Sparked by the remnants of Hurricane Isaac -- which still maintained extra-tropical characteristics nearly 5 days after making landfall along the Gulf Coast. Thunderstorms erupted during the mid afternoon hours across northwest Alabama and tracked east and southeast across the rest of north Alabama through early to mid evening.
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 HUN wrote it up.
Sparked by the remnants of Hurricane Isaac -- which still maintained extra-tropical characteristics nearly 5 days after making landfall along the Gulf Coast. Thunderstorms erupted during the mid afternoon hours across northwest Alabama and tracked east and southeast across the rest of north Alabama through early to mid evening. Multiple small bow echoes produced sporadic wind damage in north central and northeast Alabama, while a few supercell storms in northwest Alabama produced wall clouds and locally heavy rainfall. In northern Madison County, 2 to 5 inches of rain fell in a very isolated location resulting in brief flash flooding.
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 Sep 2, 1:04 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 204 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 .DISCUSSION... FOCUS OF THIS FORECAST IS THE NEXT 24-36 HOURS AS THE REMNANT ISAAC LOW AND ASSOCIATED WIND FIELDS SHIFT INTO THE OH/TN VALLEYS. POTENT INSTABILITY IS DEVELOPING ACROSS AR/NRN MS/SWRN TN/NWRN AL WITH ML CAPE VALUES OF 2000-3000 J/KG. THIS AREA IS IN JUXTAPOSITION OF A CORE OF STRONGER LOW-MID LEVEL FLOW...AND SHOULD PRODUCE A FAVORABLE COMBINATION FOR SEVERE STORMS LATE THIS AFTN AND EVENING. ATTM...VIS IMAGERY IS SHOWING THAT A STABLE LAYER OR CAP EXISTS AT THIS HOUR...WITH CLOUD STREETS FLOWING PERPENDICULAR TO THE SHEAR VECTORS. HOWEVER...WITH T/TD OBS OF ~A90/L70S NOW BEING OBSERVED OVER NWRN AL/NRN MS...JUST A BIT MORE ADDED HEATING SHOULD BREAK THIS CAP. A CONVERGENCE AXIS/TROF EXTENDS ALONG AND JUST NW OF THE I-40 CORRIDOR IN WRN TN...AND IS THE FAVORED AREA FOR INITIAL DEVELOPMENT BETWEEN NOW AND 22Z...BUT WE CANNOT RULE OUT DEVELOPMENT FURTHER SE AS WELL. THE INITIAL DEVELOPMENT MAY BE SUPERCELLULAR BEFORE EVOLVING QUICKLY INTO A QCLS. IN SUCCESSIVE RUNS OF THE NAM SINCE YDA...A STRONG CONVECTIVE/QPF SIGNAL HAS INDICATED A PRONOUNCED LINEAR MCS DEVELOPING IN THIS CORRIDOR...AND TRACKING E-SEWD THIS EVENING...AFFECTING OUR ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. 1KM BULK SHEAR OF 20-30KT AND 1KM SRH VALUE OF 150-200 M2/S2 WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR BRIEF LOW LEVEL MESO DVLPMT AND PSBL TORNADOES...DESPITE RATHER WEAK MID-UPPER LEVEL FLOW. MORE LIKELY WILL BE SMALL SCALE BOW ECHOES CAPABLE OF BRIEF DMGG WINDS. THE WEAKER MID-UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL BE MORE CONDUSIVE TO SLOWER MOVING STORMS WITH INTENSE RAINFALL GIVEN THE HIGH PW ENVIRONMENT. RAINFALL AMTS OF 2-3 INCHES ARE QUITE POSSIBLE TONIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY. ON MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT...THE MORE ROBUST LOW LEVEL WIND FIELDS AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT AXES SHIFT TO OUR S. HOWEVER...WE HAVE MAINTAINED CATEOGORICAL POPS NONETHELESS AS ANOTHER VORT LOBE DROPS SE THRU MIDDLE TN INTO NRN AL. DPVA/-DIV Q/MODEL UVV FIELDS REMAINS QUITE PRONOUNCED AND SHOULD SUPPORT WIDESPREAD SHRA AND EMBEDDED TSRA. MOS TEMPS LOOK PRESUMPTIVELY HIGH IN THIS SITUATION...SO HAVE FAVORED RAW MODEL TEMPS VS MOS. OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD BE RATHER PERSISTENT WITH LITTLE AIRMASS CHANGE FROM THE CURRENT MARITIME TROPICAL ONE IN PLACE. A DRIER PERIOD IS ANTICIPATED MID-LATE WEEK BEFORE A POTENTIALY STRONG POS TILT UPPER TROF DIGS SEWD THRU THE OH/LWR MS VALLEYS. NO SIGNIFICANT CHGS ARE NEEDED TO THE CURRENT FORECAST. INITIAL WAVES AHEAD OF THIS TROF WILL BE TRICKY TO TIME. AK && .AVIATION... /ISSUED 1218 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012/ FOR 18Z TAFS... MVFR CIGS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE NEXT 24 HOURS. SOME BREAKS AND BRIEF OSCILLATIONS TO VFR ARE POSSIBLE. TSRA ARE LIKELY (AFTER 19Z AT KMSL AND AFTER 20Z AT KHSV) AND CONTINUING THROUGH 01-02Z. HAVE ATTEMPTED TO TIME POTENTIAL TSRA ACTIVITY WITH DROPS TO IFR POSSIBLE BTWN 22-02Z. AN ADDITIONAL WAVE OF -TSRA IS POSSIBLE BTWN 01Z-12Z. SL.77 && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... HUNTSVILLE 73 85 73 87 / 90 80 60 50 SHOALS 72 87 72 89 / 80 70 50 30 VINEMONT 73 84 72 85 / 90 80 60 50 FAYETTEVILLE 73 83 70 86 / 90 80 50 50 ALBERTVILLE 71 85 72 86 / 90 80 70 50 FORT PAYNE 72 85 73 86 / 90 80 60 50 && .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 117 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-030300- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 117 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL BE STRONG TO SEVERE. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAINFALL AND...A FEW BRIEF SPIN UP TORNADOES. LATER THIS EVENING...A LARGE CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NORTHWEST OF THE AREA OVER WESTERN TENNESSEE AND MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD TOWARD THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL WOULD BE THE PRIMARY THREATS WITH THIS ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST LATE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER ACROSS NORTHERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE THROUGH MIDWEEK NEXT WEEK AS A COLD FRONT FINALLY APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM ANY STRONGER STORMS THAT DEVELOP DURING THIS TIME. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PLEASE RELAY ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN HUNTSVILLE OR TO YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1234 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 ALZ009-010-021800- DE KALB AL-JACKSON AL- 1234 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN DE KALB AND SOUTHEASTERN JACKSON COUNTIES UNTIL 100 PM CDT... AT 1233 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HOLLYWOOD...OR 6 MILES EAST OF SCOTTSBORO...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PEAS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... HENAGAR...PISGAH...IDER AND DUTTON. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... IF ON OR NEAR LAKE GUNTERSVILLE...GET OUT OF THE WATER AND MOVE INDOORS OR INSIDE A VEHICLE. REMEMBER...LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES AWAY FROM THE PARENT THUNDERSTORM. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN A THUNDERSTORM. && LAT...LON 3460 8558 3459 8595 3469 8598 3486 8567 TIME...MOT...LOC 1733Z 253DEG 18KT 3466 8593 KULA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
254 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012
ALZ001-005-022030-
LAUDERDALE AL-LIMESTONE AL-
254 PM CDT SUN SEP 2 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN LAUDERDALE AND
NORTHWESTERN LIMESTONE COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM CDT...
AT 254 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LEXINGTON...OR 20 MILES SOUTH OF
LAWRENCEBURG...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PEAS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ELKMONT...ANDERSON AND LESTER.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3499 8692 3499 8690 3488 8688 3485 8731
3500 8734
TIME...MOT...LOC 1951Z 258DEG 22KT 3496 8727
KULAThe Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:10 UTC.
21 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 2 lightning, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A wind gust was estimated at 60 mph near U.S. highway 72 and County road 31, just southeast of Killen.
A few trees and power lines were blown down by thunderstorm winds, near Good Springs.
A tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds near Muscle Shoals.
A few trees were downed by thunderstorm winds across Baker hill road near the intersection of Elk River Mills road, about 9 miles north-northwest of Athens.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds on Barnes lane and Old Lee highway, near Cherokee.
A few trees and power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds near the intersection of Easter Ferry road and Myers road, about five miles south-southwest of Elkmont.
A few power lines and branches two to three inches in diameter were downed by thunderstorm winds near Elkmont.
Lightning struck a house just southwest of Muscle Shoals and produced minor damage.
A few trees and power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds, just northwest of Athens.
A few power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds at Piney Chapel road and Elkton road, about five miles north-northeast of Athens.
A few trees were downed by thunderstorm winds near the Doublehead resort, just northwest of Town Creek.
A few trees were downed by thunderstorm winds on Fairview road near Atwood.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds just north of Decatur.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds at the intersection of County road 236 and County road 101, near Hammondville.
A tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds on Main street, just east of Moulton.
Four to six inches of flowing water was reported across Wall Triana highway, along and north of Nick Davis road in Huntsville.
A portion of Ford Chapel Hill road, just south of Harvest, was closed due to flash flooding, as several inches of water was over the road.
Flash flooding occurred, as a portion of North Day Hill road, just southeast of Harvest, was closed due to several inches of water over the road.
A couple of power poles were blown down by thunderstorm winds in Huntsville.
A few power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds just southwest of Huntsville.
Heavy rain occurred, as 4.25 inches of rain was measured in one hour and fifteen minutes in Huntsville.
Lightning struck a home and produced minor to moderate damage to it as it caught on fire in Huntsville.
A tree was blown down by thunderstorm winds just northwest of Owens Crossroads.
Flash flooding was reported at the Carmike movie theater complex, about three miles northwest of Huntsville. Several theaters on the property had a few inches of water in them.
A few trees were downed by thunderstorm winds onto highway 33 in Bankhead National Forest, about 12 miles south of Moulton.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds onto County road 36, near Geraldine.
A few power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds just northeast of Cullman.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds onto County Road 649 near County Road 648, near the town of Walter.
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, September 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: 409975, 409976, 409977, 409979, 409980, 409981, 409983, 409982, 410007, 410014, 410016, 410017, 410032, 410033, 410035, 410034, 410056, 410058, 410048, 410044, 410036, 410042, 410050, 410052, 410053, 410055, 410054, 410059.