A 'wake low' pressure area developed at the back end of rainfall that had moved east through north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee during the evening hours. This wave increased winds from near calm to over 40 mph between Midnight LST and 2 AM LST, but no damage reports were received.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 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 HUN wrote it up.
A 'wake low' pressure area developed at the back end of rainfall that had moved east through north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee during the evening hours. This wave increased winds from near calm to over 40 mph between Midnight LST and 2 AM LST, but no damage reports were received. Another wake low occurred between 5 and 7 AM LST in north central into northeast Alabama. This also resulted in a similar increase in winds with gusts of 40 mph or higher. The second event resulted in several trees being knocked down or uprooted, some onto power lines, across portions of north central and northeast Alabama. It is possible that the combination of both wind events could have resulted in the number of reports received after the second wave of gusty winds.
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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 23, 2:47 AM CST, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 347 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2020 .NEAR TERM...(Today) Issued at 347 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2020 A showery night was in progress across most of the Tennessee Valley this early morning, as a storm system continued to deepen over Ozarks. The system's main surface low per 08Z or 3 AM observations appeared to be situated over NW Arkansas with a central pressure around 1000mb. Another weaker low was noted over northern Louisiana, with a warm front extending ESE towards southern MS/AL. The cyclone's ~500mb upper reflection was over SW Missouri, with a positively tilted trough extending SSW towards Texas. Local and nearby radars and surface observations confirmed widespread showers in progress over much of the southeast lower-48. The warm front moving northward, and a line of convection noted from east of St Charles LA to NE of Jackson MS had the stronger to severe storms. The activity over the Tennessee Valley so far has been more tame, with only a few lightning strikes in the last hour or so over parts of far NW Alabama. The models for the most part are in good agreement, bringing the bulk of mainly elevated convection eastward across the forecast area over the next few hours. While the activity was not producing much lightning at the moment, this could change as more moisture and upglide occurs. Another issue this morning and into the early afternoon is strong winds. Winds at a few sites picked up into the 20-30 mph range from the SE around midnight. Winds have subsided somewhat for the past few hours; however guidance is suggesting that they'll increase again towards daybreak and in the morning. As such, a Wind Advisory remains in effect until 9 AM this morning. Some of our guidance was showing wind gusts over 40 mph this morning. The fact of the low intensifying to our west will produce ducting of lower level winds. The 9 AM expiration time looks good at this time, but it may need to be extended if strong winds appear will continue longer. With all of the above, there is yet more. A chance for strong to severe thunderstorms for this afternoon. The on-going elevated convection will be moving east of the region this morning. This will bring a break in precipitation for a spell. The chances are if significant warming and lower level moisture return occurs, the atmosphere could destabilize and result in strong to severe convection this afternoon. Some of the CAM models and NAM (the latter which has been playing up strong convection potential the past few days) all hint at this possibility. The main threat from the stronger storms will be damaging wind gusts and marginally severe hail. Cannot totally rule out a tornado or two especially if deep enough moisture return and resultant surface based instability is realized. Confidence in the shorter term is still not too good regarding severe chances later today. .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Saturday night) Issued at 347 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2020 Shower and thunderstorm chances will end over our eastern areas in the early evening. At times breezy westerly winds in the 15-25 mph early in the evening will subside during the course of the night. Seasonably cool with lows in the low/mid 50s. A brief dry spell is forecast on Friday with near seasonable highs in the mid 70s. Yet another system will follow on the heels of the departing one, bringing more clouds and rain chances for the weekend. This system will be displaced a bit further to the north and is weaker. Still have included lower end thunder within more widespread showers. The system will rapidly exit to the east Saturday evening, with dry and cooler conditions returning Saturday night, with lows in the mid 40s to around 50 by daybreak Sunday. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Wednesday) Issued at 347 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2020 On Sunday, a deep upper trough across the Southeast associated with a low over the Northeast will continue to slide to the east. Drier and cooler air advects into the Tennessee Valley throughout the day and will hold afternoon highs in the mid 60s. By the start of the work week, ridging over the western CONUS and weak troughing over the eastern CONUS will continue to keep the forecast area dry and below normal temps with highs in the 70s and overnight lows in the 50s. SFC cyclogenesis over the northern Plains with a cold front draped to its south, will push eastward on Tuesday. Rain and thunderstorm chances increase Tuesday night into Wednesday morning as the aformentioned cold front arrives from the northwest. The progressive movement of the front should keep flooding concerns minimal with less than an inch of rain expected. Dry weather returns to end the long term period on Thursday. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night) Issued at 1240 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2020 Widespread -SHRA and a few TSRA are expected through the morning hours. Southeast flow will increase rapidly with 15-20kt sustained and gusts of 30-35kt possible at times. Ceilings will lower into the MVFR range as well, ranging from 015-030agl. As this complex of SHRA/TSRA exits the region by 12-14Z, MVFR ceilings will persist until late morning or early afternoon before scattering temporarily. Then, isolated to scattered TSRA will redevelop along a cold front, mainly east of the KMSL area, including KHSV and points east. After the frontal passage at moves through, winds will shift to the west and MVFR ceilings of 020-030agl will move back in for the evening hours. Strong westerly winds of 15-25kt are expected in the evening with some higher gusts possible. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...Wind Advisory until 9 AM CDT this morning for ALZ001>010-016. TN...Wind Advisory until 9 AM CDT this morning for TNZ076-096-097. && NEAR TERM...RSB SHORT TERM...RSB LONG TERM...GH AVIATION...17 / RSB For more information please visit our website at weather.gov/huntsville.
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Huntsville AL 429 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2020 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-240030- Lauderdale-Colbert-Franklin AL-Lawrence-Limestone-Madison-Morgan- Marshall-Jackson-DeKalb-Cullman-Moore-Lincoln-Franklin TN- 429 AM CDT Thu Apr 23 2020 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central Alabama, northeast Alabama, northwest Alabama and southern middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. A Wind Advisory remains in effect until 9 AM CDT. Expect east to southeast winds of 20-30 mph with some gusts briefly above 40 mph. A strong storm or two is also possible this morning, with locally rain and gusty winds. The redevelopment of scattered thunderstorms is possible from late this morning into the very early evening. A few of these storms could become severe with large hail and damaging winds being the primary threats. A tornado or two cannot be ruled out, especially across Northeast Alabama. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms will be possible Friday night into Saturday, and again on Tuesday through Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management personnel is possible today. Please relay any information about observed severe weather to the NWS while following all local, state, and CDC guidelines.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Two large trees were knocked down on Blount Avenue in Guntersville.
Madison Public Works reported a tree and power pole were knocked down on Rainbow Drive.
A social media report and photo indicated a large tree was uprooted and knocked over at Goose Pond Colony.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, April 2020
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: 888734, 888735, 888736.