Strong and gusty southwest to west winds developed during the midday into the afternoon hours of the 9th following the passage of a cold front. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were reported, resulting in a few trees and power lines being knocked down in northwest Alabama in the Shoals area.
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 HUN wrote it up.
Strong and gusty southwest to west winds developed during the midday into the afternoon hours of the 9th following the passage of a cold front. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were reported, resulting in a few trees and power lines being knocked down in northwest Alabama in the Shoals area.
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 Jan 9, 9:34 AM CST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Huntsville AL 934 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024 ...New NEAR TERM... .NEAR TERM... (Rest of Today) Issued at 934 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024 Much of the heavier rain has tapered this morning, but some light to moderate showers continue as a few rain bands move over the area. We continue to monitor for river flooding, especially Paint Rock River as well as Indian Creek and Big Wills Creek. One of the main concerns today will be gusty winds this afternoon after a bit of a lull this morning. Surface observations to our west have shown an increase in winds over the past hour or so; therefore, anticipating this trend to continue into the afternoon. Sustained forecast winds range between 20-30 mph with gusts to between 35-45 mph (perhaps a bit higher in the higher elevations). A Wind Advisory remains in effect until midnight tonight. Expecting most of the rain to diminish through the afternoon, with some wrap around moisture possible this evening. However, chances of precipitation is low (mainly 15-35%). Cooler air will be filtered in behind this system, with temperatures dipping into the 30s this evening. A mix of rain/snow is possible, but confidence is low regarding much (if any) accumulations due to warm ground temperatures. A dusting may be possible in the higher elevations. && .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Friday) Issued at 326 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024 These winds should increase even further during the evening hours to between 20 and 30 mph again with gusts between 40 and 50 mph. Therefore, the Wind Advisory will remain in effect through midnight tonight. After midnight, the surface low moves well to our northeast into the Great Lakes region. An area of high pressure builds over the northern Gulf of Mexico in response. This allows winds to become lighter. A gradient will still be there, but westerly winds only between 10 and 20 mph with some gusts to around 20 mph are expected. Some cold air advection and lingering cloud cover will help to keep high temperatures on Wednesday a bit cool, only reaching the mid 40s to upper 40s (despite some sunshine in the afternoon). This area of high pressure moves off into the Atlantic Wednesday into Thursday. Zonal flow will be in place aloft. This should help to warm things up a bit. At the same time, our next storm system moves into the southwestern states and western Texas. Highs in the mid to upper 50s are expected on Thursday as a result. && .LONG TERM... (Friday night through Monday) Issued at 326 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024 A vigorous shortwave trough will quickly shift from central Texas Thursday night into the lower Mississippi Valley by midday Friday and eventually eastern Kentucky by Friday evening/night -- with a rapidly deepening surface low moving from the Mid South into the lower Ohio Valley. Ahead of this feature, deep southerly flow will advect in a very moisture rich air mass from the Gulf of Mexico as evidenced by PWATs climbing into the 1.1" to 1.3" range (90th to 95th percentile per BMX/OHX sounding climatology. The stage will be set once again for efficient rain producing convection across the Tennessee Valley Friday morning through Friday evening. The fast movement of this system has cut back QPF amount from the system earlier in the week -- with storm totals of about 1" in most locations. Still some higher ensemble members do hint that we could out perform these values and at the very least some rises on rivers, creeks, and streams may occur due to the recently saturated soils. A glance at model soundings Friday afternoon indicates a very impressive shear profile. Bulk shear values of 60-70 kts and 0-1 km shear of 30-40 kts were noted -- with some impressive looping hodographs due to the strong directional shear as well. At the very least these values would favor strong gradient (non-thunderstorm winds) and the possibility for some organized elevated convection. Some serious questions about the storm environment and if a true warm sector can become established this far north. If it can and storms become surface-based, we'll have all the necessary ingredients for severe weather. However, confidence in this actually occurring is quite low with most ensembles favoring more favorable environment setting up to our south. Still something we'll have to monitor closely in the coming days, but for now will continue to message a few strong elevated strong storms for now -- and mainly focus impacts on rainfall and gradient winds. We will dry out Friday night into Saturday as a modified arctic air mass arrives in wake of the front passage. However, we may get clipped with some wrap around moisture Friday night, which could result in a brief window of rain mixing with light snow Friday evening. Otherwise, we'll dry out for the weekend and his will mean cooler weather with highs in the low to mid 40s and lows in the low to mid 20s. The next system to watch will take shape early next week as a deepening upper-trough along the Gulf Coast swings northeast into the southern Appalachians of GA/TN/NC. A lot of details to work out with this system, specifically with respect to the timing, track and evolution for next Monday and Tuesday. Long range ensembles are starting to point to some much colder air attempting to work in behind this system -- and potentially a combination of rain and light wintry precipitation just ahead of the cold front. Again, still a long way out and a lot of details to work through -- but something we will definitely have to monitor. && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 639 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024 MVFR CIGS and VSBYS are expected predominately through 14Z at KHSV with -RA. CIGS could drop below 1000 feet between 12Z and 14Z at KHSV. Further west at KMSL, -RA and VFR CIGS/VSBYS are occurring. Expect that to continue through 14Z. Then lower MVFR CIGS should push back into the area as -RA moves back into the area with the backside of the surface low currently to the northwest. Further east at KHSV, expect MVFR CIGS to return to the terminal around 16Z. Both locations have another window for CIGS dropping below 1000 feet (KMSL: 15Z-18Z and KHSV: 16Z to 19Z). Expect MVFR CIGS the remainder of the TAF period at both terminals with winds increasing to 25 kts gusting to around 40 kts after 23Z. Some additional -RA or a -RASN mix may have to be added after 00Z, but leaving out for now. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...Wind Advisory until midnight CST tonight for ALZ001>010-016. TN...Wind Advisory until midnight CST tonight for TNZ076-096-097. && NEAR TERM...26 SHORT TERM....KTW LONG TERM....AMP AVIATION...KTW
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
833 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1001 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 3 NNE Boaz 34.24N 86.14W
01/08/2024 Marshall AL Emergency Mngr
A tree was knocked down into the roadway on
McVille Road at Beulah Road in front of the
gas station.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
834 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1003 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 W Guntersville 34.36N 86.30W
01/08/2024 Marshall AL Emergency Mngr
A power pole was snapped at the intersection
of Hill Avenue and Taylor Street.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
835 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0935 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 NNE Douglas 34.22N 86.29W
01/08/2024 Marshall AL Emergency Mngr
An extremely large tree was knocked down on
Old Oneonta Road.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
838 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0930 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 5 WSW Guntersville 34.32N 86.34W
01/08/2024 M64 MPH Marshall AL Emergency Mngr
Peak gust so far a the EMA office.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
841 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1053 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 4 NW Triana 34.64N 86.79W
01/08/2024 M56 MPH Madison AL ASOS
Measured at the Huntsville International
Airport.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
903 AM CST Tue Jan 9 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0933 PM Non-Tstm Wnd Gst 2 E Muscle Shoals 34.74N 87.60W
01/08/2024 M49 MPH Colbert AL ASOS
Measured at the Northwest Alabama Regional
Airport.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong and gusty west to southwest winds knocked down trees in at least three different locations in the county, one involving power lines. Power outages were reported in this area.
Strong and gusty west to southwest winds knocked down trees or large limbs in at least three different locations in the county.
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, January 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: 1159492, 1159496.