Sub-tropical storm Alberto made landfall in the western Florida Panhandle Monday evening, Monday May 28th. The cyclone advanced northward into Central Alabama during the overnight hours and into Tuesday, May 29th.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Sub-tropical storm Alberto made landfall in the western Florida Panhandle Monday evening, Monday May 28th. The cyclone advanced northward into Central Alabama during the overnight hours and into Tuesday, May 29th. It was downgraded to a depression as it entered the southern counties of Central Alabama. The depression produced sustained winds of 25-35 mph across Central Alabama along with heavy rainfall. The duration of the higher winds Monday night resulted in numerous trees being uprooted along its path. Periods of heavy rainfall continued into Wednesday, May 30th.
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 28, 11:41 PM CST, 34 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 1241 AM CDT Tue May 29 2018 .UPDATE... Evening Update and 06Z Aviation. && .SHORT TERM... Alberto has been downgraded to a depression and was located south of Lowndes County. Many places received rain the past 12 hours or so, but nothing excessive. Most of the rain has now moved closer to the center of Alberto, but we do expect this area of rain to expand a bit and become heavier. The highest rain amounts will likely be in the vicinity of Interstate 65 through the overnight hours. Will will also watch for any bands that develop especially east. With the loss of instability, removed any mention of tornadoes at this time. Alberto will continue on a northerly path over night and reach the I-20/59 corridor near the Birmingham metro after sunrise. Will continue the mention of heavy rain and possible flooding along with gusty winds. 75 Previous short-term discussion:Today and Tonight. General Discussion: As Subtropical Storm Alberto nears the western Florida Panhandle coastline, we continue to monitor a healthy rain band with some deeper convection over far southeast Alabama south of our southeast counties in our forecast area. Heavy rainfall with localized flooding possible in urban and poor drainage areas and a risk of tornadoes will exist with this activity as it begins to affect our far southeast counties over the next few hours. A tornado watch for portions of our southeast counties may become necessary as conditions are expected to become more favorable. Conditions are expected to become more favorable over our southeast counties for tornado activity later this afternoon and into the evening hours with increasing vertical wind shear combined with sufficient low-level instability supportive of deeper convection. General convective rain showers capable of producing heavy tropical downpours continue to develop further north across portions of eastern and central Alabama ahead of the outer rain band over southeast Alabama. This activity will persist and expand in coverage with time and will move generally to the west- northwest in alignment with the low to mid level wind field surrounding Subtropical Storm Alberto. The forecast grids have been adjusted to depict the gradual contraction of the precipitation shield closer to the center of Subtropical Storm Alberto. Technical Information: Tornado Risk: The BMX 28/18Z special sounding contained near 900 J/kg of surface-based convective available potential energy (CAPE) with a notable dry layer present just above 800 mb that extended to near 400 mb. The low level wind profile contained northeast winds off the surface that quickly veered to the southeast with speeds generally less than 25 kts. Storm relative helicity (SRH) values were around 60 m2/s2 in the 0-1 km layer with values just over 100 m2/s2 within the 0-3 km layer. An ACARS 28/17Z vertical profile from aircraft flying over a portion of our southeast counties depicted higher CAPE values near 1000 J/kg with a more easterly low-level winds around 950 mb veering to the southeast through 750 mb. The flight was too high aloft to sample lower level winds so limited low-level data prevented a better computation of SRH values. An examination of recent VAD wind profile data from KEOX radar in far southeast Alabama shows 0-1 km SRH around 75 m2/s2 with 0-3 km SRH around 90 m2/s2 indicating increasing low-level hodograph curvature that can support rotating storms and contribute to a tornado risk. Flood Risk: Precipitable Water (PWAT) values were around 2.00 inches on the BMX 28/12Z sounding and were measured around 1.70 inches on the BMX 12/18Z sounding. Available data from a 12/17Z ACARS aircraft flight over portions of our southeast counties yielded a PWAT value near 1.60 inches. The uniform deep layer moisture will support intense rainfall rates within a convective tropical environment. Storm motions computed by NEXRAD SCIT data ranges from 15 to 30 kts which will help keep the heavier cores from impacting the same location for a prolonged time period, however, convective training especially from the broader rain bands will contribute to a growing concern over flash flooding potential with time. 05 Revised previous short-term discussion: Through Tuesday Night (Alberto and Impacts). Alberto is forecast to make landfall across a portion of the western Florida Panhandle and then continuing north toward Central Alabama. At this time it appears that that main circulation will be right along the I-65 corridor with some very heavy rainfall occurring ahead and east of the main circulation. As we are now within 24 hours of impacts overall confidence for the track continues to improve and have now issued two products to go along with the system. A wind advisory for the stronger winds associated with the main band around the center has been issued for the southeast through 7 am Tuesday morning. The strongest winds will likely make it into the southern areas between 3 and 7 pm Monday night and only be around 25 to 35 mph with higher gusts (depression strength). These winds will likely move north during the day Tuesday, all the while weakening as the system moves north. We also issued a flash flood watch through 7 pm Tuesday for mainly the eastern half of the area. WPC has placed much of the east in a moderate to high chance of flooding after collaboration this morning with the track and amounts of rain expected. The highest threats will be in the southeast, or along and south of the I-85 corridor where 4 to 6 inches could occur with locally higher totals. The rest of the east could see 2 to 4 with locally higher totals. A good portion of these totals will fall over a 6 hour period or less over ground that will likely already be saturated from the outer bands of Alberto, thus increasing the threat. Outside of the flooding and strong wind threats, there is a marginal chance at a brief spin up tornado in the southeast this afternoon through Tuesday as the system moves on shore with banding on the northeast side of the low. 16 .LONG TERM... Wednesday through Sunday. Although the remnants of Alberto will be well north of Alabama by Wednesday, deep moisture will reside over the area in its wake and an upper trof axis will extend southward into Alabama. Diurnal heating will produce scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday, mainly across the eastern half of central Alabama. For Thursday through the weekend, the upper flow pattern will undergo a significant shift to a northwest flow pattern. A strong upper ridge over the southern plains states will expand eastward with Alabama on the eastern periphery of the ridge. This will result in an active flow pattern with several impulses or MCS's rotating southeast around the ridge. The potential for severe storms will increase at some point during this period, but timing issues make it difficult to include any severe threat in the HWO. 58/rose && .AVIATION... 06Z TAF Discussion. Alberto will continue on its northerly path overnight and into Tuesday. The system move just west of MGM/EET/BHM the next 12 hours or so. A few gusts around 30kts are possible near the path at TOI/MGM/EET/BHM. Therefore, most conditions will go downhill overnight starting off VFR/MVFR and becoming IFR by 12z. Rain will also increase in intensity and will drop some vis to 1-2 miles in the heaviest activity. Wind directions will be tricky with the specific path but most areas northeasterly to a south southwest by Tuesday afternoon. With some banding from Alberto still near and instability possible in the daytime, added a prob 30 after 18z for all terminals. 75 && .FIRE WEATHER... A moist pattern is expected through at least midweek, with a drier and warmer trend for Thursday through the weekend. Best rain chances will be through Wednesday, with heavy rainfall associated with the tropical moisture from Alberto through Tuesday. A northwest flow for the end of period may result in scattered showers during the evening and morning hours. Patchy fog and low clouds will be possible this morning and Monday morning, but will be limited Tuesday and Wednesday mornings with the stronger winds. No fire weather concerns at this time. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 77 70 84 70 86 / 100 70 70 40 60 Anniston 78 70 84 70 87 / 100 70 70 30 60 Birmingham 79 72 86 72 88 / 100 60 60 30 50 Tuscaloosa 81 72 89 72 91 / 80 50 50 20 30 Calera 80 71 85 71 88 / 90 60 60 30 40 Auburn 80 70 82 70 85 / 90 60 70 30 60 Montgomery 83 73 87 71 90 / 80 50 70 30 50 Troy 82 72 86 71 88 / 80 40 70 30 60 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES/... Flash Flood Watch through this evening for the following counties: Autauga...Barbour...Bibb...Blount...Bullock... Calhoun...Chambers...Cherokee...Chilton...Clay...Cleburne... Coosa...Dallas...Elmore...Etowah...Jefferson...Lee...Lowndes... Macon...Montgomery...Perry...Pike...Randolph...Russell... Shelby...St. Clair...Talladega...Tallapoosa. Wind Advisory until 7 AM CDT this morning for the following counties: Autauga...Barbour...Bullock...Chambers...Chilton... Coosa...Dallas...Elmore...Lee...Lowndes...Macon...Montgomery... Pike...Russell...Tallapoosa. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 1006 PM CDT Mon May 28 2018 ALZ011>015-017>050-300615- 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- 1006 PM CDT Mon May 28 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Heavy rainfall associated with Alberto will likely produce localized flooding tonight for areas mainly near and east of I-65. The strongest sustained winds from Alberto will be across the southeast portions of Central Alabama, beginning this afternoon and lasting into tonight. Sustained winds of 15 to 25 MPH are possible with higher gusts. Winds will be lower across the remainder of Central Alabama, but could be gusty at times. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Heavy rainfall associated with the remnants of Alberto may also produce localized flooding for areas mainly near and east of I-65. Expected rainfall with the track of Alberto will produce minor flooding along Catoma Creek on Wednesday. Please refer to river statements for specific details. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management may be required this afternoon and into Tuesday.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
929 PM CDT MON MAY 28 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0810 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 NNW LEESBURG 34.21N 85.79W
05/28/2018 CHEROKEE AL PUBLIC
TREE ACROSS ROAD ON VALLEY STREET AT CR 70.
TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
&&The Maxwell AFB radar (KMXX), 53 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:03 UTC.
8 flash flood, 5 tropical depression. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple trees uprooted across the county.
Multiple trees uprooted across the county.
Multiple trees uprooted across the county.
Multiple trees uprooted and power lines downed across the county.
Multiple trees uprooted and power lines downed across the county.
Several streets flooded within the city limits of Tuscaloosa. Canyon Creek flooded causing water over the bridge at Keenes Mill Road.
County Roads 508 and 510 closed due to high water.
Browds Road closed in the city of Millbrook due to high water.
Significant flooding in the city of Marion. Portions of Highway 14 underwater. Several homes on East Lafayette Street near Rice Creek flooded and water rescues required. Portions of Hghway 219 underwater and impassable. Several bridges washed out on Highway 183 near the city of Marion. A Flash Flash Flood Emergency was issued for a large portion of Perry County.
Serious flooding along Highway 43 in the southern portions of the city of Eutaw. Evacuations were required at the Sanders-Black Apartment Complex and flooding also reported at the Greene County Headstart building and at a subdivision next to the apartment complex.
Several streets in the city of Greensboro flooded and impassable. Flooding also reported on Raven Road and County Road 30.
County Road 359 flooded and impassable and Clayton Manufactured Homes near I-65 also reported significant flooding.
Portions of River Road closed due to flowing water.
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 2018The 2018 hurricane season
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: 758436, 758461, 758463, 758458, 758459, 758467, 760028, 760029, 760052, 760705, 760716, 760066, 760717.