A highly anticipated strong Arctic Cold front arrived during the evening hours, which not only brought the onset of an intense bitterly cold wave for the next few days, but also produced a surge of strong and damaging wind gusts along the front. The wind gusts and damage were much like occurs along a warm season squall line.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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 highly anticipated strong Arctic Cold front arrived during the evening hours, which not only brought the onset of an intense bitterly cold wave for the next few days, but also produced a surge of strong and damaging wind gusts along the front. The wind gusts and damage were much like occurs along a warm season squall line. But in this case, a line of showers and a significant atmospheric pressure rise with the passage of the cold front contributed to the strong and gusty winds. In some cases, the winds exceeded 55 mph in northwest into north central Alabama. Wind gusts subsided into the 30 to 35 mph range as the front entered northeast Alabama. In Lauderdale and Colbert County in northwest Alabama alone, the winds knocked down dozens of trees and power lines, resulting in numerous power outages, including the Quad Cities metro area. Power outages were also reported elsewhere in north Alabama, including Madison 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 Dec 22, 5:21 PM CST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
521 PM CST Thu Dec 22 2022
...New AVIATION...
.NEAR TERM...
(Tonight)
Issued at 132 PM CST Thu Dec 22 2022
Persistent low clouds over the area are showing some signs of
partial clearing in northwest AL. A clear slot of air in eastern
MS may temporarily bring patchy sunshine yet this afternoon, which
may induce a prefrontal trough axis showing up in the models.
That may boost temperatures further into the 50s before reality
hits later this evening. So, a wind shift to southwest will occur
this afternoon into the evening ahead of the Arctic front. The
front was plowing southeast through southeast MO and northwest
AR. Timing is still consistent via HREF and short range models
with the front arriving in northwest AL around 01Z, I-65 corridor
around 02-03Z and exiting our eastern counties by around 04Z. The
frontal band will bring an impressive pressure wave with the
narrow band of showers. This will bring a strong burst of gusty
winds of 40-50 mph. After coordination, will likely hold off on a
Wind Advisory, and utilize SPS and other messaging tools to
emphasize this hazard. Then, a brief period of -SNSH will occur,
with most areas receiving a dusting to a couple tenths of an inch
before ending. The exception will be lake effect banding off
Wheeler and possibly Pickwick Lakes which will have a favorable
wind fetch and steep lapse rates. This may become more of a factor
after midnight and toward morning as the fetch persists into
Friday morning.
Also, flash freezing of the rainfall from this evening may also
lead to slick travel until the strong winds and very dry air work
to dry roadways overnight into early Friday morning. Temperatures
will plummet into the teens and single digits just a few hours
after frontal passage, with lows in the lower single digits,
possibly as low as zero in portions of southern middle TN. Wind
chills will drop into the -10 to -20F range as well. So, the Wind
Chill Warning remains in effect.
&&
.SHORT TERM...
(Friday through Sunday)
Issued at 132 PM CST Thu Dec 22 2022
Although the precipitation will have ended for most of the area, a
narrow lake effect snow band may persist into the morning hours
downwind of Pickwick and Wheeler Lakes along the TN river system.
For now, have forecasted a modest 0.5 inches or less, but we may
need to raise these amounts locally as this evolves. The very
strong subsidence behind the shortwave trough and rapid drying of
the atmosphere may limit this band somewhat, so staying
conservative for now.
Otherwise, hazardous cold weather is expected all day Friday
through Saturday, with a Wind Chill Warning in effect. Highs will
not break out of the teens Friday, with lows Saturday morning in
the single digits. Wind chills will not be as cold Friday night
into Saturday morning (0 to 10 below in valleys and 10 to 15 below
atop the higher elevations). High temperatures on Saturday should
moderate into the middle 20s for most areas (colder atop the
higher elevations) as northwest winds diminish greatly.
A 5h trough axis drops southeast through the region on Sunday as
surface high pressure builds east across the lower MS into the TN
valley. 8h temperatures modify into the -5 to -8C range Sunday
afternoon. Surface high temperatures will warm a bit more into the
upper 20s to around 30, staying below freezing yet another day,
followed by overnight lows in the lower to middle teens.
&&
.LONG TERM...
(Monday through Thursday)
Issued at 132 PM CST Thu Dec 22 2022
Temperatures finally break the freezing mark on Monday as warm
advection develops ahead of a fast moving northwest flow trough
and weak cold front. For now, suggested blends keep the forecast
dry for us, but may need to modify as trends evolve and will watch
for potential for a light wintry mix early Tuesday morning as it
is early. Then, a welcome warming trend occurs into the middle
part of next week as deep south to southwest flow develops across
much of the central states into the MS valley regions. Highs will
be in the 50s Wednesday and Thursday.
&&
.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 521 PM CST Thu Dec 22 2022
Some very -ra/shra are currently moving eastward thru the western
half of the area ahead of an arctic front approaching from the
west. This light precip will continue thru 03-04Z, before the
onset of the front brings a quick burst of -shsn. Cigs dropping
into the 1000-1500ft range are expected along/ahead of the front.
The front should exit the area to the east heading into the
overnight hrs, with MVFR cigs near 2500ft prevailing into Fri
morning. Cigs should then lift/sct by late Fri morning, with VFR
conds prevailing thru the remainder of the period. S/SW winds
around 10-12kt with higher gusts will become W/NW near 18kt with
higher gusts later this evening following the frontal passage.
&&
.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...Wind Chill Warning from midnight tonight to noon CST Saturday
for ALZ001>010-016.
TN...Wind Chill Warning from midnight tonight to noon CST Saturday
for TNZ076-096-097.
&&
NEAR TERM...17
SHORT TERM....17
LONG TERM....17
AVIATION...09The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
An initial peak wind gust of 56 mph, was followed by wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph for several hours.
An initial peak wind gust of 56 mph, was followed by wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph for several hours.
An initial peak wind gust of 56 mph, was followed by wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph for several hours.
An initial peak wind gust of 44 mph, was followed by wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph for several hours.
An initial peak wind gust of 45 mph, was followed by wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph for several hours.
An initial peak wind gust of 45 mph, was followed by wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph for several hours.
An initial peak wind gust of 52 mph, was followed by wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph for several hours.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, December 2022
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: 1071933, 1071936, 1071937, 1071939, 1071940, 1071941, 1071945.