Showers and a few thunderstorms developed across north Alabama. One of the showers produced a funnel cloud near Hartselle in Morgan County.
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The episode as NWS HUN wrote it up.
Showers and a few thunderstorms developed across north Alabama. One of the showers produced a funnel cloud near Hartselle in Morgan 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 Mar 16, 1:58 PM CST, 32 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 258 PM CDT Wed Mar 16 2022 .NEAR TERM...(Tonight) Issued at 230 PM CDT Wed Mar 16 2022 The core of a partially closed upper low is moving eastward across central Alabama this afternoon...just to our south. Showers and thunderstorms have managed to develop under the upr low core and also along a low-lvl convergent axis on the NE-E periphery of the low. Destabilization likewise fostered the development of convection this afternoon as low/mid level clouds cleared. Most of the development thus far has been in southern portions of the HUN County Warning and Forecast Area, generally from Franklin County to Cullman. The development in Franklin County may also have been aided to some degree by elevated terrain heating. Analysis of satellite imagery/data indicates convective development will continue to be favored mainly in southern locations through the afternoon and into the early evening. Given marginally supportive thermodynamic shear/instability profiles, some cells would be capable of small hail and gusty winds. But any severe threat is expected to be confined to the SE of our region. Otherwise, rain/shower activity is expected to decrease rapidly early this evening, with fog development possible later tonight. Fog will of course be most prone to development in areas that experienced rainfall today, which would include the aforementioned Franklin to Cullman area, but would also include much of NE AL, where rainfall occurred earlier this morning. Fog will also be most likely where lower cloud cover clears, which may be spotty tonight. Considering the possible caveats to widespread fog, no products will be issued to address this at this time, but will be monitored later this evening. .SHORT TERM...(Thursday through Friday) Issued at 230 PM CDT Wed Mar 16 2022 The next weather-maker will move across the area late Thursday night and Friday and is continuing to present some forecast challenges with respect to timing of development. However, the latest 12Z guidance suite is also suggestive of redevelopment of convection in the afternoon is possible...providing essentially a one-two punch for the area. But, this is a recent trend apparently in the guidance. So, first things first. A broad, partially closed upper low will move across the Southern Plains into the mid-Miss Valley on Thursday night into Friday. A strong low-lvl jet will develop and accompany this feature in the lower Miss Valley into the TN Valley, as lift will be aided especially above 250 mb by a coupled upr jet. Moisture advection/forcing in association with the coupled jets will lead to rapid shower/thunderstorm development to our SW, which is will then move into the TN Valley region late Thursday night into Friday morning. Although fairly steep mid-lvl lapse rates will accompany this initial wave of convection, a strong sfc inversion is likely to be in place across the region. Thus, convection would be elevated in nature. Nevertheless, heavy rainfall and gusty winds may occur with this round of convection. So, the latest suite of guidance indicates this first round of convection would largely exit the region by late morning or early afternoon. However, the main sfc cold front will still be to the west. Model progs indicate rapid drying of the mid/upr levels and the movement of an EML into the region during the afternoon/evening. The question is...will boundary layer recovery be possible ahead of the sfc cold front. It certainly appears possible (although perhaps not likely yet), but is depicted in some of the guidance suite. So, trends for increasing probabilities of convection will be something to watch for in future guidance, as this may enhance chances for significant convection. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Tuesday) Issued at 230 PM CDT Wed Mar 16 2022 Cold air advection will be ongoing Saturday, although this will be a modified N Pac air mass and temperatures on Saturday are currently expected to rise into the upr 50s/low 60s. Temperatures Sat night are currently expected to remain above freezing, but lows may be close in the mid/upr 30s. The next system to impact the region may bring showers/thunderstorms as early as Monday night, but with better probabilities into Tuesday. There may be some tendency given its highly meridional nature to partially close off on its southern extent, so there is still some uncertainty in timing and its eventual impacts in our region. Nevertheless, the dynamic nature of this system could result in strong thunderstorm activity in the broader region from the OH Valley into the Gulf Plain...so this one will bear some watching as more details are resolved. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1235 PM CDT Wed Mar 16 2022 A complex situation in the region currently, with an upper low situated to our south. This low will continue to help generate SHRA and isold/sctd TSRA, but mainly to the south of the KHSV/KMSL terminals from 18Z thru ~00Z. However, RA/SHRA activity are expected at KHSV through at least 20Z. The threat for TSRA at either site is too low to mention in official TAFs, but will mention it here. The trend suggests gradually rising cloud bases into MVFR or VFR range during the afternoon, and likely VFR range overnight, although vis reductions possible, especially at KMSL btwn 09-12Z. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && NEAR TERM...KDW SHORT TERM...KDW LONG TERM...KDW AVIATION...KDW For more information please visit our website at weather.gov/huntsville.
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Huntsville AL 313 PM CDT Wed Mar 16 2022 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-171115- Lauderdale-Colbert-Franklin AL-Lawrence-Limestone-Madison-Morgan- Marshall-Jackson-DeKalb-Cullman-Moore-Lincoln-Franklin TN- 313 PM CDT Wed Mar 16 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north Alabama and portions of southern middle Tennessee. .DAY ONE...Tonight... The probability of widespread hazardous weather is low. Widely scattered thunderstorms will continue into early this evening. A few of stronger showers or thunderstorms could produce small hail and gusty winds. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday... Scattered thunderstorms will be possible late Thursday night into Friday morning as an upper trough and its associated cold front pivots across the Tennessee Valley. A few strong storms cannot be ruled, with gusty winds being the primary threat. Another round of thunderstorms may develop in the afternoon and evening as a cold front moves across the area. A stronger storm system will move from the Plains into the Mid South Tuesday and Tuesday night. Numerous showers and thunderstorms may develop ahead of this feature, creating a potential heavy rainfall and localized flooding threat. Depending on the evolution of this system, strong storms cannot be ruled out, especially Tuesday night. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management personnel is not anticipated at this time.
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:32 UTC.
1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
A photo of a funnel cloud that was spotted on Nance Ford Road was reported by broadcast media. Time was estimated, but the location of the photo was identified via mapping.
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, March 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: 1012791.