A powerful upper level storm system along with a rapidly deepening surface low over Kentucky produced a QLCS over Mississippi that entered west Alabama during the morning hours on March 3rd. A warm layer aloft hindered the strength of updrafts along the convective line, but a strong pressure gradient resulted in numerous uprooted trees due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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 powerful upper level storm system along with a rapidly deepening surface low over Kentucky produced a QLCS over Mississippi that entered west Alabama during the morning hours on March 3rd. A warm layer aloft hindered the strength of updrafts along the convective line, but a strong pressure gradient resulted in numerous uprooted trees due to non-thunderstorm wind gusts.
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 Mar 3, 9:17 AM CST, 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 917 AM CST Fri Mar 3 2023 ...New MESOSCALE UPDATE... .MESOSCALE UPDATE FOR THE ONGOING SEVERE WEATHER THREAT... Issued at 917 AM CST FRI MAR 3 2023 Mesoscale update. The atmospheric conditions will be quite unusual today as a powerful shortwave moves from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Ohio Valley. Extremely strong wind fields will accompany this system throughout the column as a surface low deepens to around 978 mb near Paducah at noon today. The warmth and quality of moisture already in place across Alabama would normally point to a tornado outbreak. However, there is one significantly negative ingredient today which makes this setup so unique, warm advection at 600 mb. It is not often that high severe weather parameters are wasted in Alabama, especially in the presence of height and pressure falls. However, it appears that nearly all pre-frontal development will be restricted by this warm layer. Healthy updrafts should be confined along the cold front where a QLCS is currently being observed in eastern Mississippi. The QLCS is quickly approaching the AL/MS state line and will cross into our northwestern counties by 10 AM. As this moves across our forecast area, the main impacts should be across our northern two rows of counties, closer in proximity to the upper-level support and slightly cooler mid-level temperatures. With strong wind fields in place, these storms may be rather efficient at producing wind gusts of 60-70 mph. A couple of line-embedded tornadoes are also possible. Farther south, the mid-level warm layer will become increasingly prohibitive to updraft development, so much so, that dewpoints of 70F will not be sufficient for deep convection. 87/Grantham && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Saturday) Issued at 219 AM CST FRI MAR 3 2023 A strong shortwave is pivoting across southern Texas this morning, taking on a negative tilt as it heads toward the Lower Mississippi River Valley, and then the Ohio River Valley this afternoon. At the surface, a low is centered over southern AR, with a warm front stretching northeastward through TN and a cold front southward to Houston. A secondary warm front, likely an old convective boundary from Thursday, stretches across Central MS to near Livingston to Troy to Albany, GA. South of this front, dewpoints are in the mid to upper 60s, with winds from the south, gusting to 20-30kts along the coast. Although winds are becoming breezy across much of central Alabama /gusts to 15-18kts at time of this writing/, winds maintain an easterly component and dewpoints are in the low 60s. Through sunrise, in response to the approaching shortwave and increasing mid and upper level jets, the surface low to our west will deepen as it moves into northwestern TN. Locally, low level winds will increase and become southerly across the entire area. This will wash out the more southern warm front and higher dewpoints begin to advect into the area. Expect isolated to scattered showers to continue with persistent warm, moist lift over the area. We look back to the west, where a line of thunderstorms is crossing the MS River. Hi-res models show this activity lifting to the northeast over the next few hours, and a secondary line of storms developing within a few hours, oriented north to south across MS, approaching Central Alabama by mid morning. Will be assessing the need to adjust timing on our threat graphic to show a slower arrival time for west Central Alabama, and a slower exit time in the east this afternoon. Instability/CAPE and wind shear parameters are all supportive of strong to severe storms and tornadoes. The limiting factors will be the presence and strength of a warm nose around 700mb, and how quickly low level warming can erode that cap. Low level warming will be impacted by persistent cloud cover and spotty showers that are expected to continue through the morning. The surface low will continue to rapidly strengthen to our north, which will promote strong winds across the area. Wind/shear values could be so strong as to prevent sustained updrafts for thunderstorms, limiting storm coverage and/or strength. If trends later this morning show sustained updrafts and erosion of the cap, adjustments to the threat area could be possible. Hope to have a better handle on how the airmass over Central Alabama is changing with the 12Z BMX sounding. The strengthening low to our north will also promote strong gradient winds, with gusts up to 50mph at the surface outside of any thunderstorm activity through this evening. Drier and cooler air filters into the area tonight, with lows in the 40s north to lower 50s southeast. Saturday, highs will be a more seasonable mid 60s to mid 70s, with sunny skies and light northerly winds. 14 && .LONG TERM... (Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 219 AM CST FRI MAR 3 2023 Sunday through Thursday. Mostly dry weather should persist through the first of next week as high pressure slides through the Eastern CONUS under generally zonal flow aloft. A surface low is expected to develop and lift into the Great Lakes region Monday afternoon/evening and will push a weakening cold front southward into the TN Valley by early Tuesday morning. This boundary should be enough to support some increased rain chances with a few thunderstorms. Guidance suggests that the forward progression of the frontal boundary will slow and may stall somewhere in the Deep South. Lasted model runs have it slowly pushing to our south before becoming more diffuse along the Gulf Coast. Either way, the zonal flow aloft is expected to persist through mid-week. Predictability becomes lower Wednesday into Thursday as at least a couple of weak perturbations slide through the quasi-zonal pattern. Each of the waves could lead to increase rain chances along the diffuse/stalled frontal boundary, but uncertainty is high on the timing of any waves and on where the boundary will be. For now, I've been more broad in the forecast, maintaining 40-50% chance for rain Wednesday night through Thursday. 25/Owen && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 629 AM CST FRI MAR 3 2023 Gradient winds ahead of an approaching storm system will be rather strong today, initially from the southeast, becoming southerly by 15Z. Sustained winds will be 20-25kts, with gusts up to 45-50kts. Low cigs cover the area, with scattered light rain showers. Do not expect improvement in cigs through the day, with heights falling to IFR at times. Expect to see an increase in showers through the morning hours, ahead of a broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms that will arrive mid morning in the west. The line should quickly move through the area, exiting to the east by 22Z. Cigs improve this evening, behind the line of storms. Winds become southwesterly at 20-25kts with gusts up to 35kts. 14 && .FIRE WEATHER... Rain chances remain elevated, ahead of a line of strong to severe storms that will move across the area today. Cigs below 500ft are expected around sunrise this morning, remaining below 1800ft through this morning. 20 foot winds increase from the south to the southeast, becoming southwesterly then westerly through the afternoon, with speeds up to 25mph. Drier air arrives tonight and tomorrow, with afternoon relative humidity values falling into the 35 to 45 percent range. Drier conditions, with winds around 5 mph, continue through the weekend. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 74 44 66 40 / 80 0 0 0 Anniston 73 47 68 43 / 80 0 0 0 Birmingham 73 46 67 45 / 80 0 0 0 Tuscaloosa 75 46 70 46 / 80 0 0 0 Calera 74 49 69 45 / 80 0 0 0 Auburn 77 51 71 47 / 70 0 0 0 Montgomery 79 50 72 47 / 70 0 0 0 Troy 80 51 75 49 / 50 0 0 0 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 9 PM CST this evening for the following counties: Autauga-Barbour-Bibb-Blount-Bullock-Calhoun-Chambers- Cherokee-Chilton-Clay-Cleburne-Coosa-Dallas-Elmore-Etowah- Fayette-Greene-Hale-Jefferson-Lamar-Lee-Lowndes-Macon-Marengo- Marion-Montgomery-Perry-Pickens-Pike-Randolph-Russell-Shelby-St. Clair-Sumter-Talladega-Tallapoosa-Tuscaloosa-Walker-Winston. && SHORT TERM...14 LONG TERM....08 AVIATION...14
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 405 AM CST Fri Mar 3 2023 ALZ011>015-017>050-041315- 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- 405 AM CST Fri Mar 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 across all of Central Alabama through this afternoon. Threats include tornadoes and damaging winds up to 80 mph. Non thunderstorm wind gusts up to 50 mph are possible through this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and Emergency Management may be needed on Friday.
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 18 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:05 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 3 high wind, 2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees uprooted and power lines downed throughout the city of Sulligent.
Numerous trees uprooted in the city of Hamilton and across the western half of Marion County.
Numerous trees uprooted and power lines downed in the southern portions of Haleyville due to gradient winds ahead of a QLCS.
Numerous trees uprooted in the town of Berry.
Roof and sign damage to a bank building in Jasper. Numerous uprooted trees reported across Walker County.
Numerous trees uprooted across Tuscaloosa County. KTCL ASOS reported a wind gust of 49 mph.
A large tree fell on a vehicle in the city of Talladega resulting in a single fatality. Numerous trees uprooted and power lined downed across the city of Talladega and throughout northern Talladega County.
Numerous trees uprooted and power lines downed in Oneonta and across the county due to gradient winds ahead of a QLCS.
Numerous trees uprooted in and around the city of Springville.
Numerous trees uprooted across eastern St. Clair County including the city of Ragland.
Numerous trees uprooted in the city of Cedar Bluff and across the northern half of Cherokee County. Roof damage to home on County Road 778.
Numerous trees uprooted and power lines downed across Calhoun County. KANB ASOS measured a wind gust of 48 mph.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High Wind, Talladega | 2023-03-03 | 70 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
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, March 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: 1079747, 1079748, 1079749, 1079751, 1079753, 1079759, 1079754, 1079750, 1079755, 1079756, 1079757, 1079758.