Lingering drought conditions across Central Alabama improved during January, with only two counties remaining in Severe (D2) drought by February. Continued heavy rainfall across Central Alabama in early February dropped all areas below D2 by February 6.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
Lingering drought conditions across Central Alabama improved during January, with only two counties remaining in Severe (D2) drought by February. Continued heavy rainfall across Central Alabama in early February dropped all areas below D2 by February 6.
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 Jan 31, 10:25 PM CST, 1 hour 35 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 1025 PM CST Wed Jan 31 2024 ...New AVIATION... .SHORT TERM... (Rest of Tonight) Issued at 905 PM CST WED JAN 31 2024 We have a clear satellite across C AL and for that matter all of AL this evening. This is thanks to a surface high pressure ridge extending from Nova Scotia to S TX. The forecast is in decent shape tonight with light to near calm winds, look for lows from the mid/upper 20s NE portions of C AL to lower 30s S. We should remain with a clear sky tonight with some cirrus to move into the area during the afternoon Thursday. 08 Previous short-term discussion: (This afternoon through Thursday) Issued at 1118 AM CST WED JAN 31 2024 A deep ridge axis extends northward through the Central CONUS with high surface pressure centered over the Lower MS River Valley. Dry north to northwest flow with expansive subsidence will result in sunny and clear skies through much of the short term period. There are some low-level clouds creeping into the northeast this morning, but guidance shows those clouds eroding over the next few hours due to afternoon mixing. Despite being under cold air advection, daytime temperatures will warm into the 50s north to near 60F in the south this afternoon. Clear and calm conditions will support cold overnight temperatures with lows in the upper 20s north to lower 30s south. Flow will become more zonal aloft tomorrow as the ridge loses amplitude and moves across the region. This will result in a slight warming trend with most areas reaching the lower 60s tomorrow afternoon under mostly sunny skies. 86/Martin && .LONG TERM... (Thursday night through next Tuesday) Issued at 226 PM CST WED JAN 31 2024 Model guidance remains consistent with pattern evolution in the long term, including the system arriving over the weekend. Models did slow down the arrive of rainfall, and trimmed back rain chances by about 6 hours. Rainfall should arrive from southwest to northeast after sunset Saturday evening. Made minor adjustments to temperatures, otherwise, no other changes were needed this afternoon. 14 Previous long-term discussion: (Thursday night through next Tuesday) Issued at 200 AM CST WED JAN 31 2024 We'll be in a fairly broad split-flow Friday with an amplified deep- layer ridge extending through the Mississippi River Valley, which is gradually moving east with time. To our west, a strong Pacific jet remains progged to extend through the California Baja into northern Mexico. This jet axis will continue east this weekend, with a disturbance forming across the Central and Southern Plains. This low pressure system will remain mostly vertically stacked, as it draws closer to our region Sunday morning. Operational guidance has remained fairly consistent with this evolution, though is a bit farther west (slower) tonight. Nonetheless, rain chance increase from west to east Sunday morning as ascent ramps up, along with a moisture axis/low-level jet moving into Central Alabama. The occluded low pressure system will continue an east-southeast path into Monday morning, though residual low-level moisture under the upper-low will result in light rain/dreary weather through the afternoon. I've kept chance PoPs for now despite little to no QPF, at least this cycle. Drier, cooler air will move into the area Monday night into Tuesday morning providing a period of stable, slowly warming weather that will likely stick around through mid next week. 40/Sizemore && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1025 PM CST WED JAN 31 2024 A VFR forecast is expected for the next 24 hours with surface ridging in control. The satellite remains clear across C AL. Some cirrus will approach on Thu from the WSW during the afternoon, but no low stratus is anticipated. Winds will be light/variable to near calm with unrestricted visibilities. 08 && .FIRE WEATHER... Dry condition are expected through Saturday, before the next chance of rain arrives. Minimum RH values will be in the 34 to 50 percent range tomorrow thru Saturday, with lowest values in the southeast each afternoon. 20ft winds will be light through Thursday, less than 5mph. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 26 60 33 63 / 0 0 0 0 Anniston 28 60 36 65 / 0 0 0 0 Birmingham 30 59 37 64 / 0 0 0 0 Tuscaloosa 31 61 39 67 / 0 0 0 0 Calera 30 60 38 65 / 0 0 0 0 Auburn 31 59 39 65 / 0 0 0 0 Montgomery 31 61 38 66 / 0 0 0 0 Troy 32 63 39 68 / 0 0 0 0 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...08/86/Martin LONG TERM....14/40/Sizemore AVIATION...08
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 206 AM CST Wed Jan 31 2024 ALZ011>015-017>050-011115- 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- 206 AM CST Wed Jan 31 2024 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham. .DAY ONE...Outlook through Tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Drought severity decreased from severe (D2) to moderate (D1) in early February.
Drought severity decreased from severe (D2) to moderate (D1) in early February.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, February 2024
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: 1151848, 1151849.