A broad upper trough covered the eastern United States for several days. The trough axis remained just west of Alabama and kept Alabama in moist and unstable air mass.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
A broad upper trough covered the eastern United States for several days. The trough axis remained just west of Alabama and kept Alabama in moist and unstable air mass. A series of upper level disturbances rotated through the base of the trough and triggered severe thunderstorms.
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 Jun 21, 5:35 AM CST, 6 hours 12 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 635 AM CDT Sun Jun 21 2020 .UPDATE... For 12Z Aviation. && .SHORT TERM... /Updated at 0324 AM CDT Sun Jun 21 2020/ Through Monday. So the overall pattern is fairly obvious with a shortwave trough pushing through today. The surface features will result in a frontal boundary pushing into the northern third to northern half of the area. That is where it will stall and remain through Monday morning before beginning to lift northward as an effective warm front for the next system in the extended. Where the forecast gets tricky is dealing with the mesoscale features and where does the front stop versus a possible outflow boundary. A further southward push this afternoon and tonight before stalling, would result in a possible increase in rainfall chances on Monday, especially north of I-85. For now went with numerous showers and storm north of I-20 and scattered showers/storms everywhere else. If the boundary stalls earlier then the scattered activity in the southeast may not materialize and coverage may be isolated at best. 16 .LONG TERM... /Updated at 0324 AM CDT Sun Jun 21 2020/ Monday night through Saturday. A wet pattern is expected for Monday night through Wednesday as an upper-level trough moves across the eastern CONUS. Southwesterly flow will develop ahead of an approaching cold front, and shortwaves embedded within the larger-scale trough will aid in convective development. The highest rain chances should come on Tuesday and Wednesday as the front settles into the region, leading to POPs of 70 to 80 percent. It appears the front may get enough of a push from the upper-level trough so that subsidence tries to enter the picture on Thursday. The push of drier air does not appear particularly strong, and scattered convection may continue to occur for Thursday through Saturday. 87/Grantham && .AVIATION... 12Z TAF Discussion. Main focus today will be with a shortwave as it slides east and south through a good portion of the area. Look for a few isolated to scattered showers to be possible in the far west after 15z and then become more scattered after 18 to 23z during the peak heating of the day. Best chances will be in the north as the main axis remains across the north. Included prob30 at all sites except TOI. Activity becomes more isolated after 3z. There is a potential for some patchy fog overnight, but will really be dependent on where the best rainfall is today. Will hold off mentioning in TAFs at this time due to the uncertainties of the ground moisture. 16 && .FIRE WEATHER... Rain chances and humidity will increase today, and this trend will continue through Tuesday and Wednesday, when rain showers and storms may become widespread. Winds should generally be light and from the southwest through Wednesday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 89 67 90 68 86 / 60 30 60 40 80 Anniston 89 68 90 69 86 / 50 40 60 40 80 Birmingham 91 71 90 71 86 / 60 30 50 40 80 Tuscaloosa 91 70 91 71 87 / 60 30 50 40 90 Calera 90 69 90 69 86 / 50 40 50 30 80 Auburn 90 69 90 69 86 / 30 40 40 20 70 Montgomery 92 70 93 71 88 / 30 40 40 20 80 Troy 92 69 93 71 89 / 20 20 40 10 70 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES/... None. &&
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 338 AM CDT Sun Jun 21 2020 ALZ011>015-017>050-221145- 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- 338 AM CDT Sun Jun 21 2020 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...Monday through Saturday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
1234 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2020
ALZ014-211800-
Winston AL-
1234 PM CDT Sun Jun 21 2020
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN WINSTON COUNTY UNTIL 100
PM CDT...
At 1234 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Corinth Rec Area, or near Arley, moving northeast at 25 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Arley, Addison, Nesmith, Helicon, Inmanfield, Sardis, Corinth Rec
Area, Falls City, Smith Lake, Houston, Mill Branch, Hullett Branch,
Winston County Airport, Cane Creek, Bull Branch, Yellow Creek,
Rockhouse Creek, Addison Town Hall, Panther Branch and Upshaw.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
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.
This storm 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 3410 8711 3403 8727 3418 8739 3430 8723
3430 8711
TIME...MOT...LOC 1734Z 235DEG 24KT 3415 8726
05The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 44 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:17 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree fell on a home resulting in a fatality.
Several trees uprooted along Twin Pines Road.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along Sipsey Road.
Several trees uprooted along Lewis Estate Road.
Several trees uprooted along County Road 47.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along Pinedale Road.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed along Newburg Road.
Several trees uprooted near the intersection of River Bend Road and County Road 26.
Several trees uprooted in the West Blocton area.
Several trees uprooted along Highway 22 near the city of Verbena.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind, Jefferson | 2020-06-21 | Permanent Home | Direct |
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, June 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: 903372, 903373, 903374, 903375, 903376, 903377, 903378, 903379, 903380, 903381.