Hail in Florida, January 21 to 22, 2017

Name: Hail in Florida, January 21 to 22, 2017
Start: 2017-01-21T19:49
End: 2017-01-22T09:33
Location: Florida

January 21 to 22, 2017 · NWS MOB · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MOB wrote it up.

Multiple rounds of severe weather occurred across inland southwest and south central Alabama, inland southeast Mississippi, and the western Florida Panhandle from January 21st to January 22nd, 2017. The prolonged period of severe weather was the result of a longwave trough axis over the southern plains that was very slow to move east, allowing several strong shortwaves to move across the north central Gulf Coast in the southwest upper level flow. The first round of severe weather on the morning of January 21st resulted in 2 strong tornadoes over the WFO Mobile County Warning area along with straight line wind damage. Large hail was the predominate hazard with the second round of storms on the evening of January 21st. A combination of straight line winds and large hail impacted the region on the morning of January 22nd.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jan 21, 5:49 PM CST, 2 hours earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 21, 5:49 PM CST, 2 hours before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Mobile AL
549 PM CST Sat Jan 21 2017

.DISCUSSION...Updated for latest aviation discussion below.

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z issuance...MVFR cigs will continue to fill in across the region
this evening. Scattered to numerous SHRA/TSRA will develop northward
across the area this evening, some of which will become severe with
damaging winds, large hail and possibly a few tornadoes. Will keep
TSRA mention into the local TAFs, and amend as necessary. Cold front
pushes through Sun. with winds turning SW/W and becoming gusty.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /issued 423 PM CST Sat Jan 21 2017/

NEAR TERM /Now Through Sunday/...Much of our area has had time to
recover from this morning's convection, as the associated surface
boundary sank into the northern Gulf of Mexico. Visible satellite
imagery this afternoon shows the boundary again moving northward,
partially in response to a shortwave trough diving into North Texas
late this afternoon. Another round of showers and thunderstorms will
develop as the boundary moves northward (at approximately 10 MPH)
into the region this evening.

Current mesoanalysis indicates almost 1000 J/kg of MLCAPE close to
the coast. However, there is also still a fair amount of convective
inhibition. Expect the inhibition to decrease heading into the
evening hours as the left exit region of a 250mb jet moves into the
region. MLCAPE values could increase to the 1500-2000 J/kg range
with very steep lapse rates between 7.5 and 8 degrees C/km in the
700-500mb layer. These parameters, combined with impressive low-
level kinematic fields associated with the strengthening low-
level jet, will result in a severe weather risk for tonight.

Right now, it looks like the greatest risk of severe storms across
most of our area will occur between 7 pm and midnight. All types of
severe weather may be seen, with large hail, damaging winds, and
strong tornadoes possible. The severe weather risk should wane after
midnight as the best synoptic scale forcing/thermodynamic fields
move out of our area. However, showers and thunderstorms will
likely continue through much of the night.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to end from the west starting
late tonight and continuing through Sunday morning as a cold front
moves across the region. An isolated to scattered smattering of
showers may continue through much of the day as the upper low
moves across the Southeast. /Butts/

SHORT TERM /Sunday night Through Tuesday night/...Convective
activity tapers off Sunday night as the surface low lifts northeast
up the Atlantic coast and away from the area. Lows Sunday night will
range from upper 40's to mid 50's from northwest to southeast,
respectively, as drier air at the surface begins to move into the
forecast area from the west. Even as the surface low lifts away from
the region, the large expanse of cyclonic flow around it will
continue to transport low-level moisture from the Atlantic around the
system and into the central Gulf coast region. As a result, low
clouds in the wrap around region of the cyclone are expected to
linger over the forecast area through Monday before clearing out from
west to east Monday night. Cooler afternoon highs are expected
Monday, only reaching the upper 50's inland to low 60's near the
coast. Monday night lows will be much cooler than previous nights as
skies clear and dewpoints drop, with temps expected to dip into the
upper 30's inland to mid 40's near the coast. Surface high pressure
then builds in from the west Tuesday with sunshine and pleasant
daytime temperatures in the mid 60's expected areawide. Overnight
lows Tuesday night will warm some compared to Monday night, ranging
from low 50's inland to upper 50's near the coast as moisture returns
to the area ahead of the next approaching front. /Cermak/

LONG TERM /Wednesday Through Saturday/...The surface ridge
continues off to the east Wednesday as another trough digs into the
central CONUS and the next cold front approaches the forecast area
from the west. Ahead of this next system, southerly flow will mean
an increase in humidity and temperatures rebounding back up into the
low to mid 70's areawide Wednesday afternoon. The front is then
progged to pass through the forecast area sometime Wednesday night
into early Thursday morning, bringing with it a chance for showers
across the area. A cool, dry post-frontal airmass then settles over
the region as a large upper-level area of low pressure over eastern
Canada sets up zonal flow over the central Gulf states. Temperatures
will range from the mid 50's inland to upper 50's near the coast each
afternoon and mid 30's inland to low 40's near the coast each night
from Thursday into early next weekend. /Cermak/

MARINE...Marine conditions will deteriorate tonight ahead of the
approaching cold front. Expect periods of showers and thunderstorms,
some likely severe, to continue through much of the night. A strong
southerly flow ahead of the front will veer to the west/northwest in
wake of the front. Increasing winds and building seas are expected,
and I've upgraded the Gale Watch to a Gale Warning for the Gulf of
Mexico waters Sunday night and Monday. Marine conditions should then
start improving Monday night and continue through mid-week. /Butts/

&&

.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...High Rip Current Risk through late Sunday night for ALZ265-266.

FL...High Rip Current Risk through late Sunday night for FLZ202-204-
     206.

MS...None.
GM...Small Craft Advisory from noon to 6 PM CST Sunday for GMZ633>635.

     Gale Watch from Sunday evening through late Sunday night for
     GMZ631-632.

     Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM CST Sunday for GMZ631-632-650-
     655.

     Gale Warning from 6 PM Sunday to 6 AM CST Monday for GMZ650-655-
     670-675.

     Gale Watch Monday morning for GMZ670-675.

     Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM CST Sunday for GMZ670-675.

&&

This product is also available on the web at:
http://weather.gov/mob

Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 21, 5:28 AM CST, 14 hours 21 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
528 AM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

ALZ051>060-261>266-FLZ201>206-MSZ067-075-076-078-079-221130-
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-
528 AM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SEVERE WEATHER ONGOING THIS MORNING ACROSS INTERIOR SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND WILL BE MOVING EAST INTO SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...MAINLY
WEST OF I-65 THROUGH AROUND 9 AM...THEN EAST ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL
ALABAMA TO THE EAST OF I-65 AND OVER THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE
BETWEEN 9 AM AND NOON. THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE STORMS
TODAY, WITH POTENTIALLY STRONG TORNADOES POSSIBLE WEST OF A GROVE
HILL...BAY MINETTE...GULF SHORES LINE THROUGH AROUND 9 AM. TORNADO
THREAT WILL REMAIN...BUT LESSEN SLIGHTLY FURTHER TO THE EAST.
DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 70 MPH AND LARGE HAIL WILL ALSO BE A POSSIBILITY
WITH ANY OF THE STRONG STORMS ACROSS THE REGION.

THERE WILL LIKELY BE A BRIEF LULL IN CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY LATE THIS
AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. AS THE UPPER LOW EJECTS NORTHEAST AWAY
FROM THE REGION LATE TODAY INTO THE EVENING, SHORTWAVE ENERGY ALOFT
JUST IN ADVANCE OF THE FINAL APPROACHING FRONT WILL POSSIBLY RE-
INITIATE STORMS EAST OF I-65 IN ALABAMA AND OVER THE WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. THERE IS LOWER
CONFIDENCE IN THIS DEVELOPMENT BUT IF IT DOES DEVELOP CONDITIONS
WILL STILL SUPPORT ANOTHER ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND A FEW TORNADOES ALL A POSSIBILITY.

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE ALABAMA AND WESTERN
FLORIDA PANHANDLE BEACHES TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE SEE MORE ON THE SEVERE WEATHER IMPACTS AND TIMING...AND ALSO FLOODING
IMPACTS ON OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MOB.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THUNDERSTORMS...SOME SEVERE...WILL CONTINUE MAINLY EAST OF INTERSTATE
65 THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE
DAMAGING HAIL AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS 70 MPH OR HIGHER WILL PERSIST
EARLY. STORMS ENDING LATER IN THE DAY ON SUNDAY.

A WIND ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED FROM LATE SUNDAY AND INTO MONDAY...
ESPECIALLY NEAR THE COAST...FOR SUSTAINED 25 MPH WINDS WITH FREQUENT
GUSTS AT OR ABOVE 30 MPH.

A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG THE BEACHES OF ALABAMA AND THE
NORTHWEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY...IMPROVING
THROUGH THE EARLY PART OF THE WEEK AS WINDS SUBSIDE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS MAY BE
NEEDED IN SUPPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS EARLY SUNDAY.

GMZ630>635-650-655-670-675-221130-
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-
528 AM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE COASTAL
WATERS OF ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS...SOME SEVERE...WILL SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE COASTAL
WATERS THIS MORNING...AND THEN POSSIBLY REDEVELOP ACROSS THE MARINE
AREA TONIGHT. SOME STORMS COULD LOCALLY CONTAIN LARGE DAMAGING HAIL
AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS 70 MPH OR HIGHER...PRODUCING LOCALLY HIGHER
SEAS. ISOLATED TORNADOES OVER WATER ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. PLEASE SEE
MORE ON THE IMPACTS AND TIMING AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MOB.

ONSHORE WINDS WILL GRADUALLY INCREASE OVER THE MARINE AREA TODAY AND
TONIGHT. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL BE IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT
AS WINDS AND SEAS WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL END FROM WEST TO EAST EARLY SUNDAY.  SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORIES WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY...WITH GALE CONDITIONS
POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY WITH A GALE WATCH IN EFFECT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 21, 3:08 PM CST, 4 hours 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
308 PM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0818 AM     TSTM WND DMG     4 NW I65 AND CR 29      31.54N 86.98W
01/21/2017                   CONECUH            AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            SHEET METAL SHED BLOWN DOWN, TREES UPROOTED, AND FENCE
            BLOWN DOWN IN LYEFFION, AL ON HWY 83.

&&

DJOHNSON

Special weather statement, Jan 21, 6:18 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Mobile AL
618 PM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

ALZ052-261>265-MSZ076-078-079-220115-
Baldwin Central AL-Mobile Inland AL-Mobile Central AL-
Mobile Coastal AL-Washington AL-Baldwin Inland AL-Stone MS-Greene MS-
George MS-
618 PM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...WEST CENTRAL BALDWIN...MOBILE...SOUTHWESTERN WASHINGTON...
GEORGE...SOUTHEASTERN GREENE AND EAST CENTRAL STONE COUNTIES UNTIL
715 PM CST...

At 618 PM CST, the strong thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from 13 miles east of Perkinston to near Moss Point,and
moving northeast at 50 mph.

Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.

Locations impacted include...
Midtown Mobile, Downtown Mobile, Prichard, Tillmans Corner, Saraland,
Bay Minette, Theodore, Chickasaw, Satsuma, Spanish Fort, Grand Bay,
Citronelle, Lucedale, Creola, Leakesville, Chunchula, Gulfcrest, Deer
Park, Axis and Tibbie.

A tornado watch remains in effect until 900 PM CST for southeastern
Mississippi.

LAT...LON 3035 8839 3038 8841 3038 8840 3074 8841
      3073 8888 3068 8888 3068 8893 3076 8901
      3091 8887 3091 8883 3094 8884 3146 8833
      3082 8771 3032 8840
TIME...MOT...LOC 0018Z 224DEG 42KT 3076 8891 3034 8851

Local storm report, Jan 21, 7:23 PM CST, 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
723 PM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0655 PM     HAIL             6 NW TILLMANS CORNER    30.64N 88.24W
01/21/2017  M2.00 INCH       MOBILE             AL   NWS EMPLOYEE

            OFF DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTS 2 INCH HAIL OFF DAWES RD

&&

RROGERS

Local storm report, Jan 21, 7:25 PM CST, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
725 PM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0709 PM     HAIL             1 S FOLEY               30.39N 87.68W
01/21/2017  E0.75 INCH       BALDWIN            AL   PUBLIC

            DIME TO PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED SOUTH OF FOLEY

&&

RROGERS

Local storm report, Jan 21, 7:35 PM CST, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
735 PM CST SAT JAN 21 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0718 PM     HAIL             ELBERTA                 30.41N 87.60W
01/21/2017  E1.00 INCH       BALDWIN            AL   NWS EMPLOYEE

            OFF DUTY NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTS ONE INCH HAIL IN ELBERTA

&&

RROGERS

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:51 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Santa Rosa

When: January 21, 7:49 PM CST to 7:50 PM CST
Where: Santa Rosa County, Pace
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 30.600, -87.150

Quarter to hen egg size hail was reported near Pace.

Hail, Escambia

When: January 21, 8:06 PM CST to 8:07 PM CST
Where: Escambia County, Walnut Hill
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 30.880, -87.500

Hail up to the size of hen eggs was reported near Walnut Hill.

Hail, Okaloosa

When: January 22, 9:25 AM CST to 9:26 AM CST
Where: Okaloosa County, 1.79 mi E of Florosa
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 30.420, -86.690

Quarter size hail at Hurlburt Field.

Hail, Okaloosa

When: January 22, 9:26 AM CST to 9:27 AM CST
Where: Okaloosa County, 0.69 mi S of Ocean City
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Social Media
Coordinates: 30.420, -86.620

Quarter size hail reported in Fort Walton Beach.

Hail, Escambia

When: January 22, 9:32 AM CST to 9:33 AM CST
Where: Escambia County, 1.82 mi SW of Cantonment
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 30.600, -87.350

Quarter size hail reported in Cantonment.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, January 2017

Sources

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: 676202, 676203, 676232, 676231, 676233.