Scattered to numerous thunderstorms erupted during the early to mid afternoon hours due to strong instability. A few of the thunderstorms produced gusty and in some cases damaging winds and large hail.
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 HUN wrote it up.
Scattered to numerous thunderstorms erupted during the early to mid afternoon hours due to strong instability. A few of the thunderstorms produced gusty and in some cases damaging winds and large hail.
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 May 15, 11:19 AM CST, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1219 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023 ...New AVIATION... .NEAR TERM... (Rest of Today) Issued at 858 AM CDT Mon May 15 2023 A nice morning is underway across the TN Valley, with current temperatures hovering in the middle/upper 70s at this hour. Overnight, an MCS decayed on its journey across E/Central TN, and it's this feature's outflow that will likely spark convection for our area later this afternoon. HIRES models show another disturbance rotating around the sfc high pressure, helping to develop additional convection today as well, so have left the current PoPs as-is for now, with the lowest values to the S and the higher values N (30-50%). A few strong storms will be possible today, with gusty winds the primary threat. Aside from observational trends/adjustments this morning, no further changes were warranted for the public forecast update. && .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Thursday) Issued at 208 AM CDT Mon May 15 2023 Any showers and storms that developed during the afternoon will dissipate after sunset with the loss of daytime heating. Another mild and humid night is forecast with overnight lows only dropping down into the mid 60s. Increased cloud cover overnight will prevent widespread fog from developing. On Tuesday, a shortwave trough across the Plains drops down towards the Tennessee Valley. This finally kicks out the sfc high pressure that has been in place over the Southeast for the last several days. A cold front is expected to traverse the forecast area during the day Tuesday. Combined with diurnal heating, a high chance (70-85%) of showers and thunderstorms will impact the area, especially during the afternoon hours. SPC has outlooked areas east of I-65 in a marginal risk for severe storms given 1500-2000 j/kg of CAPE. However, confidence is still quite low as it may be difficult for storms to become organized with effective shear under 30 knots. Better chances for strong to severe storms is displaced to our north, closer to the sfc low. Main concern with storms on Tuesday is locally heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding and gusty winds. Once the front drops south into central Alabama late Tuesday night into Wednesday, a cooler and drier airmass advects in behind the front. Afternoon highs both Wednesday and Thursday top out in the upper 70s to lower 80s. Most locations should stay dry, but a few diurnal storms may be possible so have kept blended PoP guidance (15-30%). && .LONG TERM... (Friday through Sunday) Issued at 208 AM CDT Mon May 15 2023 Zonal flow is expected to continue through the weekend. As a result, temperatures remain seasonable with afternoon highs in the upper 70s to lower 80s and overnight lows drop down into the upper 50s to lower 60s. Given a summerlike pattern, low chances (15-40%) remain for afternoon thunderstorms each day. Model guidance hints at another cold front moving through this weekend, but given the spread in guidance have opted to keep PoPs near NBM. Chances for showers and thunderstorms will change in future forecast updates once model come into better agreement. && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1219 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023 Showers and storms will continue to develop and overspread both KHSV/KMSL thru late this evening. Convection will be most widespread between 15/20-16/00Z before dissipating with the loss of daytime heating after sunset. Low clouds will linger overnight, hovering just above MVFR conds AOA 3kft, with another round of showers and storms arriving at both terminals by mid- morning Tuesday as another disturbance approaches the area. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. TN...None. && NEAR TERM...12 SHORT TERM....GH LONG TERM....GH AVIATION...12
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
106 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023
ALZ002-151845-
Colbert AL-
106 PM CDT Mon May 15 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of western Colbert
County through 145 PM CDT...
At 106 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Iuka, moving east at 5 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Cherokee, Malone, Mynot, Mt Hester, Margerum and Allsboro.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
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 3485 8810 3488 8810 3487 8796 3484 8793
3481 8792 3461 8800 3467 8813
TIME...MOT...LOC 1806Z 288DEG 5KT 3481 8812
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
AMPThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were knocked down on Allsboro road at Liberty road.
Trees down at the intersection of Allsboro road and Redbud road.
Power poles were snapped and at least 12 were blown down from a possible microburst. Several trees were blown down in the same area.
A tree blown down into a residence along CR 51 in Lexington.
Golf ball sized hail was reported. Time was estimated from radar.
Trees were reported blown over and swings flipped over at this location. Time was estimated from radar.
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, May 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: 1102646, 1102645, 1102649, 1102650, 1102651, 1103817.