A strong Meso-scale Convective System pushed southward out of Tennessee and into north Alabama during the late afternoon. The line of thunderstorms produced a wide swath of wind damage across central Alabama during the overnight hours.
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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 BMX wrote it up.
A strong Meso-scale Convective System pushed southward out of Tennessee and into north Alabama during the late afternoon. The line of thunderstorms produced a wide swath of wind damage across central Alabama during the overnight hours.
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 Jul 14, 5:39 PM CST, 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 639 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015 .UPDATE... AVIATION DISCUSSION. && .DISCUSSION... DECENTLY ORGANIZED LINE OF STORMS HEADED SOUTHEASTWARD OUT OF TENNESSEE AND ARKANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE BEEN LOOKING CLOSELY AT SOME MESOSCALE NUMBERS TO TRY TO GET A BETTER HANDLE ON THE UNCERTAINTY THAT NORTHWEST FLOW OFTEN BRINGS. BEST INSTABILITY IS COINCIDED WITH THE CURRENT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH...WHICH LOOKS GOOD AT THIS POINT. IT WILL BE A WAIT AND SEE IF IT CAN MAINTAIN SIMILAR INTENSITY AS THE SUN GETS LOWER...BUT 4500 JOULES WILL TAKE A WHILE TO SUBSIDE EVEN AS EVENING COOLING BEGINS. THE HIGHER BULK SHEAR VALUES...WHICH HELPED ORGANIZE THIS LINE ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN TO OUR NORTH...AND ARE OFTEN TIMES CONFUSING. IN THIS INSTANCE...ONCE A COLD POOL DOMINATED LINE GETS GOING THE MECHANICS CAN OFTEN TIMES SUSTAIN MORE ROBUST FEATURES. IN OTHER WORDS...THE HIGHER BULK SHEAR IS NOT NECESSARY TO KEEP THE LINE GOING ONCE IT IS ALREADY ESTABLISHED. ADD TO THAT THE SOUTHWARD-TURNING SECTION OF THE LINE ENTERING NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI TRYING TO ORGANIZE INTO AN MCV...AND THERE IS PLENTY TO SUGGEST THAT AREAS NORTH OF I-20 WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED VERY CLOSELY. MOST MESOSCALE NUMERICAL GUIDANCE IS KILLING THE LINE HERE SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET...HOWEVER...ALL HAVE INITIALIZED THE INSTABILITY INCORRECTLY. SO BE A BIT CAREFUL WITH ANY SIMULATED REFLECTIVITY AS IT IS LIKELY UNDERDONE. THE BIG BUBBLE OF 4000 JOULES IS LAYING IN WAIT ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHERN- THIRD OF THE STATE...AND WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR US AT LEAST OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. 17/KLAWS && .AVIATION... 00Z TAF DISCUSSION. LINE OF SEVERE STORMS WILL PUSH ACROSS NORTHERN TERMINALS THIS EVENING. HAVE INCLUDED TEMPOS FOR INCREASED WIND SPEEDS AND REDUCED VIS. HOWEVER...EXPECT GUSTS WITHIN STRONGER STORMS TO APPROACH 50KTS...WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE BEHIND THE LINE...WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED WITH WINDS SHIFTING BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST AT 5 KTS. WINDS WEDNESDAY WILL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST ACROSS THE NORTH AT 10-12KTS. AT MGM AND TOI...HAVE INCLUDED VCTS DURING THE AFTERNOON AS THE BOUNDARY LEFT FROM TONIGHTS CONVECTION SHOULD BE ACROSS THE SOUTH...AND DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE DURING AFTERNOON HEATING. 14 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR AUTAUGA-BARBOUR- BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CHILTON-DALLAS-ELMORE-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE- JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY- PICKENS-PIKE-RUSSELL-SHELBY-SUMTER-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 851 AM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015 ALZ011>015-017>050-151700- 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- 851 AM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE HEAT INDEX VALUES OVER 105 DEGREES FOR A LARGE MAJORITY OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON. TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA TONIGHT FROM 7PM TO MIDNIGHT. LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM SULLIGENT...BIRMINGHAM...SYLACAUGA...AND LAFAYETTE ARE INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT AREA. DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS ARE THE GREATEST THREAT WITH A LESSER THREAT OF LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH RELATIVELY HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HEAT INDICES NEAR OR ABOVE 105 DEGREES DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE NEEDED TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
635 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015
ALZ011-150000-
MARION AL-
635 PM CDT TUE JUL 14 2015
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL MARION COUNTY UNTIL 700
PM CDT...
AT 634 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
WESTON...OR NEAR HAMILTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
HALF INCH HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HAMILTON...WINFIELD...GUIN...BRILLIANT...GLEN ALLEN...GU-WIN...
BRINN...LAKE BUTTAHATCHEE...WESTON...TWIN...PINEY GROVE...TEXAS...
MARION COUNTY PUBLIC LAKE...TUCKER...PIKEVILLE...PEARCES MILL AND
RANKIN FITE AIRPORT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE 15 MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
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 3431 8797 3431 8796 3409 8763 3393 8764
3391 8766 3392 8785 3419 8813 3432 8798
TIME...MOT...LOC 2334Z 314DEG 36KT 3421 8799
05/MAThe Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:02 UTC.
41 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees uprooted and blocking both lanes near First Baptist Church in the town of Arley.
Trees down on residence at 1378 Dave Wilson Circle.
Trees blocking road at the intersection of Highway 253 and Highway 44.
Trees uprooted and power lines downed on County Road 1 in the town of Lynn.
Trees uprooted along County Road 4 in the town of Winfield.
Trees uprooted on Brakefield Dairy Road in the town of Jasper.
Tree fell on mobile home on Castle Village Circle.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed on Old Shiloh Road.
Numerous trees uprooted along County Road 49.
Trees blocking roadway at the intersection of Highway 278 and Highway 79.
Power pole snapped and transformer downed.
Trees uprooted on Swan Bridge Road.
Numerous trees uprooted and power lines downed in the Susan Moore and Snead Communities.
Trees uprooted and power lines downed along Bankhead Road.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed on Bagley Road.
Several trees uprooted in the town of West Jefferson.
Several trees uprooted and blocking Fieldstown Road in the city of Gardendale.
Several trees uprooted in and around the city of Oneonta.
Several trees uprooted in the Minor Community.
Several trees uprooted in and around the town of Remlap.
Several trees uprooted along Interstate 59 near mile marker 139.
Several trees uprooted near Green Springs Avenue.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along Eastern Valley Road in the city of Bessemer.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed on Tucker Lane.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed near the community of North Johns.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along Jolley Road.
Several trees uprooted in the Brook Highlands neighborhood.
Large tree uprooted and landed on house causing significant structural damage.
Numerous trees uprooted and snapped along Creekside Lane, Stonehaven Way and Stone Road.
Several trees uprooted near Highway 17 and Fieldstone Drive in the city of Helena.
Several trees uprooted along Highway 65 near mile marker 240.
Several trees uprooted near County 339 and Saddle Lake Drive.
Numerous trees uprooted and power lines downed across northern Chilton County.
Numerous trees uprooted in and around the city of Sylacauga.
Several trees uprooted along County Road 49.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along Highway 78.
Several trees uprooted along County Road 140.
Several trees uprooted in the town of Millerville.
Several trees uprooted along County Road 21.
Several trees uprooted near the intersection of County Road 21 and County Road 113.
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, July 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: 596523, 596524, 596526, 596525, 596527, 596528, 596675, 596676, 596530, 596532, 596680, 596533, 596534, 596670, 596612, 596613, 596615, 596617, 596607, 596618, 596609, 596630, 596631, 596633, 596659, 596638, 596652, 596636, 596637, 596650, 596657, 596655, 596656, 596688, 596660, 596681, 596682, 596684, 596691, 596692, and more.