A small cluster of thunderstorms developed over extreme east Alabama during the overnight hours. The cluster was located in area of maximum precipitable water values and resulted in high rainfall rates.
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 small cluster of thunderstorms developed over extreme east Alabama during the overnight hours. The cluster was located in area of maximum precipitable water values and resulted in high rainfall rates.
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 May 22, 11:01 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 1201 AM CDT Wed May 23 2018 .UPDATE... Aviation Discussion. && .SHORT TERM... Weak troughing remains entrenched across the area with high precipitable water (PWAT) values near 2.00 inches from this morning's sounding contributing to very efficient warm rainfall processes with convection. Again today, the higher rain chances are roughly along and east of the Interstate 65 corridor as relatively drier conditions aloft with weak subsidence exists across the western portion of the forecast area. Potential will exist for localized flooding in areas that experience multiple storms within a short duration or storm mergers over the next few days. Gusty showers with a few thunderstorms will also remain a risk with convection mainly during the afternoon into the early evening hours with peak surface based instability. For the extended period, increased shower/storm coverage further for this time period as a weakness in the broad ridging becomes more defined late this week and into the upcoming weekend with the continued low level southeast flow with high PWAT values persisting throughout the area. While no hazards are listed in the Hazardous Weather Outlook product at this time, persistent rainfall with heavy tropical downpours at times may pose an increasing risk for localized flooding for the remainder of the week and into the upcoming weekend. Updated 7-day guidance on rainfall across portions of our far southern counties have some areas potentially exceeding 5 inches. 05 .LONG TERM... Wednesday through Monday. Enhanced rain chances should continue for Wednesday and Thursday especially south of Interstate 20 where POPs are in the 50-60 percent range. There is where models indicate a stalled 850mb trough and the remnants of a disturbance. Models continue to indicate the development of a large trough encompassing the Southeast states and the Gulf of Mexico for Friday through Monday. This system has the potential to gain subtropical characteristics with perhaps an area of surface low pressure in the Gulf. There is high confidence in unusually wet conditions during this period, and widespread 60-70 POPs are reasonable for this type of pattern. 87/Grantham && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF Discussion. Isolated showers and storms continue tonight, mainly south of the I- 85 corridor. Cannot rule out isolated showers anywhere overnight, but chances are low near forecast terminals. Low level moisture remains high and with calm winds at most locations, expect low cigs and fog to build from east to west across the area, as low as IFR at times. Scattered showers redevelop before mid day tomorrow. With a similar setup as today, activity will be slower to affect TCL. Have included VCSH at all terminals except TCL for now. 14 && .FIRE WEATHER... A moist pattern is expected over the next seven days and should result in daily rain chances. Patchy fog/low clouds will be possible each morning particularly where rainfall occurs during the prior afternoon and evening. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 66 85 66 86 67 / 40 40 20 50 30 Anniston 66 85 67 86 67 / 50 50 20 60 40 Birmingham 69 87 69 88 69 / 40 40 20 50 40 Tuscaloosa 69 88 69 88 69 / 30 40 30 50 40 Calera 67 85 68 87 68 / 40 50 30 60 40 Auburn 67 82 68 83 68 / 60 70 40 60 40 Montgomery 69 86 70 87 69 / 60 70 40 60 40 Troy 68 85 69 87 68 / 60 70 40 60 40 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES/... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 755 AM CDT Tue May 22 2018 ALZ011>015-017>050-231600- 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- 755 AM CDT Tue May 22 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham. .DAY ONE...Outlook through Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management is not expected at this time.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
115 AM CDT WED MAY 23 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0114 AM FLASH FLOOD 1 ENE SMITHS STATION 32.54N 85.09W
05/23/2018 LEE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE ROADS AND A COUPLE HOUSES FLOODED
IN THE SMITHS STATION AREA.
&&
DAVISThe Maxwell AFB radar (KMXX), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:16 UTC.
2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous roads flooded and washed out along with several homes flooded in the Smiths Station community. Rainfall amounts across the southeast portion of Lee County were in the 2-4 inch range.
Bridges on Lakewood Drive Road and Bridgewater Drive Road were over-topped with water along Holland Creek due to excessive rainfall upstream. Several roads flooded and impassable in the northern portions of Phenix City.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, May 2018
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: 758410, 758411.