Atmospheric parameters, including strong low level lapse rates and high CAPE values, combined to produce favorable conditions for microbursts on August 19th and 20th. However, conditions were more favorable on the 19th and a majority of the severe weather occurred on this day.
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.
Atmospheric parameters, including strong low level lapse rates and high CAPE values, combined to produce favorable conditions for microbursts on August 19th and 20th. However, conditions were more favorable on the 19th and a majority of the severe weather occurred on this 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 Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 19, 11:57 AM CST, 40 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 1257 PM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019 .UPDATE... For 18Z Aviation. && .SHORT TERM... /Updated at 0356 AM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019/ Today and Tonight. This AM we have mid and high cloudiness noted on satellite. Some of this could stick with us today in conjunction with a weak upper disturbance. However, we continue to be in a very warm humid low level flow which will help us heat up. Afternoon convection is expected today with heating and will be aided some by the shortwave moving through the weak upper flow around the Texas upper ridge and across Central Alabama. However, with similar 1000-850 mb thickness values expected today for portions of Central Alabama in advance and outside of convection, we could still heat up sufficiently to hit heat advisory criteria. With the ongoing heat building over the last few days, will go on the side of caution. With that said, will not be issuing for the whole area, just for a band of higher heat values from the west-northwest counties to around MGM including the BHM metro. Activity is expected to taper off by mid evening as we lose heating and disturbance rotates through. Overnight temperatures tonight should be similar to this morning. 08 .LONG TERM... /Updated at 0356 AM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019/ Tuesday through Sunday. Much of the extended forecast remains on track for this update. On Tuesday, high pressure sits over the eastern Plains while a large anticyclone remains over the western Atlantic. In between these two circulations, a weak low-level inverted trough and low height center will situate over portions of the Southeast including southern Georgia and the Florida Panhandle as southeasterly anticyclonic flow aloft shifts the disturbance slowly westward over the forecast area through Wednesday. This feature will provide support for afternoon convection as we begin to see lower temperatures with highs decreasing into the low to mid 90s, although higher humidity levels will make it feel a bit warmer. The overall wind and height fields become rather messy on Thursday with the aforementioned weak troughing becoming much less defined, but with the Bermuda High extending to our southeast, a few periods of southerly low-level winds appear likely enough to continue fueling a moist airmass such that scattered to numerous afternoon thunderstorms can be expected during peak heating on Thursday and Friday. Meanwhile, deep-layer troughing deepens over the eastern CONUS by the end of the week driving a cold front south through the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys. Uncertainty remains between model guidance on whether the tail edge of the front will ultimately pass through the forecast area this weekend, and confidence remains low on any one given outcome. Therefore, the forecast for Saturday and Sunday, and associated 50 to 60 percent PoPs, will be focused on the broad cyclonic flow aloft over Central Alabama as the base of the trough moves through the southeast in conjunction with a rich axis of moisture (PWATS ~2 inches) ahead of the front. Periods of rain over the next week will help keep us cooler during the daytime with highs in the upper 80s to near 90F Saturday and Sunday as ridging becomes less pronounced over the forecast area. 86 && .AVIATION... 18Z TAF Discussion. Afternoon convection will be biggest forecast challenge for this TAF period. VFR conditions & variable winds at 5-7 kts should continue outside TSRA activity, which may impact most if not all terminals at some point today. Best chances reside this afternoon & have handled with TEMPO groups generally after ~20Z. Though scattered SHRA & TSRA will likely continue into the evening, expecting decreasing coverage & intensity after dark. Have included MVFR vis at EET/TOI towards 10-12Z tomorrow morning, especially since rain-cooled air may be in place overnight. Will watch trends for MVFR conditions at other terminals, as well as monitor obs for any needed amendments due to TSRA activity this afternoon. 40/Sizemore && .FIRE WEATHER... Rain chances begin increasing today with scattered to numerous afternoon showers and thunderstorms possible most days this week. Temperatures will gradually return to normal levels by mid week as relative humidity values continue to rise. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 70 96 71 94 70 / 20 40 20 40 30 Anniston 71 95 72 94 71 / 30 40 30 40 30 Birmingham 73 97 74 96 73 / 20 40 30 40 30 Tuscaloosa 74 96 74 95 73 / 20 40 30 40 30 Calera 71 96 72 94 71 / 30 40 30 40 30 Auburn 72 91 72 91 72 / 40 50 30 50 30 Montgomery 73 95 73 94 73 / 40 50 30 50 30 Troy 71 92 71 92 70 / 40 60 30 50 20 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES/... Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for the following counties: Autauga...Bibb...Chilton...Dallas...Fayette...Greene... Hale...Jefferson...Lamar...Lowndes...Marion...Montgomery... Perry...Pickens...Shelby...Tuscaloosa...Walker. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 430 AM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019 ALZ011>015-017>050-201230- 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- 430 AM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham. .DAY ONE...Outlook through Tonight. Hot temperatures along with increasing moisture will allow many afternoon heat indices to reach above 100 degrees. Some in the west half of Central Alabama could see values go above 105. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. With continue hot and humid conditions, a few areas may see afternoon heat indices get close to 105 again on Tuesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management is not expected at this time. 08
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
111 PM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019
ALZ033-034-191845-
Bibb AL-Perry AL-
111 PM CDT Mon Aug 19 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN PERRY AND
SOUTHWESTERN BIBB COUNTIES UNTIL 145 PM CDT...
At 111 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Harrisburg, or 8 miles south of Brent, moving southwest at 10 mph.
Pea size hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Brent, Heiberger, Sprott and Ellards.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
office in Birmingham.
&&
LAT...LON 3292 8720 3278 8704 3263 8720 3272 8735
3285 8742 3288 8742
TIME...MOT...LOC 1811Z 054DEG 9KT 3281 8718
40/SizemoreThe Birmingham radar (KBMX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:39 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees uprooted along Highway 5, just south of County Road 16.
Several trees uprooted along County Road 55.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed near the intersection of Highway 50 and Highway 480.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along County Road 25.
Several trees uprooted and power lined downed along Bear Creek Road.
Numerous trees uprooted near Stonegate Drive and Connemara Trail.
Numerous trees uprooted in the cities of Bessemer and McCalla.
Several trees uprooted along Heartline Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, August 2019
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: 853725, 853728, 853729, 854191, 853730, 853731, 853733, 854193.