A mid level short wave at 500 millibars moved southeast across the area, producing numerous thunderstorms that produced very heavy rainfall, isolated flash flooding and strong thunderstorm winds in northwest 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 HUN wrote it up.
A mid level short wave at 500 millibars moved southeast across the area, producing numerous thunderstorms that produced very heavy rainfall, isolated flash flooding and strong thunderstorm winds in northwest 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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 23, 7:50 AM CST, 6 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 850 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013 .UPDATE... TO INCREASE POPS TO LIKELY TO CATEGORICAL OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. UPDATED HWO TO ACCOUNT FOR UPGRADE TO SLGT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER OVER MOST OF OUR CWA. && .DISCUSSION... INITIAL OVERNIGHT MCS INSTIGATED BY MODERATE-STRONG THETA-E ADVECTION IN LOW TO MID LEVELS IS SHIFTING SEWD. REDEVELOPMENT OF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHRA/TSRA PERSISTS ALONG THIS ZONE OVER N AL AND SRN TN. 12Z RAOB ANALYSIS INDICATES A MOISTURE GRADIENT ACROSS BMX TO OHX ALONG WHICH THIS ACTIVITY SEEMS TO BE REFIRING ON. THE NEXT MCS OVER THE MID SOUTH WAS ADVANCING S AND SE THRU NERN AR, WRN TN INTO NRN MS. DECENT HEATING AND INFLOW IN ADVANCE OF THIS WAVE OVER NWRN / NC AL SHOULD CONTINUE TO ALLOW THIS ACTIVITY TO PERSIST AND EXPAND THIS MORNING. DEEP LAYER BULK SHEAR VALUES OF 25-30KT ALONG WITH PROJECTED CAPE VALUES OF 2000-2500 J/KG WILL ENABLE A LOW RISK OF SEVERE STORMS THRU THE DAY. HAVE UPDATED THE FORECAST TO UPGRADE POPS INTO THE LIKELY TO CATEGORICAL RANGE OVER MUCH OF THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. WE HAVE ALSO INCLUDED LARGE HAIL/DAMAGING WIND THREATS IN THE UPDATED HWO. KULA && .AVIATION... /ISSUED 622 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013/ FOR 12Z TAFS...ONE BATCH OF SHRA/TSRA HAS ALREADY MOVED ACROSS THE TAF SITES DUE TO A WEAK UPPER WAVE. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER UPPER WAVES THAT ARE CAUGHT UP IN NW FLOW (OVER THE MIDWEST) THAT COULD AFFECT THE TN VALLEY BEGINNING BETWEEN 14Z AND 15Z WITH MORE SHRA/TSRA. HOWEVER THE 06Z NAM SHOWS THAT BY 20Z...THE CHC OF PCPN WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH AS THESE UPPER WAVES MOVES EAST OF THE AREA. MODELS ALSO HINT THAT ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA MAY AFFECT THE TAF SITES ARND 12Z WEDNESDAY MRNG. THIS IS DUE TO ANOTHER UPPER WAVE AND SFC CDFNT APPROACHING THE CWA. FOR NOW WILL NOT INCLUDE ANY PCPN IN TAFS AFTER 21Z. 07 && .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 828 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-232130- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 828 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS AS ANOTHER UPPER AIR DISTURBANCE TRACKS SOUTHEAST. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES. THE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER AND AREAL COVERAGE OF STORMS WILL DECREASE LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY AS A COLD FRONT BEGINS TO SETTLE INTO THE REGION. SOME STORMS MAY BE STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE...CAPABLE OF BRIEF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL. THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH BY THE START OF THE EVENING PERIOD WEDNESDAY...AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS RETURN TO THE FORECAST FRIDAY NIGHT AS YET ANOTHER UPPER DISTURBANCE MOVES SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS POSSIBLE TODAY. KULA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
401 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
ALZ002-003-230930-
COLBERT AL-FRANKLIN AL-
401 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN COLBERT AND NORTHEASTERN
FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 430 AM CDT...
AT 354 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR RUSSELLVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RUSSELLVILLE AND LITTLEVILLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES AWAY FROM THE
PARENT THUNDERSTORM. SEEK SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3468 8787 3460 8751 3459 8751 3457 8752
3457 8753 3451 8753 3438 8759 3455 8788
3455 8789 3456 8790 3458 8793
TIME...MOT...LOC 0854Z 297DEG 36KT 3457 8777
09SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
414 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
ALZ003-230945-
FRANKLIN AL-
414 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY UNTIL 445
AM CDT...
AT 412 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF PHIL CAMPBELL...OR 8 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF RUSSELLVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF PEAS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PHIL CAMPBELL.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES AWAY FROM THE
PARENT THUNDERSTORM. SEEK SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3446 8782 3442 8753 3431 8762 3431 8779
3438 8788
TIME...MOT...LOC 0912Z 303DEG 14KT 3440 8782
09SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
454 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
ALZ006-009-231045-
MADISON AL-JACKSON AL-
454 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN MADISON AND NORTHWESTERN
JACKSON COUNTIES UNTIL 545 AM CDT...
AT 453 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HARVEST...OR 6 MILES WEST OF
MERIDIANVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MOORES MILL...MERIDIANVILLE...HAZEL GREEN...HARVEST...NEW MARKET AND
SKYLINE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREE
LIMBS...ALONG WITH OTHER SMALL UNSECURED ITEMS. SEEK SAFE SHELTER
UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSSED.
&&
LAT...LON 3473 8608 3478 8678 3496 8678 3499 8623
3499 8608
TIME...MOT...LOC 0953Z 270DEG 32KT 3488 8669
07SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
519 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
TNZ076-096-097-231100-
MOORE TN-LINCOLN TN-FRANKLIN TN-
519 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN MOORE...SOUTHERN
LINCOLN AND SOUTHWESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 600 AM CDT...
AT 517 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FAYETTEVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
FAYETTEVILLE AND HUNTLAND.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL TREE
LIMBS...ALONG WITH OTHER SMALL UNSECURED ITEMS. SEEK SAFE SHELTER
UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSSED.
&&
LAT...LON 3519 8628 3500 8625 3499 8651 3499 8672
3517 8671
TIME...MOT...LOC 1017Z 274DEG 14KT 3508 8663
07SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
832 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
TNZ096-231400-
LINCOLN TN-
832 AM CDT TUE JUL 23 2013
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL LINCOLN COUNTY UNTIL 900
AM CDT...
AT 830 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES NORTH OF ARDMORE...OR 13 MILES WEST OF
FAYETTEVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST 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...
FAYETTEVILLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE SEVERAL MILES AWAY FROM THE
PARENT THUNDERSTORM. SEEK SAFE SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3526 8679 3517 8644 3499 8656 3499 8659
3511 8683 3526 8683
TIME...MOT...LOC 1330Z 294DEG 19KT 3516 8680
KULAThe Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:56 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was downed by thunderstorm winds on New High School Street in Leighton, Alabama.
Persistent heavy rainfall resulted in flash flooding around Russellville, Alabama, with portions of South Washington Avenue, Coffee and Adams Streets and along Walnut Gate Road having to be barricaded due to flash flooding. Between 12 and 24 inches of water was also reported flowing across these area roads with several homes in the area having nearly 12 inches of water entering them.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, July 2013
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: 468834, 468835.