Areas of showers during the day on the 3rd was followed by a line of showers and a few thunderstorms during the evening hours which produced heavy downpours and gusty winds. One of the storms produced wind damage in Marshall 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.
Areas of showers during the day on the 3rd was followed by a line of showers and a few thunderstorms during the evening hours which produced heavy downpours and gusty winds. One of the storms produced wind damage in Marshall County. With saturated soils, the heavy downpours in northwest Alabama resulted in a couple reports of flash flooding. Rainfall totals reached 1 to 2 inches.
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 Jan 3, 5:48 PM CST, 52 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 548 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015 .UPDATE... FOR 00Z TAFS && .DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 241 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015/ CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE TEXAS PANHANDLE...WHILE SURFACE ANALYSIS DEPICTS THE SURFACE LOW OVER SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. A COLD FRONT EXTENDS SOUTHWARD FROM THIS LOW AND WAS JUST WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ATTM. MEANWHILE...A WARM FRONT EXTENDED FROM THE LOW...SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH MUSCLE SHOALS...BIRMINGHAM...AND INTO SOUTHWEST GEORGIA. STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW HAS ADVECTED WARM AND MOIST GULF AIR INTO THE MISSISSIPPI AND LOWER TENNESSEE VALLEY REGIONS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS...WITH MANY LOCATIONS REACHING INTO THE MID TO UPPER 60S...WHICH IS ROUGHLY 20+ DEGREES WARMER THAN WHERE WE WERE AT THIS TIME YESTERDAY. NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED...OVERALL...WITH THE SETUP FOR THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY TRACK EASTWARD...AS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW MOVES TO THE NORTHEAST. AN AREA OF RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD AHEAD OF THIS FRONT...WITH THE MAIN LINE ENTERING THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA AROUND 00Z. ALTHOUGH WE ARE VERY MOIST AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WARM UP QUITE A BIT DESPITE EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER...THE OVERALL SEVERE THREAT STILL APPEARS TO BE MINIMAL FOR THE FORECAST AREA. ONE OF THE MAIN LIMITING FACTOR CONTINUES TO BE THE CAPPING INVERSION JUST OFF OF THE SURFACE. BECAUSE OF THE WARM LAYER ALOFT...SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY WILL BE HARD TO COME BY...ALTHOUGH GUIDANCE IS FAIRLY CONSISTENT WITH BRINGING IN A NARROW BAND OF INSTABILITY JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR CERTAINLY WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM...THANKS TO THE 50KT LOW LEVEL JET MOVING ACROSS REGION...AS THE SURFACE LOW MOVES EAST ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. HOWEVER...FROM THE LATEST GUIDANCE...THE INSTABILITY AND SHEAR MAY NOT OCCUR DURING THE SAME TIME. NEVERTHELESS...IT WILL CERTAINLY BE SOMETHING TO WATCH CLOSELY. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT...ALTHOUGH THE INSTABILITY WILL BE SHALLOW...OUR LCL HEIGHTS ARE QUIET LOW...SO THIS COMBINED WITH THE WIND SHEAR WILL POSE THE THREAT FOR AN ISOLATED BRIEF SPIN UP ALONG THE MAIN LINE...WHICH SHOULD END AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE MORE WIDESPREAD THREAT WITH THIS SYSTEM CONTINUES TO BE THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING. MANY LOCATIONS HAVE SEEN UP TO 3/4 INCH OF RAIN OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS...IN ADDITION TO QUITE A BIT OF RAINFALL THAT FELL WITH THE LAST SYSTEM. THIS HAS CREATED VERY SATURATED GROUND CONDITIONS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE AS THE AREA OF RAIN MOVES THROUGH...WITH GUIDANCE SUGGESTING THE TRAINING OF MODERATE RAIN...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE WEST. GIVEN THIS...WILL CONTINUE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH BEGINNING AT 00Z...WITH THE HIGHER AMOUNTS OF QPF EXPECTED AFTER SUNSET. THE COLD FRONT SHOULD EXIT THE AREA BY 12Z SUNDAY...WITH ISOLATED LIGHT RAIN POSSIBLE JUST BEHIND THE FRONT. COOLER TEMPERATURES WILL FILTER IN BEHIND THE FRONT AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. ANOTHER SURFACE LOW WILL TRACK EASTWARD ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH A FAIRLY STRONG ARCTIC FRONT TRAILING SOUTHWARD AND MOVING THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA BY 06Z WEDNESDAY. DUE TO THE HIGH PRESSURE IN PLACE PRIOR TO THIS FRONT AND LACK OF MOISTURE...NO PRECIPITATION IS FORECAST. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD IN BEHIND THIS REINFORCING COLD FRONT...WITH OUR COLDEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON POSSIBLE BY THURSDAY MORNING. FORECAST LOWS ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE LOWER TEENS TO SINGLE DIGITS. GIVEN THE STRENGTH OF THE HIGH...AND STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT...WINDS WILL STAY AROUND 10KTS...CREATING WIND CHILL VALUES BELOW 0 DEGREES AND AS LOW AS -12 DEGREES IN SOME PLACES FOR SEVERAL HOURS BETWEEN 06Z AND 14Z THURSDAY. FORTUNATELY...THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BEGIN TO MODIFY...WITH TEMPERATURE RETURNING TO NEAR NORMAL BY SATURDAY. 73 && .AVIATION... FOR 00Z TAFS...SHRA AND A FEW TSRA WERE OCCURRING ACROSS NW AL ATTM...AHEAD OF A CDFNT ALONG THE MS RIVER. AS THE CDFNT MOVES EAST TONIGHT EXPECT THE SHRA/TSRA TO SPREAD OVER THE ENTIRE CWA. THE CDFNT WILL PASS THRU KMSL ARND 09Z AND KHSV BY 10Z...WITH THE PCPN TAPERING OFF. MAINLY IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE THRU 18Z. AFTER 18Z EXPECT MVFR CONDITIONS AT BOTH TAF SITES. 07 && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR ALZ001>010-016. TN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR TNZ076-096-097. && FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/HUNTSVILLE.
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1208 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-041200- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 1208 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT...BRINGING A THREAT FOR STRONG TO ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...HEAVY RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. WHILE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL OCCUR JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. A FEW STORMS MAY BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS APPROACHING SEVERE LIMITS. HEAVY RAIN WILL BE A CONCERN FOR THE ENTIRE REGION. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE COMMON...WHICH WILL COMBINE WITH SATURATED SOILS TO PRODUCE A FLASH FLOOD THREAT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING UNTIL SUNDAY MORNING. IN ADDITION...WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT EVEN OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORMS. GUSTS WILL BE MOST PRONOUNCED ON RIDGETOPS ABOVE 1200 FEET. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... AN ARCTIC COLD FRONT WILL BRING A SHARPLY COLDER AIR MASS TO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. A PROLONGED PERIOD OF SUBFREEZING TEMPERATURES IS POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...WITH LOW TEMPERATURES APPROACHING THE SINGLE DIGITS...AND WIND CHILLS POSSIBLY FALLING BELOW ZERO. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... FORMAL ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER...TIMELY REPORTS OF FLASH FLOODING OR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
555 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015
ALZ003-004-007-040045-
MORGAN AL-LAWRENCE AL-FRANKLIN AL-
555 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL MORGAN...LAWRENCE
AND EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 645 PM CST...
AT 555 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
NEEDMORE...OR NEAR HALEYVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DECATUR...HARTSELLE...RUSSELLVILLE...MOULTON...TRINITY...PHIL
CAMPBELL...TOWN CREEK...COURTLAND...NORTH COURTLAND AND HILLSBORO.
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 PASSED.
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY
LEAD TO MINOR FLOODING ON ROADS AND IN LOW LYING AREAS. DO NOT DRIVE
YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3457 8763 3457 8752 3465 8748 3465 8745
3467 8745 3476 8726 3475 8718 3446 8689
3430 8718 3431 8774 3444 8787
TIME...MOT...LOC 2355Z 238DEG 49KT 3432 8760
LNSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
633 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015
ALZ007-016-040115-
CULLMAN AL-MORGAN AL-
633 PM CST SAT JAN 3 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CULLMAN AND SOUTHERN MORGAN
COUNTIES UNTIL 715 PM CST...
AT 632 PM CST...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
DODGE CITY...OR 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CULLMAN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55
MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CULLMAN...HARTSELLE...HANCEVILLE...GOOD HOPE...FALKVILLE...HOLLY
POND...DODGE CITY...SARDIS...BALDWIN AND VINEMONT.
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 PASSED.
LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY
LEAD TO MINOR FLOODING ON ROADS AND IN LOW LYING AREAS. DO NOT DRIVE
YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3389 8703 3399 8715 3399 8711 3437 8711
3448 8708 3442 8674 3435 8658 3431 8658
3430 8648 3427 8645 3425 8652 3419 8655
3408 8669 3409 8669 3407 8670 3393 8686
3391 8692 3389 8692 3386 8696
TIME...MOT...LOC 0032Z 240DEG 49KT 3408 8696
07The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 117 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:41 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Up to eight inches of flood water was reported at the intersections of Veteran's Drive and Cherry Street and at Mitchell Boulevard at Coffee Road in Florence.
The University of Alabama in Huntsville performed a storm survey depicting a narrow swath with a path length of around 6 miles. Minor to moderate damage occurred along the swath in the city of Albertville of Marshall County. Damage included numerous snapped and uprooted trees, sign damage, and roof damage. Also, a couple of fences were blown down.
Thunderstorm winds downed several trees, bent a local restaurant sign over to a 30 degree angle and a roof was partially blown off of an apartment building.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, January 2015
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: 547092, 560004, 559276.