A fairly strong upper level trough and cold front swept across the region on the evening of January 26th. SBCAPE values increased to around 1000 j/kg across portions of the Florida panhandle and southeast Alabama ahead of the approaching squall line.
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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 TAE wrote it up.
A fairly strong upper level trough and cold front swept across the region on the evening of January 26th. SBCAPE values increased to around 1000 j/kg across portions of the Florida panhandle and southeast Alabama ahead of the approaching squall line. Bulk shear values also increased to around 50 knots over the western zones. The Storm Prediction Center issued tornado watches valid through the evening hours for most of the area. However, instability decreased with eastward extent, and lapse rates were relatively poor. The squall line gradually weakened as it moved eastward, and no reports of severe thunderstorms were received from southeast Alabama. However, one thunderstorm did cause a teenager to be struck by lightning and injured in Elba, 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 Tallahassee, FL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 26, 1:42 PM CST, 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 242 PM EST Thu Jan 26 2012 ...There is a slight risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon through this evening for much of the forecast area... ...Tornado Watch #18 in Effect Until 5 PM CST... .SYNOPSIS...A potent short wave trough is sweeping eastward across the Lower MS Valley this afternoon. The associated surface low was analyzed just east of the MS River near the MS/TN border around 18Z with a cold front extending southward from it across western MS and eastern LA. A QLCS continues out ahead of the boundary. The most potent part of the squall line is currently out over the Gulf of Mexico south of Destin. There is less organization evident as you move further inland from the coast, particularly north of the FL border. However, we are seeing SBCAPE increasing to around 1000 J/kg over the FL Panhandle. Bulk shear values are up over 50 knots now over our western zones. We therefore expect the line of storms to reverse its recent trend and actually strengthen as it moves east. It is unclear how far north the severe threat will build along the line. && .SHORT TERM (REST OF TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT)... The squall line is progressing eastward at a rate very close to the consensus position advertised by the various hi-res models. Our western most zones will get into the heaviest weather by 20Z. The line will then reach the Apalachicola and Chattahoochee Rivers by around 23Z and TLH by 01Z. The line should cross the Suwannee River and exit east of the area by around 04Z. PoPs were adjusted accordingly. The primary threat remains damaging winds and isolated tornadoes. We expect another watch will become necessary further east after 23Z. However, the next watch will likely be more limited in its northward extent. Looking ahead, cooler air will arrive behind the cold front. While the Southeast FL Big Bend will still make it into the lower 70s, areas to the north and west will be held to the 60s for highs. Lows on both Friday and Saturday nights will dip into the mid to upper 30s. In between, highs on Saturday will be above normal, ranging from the mid to upper 60s north to around 70 across the Big Bend. .LONG TERM (SUNDAY THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY)... The large scale longwave pattern commences with ridging over Wrn states, broad trough Ewd to Ern states and a ridge over extreme Wrn Atlc. A shortwave moving into the Ern portion of the trough will push a reinforcing dry front across the local area. In its wake, strong high pressure has sagged Swd and Ewd from Cntrl Conus to dominate NE Gulf. During the rest of the period, trough amplifies and shifts ENE across New England and the Canadian Maritimes on Sunday to off ern seaboard Monday night with more zonal or low amplitude flow evolving across most of Conus. Locally this will provide a cooler and much drier and breezier continental airmass yielding a period of rather dry conditions. A surface ridge is then progged to ridge WWD across NE Gulf and will hinder any moisture return and convective potential. All this will favor local red flag fire wx conditions into mid week. By Monday, this trough is now offshore kicking surface high into Atlc with veering low level winds. Next upstream Srn stream trough/low develop over Srn Plains on Tue and move Ewd with local steering flow becoming SWLY Wed into Thurs. At same time, shortwave will dig SW into upper MS valley moving low towards Nrn Gulf Coast heralding a local warming trend. Pre-frontal showers will begin lifting out of Panhandle then Apalachee Bay waters by early Thurs. With surface high offshore and veering winds, some increase in low level moisture yielding small chance of showers Wed into Thurs but major rain/storms should hold off until Thurs eve ahead of likely squall line. Will go with nil pops except 20% on Wed and Thurs. Min temps commence at or slightly above climo Sat night dropping to near 5 degrees below climo on Sun night then rising to climo Mon night and 5 to 10 degrees above climo Tues and Wed nights. A light freeze is possible early Mon morning as surface high builds in from the Gulf. Max temps commence around climo on Sun and Mon then rising to around 5 degrees above climo Tues thru Thurs. (Avg inland climo is 39/63 degrees). && .MARINE (TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)... Although it looks to be a marginal event, we did go ahead and issue a small craft advisory for all of the marine forecast area. Winds should be up around 20 knots both ahead of and behind the cold front that will sweep east across the waters tonight. Winds and seas will drop below headline criteria by midday Friday as high pressure builds east along the Gulf Coast. Another cold front will cross the waters Saturday night and increase offshore winds. Speeds could reach exercise caution levels from Sunday into Tuesday morning. && .AVIATION (THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY)... A squall line will translate from west to east this afternoon and evening with deteriorating weather conditions accompanying it. Most TAF sites will experience MVFR level CIGS along with brief periods of IFR CIGS/VSBYS possible in the stronger convection. The convection should start at KECP and KDHN between 20z and 21z...ABY and TLH 01Z-02z and VLD 03-04z. Winds outside of convection will be breezy from the south with gusts as high as 25-30 kts. Rain with end with the passage of the cold front later this evening and early Friday morning. Winds will be from the northwest Friday 10 to 15 kts and gusty at times. && .FIRE WEATHER...Drier air will arrive behind the front for Friday afternoon and Saturday. The RH will not be low enough to meet criteria in AL and GA. In FL, ERC values will be too low to allow red flag conditions to be met. && .HYDROLOGY...Rainfall associated with the approaching frontal system (generally 0.5-1.0 inches) is not expected to cause any concerns on area rivers, although Blountstown will get within about 2 FT of flood stage. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Tallahassee 54 69 36 70 39 / 80 10 0 0 0 Panama City 54 66 45 67 45 / 80 10 0 0 0 Dothan 50 65 39 67 37 / 80 10 0 0 0 Albany 54 66 38 67 35 / 80 10 0 0 0 Valdosta 58 69 39 68 38 / 70 20 0 0 0 Cross City 58 72 38 71 40 / 80 30 0 0 0 Apalachicola 57 66 45 66 47 / 90 10 0 0 0 && .TAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. GA...None. FL...High Risk of Rip Currents for coastal Walton until 6 PM CST. GM...Small craft advisory all legs from 00Z-15Z Friday. && Aviation...Barry Long Term...Block Rest of Discussion...Wool
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL 530 AM EST THU JAN 26 2012 ALZ065>069-FLZ007>019-026>029-034-108-112-114-115-118-127-128-134- GAZ120>131-142>148-155>161-GMZ730-750-755-765-770-775-271030- COFFEE-DALE-HENRY-GENEVA-HOUSTON-INLAND WALTON-CENTRAL WALTON- HOLMES-WASHINGTON-JACKSON-INLAND BAY-CALHOUN-INLAND GULF- INLAND FRANKLIN-GADSDEN-LEON-INLAND JEFFERSON-MADISON-LIBERTY- INLAND WAKULLA-INLAND TAYLOR-LAFAYETTE-INLAND DIXIE-SOUTH WALTON- COASTAL BAY-COASTAL GULF-COASTAL FRANKLIN-COASTAL JEFFERSON- COASTAL WAKULLA-COASTAL TAYLOR-COASTAL DIXIE-QUITMAN-CLAY- RANDOLPH-TERRELL-DOUGHERTY-LEE-WORTH-TURNER-TIFT-BEN HILL-IRWIN- EARLY-MILLER-BAKER-MITCHELL-COLQUITT-COOK-BERRIEN-SEMINOLE- DECATUR-GRADY-THOMAS-BROOKS-LOWNDES-LANIER- APALACHEE BAY OR COASTAL WATERS FROM KEATON BEACH TO OCHLOCKONEE RIVER FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL OUT 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM OCHLOCKONEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL OUT TO 20 NM- COASTAL WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO KEATON BEACH OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM APALACHICOLA TO DESTIN FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- WATERS FROM SUWANNEE RIVER TO APALACHICOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 530 AM EST THU JAN 26 2012 /430 AM CST THU JAN 26 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND THE FLORIDA BIG BEND AND PANHANDLE...AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST GEORGIA...AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND BIG BEND REGION TODAY. A COLD FRONT WILL BE SWEEPING EAST ALONG THE GULF COAST...AND IT IS LIKELY TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS. THIS SQUALL LINE WOULD MOVE QUICKLY FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA. ADDITIONALLY...SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY BEGIN TO FORM IN THE INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE AIR MASS OVER THE NORTHEAST GULF OF MEXICO LATE THIS MORNING AND EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THESE ISOLATED STORMS COULD ALSO AFFECT ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE COLD FRONT AND MAIN SQUALL LINE. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WOULD BE DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES. WHILE EVERYONE IN OUR AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SEVERE WEATHER...IT WILL BE MOST LIKELY FROM SOUTHEAST ALABAMA INTO THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AREAS WEST OF THE APALACHICOLA RIVER. REGARDING TIMING...SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS MOST LIKELY BETWEEN ABOUT 2 PM EST AND 10 PM EST. MORE DETAILS ON THIS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR OFFICE WEB PAGE. ELEVATED WINDS AND SEAS ARE LIKELY OVER THE COASTAL WATERS TODAY. HIGHER GUSTS AND SEAS WILL BE FOUND NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. THERE IS ALSO A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG COASTAL WALTON COUNTY TODAY...WITH A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ELSEWHERE AS SURF HEIGHTS BUILD TO 3 TO 5 FEET ALONG THE PANHANDLE BEACHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE INTO THE REGION ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY BEHIND THE DEPARTING COLD FRONT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSELY TODAY. 08-LAMERS
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Enterprise Ledger reported that a teenager was struck by lightning and injured while at a car wash during the afternoon hours. He was taken to Elba General Hospital and then later transferred to Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan where he was discharged two days later.
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: 358076.