An isolated strong thunderstorm developed amongst several clusters of showers during the early afternoon. The storm produced up to nickel sized hail in southern Lawrence County.
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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 HUN wrote it up.
An isolated strong thunderstorm developed amongst several clusters of showers during the early afternoon. The storm produced up to nickel sized hail in southern Lawrence County.
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 Mar 30, 10:42 AM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1142 AM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012 .UPDATE... MORNING UPDATE TO PUBLIC FORECAST. && .DISCUSSION... ONLY MINOR CHANGES WERE REQUIRED FOR THE SHORT TERM FORECAST THIS MORNING...WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BEING TO REDUCE HIGH TEMPERATURES BY 5 DEGREES OR SO ACROSS NORTHWEST/NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA. LATEST DOPPLER RADAR DATA CONTINUES TO INDICATE AN EXPANDING AREA OF RAIN AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA... WITH THIS ACTIVITY EXPECTED TO PROGRESS EASTWARD THROUGH THE DAY. ALTHOUGH VERY SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST CELLS -- DUE TO A LOW FREEZING LEVEL NOTED ON THE 12Z RSA SOUNDING -- LIGHTNING STRIKES AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREATS WITH THIS ACTIVITY. THE CURRENT FORECAST OF VERY HIGH POPS LOOKS GOOD...AND THE ONLY CHANGE TO WEATHER GRIDS WAS TO REFLECT A MORE SCATTERED COVERAGE OF STORMS ACROSS NORTHEAST ALABAMA/SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON. CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION WILL LIMIT HIGH TEMPERATURES TO THE MID 60S-70 DEGREE RANGE FOR NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH MID 70S POSSIBLE ELSEWHERE. UPDATED PRODUCTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED. 70/DD && .AVIATION... /ISSUED 625 AM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012/ FOR 12Z TAFS...SHRA/TSRA WILL INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY AND ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE PERIODS OF MVFR CIGS/VIS. SHOULD ANY STRONGER SHOWERS IMPACT THE TERMINALS DIRECTLY...BRIEF OCCURRENCES OF IFR WILL BE POSSIBLE. -RA AND CLOUD COVER SHOULD DECREASE AFTER 01-02Z AND LEAD TO THE POTENTIAL FOR FOG OR LOW STRATUS AFTER MIDNIGHT. ANTICIPATE WINDS TO REMAIN ARND 3-5KTS OVERNIGHT SO HAVE INDICATED AN IFR STRATUS DECK DEVELOPING...BUT SFC VIS COULD DROP INSTEAD IF WINDS GO CALM. EITHER WAY AT LEAST IFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND MAY APPROACH ALT MINS AT BOTH TERMINALS LEADING UP TO 12Z. CCC && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 421 AM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012/ A WAVY...ZONAL FLOW PREVAILED ACROSS THE LOWER-48. THIS MORNING'S WATER VAPOR VIEW ALONG WITH ANALYSIS OF 500MB PLOTS INDICATED A WESTERLY FLOW UNDER AN UPPER LOW SITUATED OVER GULF OF ALASKA WAS BRINGING ADDITIONAL MOISTURE TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND THE PACIFIC NW. A DISTURBANCE IN THE UPPER LOW AROUND 43N150W WILL CONTINUE EAST AND PLAY A FACTOR IN OUR LOCAL WEATHER FOR THE EARLY PORTION OF THE NEXT WORK WEEK. FURTHER TO THE EAST...AN EARLY START TO SUMMER WAS NOTED WITH A COUPLE OF MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEMS MOVING ACROSS THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL GREAT PLAINS. A WEAKER MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE VORTEX - MCV (REMNANTS OF CONVECTION THAT AFFECTED TEXAS A DAY OR SO AGO) WAS MOVING EAST ALONG THE TX/LA BORDER. THIS IF IT HOLDS TOGETHER WILL HELP BRING A VERY GOOD CHANCE FOR T-STORMS TO OUR AREA LATER TODAY. A REGIONAL RADAR PERSPECTIVE SHOWS STORMS OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND MID SOUTH NEARING THIS PART OF THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY DRAPED FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS...ESE TO THE SE COAST SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF HERE. OTHERWISE UNDER MOSTLY CLOUDY TO CLOUDY SKIES...NIGHTTIME LOWS HAVE COOLED INTO THE UPPER 50S TO UPPER 60S WITH LIGHT SW WINDS. MODEL RUN INCONSISTENCIES CONTINUED THIS GO AROUND. FOR THE SHORT TERM...IT IS HARD TO ARGUE TO SIGNIFICANTLY TRIM HIGH POPS THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE GULF SYSTEM NEARING. LAST NIGHT...WE WERE ONLY SHOWING LOW RAIN CHANCES COMPARED TO HIGHER VALUES NOTED NOW. WILL KEEP CATEGORICAL RAIN CHANCES FOR THIS AFTERNOON AS THE MCV NOTED ABOVE NEARS. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW HIGH ENOUGH PRECIP WATER AMOUNTS...THAT WILL ALLOW SOME STORMS TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. OVERALL...SEVERE WEATHER RISKS REMAIN LOW INTO THE EVENING. RATHER EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVERAGE WILL HELP TEMPER TODAY'S HIGH TEMPS ONLY INTO THE LOW/MID 70S... WHICH IS WARMER THAN SEASONAL NORMS OF 69/70 THIS TIME OF YEAR. RAIN CHANCES WILL DIMINISH FRIDAY EVENING AS THE MCV EXITS TO THE EAST. RESIDUAL MOISTURE PLUS LIGHT WINDS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOG...ESPECIALLY IF SKIES CLEAR AFTER THE SYSTEM PASSES. DAYTIME HEATING PLUS DEEPER MOISTURE WILL KEEP A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST FOR SATURDAY...AND MORE FOG SAT NIGHT. WILL KEEP THE FAITH OF PREVIOUS RUNS AND GO FOR A DRY DAY FOR PALM SUNDAY. EXTENDED GUIDANCE INTO THE FIRST PART OF THE NEXT WORK WEEK CONTINUED TO BRING THE PACIFIC BASED UPPER SYSTEM ACROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TO THE THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THE APPROACH OF THIS SYSTEM...ALONG WITH STRONGER SHEAR/INSTABILITY WILL BRING MORE STORM CHANCES TO THE AREA. SOUNDING BASED SHEAR CONTINUED ON THE LOW SIDE...BUT HIGH INSTABILITY AND NOT SO LOW WET-BULB ZERO HEIGHTS (ESPECIALLY MON)MAY RESULT IN HAIL IN ADDITION TO GUSTY WINDS... LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. STAYED CLOSER TO THE GFS...WITH THE FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE VALLEY EARLY WEDNESDAY. DRIER AND COOLER TEMPS (LOWER 70S) ARE EXPECTED WED/THU. THE GFS/ECMWF FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH...ARE KEEPING THE BRUNT OF THE COLDEST AIR NORTH OF HERE FOR THE LATTER PORTIONS OF NEXT WEEK. RSB && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/HUNTSVILLE.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 435 AM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-302000- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 435 AM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP OVER THE AREA TODAY AS AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. SOME STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... ON SATURDAY...A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL CROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. ADDITIONAL SYSTEMS MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST WILL INCREASE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES AGAIN EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ON MONDAY INTO TUESDAY. LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONGER STORMS. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME...BUT ANY TIMELY REPORTS OF RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE APPRECIATED. CCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 956 AM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012 ALZ001>003-301545- COLBERT-FRANKLIN-LAUDERDALE- 956 AM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR COLBERT...FRANKLIN AND SOUTHERN LAUDERDALE COUNTIES UNTIL 1045 AM CDT... AT 956 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA. THE STRONGEST CELL WAS LOCATED NEAR CROOKED OAK...OR 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF RUSSELLVILLE. ALL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEASTWARD AT 20 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... CROOKED OAK...MALONE. MT HESTER. NEW BETHEL...POSEY LOOP. BARTON...CHEROKEE. PRIDE LANDING...COLBERT HEIGHTS. SPRING VALLEY. && LAT...LON 3481 8810 3481 8749 3431 8780 3432 8818 TIME...MOT...LOC 1455Z 207DEG 19KT 3458 8783 70/DD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1200 PM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012 ALZ003-004-301745- FRANKLIN-LAWRENCE- 1200 PM CDT FRI MAR 30 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN FRANKLIN AND SOUTHWESTERN LAWRENCE COUNTIES UNTIL 1245 PM CDT... AT 1159 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA. THE STRONGEST CELL WAS LOCATED NEAR HACKLEBURG...OR 12 MILES WEST OF HALEYVILLE. ALL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEASTWARD AT 25 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... PHIL CAMPBELL...BELGREEN. SPRUCE PINE...ROCKWOOD. ISBELL. RUSSELLVILLE. PLEASANT RIDGE. NEWBURG...THARPTOWN. 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 3431 8797 3457 8784 3456 8717 3430 8734 TIME...MOT...LOC 1658Z 221DEG 25KT 3431 8780 70/DD
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:47 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Dime to nickel sized hail was reported in a rural area southwest of Moulton.
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, March 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: 363444.