An active northwest upper flow pattern produced several waves of convective storms during the first week of August.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
An active northwest upper flow pattern produced several waves of convective storms during the first week of August.
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 Aug 3, 11:57 AM CST, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 1257 PM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023 ...New SHORT TERM... .SHORT TERM... (This evening through Friday) Issued at 1257 PM CDT THU AUG 3 2023 Broad mid-level ridging is centered over Central Texas at midday while a mesoscale convective system was over Central Tennessee. Outflow boundaries from the convection in Tennessee are moving south into our far northwest counties and is acting as a focus for new shower and thunderstorm development at this writing. A flood watch remains in effect for portions of our northeast counties, roughly east of I-65 and north of I-20 through noon on Friday. This area will potentially experience multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorm activity beginning this afternoon followed by more activity overnight and again through midday on Friday before the axis of most of the activity shifts further southward with time. Locally heavy rainfall may result in ponding of water and localized flooding in low-lying, poor drainage and urban locations. This afternoon. Clouds will continue to increase over the northern half of the area with chances for showers and thunderstorms increasing through the afternoon from the north to the central counties. This activity will provide some heat relief but will also pose a risk for damaging winds due to strong instability and favorable downburst conditions with drier air aloft. Sufficient wind shear will exist this afternoon and into the evening to support some more organized convective activity as well. To the south, partly cloudy skies will provide little relief from temperatures in the mid to upper 90s with dew points slow to mix out into the mid 70s. This will result in heat indices at or above 105 degrees for much of our southern and western counties for much of the afternoon. Winds will be from the west at 4-8 mph. Tonight. The mid-level ridge is progged to contract a bit further overnight over Eastern Texas while a series of impulses aloft continue to push southeast around the periphery of the ridging. The result will be a persistent weakness over the northeastern half of the forecast area. The flood watch remains out for these additional rounds of showers and some thunderstorms overnight. Areas further south and west will experience partly to mostly cloudy skies with lower chances for a few showers or storms. Winds will be from the southwest at 3-6 mph. Lows will range from near 70 northeast to the mid 70s south and west. Friday. The mid-level ridging is expected to become more elongated, extending from over Louisiana west to over Southern Arizona. A weakness aloft will persist over much of our area. This will allow further impulses to penetrate further south over Central Alabama. Look for clouds to increase further through the day Friday across the central and southern counties with shower and thunderstorm activity becoming more likely across the southern portion of the area. Sufficient instability along with some residual dry air aloft will again support some damaging wind potential with the heavier activity. The flood watch is set to expire at midday to account for the higher rain chances shifting southeast of the northeast portion of our forecast area. Winds will become northwest at 4-8 mph. Highs will range from the upper 80s northeast to the mid 90s southwest. 05 && .LONG TERM... (Friday night through Wednesday) Issued at 331 AM CDT THU AUG 3 2023 The center of the persistent heat ridge will retrograde to the southwest CONUS and northwest Mexico through the weekend, but ridging will extend eastward to the northwestern Gulf Coast with a weakness separating it from the Bermuda ridge. Meanwhile a strong upper-level jet streak coming out of the Central Pacific will carve out a seasonally strong shortwave trough that moves eastward from the Northern Plains to the Great Lakes Saturday through Monday while partially phasing with a northern stream shortwave. Northwest flow aloft over Central Alabama will become westerly, with continued embedded convectively enhanced waves interacting with a very moist and unstable air mass. Current thinking is that Friday's MCS will probably be out of or almost out of the area starting off the long term period Friday evening. Will keep some slight chance PoPs in overnight with weak shortwaves aloft. Difficult to forecast shortwaves will result in showers and storms on Saturday, but flow aloft and forcing should be weaker than previous days with less convective coverage than previous days, though still somewhat above average. Timing and placement of this convection will impact heat indices, with latest guidance consensus trending downward a couple degrees with highs. Still, with dew points in the mid 70s at this time still expect a heat advisory will be needed for at least the western and southern counties. Fairly similar forecast for Sunday though temperatures and heat indices may be a touch higher. Some strong storms will be possible each day and will have to evaluate the microburst potential each morning. Broad troughing will develop over the area Monday through the end of the period in the wake of the shortwave moving through the Great Lakes. An anomalously strong surface low for August will lift northeastward from the Great Lakes to Quebec. This will send a cold front towards the area that will stall on Tuesday as it becomes parallel to the flow aloft. The front and high PWATs will serve as a focus for continued above average rain chances with localized flooding remaining possible. Will have to monitor for any severe threat Monday and Tuesday given some enhanced westerly bulk shear. Heat indices should finally drop below advisory criteria for Tuesday and Wednesday. 32/Davis && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1232 PM CDT THU AUG 3 2023 Mid-level ridging to our west will allow for a few disturbances to push southeast over the Tennessee Valley Region through this period. The result will be increasing clouds from the north with chances for showers and some storms increasing through the afternoon. Most of the activity will affect the eastern portion of the northern sites through late afternoon then affecting BHM/EET/TCL into the evening. Expect this activity to persist overnight across most of the northern sites, followed by activity shifting further south to include the southern terminals into Friday morning. 05 && .FIRE WEATHER... Moisture increases today with RH values in the 40 to 50 percent range. An area of showers and storms will move through at least northeastern portions of the area this afternoon and tonight. Showers and storms increase in coverage on Friday with higher RH values, and scattered showers and storms continue Saturday and Sunday. 20ft winds will increase from the southwest today, then become northwesterly Friday. Speeds will mainly be below 10 mph. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 70 89 70 91 / 60 60 20 40 Anniston 71 88 71 91 / 60 60 20 40 Birmingham 72 90 74 92 / 60 60 20 40 Tuscaloosa 73 93 74 94 / 50 60 20 40 Calera 72 90 74 91 / 60 60 20 40 Auburn 72 87 74 89 / 50 60 30 40 Montgomery 74 93 75 94 / 40 60 20 40 Troy 75 94 75 94 / 30 60 30 50 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for the following counties: Autauga-Barbour-Bibb-Bullock-Chilton-Coosa-Elmore- Fayette-Jefferson-Lamar-Lowndes-Macon-Marion-Montgomery-Pickens- Pike-Russell-Shelby-Tuscaloosa-Walker-Winston. Flood Watch from 4 PM CDT this afternoon through Friday afternoon for the following counties: Blount-Calhoun-Cherokee- Cleburne-Etowah-St. Clair-Winston. Heat Advisory until 9 PM CDT Friday for the following counties: Dallas-Greene-Hale-Marengo-Perry-Sumter. && SHORT TERM...05 LONG TERM....32 AVIATION...05
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 422 AM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023 ALZ011>015-017>050-041230- 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- 422 AM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham. .DAY ONE...Outlook through Tonight. Severe thunderstorms are possible between 12 PM and 9 PM today across much of Central Alabama, with the relatively highest chances across far northern and northeastern portions. Damaging winds up to 60 mph will be possible. Multiple rounds of showers and storms this afternoon through the overnight hours may cause isolated flash flooding, especially across northeastern portions of Central Alabama. Heat indices will range from 105 to 109 degrees across the western half of Central Alabama today ahead of any thunderstorms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Isolated flash flooding will be possible on Friday, especially in northeastern portions of Central Alabama during the morning hours. Severe thunderstorms are possible Friday between 10 AM and 7 PM, mainly across the southwestern half of Central Alabama. Damaging winds up to 60 mph will be possible. Heat indices will range from 105 to 109 degrees across southwestern portions of Central Alabama Friday afternoon ahead of any thunderstorms. Heat indices will reach or exceed 105 degrees at times across much of Central Alabama Saturday through Monday. At this time, the highest heat indices are forecast Saturday and Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management may be needed this afternoon and tonight and again on Friday.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
115 PM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023
ALZ014-031900-
Winston AL-
115 PM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Winston
County through 200 PM CDT...
At 115 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Addison, or near Arley, moving southeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Arley, Double Springs, Addison, Houston Recreational Area, Nesmith,
Smith Lake, Brushy Lake, Helicon, Inmanfield, Sardis, Corinth Rec
Area, Falls City, Moreland, Winston Free State Barn, Houston, Mill
Branch, Maple Branch, Hullett Branch, Winston County Airport and Cane
Creek.
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3399 8711 3399 8715 3400 8717 3400 8719
3399 8720 3417 8757 3430 8728 3430 8711
TIME...MOT...LOC 1815Z 299DEG 26KT 3417 8725
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
56Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
137 PM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023
ALZ017-031930-
Blount AL-
137 PM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Blount County through
230 PM CDT...
At 136 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Strawberry to near Falls City. Movement
was southeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Oneonta, Blountsville, Cleveland, Dallas, Locust Fork, Altoona,
Snead, Susan Moore, Walnut Grove, Trafford, Allgood, Fairview,
Hayden, Nectar, Rosa, County Line, McLarty, Bangor, Strawberry and
Blount Springs.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3410 8630 3394 8637 3393 8633 3392 8634
3380 8653 3380 8657 3376 8659 3384 8676
3384 8688 3383 8696 3387 8696 3387 8692
3392 8692 3397 8677 3405 8668 3409 8669
3408 8668 3412 8660 3425 8651 3426 8645
TIME...MOT...LOC 1836Z 302DEG 25KT 3429 8650 3403 8725
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
56Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
153 PM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023
ALZ011>013-031930-
Fayette AL-Marion AL-Lamar AL-
153 PM CDT Thu Aug 3 2023
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of southern Marion,
northwestern Fayette and northern Lamar Counties through 230 PM
CDT...
At 153 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from Lake Buttahatchee to near Detroit. Movement was
southeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Hamilton, Winfield, Sulligent, Guin, Brilliant, Glen Allen, Detroit,
Beaverton, Gu-
Win, Lamar County Airport, Lake Buttahatchee, Crews, Twin, Gattman,
Tucker, Henson Springs, Wayside, Rankin Fite Airport, Pine Springs
and Marion County Public Lake.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3413 8820 3417 8764 3387 8764 3381 8824
TIME...MOT...LOC 1853Z 326DEG 21KT 3413 8771 3409 8821
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
56The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:58 UTC.
97 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees uprooted in the Curry community.
Female struck by lightning. Extent of injuries unknown.
Trees were blown down in the Oneonta area.
A large tree was uprooted and fell on a house. The house suffered major structural damage.
National Weather Service Meteorologists surveyed wind damage from|severe thunderstorms that occurred on the afternoon of August 3, |2023 at approximately 2:30 pm CDT. The damage found was consistent |with straight line winds of 80 mph along a narrow corridor of |Tabor Road, near the cross streets of Dodge Lane and McCauley Avenue. |Around a dozen or more soft and hard wood trees were snapped or |uprooted, damaging several trailer campers and vehicles. The more |intense damage was noted in adjacent areas of the annual event, |The World's Longest Yard Sale, where several pedestrians and |shoppers sustained minor to severe injuries. In all, 20 people were|injured, mostly in conjunction with taking shelter rather than |the actual storm damage. The estimated winds along Tabor Road were |noted as the strongest in the area, although additional tree and |powerline damage was noted across the entire county where winds |were estimated at 50 to 60 mph.
Several trees uprooted along County Road 49 north of Hubbertville.
Large tree down on Union Grove Road. A motorist hit the tree, causing an injury.
Trees down on Highway 18 east of Fayette.
Trees were uprooted in various parts of Calhoun County.
Trees were uprooted in the Concord area.
Trees uprooted along County Road 66 and Ross Street in Heflin.
Tree uprooted and fell on a manufactured home, slicing it in half.
Several trees uprooted east of Tuscaloosa.
Multiple trees uprooted and power lines downed in Calera.
Several trees snapped and uprooted in Stansel.
Multiple trees uprooted and several power lines down north of Highway 22.
Numerous trees uprooted on Preserve Road.
Several trees uprooted in Jackson's Gap.
Multiple trees uprooted in Titus.
Trees uprooted in various parts of Elmore County.
Wind gust of 60 mph measured from weather station on Martin Dam.
A gust of 58 mph was measured by a weather station at Auburn University Bookstore.
Trees uprooted across Interstate 85 and nearby county roads.
Trees uprooted along County Road 7.
Numerous streets and roadways in and around Oneonta inundated by floodwater, including Highway 75 and Covered Bridge Circle. Water inside a business on U.S. Highway 231. Hackney Road northeast of Blountsville had 6 inches of water flowing across as well. Approximately 6 to 7 inches of rainfall fell in the Oneonta area during the morning hours of August 4.
U.S. Highway 411 at the railroad crossing in Odenville was flooded and temporarily blocked. Five to seven inches of rain was reported across much of the county.
Multiple trees uprooted and power lines downed near the Ramer community with roadways blocked. A tree fell on a home on Mt. Zion Road, causing significant damage. Another tree fell on a vehicle on Highway 94, injuring one person.
Tree down on power lines along U.S. Highway 278 at Brentwood Drive.
Trees and power lines down along Highways 44 and 129 on the southwest side of Brilliant.
Tree and power lines down along County Road 19 near Highway 129.
Numerous trees down around Natural Bridge and Lynn with power outages reported.
Trees down on U.S. Highway 278 near the Sipsey Fork River bridge.
Trees uprooted near Highway 107 and County Road 51.
Multiple trees down near the Salem community.
Several trees were uprooted in the Hokes Bluff and Ball Play areas. One tree fell on a house.
Several trees uprooted in the Hackleburg and Bear Creek areas of northeastern Marion County. Trees and power lines fell on a house on County Road 19 south of Bear Creek.
Several trees were uprooted along Highway 107 northwest of Fayette, and a tree and power lines were down on County Road 21 South just west of Fayette.
Significant damage occurred to structures and at the Blue Moon Drive-In Theater in Gu-Win.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed in the area of Camp Oliver Road near Oak Grove.
Multiple trees were uprooted in northwest Winston County, including along Dime Road and County Road 19. A tree and power lines fell on a house on County Road 19, and much of the roof was removed from a home near Highway 243 and Old Highway 195.
Multiple trees uprooted in the Brilliant area.
Trees were uprooted and a home sustained minor damage on Pleasant Hill Road.
Multiple trees were uprooted along Sanford Rd, with one tree falling on a passing car.
A tree fell on a house on Belwood Circle in Midfield, and numerous trees were uprooted around Shades Crest Road and Alford Avenue in Hoover, resulting in power outages.
Several trees were uprooted around Double Springs.
Several trees uprooted on Pea Ridge Road and Armory Avenue in Berry.
Multiple trees were uprooted along County Roads 41 and 43 north of Addison and in the Arley area of eastern Winston County.
Power lines were down at Cobb Street and Wateroak Street in Oakman, and a tree fell on a house on McCollum Road near Jasper.
Numerous trees were uprooted in the Columbiana and Shelby areas.
Multiple trees were uprooted along Lee Road 188 and Lee Road 84 near Waverly, in Loachapoka, and in Auburn near Veterans Pkwy and Pepperell Pkwy. Power lines were knocked down in Auburn as well.
Trees were uprooted along Dunnavant Valley Road near Owls Hollow Road and Pleasant Ridge Drive.
A tree fell on a house along Manning Road.
Multiple trees uprooted across Wolf Creek Road.
Multiple trees were uprooted down in southern Tuscaloosa along Cypress Creek Avenue and Sanders Ferry Road and in Ralph along Ralph Loop Road and U.S. Highway 11.
Multiple trees uprooted in the area of Uniroyal Road and Ridge Road, causing power outages.
A tree fell on a house on South Main Avenue.
Numerous trees uprooted around the Hayden and Warrior areas.
Several trees uprooted on Lee Road 136.
Numerous trees were uprooted in the Oneonta area and in eastern parts of Blount County.
Numerous trees were uprooted in the Lincoln and Munford areas, including along Spring Hill Road, Cole Road, Ledbetter Road, Richeytown Road, and Priebes Mill Road.
Several trees uprooted across Cathy Avenue as well as on a structure near Brickhouse Road.
Several trees uprooted on Warrior Valley Road near Altoona, and numerous trees were uprooted along Cox Gap Road near Rockledge.
Several trees uprooted across U.S. Highway 411.
Trees uprooted along Salem Road and Barnett Street in Montevallo.
Trees were knocked down on Highway 17 in Helena.
Trees were uprooted along Whites Chapel Road and Coates Bend Road.
Trees were down across the road in the area of County Road 71 and Highway 9. Along County Road 19 and County Road 55, the roof blown off a manufactured home and nearby power lines were damaged.
Multiple trees were knocked down on Tankersly Road, Dejarnette Road, Red Barn Road, Highway 63, and Four Deer Hollow Road.
Several trees and power lines were knocked down around the Randolph County. A one car garage was separated from a house as well.
Multiple trees were knocked down in the Marble Valley area.
Trees were uprooted on Highway 22 east near Mountain Springs Road.
Several trees uprooted in the Richville area.
Trees uprooted around and north of Wetumpka, including at Chapel Road and Crenshaw Drive, Rea Road and Weoka Road, and U.S. Highway 231 and Green Street.
Several trees uprooted in the Equality area.
Trees were knocked down along Ford Road.
Several trees were knocked down in Troy, resulting in power outages.
A second round of storms resulted in more trees being knocked down in Opelika.
A tree fell across County Road 15 resulting in a vehicle accident.
Several uprooted on County Road 7711 by an outflow boundary.
Several trees uprooted along Woodhill Circle and Patricia Lane, causing power outages.
Trees were knocked down on Cornwall Avenue and Highway 273 in the Cedar Bluff area.
Several trees were knocked down in the Ashridge community.
Numerous trees were uprooted in the Addison and Arley areas.
Several trees uprooted along Glennwood Road near Morris.
Several trees and a couple power lines were knocked down in Blount County, south of Cleveland and Oneonta, including along County Highway 1, Miller Road, High Rock Road, Old Walker Road, and Holliday Drive.
Several trees uprooted onto roadways in the Gaylesville and Broomtown areas.
Several trees uprooted on Highway 69 between Jasper and the Cullman County line.
Several trees uprooted in the Sardis City area.
Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down in the Steele, Ashville, and Springville areas.
Several trees uprooted on the north side of Pell City.
Numerous trees uprooted in Cropwell.
Several trees uprooted in the Jacksonville area.
Several trees uprooted and power lines downed in the Piedmont area.
A tree fell on a house on Highway 68 near Sand Rock.
Several trees uprooted across Heflin.
Multiple trees uprooted and power lines downed across Anniston.
Multiple trees uprooted and power lines downed in Oxford.
Several trees uprooted in the Piney Woods area.
Several trees uprooted in the Abernathy area.
Several trees uprooted along County Road 82 and U.S. Highway 431.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, August 2023
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: 1132546, 1132547, 1132711, 1132558, 1132553, 1132713, 1132720, 1132716, 1132721, 1132723, 1132725, 1132710, 1132726, 1132728, 1132730, 1132732, 1132733, 1132735, 1132734, 1132736, 1132737, 1132738, 1132739, 1132740, 1132742, 1132743, 1132744, 1132745, 1132746, 1132755, 1132747, 1132748, 1132749, 1132752, 1132958, 1132962, 1132964, 1132965, 1132968, 1132967, and more.