FRONT JUST TO THE WEST OF THE MARINE AREA MOVES SLOWLY INTO THE MARINE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND STALLS OVER THE OFFSHORE WATERS TONIGHT. MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS DECREASE DURING THE DAY AND BECOME NORTHERLY IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT. THE STALLED FRONT DRIFTS SLOWLY NORTHWARD AS A WARM FRONT TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS A SURFACE LOW ADVANCES TO THE TEXAS COAST WITH A MODERATE TO STRONG SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW OVER THE MARINE AREA. THE SURFACE LOW MOVES ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST STATES THURSDAY AND BRINGS A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE MARINE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT WITH A MODERATE TO STRONG WESTERLY WIND IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT BECOMING NORTHWEST ON FRIDAY. /29 FIRE WEATHER...STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS IN THE MIXING LAYER WILL PRECEDE A FRONTAL PASSAGE LATER TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT. WITH A LACK OF UPPER PUSH BEHIND THE FRONT...A SLIGHTLY COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS WILL MOVE OVER THE AREA TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. THE NORTHERLY WINDS IN THE MIXING LAYER WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS ANOTHER UPPER SYSTEM APPROACHES THE AREA. WINDS IN THE MIXING LAYER WILL RETURN TO SOUTHERLY LATER TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...AND REMAIN SO THROUGH MID WEEK. THE FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT...BRINGING A SIGNIFICANTLY COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS TO THE AREA FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... MOBILE 73 53 67 57 / 60 20 50 50 PENSACOLA 71 54 66 57 / 60 30 30 40 DESTIN 68 56 67 57 / 50 30 30 30 EVERGREEN 73 49 68 51 / 60 20 20 50 WAYNESBORO 72 42 66 53 / 60 10 40 60 CAMDEN 72 44 67 49 / 60 10 20 50 CRESTVIEW 73 54 70 52 / 50 30 30 40 && .MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. FL...NONE. MS...NONE. GM...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL 955 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012 ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-241600- CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW- ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE- LOWER BALDWIN-INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA- COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-WAYNE-PERRY- GREENE-STONE-GEORGE- 955 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT TORNADO WATCH 11 IS CANCELLED FOR ALL COUNTIES. RADAR SIGNATURE HAS WEAKENED AND A WATCH IS NO LONGER WARRANTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THURSDAY...BUT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME WITH THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF SKYWARN SEVERE STORM SPOTTER NETWORKS IS NOT EXPECTED THROUGH SUNDAY. GMZ630-650-655-670-675-241600- MOBILE BAY- COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 955 AM CST MON JAN 23 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY OVER THE MARINE AREA IS CANCELLED DUE TO VISIBILITY HAVING RISEN TO 3 TO 5 MILES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A RISK OF STRONG EAST TO SOUTHEAST WINDS IS EXPECTED OVER THE MARINE AREA BY MIDWEEK. HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT LIKELY.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds estimated at 60 mph damaged a small building resulting in 1 minor injury.
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, January 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: 361913.