On Tuesday, May 29, an upper level shortwave crossing the region aided convection in becoming organized into a broken line of thunderstorms. This line pushed southward through central Alabama, causing isolated damage in Shelby and Chilton counties.
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 BMX wrote it up.
On Tuesday, May 29, an upper level shortwave crossing the region aided convection in becoming organized into a broken line of thunderstorms. This line pushed southward through central Alabama, causing isolated damage in Shelby and Chilton counties.
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 May 29, 8:30 PM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 930 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012 .UPDATE... MESOSCALE UPDATE. && .DISCUSSION... CURRENTLY WATCHING AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY DROPPING SOUTHWARD OUT OF NORTHERN ALABAMA. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE ACTUALLY ALONG THIS OUTFLOW VERSUS THE STORMS. THERE MAY BE A FEW TREES GO DOWN WITH THE STRONGER WINDS...BUT WILL BE GENERALLY IN AN ISOLATED NATURE WITH JUST BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. THE BIGGEST CONCERN WITH ANY STORM IS THE DOWNDRAFT CAPE AND DRY AIR ALOFT. MOST OF THE ACTIVITY WILL DIMINISH BY MIDNIGHT. MAIN UPDATE FOR THE EVENING WAS TO THE POPS AND ALREADY SENT OUT THE FORECAST. && .AVIATION... 00Z TAF DISCUSSION. NEXT FEW HOURS WE WILL SEE THE SCATTERED ACTIVITY BEGIN TO DWINDLE ACROSS THE AREA. INCLUDE SO VCTS FOR THE NORTH SITES...MINUS TCL AS THE ACTIVITY HAS MOVED ACROSS THIS AREA. ACTIVITY WOULD BE BRIEF AND SHOULD NOT CAUSE ANY MAJOR ISSUES. AFTER SUNSET WE SHOULD SEE MOST OF THIS CONVECTION DISSIPATE. LOOKING FURTHER NORTH...A COLD FRONT SITS ACROSS KENTUCKY. A COMPLEX OF STORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND IS SLIDING EAST SOUTHEAST. EXPECTING THE MCS TO BEGIN TO COLD POOL OUT...IT MAY SLIDE INTO NORTHEASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA. ALOT OF UNCERTAINTIES WITH IT SO WILL NOT MENTION ANYTHING AT THIS TIME AS IT WOULD NOT IMPACT ANB UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT SET OF TAFS SO WILL KEEP AN EYE ON RADAR TO SEE IF ANYTHING NEEDS TO BE ADDED BEFORE THE 06Z. WHAT THIS MCS DOES REALLY COULD PLAY HAVOC WITH THE REST OF THE FORECAST AS WELL...BUT WENT WITH THE THINKING THAT ONCE BERYL MOVES FURTHER EAST WE WILL BE IN A ZONE OF SUBSIDENCE AND RAIN WILL BE LIMITED. BEST CHANCE TOMORROW FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS WOULD BE MGM AND TOI...BUT LEFT OUT FOR NOW AS CHANCES ARE LESS THAN 20 PERCENT AT THIS TIME. 16 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 849 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012 ALZ011>015-017>050-310200- MARION-LAMAR-FAYETTE-WINSTON-WALKER-BLOUNT-ETOWAH-CALHOUN-CHEROKEE- CLEBURNE-PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA-JEFFERSON-SHELBY-ST. CLAIR-TALLADEGA- CLAY-RANDOLPH-SUMTER-GREENE-HALE-PERRY-BIBB-CHILTON-COOSA-TALLAPOOSA- CHAMBERS-MARENGO-DALLAS-AUTAUGA-LOWNDES-ELMORE-MONTGOMERY-MACON- BULLOCK-LEE-RUSSELL-PIKE-BARBOUR- 849 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING A RISK OF DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...ARE POSSIBLE THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY OF TIMING AND STRENGTH OF THE APPROACHING STORM SYSTEM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BECOME NECESSARY THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
959 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
ALZ018>021-026-300345-
CALHOUN AL-CHEROKEE AL-CLEBURNE AL-ETOWAH AL-ST. CLAIR AL-
959 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ST. CLAIR...ETOWAH...CLEBURNE...
CHEROKEE AND CALHOUN COUNTIES UNTIL 1045 PM CDT...
AT 950 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES NORTH OF FORNEY TO
MARGARET...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
FORNEY...
PIEDMONT...
PELL CITY...
JACKSONVILLE...
SAKS...
&&
LAT...LON 3367 8534 3350 8567 3347 8589 3354 8579
3359 8580 3359 8599 3367 8605 3370 8619
3358 8622 3354 8619 3349 8626 3352 8627
3340 8638 3350 8638 3350 8644 3380 8658
3382 8643 3395 8630 3433 8547
TIME...MOT...LOC 0259Z 332DEG 24KT 3410 8544 3361 8643
GRANTHAMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1000 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0925 PM TSTM WND DMG LOCUST FORK 33.91N 86.62W
05/29/2012 BLOUNT AL 911 CALL CENTER
A FEW ISOLATED TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN THROUGHOUT THE
LOCUST FORK AREA AS WELL AS NORTHEAST OF ONEONTA. WINDS
ESTIMATED TO BE 40 TO 50 MPH.
&&
16SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1003 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
ALZ024-300345-
JEFFERSON AL-
1003 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY UNTIL
1045 PM CDT...
AT 1001 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR BURNWELL...OR NEAR DORA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25
MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
FAIRFIELD...
FULTONDALE...
WEST JEFFERSON...
GRAYSVILLE...
CARDIFF...
&&
LAT...LON 3360 8675 3346 8693 3362 8715 3363 8710
3366 8709 3366 8706 3368 8706 3369 8704
3373 8704 3377 8702 3378 8700
TIME...MOT...LOC 0303Z 312DEG 21KT 3371 8709
GRANTHAMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1012 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
ALZ015-300400-
WALKER AL-
1012 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WALKER COUNTY UNTIL 1100 PM
CDT...
AT 1004 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES EAST OF CARBON HILL
TO ROCKY HOLLOW...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
BURNWELL...
QUINTON...
PARRISH...
GORGAS...
GORGAS STEAM PLANT...
&&
LAT...LON 3389 8709 3379 8700 3377 8703 3369 8704
3368 8706 3366 8706 3366 8709 3363 8710
3362 8717 3359 8720 3355 8719 3355 8720
3395 8756
TIME...MOT...LOC 0312Z 324DEG 33KT 3382 8737 3372 8705
GRANTHAMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1029 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
ALZ023-300415-
TUSCALOOSA AL-
1029 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY UNTIL
1115 PM CDT...
AT 1028 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR BULL CITY...OR 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF HOLT...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
BROOKWOOD...
ABERNANT...
LAKE VIEW...
VANCE...
TANNEHILL IRONWORKS STATE PARK...
&&
LAT...LON 3333 8743 3344 8731 3344 8729 3342 8725
3337 8723 3335 8719 3332 8718 3328 8707
3325 8707 3322 8711 3324 8713 3322 8717
3320 8720 3314 8720
TIME...MOT...LOC 0329Z 311DEG 18KT 3334 8727
GRANTHAMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1042 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
ALZ019-021-024-025-027>029-034-036-037-300430-
BIBB AL-CALHOUN AL-CLAY AL-CLEBURNE AL-COOSA AL-JEFFERSON AL-RANDOLPH
AL-SHELBY AL-TALLADEGA AL-TALLAPOOSA AL-
1042 PM CDT TUE MAY 29 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN TALLAPOOSA...
TALLADEGA...SHELBY...RANDOLPH...JEFFERSON...NORTHERN COOSA...
CLEBURNE...CLAY...NORTHEASTERN BIBB AND SOUTHERN CALHOUN COUNTIES
UNTIL 1130 PM CDT...
AT 1042 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM OAK GROVE TO SYCAMORE TO
ABERNATHY...AND MOVING SOUTH AT 35 MPH.
PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
BESSEMER...
WILSONVILLE...
PELHAM...
SYLACAUGA...
HELENA...
&&
LAT...LON 3320 8526 3287 8614 3293 8652 3302 8652
3307 8662 3307 8688 3298 8688 3303 8719
3320 8720 3328 8707 3337 8723 3352 8728
3378 8700 3371 8652 3356 8655 3350 8638
3339 8638 3354 8619 3368 8619 3390 8542
TIME...MOT...LOC 0342Z 352DEG 40KT 3345 8719 3323 8621
3362 8540
GRANTHAMThe Birmingham radar (KBMX), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:15 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were snapped or uprooted across Pelham, resulting in power outages.
Pine tree, 60 ft tall, fell on a home on Independence Drive at Amberley Woods Drive.
Trees were blown down along Highway 155 near the Chilton and Shelby County line.
Trees were blown down in and around Jemison, including on Smith Rd, Pinedale Rd, and U.S. Highway 31.
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, May 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: 386861, 386862, 386863, 386864.