A group of 6 men were struck by lightning on the beach in Gulf Shores. There were 5 injuries and 1 died.
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 MOB wrote it up.
A group of 6 men were struck by lightning on the beach in Gulf Shores. There were 5 injuries and 1 died.
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 Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 26, 12:02 PM CST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Mobile AL 102 PM CDT Sat Aug 26 2017 .DISCUSSION...See updated information for land areas and aviation discussion below. && .UPDATE...Forecast remains on track with no significant updates necessary this afternoon. A few light rain showers are possible over far northern portions of the area, and could also still see the development of isolated to scattered showers and storms near the immediate coast this afternoon. Will maintain low POPs in the forecast through the afternoon hours. Highs are on track to range from the upper 80s to around 90 degrees. /21 && .AVIATION... 18Z issuance...Localized MVFR ceilings over portions of southwest and south central AL should gradually lift to VFR over the next 1-2 hours. VFR otherwise prevails over the rest of the area through the forecast period. The exception could be near isolated to scattered SHRA/TSRA which may develop near the coast this afternoon, where localized MVFR conditions are possible. Winds remain light from the northeast to east, and locally southeast near the immediate coast this afternoon. /21 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 612 AM CDT Sat Aug 26 2017/ DISCUSSION...Updated for latest aviation discussion below. AVIATION... 12Z issuance...Mostly VFR conditions expected through the forecast period. Could see brief periods of lower cigs/vis in and around scattered showers and storms over primarily coastal counties this afternoon and evening. Northeast winds around 5 to 10 knots become light and variable overnight. /49 PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 340 AM CDT Sat Aug 26 2017/ NEAR TERM /Now Through Saturday night/...Upper level ridging begins to weaken overhead Saturday, while at the surface, a weak and broad area of low pressure builds over the eastern Gulf and maintains mostly easterly surface flow. Under this setup, expect a bump in moisture levels along the coast (PWATs around 2.0 inches) while inland areas remain drier. Thus, with the weakening subsidence aloft and increasing deep layer moisture, have included chance PoPs along the coast Saturday as some isolated to scattered shower and thunderstorm activity will likely form. Chances are lower farther inland, where moisture remains limited. Meanwhile, decent long period swell from Hurricane Harvey continue to propagate northeast towards the central Gulf coast, and will maintain a moderate risk for rip currents along all area beaches through at least the weekend. Increasing cloud cover will help to somewhat mitigate afternoon heating, keeping high temps Saturday afternoon in the upper 80's to low 90's areawide. Overnight lows remain in the low 70's inland to mid and upper 70's along the coast Saturday night. /49 SHORT TERM /Sunday Through Monday night/...Harvey continues to move very slowly over extreme southeast Texas through the period while an upper trof strengthens over the eastern states, and a series of shortwaves move eastward across the forecast area. A quasi-stationary frontal boundary will be located Sunday morning from southern Lousiana, across the northeast Gulf, and to a surface low located just east of Jacksonville, Florida. The latter surface low moves to off the Carolina coast during the remainder of the period while the frontal boundary continues to linger over the northeast Gulf and southern Lousiana. Deep layer moisture trends gradually higher during the period, with precipitable values Sunday morning of 1.75 inches over the eastern portion to near 2.0 inches over the western portion increasing to 2.0-2.2 inches (125-135% of normal) across the entire area by Monday night. Will begin on Sunday with dry conditions over the eastern portion ranging to low end chance pops over the westernmost portion then trending by Monday to slight chance pops over the eastern portion with chance to good chance pops further to the west as deep layer moisture improves over the area. The stronger storms that do develop each day will be capable of locally heavy rains, gusty winds and frequent lightning. The rip current risk through Monday will be at least Moderate and will need to monitor how much long period swell affects the area to see if an upgrade to High is necessary. Highs on Sunday will be mostly in the upper 80s with mostly mid 80s for Monday. Lows range from the upper 60s inland to the lower 70s at the coast. /29 LONG TERM /Tuesday Through Friday/...Slow moving Harvey persists over southeast Texas through at least Wednesday per the latest NHC track, while the upper trof over the eastern states weakens and upper ridging builds from the western Atlantic into the eastern Gulf. The upper ridge continues to strengthen over the eastern Gulf and into the extreme southeast states through the remainder of the period, and Harvey (or the remnants of) looks to drift slowly northward through Friday, possibly not even leaving Texas. The quasi-stationary front over the northeast Gulf and southern Louisiana is expected to move northward through the forecast area roughly on Wednesday, but just as a weak surface feature. We have been anticipating some potential for a heavy rain and/or severe weather event affecting our area over the past days, but this was based on the remnants of Harvey eventually being picked up by the eastern states upper trof and advancing towards the area and also for the frontal boundary moving northward through the area having better definition. With the latest indications that Harvey may even remain over Texas through the remainder of the period and frontal boundary being weak at best, this significantly decreases the potential for heavy rains/severe weather over the forecast area and will have to remove mention of this potential from the Hazardous Weather Outlook and continue to monitor for now. Will have chance pops each day except for chance to likely pops on Wednesday as the weak boundary moves through the area. /29 MARINE...Weak low pressure builds over the eastern Gulf through the weekend, maintaining light to occasionally moderate east to northeasterly flow over the marine area. Heading into next week, the low over the eastern Gulf moves off to the northeast and is replaced by weak high pressure, while the remnants of Hurricane Harvey continue to meander over southeastern Texas. Expect a better established onshore flow to develop towards midweek as the high pressure in the eastern Gulf is reinforced and the remnant low circulation of Harvey finally begins to push north. Expect winds and seas to be locally higher in and around showers and thunderstorms expected through the period. /49 && .MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. FL...None. MS...None. GM...None. && This product is also available on the web at: http://weather.gov/mob
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Mobile AL 540 AM CDT Sat Aug 26 2017 ALZ051>060-261>266-FLZ201>206-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-271045- Choctaw-Washington-Clarke-Wilcox-Monroe-Conecuh-Butler-Crenshaw- Escambia-Covington-Mobile Inland-Baldwin Inland-Mobile Central- Baldwin Central-Mobile Coastal-Baldwin Coastal-Escambia Inland- Escambia Coastal-Santa Rosa Inland-Santa Rosa Coastal- Okaloosa Inland-Okaloosa Coastal-Wayne-Perry-Greene-Stone-George- 540 AM CDT Sat Aug 26 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of south central Alabama...southwest Alabama...northwest Florida and southeast Mississippi. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A moderate risk of rip currents is forecast for today and tonight as long period swell, emanating out from Hurricane Harvey, moves up into the surf zone. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Elevated rip current risk is expected to continue through the weekend as long period swell, emanating out from Hurricane Harvey, moves up into the surf zone. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of SkyWarn Severe Storm Spotter networks is not expected through Wednesday. GMZ630>635-650-655-670-675-271045- Northern Mobile Bay-Southern Mobile Bay-Mississippi Sound- Perdido Bay-Pensacola Bay System-Choctawhatchee Bay- Coastal waters from Pensacola FL to Pascagoula MS out 20 NM- Coastal waters from Destin to Pensacola FL out 20 NM- Waters from Pensacola FL to Pascagoula MS from 20 to 60 NM- Waters from Destin to Pensacola FL from 20 to 60 NM- 540 AM CDT Sat Aug 26 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the coastal waters of Alabama and northwest Florida. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Winds, waves and seas locally higher in and near storms during the outlook. Frequent lightning activity and visibility reducing heavy rainfall will also be likely with the stronger storms.
The Mobile radar (KMOB), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:45 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A group of 6 were struck by lightning on the beach. There were 5 injuries and 1 death.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, Baldwin | 2017-08-26 | 24 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
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, August 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: 719445.