A slow moving QLCS moved eastward across central Alabama during the morning hours on April 3rd. This convective system produced damaging winds across the southern portions of central Alabama and heavy rainfall across the northern portions.
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.
A slow moving QLCS moved eastward across central Alabama during the morning hours on April 3rd. This convective system produced damaging winds across the southern portions of central Alabama and heavy rainfall across the northern portions.
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 Apr 3, 2:24 AM CST, 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 324 AM CDT Mon Apr 3 2017 .SHORT TERM... Today through Wednesday. A QLCS is beginning to become more organized across southern Mississippi this morning, but the warm sector across Alabama is contaminated with showers and thunderstorms. The effects of evaporational cooling and cold pooling have created an effective warm front that will limit the northward extent of the severe weather risk associated with the QLCS as it moves across the southern half of the area this morning. The overall threat is also tempered by mid-level flow that is nearly parallel to the QLCS, which is not particularly favorable for bowing segments and fast forward progression. The best chance of damaging winds and brief tornadoes should remain along and south of Interstate 85. Isolated damaging winds cannot be totally ruled out farther north. The associated cold front with the today's system will become diffuse across the northern Gulf Tuesday night as a strong upper trough moves into the Plains. As the warm front moves inland, elevated supercell thunderstorms appear likely Wednesday morning with a potential for large hail and damaging winds. If any storms become surface based during the morning, tornadoes would also be possible. The evolution of this activity and additional convection during the late morning/early afternoon remains in question and will impact the nature of the severe weather threat for the afternoon and evening. Several models are quite aggressive with warm sector development through 18z Wednesday, which would cause the strongest low-level shear to become displaced across our South and East. I am not sold on this idea as of now for two reasons. An elevated mixed layer should be present, which argues for limited thunderstorm development. Also, the surface low should be well to our north across the Ohio Valley at 18z Wednesday along with the synoptic warm front. Arguing in favor of a contaminated warm sector is the presence of a subtropical jet streak, but is not particularly impressive. If the warm sector remains more free of convection, a more substantial area-wide risk would develop. With all of that said, the highest confidence in supercell storms capable of producing long-track tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds is currently along and east of a line from Selma to Anniston. This threat could expand westward with time and will hinge on early day warm sector development. 87/Grantham .LONG TERM... Thursday through Sunday. Thursday through Sunday will be a fairly benign timeframe with high pressure taking control and bringing in some chilly air for this time of the year. Low temperatures on Friday and Saturday morning will be in the low 40s for most of the area, with a few upper 30s in the northeast and normally cooler spots. Some areas in the northeast may even drop into the mid 30s with a possible frosty start. This will continue to be monitored over the next several days and more details will be forthcoming but once this severe weather threat is over, you may want to make plans for outdoor vegetation and plants for the weekend. There will be a warming trend beginning Saturday afternoon that will continue into Sunday and Monday. The next chance of rain will be Monday morning with the next storm system, but there is still some timing issues with this system so expect many changes over the next few days. 16 && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF Discussion. Large area of rain and thunderstorms has (as of 0445z) pushed into the western portion of central Alabama, already affecting TCL, and soon to reach BHM and EET. 06z set of TAFs will need to significantly speed up the arrival, and/or lengthen the duration, of the lowered visibility and lower ceilings associated with this convection. With the computer models having such a hard time with the eastward progression with this system, forecast confidence in lower than usual (especially the farther east and south you go, since the rain is yet to arrive there). Everything is ultimately forecast to sweep out of here, and move off to the east, by 18z or so on Monday. We shall see. Subsidence in behind the large convective complex should result in clearing skies and VFR conditions once the rain does move out. /61/ && .FIRE WEATHER... Widespread showers and storms through the early afternoon today. This will be a heavy rain producer and will make most of the fuels fairly wet. Tuesday will see a brief return to drier conditions before another system brings rain and storms to the area on Wednesday. Dry again on Thursday and it will remain that way through the weekend. Critical fire weather conditions are not expected through the next 7 days. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 73 56 82 57 79 / 100 30 10 30 70 Anniston 73 57 82 59 78 / 100 30 10 40 70 Birmingham 77 58 84 61 80 / 100 20 0 40 70 Tuscaloosa 77 57 84 60 81 / 100 10 0 40 60 Calera 76 58 84 61 81 / 100 10 0 40 70 Auburn 76 59 82 63 76 / 100 30 0 40 80 Montgomery 77 60 86 63 81 / 100 10 0 50 80 Troy 75 60 85 63 78 / 100 20 0 50 80 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES/... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 344 AM CDT Mon Apr 3 2017 ALZ011>015-017>050-041145- 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- 344 AM CDT Mon Apr 3 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham. .DAY ONE...Outlook Through Tonight. There is a threat of severe thunderstorms across the southern half of central Alabama through 1 PM, generally along and south of a line from Geiger, to Centreville, to Lafayette. The threats include damaging straight line winds up to 60 mph and a brief tornado. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. There is also a threat of severe thunderstorms Wednesday and Wednesday evening. The threats include damaging straight line winds, large hail, and tornadoes. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and Emergency Managers may be needed Today and again on Wednesday.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
1241 AM CDT MON APR 3 2017
ALZ023-034-030615-
Bibb AL-Tuscaloosa AL-
1241 AM CDT MON APR 3 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN TUSCALOOSA AND
CENTRAL BIBB COUNTIES UNTIL 115 AM CDT...
At 1241 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near University Mall to near Low Gap. Movement
was east at 35 mph.
Pea size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these
storms.
Locations impacted include...
Tuscaloosa, Northport, Holt, Lake View, Brookwood, Coaling, Vance,
Woodstock, West Blocton, Tannehill Ironworks State Park, Abernant,
McFarland Mall, Bryant Denny Stadium, Lake Wildwood, University Mall,
Brierfield Ironworks Park, Deerlick Creek Campgrounds, Low Gap,
Mercedes Benz Of Alabama and Eoline.
LAT...LON 3340 8723 3337 8723 3334 8718 3332 8718
3332 8716 3331 8716 3331 8713 3329 8712
3328 8707 3325 8706 3325 8703 3317 8703
3316 8697 3310 8697 3310 8695 3306 8693
3305 8688 3303 8688 3297 8740 3325 8759
TIME...MOT...LOC 0541Z 251DEG 28KT 3321 8747 3299 8734
87/GRANTHAMSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
121 AM CDT MON APR 3 2017
ALZ024-025-030700-
Jefferson AL-Shelby AL-
121 AM CDT MON APR 3 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL SHELBY AND JEFFERSON
COUNTIES UNTIL 200 AM CDT...
At 121 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Concord to 6 miles northwest of Wilton.
Movement was northeast at 45 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Alabaster, Bessemer, Homewood,
Pelham, Mountain Brook, Trussville, Helena, Hueytown, Gardendale,
Irondale, Leeds, Moody, Fairfield, Chelsea, Fultondale,
Pinson-Clay-chalkv and Center Point.
LAT...LON 3377 8665 3376 8654 3374 8654 3372 8653
3366 8653 3362 8655 3356 8655 3355 8648
3350 8648 3350 8638 3346 8638 3313 8697
3316 8698 3317 8702 3325 8703 3325 8707
3328 8707 3328 8709 3343 8718 3384 8676
TIME...MOT...LOC 0621Z 224DEG 40KT 3348 8702 3314 8698
87/GRANTHAMThe Jackson/Brandon,MS radar (KDGX), 152 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:49 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed near the intersection of U.S. Highway 80 and 4th Street North in the city of Cuba.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed near the intersection of Highway 11 and Wallace Road. Numerous trees reported uprooted and widespread power outages across Sumter County.
Tree fell onto vehicle causing injury to driver.
Heavy rainfall caused flash flooding along portions of I-459 near the Riverchase Galleria.
Exit ramp off I-65 onto Greensprings Highway closed due to high water. One vehicle submerged.
Vehicles flooded near the intersection of 6th Avenue South and 6th Street.
Heavy rainfall caused flooding across Lakeshore Road near Greensprings Highway.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed on house along Pecan Grove Road.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along Highway 29.
George Wallace Drive in the city of Troy closed due to numerous trees uprooted. Numerous trees uprooted across the city of Troy.
Roof blown off building. Several trees uprooted and power lines snapped.
Several reports of trees downed and power outages in downtown Phenix City.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along State Docks Road.
Reports of trees snapped and uprooted in the city of Eufaula. Power poles also snapped.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, April 2017
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: 692298, 692299, 692300, 692301, 692302, 692303, 692304, 692305, 692306, 692307, 692308, 692309, 692310, 692311.