Southerly winds ahead of a strong low pressure system became strong and gusty during the overnight hours of the 27th into the early morning hours of the 28th. Wind gusts over 40 mph were observed in the higher elevations of northeast Alabama, with gusts of 30-35 mph reported in valley locations.
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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.
Southerly winds ahead of a strong low pressure system became strong and gusty during the overnight hours of the 27th into the early morning hours of the 28th. Wind gusts over 40 mph were observed in the higher elevations of northeast Alabama, with gusts of 30-35 mph reported in valley locations. A few trees were knocked down in parts of Jackson County.
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 Oct 27, 9:41 PM CST, 4 hours 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1041 PM CDT Wed Oct 27 2021 .UPDATE... For 06Z TAFS. && .NEAR TERM...(Tonight) Issued at 854 PM CDT Wed Oct 27 2021 A low pressure system located over western AR and eastern OK will continue to push eastward tonight. Ahead of it, a cold front stretching along the MS/AL state line from the Gulf Coast northward towards the AL/TN state line. SFC obs show a warm front in southwest AL that has kept the warmer and more unstable airmass well to our south this evening. Rain as of 02z is about to enter the CWA, but it may struggle as it moves eastward given dewpoints still in the mid 40s across most of the forecast area. Based on current trends and latest CAM guidance, which shows the band of rain weakening across northern AL, have opted to remove thunder from the forecast tonight. As the aformentioned low pressure system gets closer to the area later tonight, gradient winds increase considerably. No changes were made to the wind advisory that goes into effect at 03z. Winds should increase overnight before peaking around daybreak. Expect peak wind gusts 35-40 mph. .SHORT TERM...(Thursday through Friday) Issued at 145 PM CDT Wed Oct 27 2021 The initial band of showers will shift northeast of the area before daybreak, with a second band likely to develop at the rim of the dry slot/occluded front. This band is expected to exit our northeast counties by 18Z, with a wind shift and decrease in wind speeds behind the occluded front. The upper low will become stacked near or around the MO bootheel Thursday afternoon and evening. Strong cold air advection and additional spokes of vorticity will bring patches of showers through Thursday night into Friday. In fact, the coldest pocket of air at 850 mb will rotate southeast into central and southern AL. As a result, temperatures will remain nearly steady in the lower to middle 50s on Friday. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Tuesday) Issued at 145 PM CDT Wed Oct 27 2021 Two last spokes of vorticity/shortwaves drop southeast Friday night into early Saturday. Precipitation will become less persistent Saturday afternoon, and ending by evening. If the lower clouds can hang on through early Sunday morning, lows will only reach the upper 40s. However, if clearing can take place, we may need to lower future updated temperatures. A rapid transition to more zonal flow will take place across the lower CONUS Sunday through Tuesday, with modifying temperatures. Highs should be back in the 60s those days. Another cold front may drop southeast into the region late Tuesday night into Wednesday, but there remains considerable disagreement on this and corresponding rain chances. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night) Issued at 1040 PM CDT Wed Oct 27 2021 Flying conditions will deteriorate through the overnight hours into tomorrow as a front swings through the area. Rain at the onset of the forecast period will slowly drop ceilings, but should remain VFR until a more well defined line of showers moves through the terminals closer to daybreak. Biggest concern overnight is winds and low level wind shear increasing. Closer to daybreak, ceilings and visibilities drop down to MVFR and remain there through the end of the forecast period. Some model guidance suggests IFR ceilings tomorrow morning, but left out for now do to low confidence. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...Wind Advisory until 1 PM CDT Thursday for ALZ001>010-016. TN...Wind Advisory until 1 PM CDT Thursday for TNZ076-096-097. && NEAR TERM...GH SHORT TERM...17 LONG TERM...17 AVIATION...GH For more information please visit our website at weather.gov/huntsville.
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Huntsville AL 908 PM CDT Wed Oct 27 2021 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-281715- Lauderdale-Colbert-Franklin AL-Lawrence-Limestone-Madison-Morgan- Marshall-Jackson-DeKalb-Cullman-Moore-Lincoln-Franklin TN- 908 PM CDT Wed Oct 27 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north Alabama and portions of southern middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Tonight... Strong, gusty winds will develop late tonight across the Tennessee Valley. Wind gusts 35 to 40 mph will be possible, especially in areas of high terrain across northeastern Alabama. A Wind Advisory is in effect for the entire area from 10 PM this evening through 1 PM Thursday afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday... Strong, gusty winds will continue through early Thursday afternoon across the Tennessee Valley. Wind gusts up to 40 mph will be possible, especially in areas of high terrain. A Wind Advisory is in effect for the entire area through 1 PM Thursday afternoon. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management personnel is not anticipated at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Small trees and limbs were knocked down on area roadways in the Section and Bryant area, and other high elevations of the county. Wind gusts up to 45 mph were observed at times in nearby areas in these higher elevations.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, October 2021
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: 983498.