A squall line tracked east-northeast through northern Alabama from midday through the early evening hours. The storms produced several reports of trees and limbs being knocked down.
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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.
A squall line tracked east-northeast through northern Alabama from midday through the early evening hours. The storms produced several reports of trees and limbs being knocked down. One home weather station report an 87 mph wind gust in Cullman County in the vicinity where pine trees were snapped. NWS Damage Assessment Team also found indications of an EF-0 tornado embedded in a bowing line in far northern Cullman County.
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 Apr 30, 9:47 AM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1047 AM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 .NEAR TERM...(Rest of Today) Issued at 1045 AM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 Will keep this short, as the situation is evolving rapidly this morning. All eyes are focused on the QLCS extending from roughly the Memphis area to the Meridian MS. It has outpaced prior expectations in terms of timing, and even some light stratiform precip is beginning to push into extreme northwest Alabama. Despite the cloud cover, strong/persistent warm and moist advection has boosted temperatures back into the mid 70s with dewpoints in the mid-upper 60s. Short-range/convection-allowing models are consistent in bringing the initial line across the area through this afternoon--though the timing/speed are still quite variable depending on model--then developing a second line after 00Z then bringing that across. This certainly looks reasonable with support from operational models. Most forecast elements have been updated to reflect faster precipitation onset, as well as the heavy rainfall forecast from WPC. The temperature forecast will be tweaked to cool off a bit with the rain and storms, but temperatures should easily still reach the low- mid 80s. .SHORT TERM...(Monday) Issued at 348 AM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 By 12z Monday, the line should be east of Huntsville and mostly exiting NE AL. ECMWF/NAM lingers the line westward back a little and pops were done to account for this. There could be some lingering clouds in the north where the upper low dips to the south but overall skies should clear out by late afternoon. We will see a brief break in the hot weather with highs on Monday in the lower 70s. .LONG TERM...(Monday night through Saturday) Issued at 348 AM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 Little change xpcted initially going into the latter part of the forecast, with the previous cold front responsible for much of the active wx ending the weekend period now well ewd into the Atlantic Basin. High pressure originating out of the srn Plains will quickly make its way ewd across the SE region thru Tue in the wake of the frontal passage. Other than perhaps a brief shot of cooler/drier air to start of the new work week, little change in overall temps is xpcted with the earlier frontal passage thru mid week, as the low level wind field veers back to the se/s and the upper flow pattern turns more toward the wsw. Afternoon temps into Wed look to return close to 80F, as another upper trough pattern drops well into the srn Plains states. The latest model runs unfortunately remain fairly inconsistent going into the second half of the work week, with respect to the progression of this upper trough axis over the Plains states and the developing sfc wave. The 00Z GFS/ECMWF have trended back toward a faster and more open upper trough axis, as it translates ewd across the SE states thru Fri. The associated sfc low continues to lift newd into the Lower MS/TN Valley regions Wed/Thu, with sct/num showers/tstms developing along/ahead of the advancing sfc wave and attendant cold front. Rainfall/showers may then linger Fri/Sat as the upper trough pattern exits the region to the e. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Monday morning) Issued at 610 AM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 Tricky forecast today especially in terms of potential thunderstorms. To start, wind will continue to increase today with gusts around 30kt likely by the later afternoon which will decrease slightly as a cold front moves through after 00z, west to east. A line of thunderstorms is possible late this afternoon and have included a VCTS to account for this possibility. Then another line is going to move through with the cold front this evening and continued the previous TAF's TEMPO group. CIGS should rise to VFR this afternoon but plunge back down to MVFR with the frontal passage. CIGS should rise and clear quickly at the end of the TAF period. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...Wind Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening for ALZ001>010-016. TN...Wind Advisory until 10 PM CDT this evening for TNZ076-096-097. && NEAR TERM...BCC SHORT TERM...LN LONG TERM...09 AVIATION...LN For more information please visit our website at weather.gov/huntsville.
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Huntsville AL 327 AM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-010000- Lauderdale-Colbert-Franklin AL-Lawrence-Limestone-Madison-Morgan- Marshall-Jackson-De Kalb-Cullman-Moore-Lincoln-Franklin TN- 327 AM CDT Sun Apr 30 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north Alabama and portions of southern middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight... Two waves of strong to severe thunderstorms will impact the Tennessee Valley area later today and tonight. The first line of thunderstorms is expected to move across the outlook area later this morning while the second and perhaps stronger line of storms is expected to move across the area late this afternoon into the evening. Damaging wind is the main hazard, although a brief tornado cannot be ruled out, mainly west of Interstate 65. Rainfall of 2 to 3 inches is likely, with locally higher amounts possible. This may produce brief localized flooding. Windy conditions are also expected today and into this evening. South winds of 20 to 25 mph will gust up to 40 mph at times. A Wind Advisory will be in effect from 10 AM today through 10 PM tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday... Later next week, scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected Wednesday into Thursday as another storm system approaches from the west. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management personnel is possible later today.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
1214 PM CDT SUN APR 30 2017
ALZ001>003-301800-
Lauderdale AL-Franklin AL-Colbert AL-
1214 PM CDT SUN APR 30 2017
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN LAUDERDALE...COLBERT AND
WESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 100 PM CDT...
At 1214 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Red Bay to 6 miles west of Weston. Movement was
north at 75 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Red Bay, J P Coleman State Park,
Cherokee, St. Florian, Underwood-Petersville, Belgreen and Vina.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Very heavy rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3500 8756 3431 8789 3432 8817 3489 8810
3492 8816 3501 8820
TIME...MOT...LOC 1714Z 197DEG 64KT 3446 8812 3418 8815
StumpfThe Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:22 UTC.
40 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was knocked down on power lines at 4379 Lane Springs Road.
A tree was knocked down at the intersection of CR 8 and CR 133.
A tree was knocked down at the intersection of CR 87 and CR 14.
A tree was knocked down.
A tree was knocked down.
A tree was knocked down on a house on CR 8 in Florence.
A tree was knocked down in the vicinity of Hermitage Drive and Grandview Avenue.
A tree was knocked down onto a house on Yarbrough Avenue.
Several trees were knocked down or broken off along CR 18, CR 19, CR 21, and CR 25.
A large peach tree was knocked down.
A tree was knocked down on CR 584 in the Elgin community.
A roof was blown off of a mobile home on CR 184 in the Danville community.
A tree was knocked down on power lines on CR 493.
Trees and power lines were knocked down near Cullman. Reported via social media and time estimated by radar.
A tree was blown down onto a home and cars off of Browns Ferry Road.
A tree was knocked down across McClellan Street in Athens.
Pine trees with a diameter of 1.5 feet were snapped. Personal weather station measured a wind gust of 87 mph.
A NWS survey team determined the minor damage across portions of northern Cullman County was attributed to an EF-0 tornado with peak winds of 75 MPH.
A strong, bowing line of storms moved quickly through Cullman County during the afternoon of April 30. Within the bowing segment, rotation was detected on radar which tracked through the north central portions of the county.
The damage team found several EF-0 damage indicators in the Vinemont area in the form of uprooted softwood trees and large limb damage. General storm motion from the severe line was northeast. Debris was observed either in a convergent pattern or|oriented in sporadic directions.
The tornado continued north of CR 1422 and CR 1518 toward the Cullman-Morgan Co. line, south of Eva. In this area, the most concentrated area of damage was observed near CR 1526. Amongst several trees uprooted, a metal roof was blown off a large garage/barn and pushed into a single family residence. Additionally, minor roof shingle damage was reported further north on CR 1526. The tornado likely dissipated near CR 1527.
Thunderstorm winds damaged shingles on a home.
Thunderstorm winds produced roof damage to a structure near Eva. Reported via social media.
A tree was knocked down at the intersection of Hays Mill Road and New Garden Road.
A tree was snapped at its base off of Compton Street.
A tree was knocked down on Upper River Road.
Numerous reports of trees knocked down in Cullman.
A large tree was knocked down onto a car at a residence on Thach Road.
A large tree was knocked down on Cedar Hill Road.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down.
A tree was knocked down across Toney School Road.
A tree was knocked down across Macedonia Road.
A tree was knocked down by thunderstorm winds.
A wind gust of 64 mph was measured by the public near I-565 and Bob Wallace Avenue.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down on Pleasant Grove Road.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down on Baltimore Avenue.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down at the Guntersville State Park campground.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down at U.S. Highway 431 at Rockstore Road.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down at 3740 Bakers Chapel Road.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down at Lazy Creek Circle near Highway 75.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down.
Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down.
Thunderstorm winds nearly detached a steeple completely from the roof of a church in Stevenson.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 2017Warnings 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: 684281, 684282, 684283, 684284, 684285, 684286, 684287, 684288, 684289, 684290, 684291, 684292, 684293, 684294, 684295, 684296, 684301, 684279, 684302, 684303, 684304, 684305, 684307, 684308, 684309, 684310, 684312, 684313, 684314, 684315, 684335, 684316, 684317, 684318, 684319, 684321, 684322, 684324, 684325, 684326, and more.