A solid line of mostly low-topped showers with a few embedded thunderstorms pushed east from Mississippi and western Tennessee across north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee during the late afternoon through mid evening hours. A tornado developed along the line in Lauderdale County near Green Hill, producing a measured wind gust of 76 mph on an Amateur Radio weather station, also knocked…
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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 solid line of mostly low-topped showers with a few embedded thunderstorms pushed east from Mississippi and western Tennessee across north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee during the late afternoon through mid evening hours. A tornado developed along the line in Lauderdale County near Green Hill, producing a measured wind gust of 76 mph on an Amateur Radio weather station, also knocked down the two 40 foot radio towers the equipment was attached to. The tornado tracked east-northeast crossing into Lawrence County in Tennessee, knocking down trees, power lines, and damaging a few homes. In addition, the line of showers produced wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph, with a few pockets of 60 mph winds or higher. Due to saturated soils, even sub-severe winds were able to knock down larger limbs and a few trees. Power lines were also knocked down in some areas.
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 Feb 12, 2:55 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 255 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020 .NEAR TERM...(This Evening and Tonight) Issued at 255 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020 A mid-level trough continues to approach the lower-Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys this afternoon, with a surface low lifting NW from the ArkLaMiss early this afternoon into Middle Tennessee by late this evening. A warm front continues to progress northward from Central Alabama into North Alabama early this afternoon, with a warm, moist air mass slowly trying to work its way into our region. We've been stuck in dense cloud cover and light fog for most of the day across North Alabama, which has hindered insolation and heating significantly. However, as of 20z -- thanks to some breaks in the clouds, temperatures have climbed into the upper 50s to lower 60s. Just south of the front (where a clearer sky has allowed for more heating) temperatures have climbed into the low to mid 70s. A 60-70 kt low-level jet will ramp up ahead of a surface cold front that will swing through the Tennessee Valley this evening. This feature will allow for an additional surge of warm, moist air into the area in the 21-00z window, with temperatures reaching the 65 to 70 degree range by early this evening (with dewpoints in the lower 60s). In areas where some breaks in the cloud cover, readings in the lower 70s will be possible. As a result, think we'll have at least some modest destabilization, with MLCAPE values around 200-350 J/Kg. Latest CAMs continue to tie our severe threat almost exclusively to this convective line which will approach the AL/MS border by 00-01z and push through the region during the evening hours. Timing the convection across Central Mississippi right now will bring it into the AL/MS border by 5-6 PM and potentially through the area by 11 PM to Midnight. While the best thermodynamics will remain displaced just our south and west, deep layer wind shear and low- level speed shear will increase through the evening as a LLJ lifts from Central Mississippi into East/Middle Tennessee. This will serve to enhance a line of convection ahead of the cold front. With deep-layer winds bearing a strong parallel component of flow to the approaching cold front, much of the convection is expected to be linear in nature. However, given curved hodographs (yielding up 400 m2/s2 effective SRH), would not rule out a few embedded supercells in the line. For this reason, think an isolated tornado threat will exist despite the limited thermodynamics and lapse rates. Any tornado risk will be maximized along bowing segments of the line or with any embedded supercells that form. Given the magnitude of the LLJ (70+ kts) and very moist soils, we'll have to monitor this line of storm closely for an enhanced tree damage threat as these storms may help to mix down the stronger winds aloft. The other main story will continue to be the potential for flash flooding in areas that receive the heaviest rainfall and continued river flooding. It should be noted that even after the initial line of strong to severe storms passes through, numerous moderate to heavy rain showers will linger through the overnight, with storm total rainfall in the 1.5 to 2 inch. For these reasons, a Flash Flood Watch remains in effect from 4 PM this afternoon until 6 AM early Thursday morning. .SHORT TERM...(Thursday through Friday) Issued at 255 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020 Rain will quickly taper off from west to east early Thursday morning as drier air filters into the Tennessee Valley. With winds shifting to the NW behind the front, temperatures will continue to fall through the morning and into the afternoon. Drier air will begin to erode the cloud cover by late afternoon/evening as a surface high builds into the region from the NW. This area of high pressure will reinforce a dome of cold air for Thursday night into Friday. Expect a significant air mass change from what we've seen in recent days, with lows bottoming out in the low to mid 20s Thursday night under a clear sky. Despite the sunshine on Friday, northerly flow will keep highs in the mid 40s (with RH values around 30 to 35 percent in the afternoon). .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Tuesday) Issued at 255 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020 Forecast confidence is fairly low heading into the long term portion of the forecast period, as model inconsistencies remain fairly high. Mostly dry conditions are expected over the weekend, as a weak trough moves through the region. This will bring isolated showers over the area on Sunday, with little in the way of rainfall amounts given weak lift associated with the shortwave. Temperatures over the weekend will be fairly seasonal, with highs in the mid 50s and lows in the upper 30s to lower 40s. An upper trough is expected to dig along the Rockies on Monday, increasing the southwesterly flow over the TN Valley. As the trough moves into the Plains on Monday surface cyclogensis will occur over the TX/OK Panhandles, with a cold front developing to the south. The surface low will lift to the northeast on Monday night, as the trough progresses eastward. Showers, with isolated thunderstorms, will develop well ahead of the front and impact the TN Valley beginning late Monday night and continuing through most of the day Tuesday. The cold front will pass through the area by Tuesday evening, with showers decreasing in coverage Tuesday night. As hinted at above, forecast models differ on the exact timing of this system, so blended guidance was maintained in the forecast. At this point, rainfall totals look to around inch for this system next week. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1208 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020 IFR conditions will continue this evening due to low ceilings and reduced visibilities from stratus and light rain, with localized LIFR conditions possible at KMSL between 1218/1221. A cold front will approach the region from the west, reaching the AL/MS border around 00z. -TSRA/TSRA will move across the region from west to east, impacting KMSL btwn 1300/1304 and KHSV btwn 1302/1306, with -SHRA lingering behind the front through sunrise. Thereafter, IFR to low- end MVFR conditions lingering through the remainder of the period. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...Flash Flood Watch through late tonight for ALZ001>010-016. TN...Flash Flood Watch through late tonight for TNZ076-096-097. && NEAR TERM...AMP.24 SHORT TERM...AMP.24 LONG TERM...73 AVIATION...AMP.24 For more information please visit our website at weather.gov/huntsville.
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Huntsville AL 253 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-131200- Lauderdale-Colbert-Franklin AL-Lawrence-Limestone-Madison-Morgan- Marshall-Jackson-DeKalb-Cullman-Moore-Lincoln-Franklin TN- 253 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north Alabama and portions of southern middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Tonight... Strong to severe storms are possible as a cold front passes through the area from early this evening into tonight. The primary hazard will be damaging winds, although a few tornadoes are also possible. A Flash Flood watch has also been issued for the period from 4 PM CST Wednesday through 6 AM CST Thursday, as any rainfall will convert to runoff given the saturated nature of our soil. Rivers, creeks, and streams are also expected to rise once again and remain in flood. Strong prefrontal gradient winds are also expected this evening and overnight along and ahead of a cold front, with gusts up to 35 mph. Winds of this magnitude may result in tree and power line damage. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday... Some lingering shower activity is possible through Thursday morning, and a Flash Flood Watch will remain in effect until 6 AM CST Thursday. Isolated thunderstorms are possible on Tuesday. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management personnel is possible later this evening.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
418 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020
ALZ001>003-122300-
Lauderdale AL-Franklin AL-Colbert AL-
418 PM CST Wed Feb 12 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN LAUDERDALE...COLBERT AND
WESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 500 PM CST...
At 417 PM CST, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Pickwick Landing State Park to near
Mantachie, Mississippi. Movement was east at 40 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, Red Bay, Cherokee, St. Florian,
Underwood-Petersville, Belgreen, Vina and Hodges.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Strong gusty winds will be capable of knocking down small tree limbs
along with other small unsecured items. Seek safe shelter until this
line of storms has passed.
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3500 8760 3500 8759 3431 8785 3432 8817
3489 8810 3492 8816 3501 8820
TIME...MOT...LOC 2217Z 272DEG 34KT 3500 8819 3437 8843
KDWThe Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:30 UTC.
20 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was knocked down on CR 1 at Second Creek Recreation Campgrounds.
A power line was knocked down in the Rock Wall area in Waterloo.
Power lines were knocked down on Waterloo Road. Time and location estimated.
A tree was knocked down at the intersection of CR 131 and CR 8.
A tree was knocked down on CR 61 north of CR 24.
Trees were knocked down on power lines near a residence on Cove Springs Road.
Trees were knocked down on CR 144. Relayed via social media. Time estimated by radar.
Trees and power lines were knocked down. Time estimated by radar.
Multiple trees and power lines were knocked down near CR 33 and CR 39. Time estimated.
A tree was knocked down at Bowen Street and Lynwood Avenue. Time estimated by radar.
A home was damaged near Center Hill Market at the intersection of CR 623 and Highway 64.
A barn was destroyed on CR 375. Time estimated.
A tornado touched down west of Lauderdale County Road (CR) 25, in the Green Hill community. Trees in a forested area west of CR 25 were snapped and uprooted. Structural damage occurred near the intersection of CR 25 and Turrentine Road, where part of the roof on a single-family home was removed, a cinder block shed was demolished, and two smaller sheds were completely destroyed. The tornado continued northeast to the intersection of CR 363 and 144, where most of the trees surrounding a single-family home were snapped or uprooted. The tornado appeared to weaken somewhat as it continued northeast to the intersection of CR 33 and 39, where shingles were blown off several single-family homes and more trees|were snapped or uprooted. Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted along CR 39, further northeast along CR 369, and again on CR 39 as that road turns to the north. The last evidence of damage with the tornado was to a single-family home along CR 464.
A tree was knocked down on CR 171.
The roof of a garage was ripped apart. Time estimated by radar. Report obtained by social media.
Trees and power lines were knocked down in Hillsboro.
Trees and power lines were knocked down in many locations in southwest Limestone County. Power was knocked out in portions of Athens.
A large tree was knocked down on Limestone Square in Athens. The tree was an oak that was nearly 100 years old, planted in 1922 or earlier.
A tree was knocked down at mile marker 49 on Highway 157. Time estimated by radar.
An old and rotten tree was knocked down on Highway 79.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 2020Warnings in Alabama, February 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: 878089, 878090, 878091, 878092, 878093, 878094, 878095, 878096, 878097, 878098, 878099, 878100, 878101, 870414, 878102, 878104, 878105, 878106, 878107, 878108, 878109.