Drought conditions from a very dry October continued into November. Although the first half of the month saw a modest increase in rainfall over October, conditions continued to worsen, with Severe (D2) areas expanding across Central Alabama and Extreme (D3) conditions emerging as the month progressed.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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.
Drought conditions from a very dry October continued into November. Although the first half of the month saw a modest increase in rainfall over October, conditions continued to worsen, with Severe (D2) areas expanding across Central Alabama and Extreme (D3) conditions emerging as the month progressed. Several systems during the second half of November brought sufficient rainfall to reduce drought conditions again in some areas, with some counties improving to Moderate (D1) conditions before the end of the month.
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 Oct 31, 7:13 PM CST, 4 hours 47 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 813 PM CDT Thu Oct 31 2024 ...New SHORT TERM... .SHORT TERM... (Tonight through Saturday) Issued at 813 PM CDT THU OCT 31 2024 Low pressure associated with a mid-latitude cyclone is centered near the Mackinac Straits, with a cold front extending southwestward to the Mid-South. A Bermuda high remains over the western Atlantic. Outflow has pushed a large band of showers and very isolated thunderstorms well ahead of the front, now approaching the I-65 and I-20/59 corridors. This is being maintained by very moist southwest flow aloft and the right entrance region of an upper-level jet streak. This activity should make it a bit further to the east before stalling as it is parallel to the flow aloft. Will be watching to see if it reaches BHM before 1 AM which will determine if BHM gets any rainfall for the month of October (climate records are tabulated in local standard time). The focus for rainfall late tonight into tomorrow morning should shift back to the northwest counties near the stalling frontal boundary, as ridging builds back in aloft. Some of the CAMs do indicate some higher rainfall totals depending on if any training occurs. If that does occur there could be some minor flooding of poor drainage areas. Some patchy fog may develop near the front as well. Rain should dissipate tomorrow afternoon as flow aloft becomes more anticyclonic, with another warm day expected south of the front. 32/JDavis && .LONG TERM... (Friday night through next Wednesday) Issued at 141 PM CDT THU OCT 31 2024 No big changes in the long term. Next Tuesday/Tuesday night looks a lot like today/tonight, synoptically. Aside from that, rain chances stay in the "slim to none" histogram bin. /61/ Previous long-term discussion: (Friday night through next Wednesday) Issued at 302 AM CDT THU OCT 31 2024 The surface front will stall just to our northwest Friday night before heading back northward as a warm front Saturday morning. 500mb ridging will remain in place just enough to direct a shortwave trough around most of the Deep South, with rain chances remaining well to the northwest for Saturday. Central Alabama will reside in a semi-humid airmass, with easterly to southeasterly flow at the surface for a majority of the long-term period. The 500mb ridge will continue to build across the Southeastern Atlantic coast through the weekend and into early next week, with rain chances remaining very low. A longwave trough and potent upper level shortwave will attempt to move east across the CONUS by next Tuesday, but will encounter the dominant ridge still centered over the region. With the strongest forcing headed toward the Great Lakes region within a developing 140 knot 300mb jet streak, a weakening surface front will approach the CWA Tuesday night into Wednesday. Early indications from global guidance have the front stalling to our northwest by Wednesday afternoon, with more uncertain solutions in terms of the overall pattern by the end of next week. Warm, above normal temperatures will continue with highs in the low to mid 80s through Tuesday, with mild, humid overnight lows in the 60s each night. Drought conditions will continue to worsen as a result. 56/GDG && .AVIATION... (00Z TAFS) Issued at 631 PM CDT THU OCT 31 2024 Widespread showers ahead of a stalling cold front will affect primarily TCL tonight with some occasional drops to IFR visibilities. However, they will also eventually reach BHM this evening with a 30% chance of impacting EET and a 20% chance at ANB/ASN. MGM remains dry. Some redevelopment occurs along the stalled front on Friday but with uncertainty regarding where this occurs. Rain chances are around 40% at TCL on Friday and 20% at BHM/EET. Thunder chances are less than 30% at any terminal and not mentioned in the TAF at this time. MVFR cigs will also develop at TCL tonight, and could approach BHM/EET. 32/JDavis && .FIRE WEATHER... Increasing rain chances are expected tonight with an approaching cold front. However, any chances of wetting rainfall will remain confined across far western and northwestern portions of Central Alabama. The majority of the forecast area will not see any measurable rainfall. Southerly to southeasterly 20ft winds between 10 and 15mph are expected this afternoon, followed by lighter winds during the day on Friday. Min RH values this afternoon will be high closer to the front in the west and northwest, in contrast to the mid 40s across far southeast counties. Similar conditions are expected once again on Friday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 62 79 59 83 / 40 40 10 0 Anniston 63 79 60 83 / 20 20 10 0 Birmingham 65 78 62 82 / 60 40 10 0 Tuscaloosa 65 78 62 83 / 80 40 10 0 Calera 65 80 62 83 / 50 30 10 0 Auburn 62 81 62 81 / 10 0 0 0 Montgomery 62 84 60 85 / 10 0 0 0 Troy 60 82 60 83 / 0 0 0 0 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...32/JDavis LONG TERM....02 AVIATION...32
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 303 AM CDT Thu Oct 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- 303 AM CDT Thu Oct 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...Friday through Wednesday. 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.
11 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Drought level began November at Severe (D2) and increased to Extreme (D3) by mid-month. D3 conditions persisted through the end of the month.
Drought level began November at Severe (D2), increased to Extreme (D3) by mid-month, and improved back to Moderate (D1) toward the latter part of the month.
Drought level began November at Severe (D2), increased to Extreme (D3) by the first week of the month, and improved back to Moderate (D1) toward the latter part of the month.
Drought level began November at Severe (D2) and continued through the month.
Drought level increased to Severe (D2) in early November and persisted through the month.
Drought level increased to Severe (D2) in early November and persisted through the month.
Drought level increased to Severe (D2) in early November and improved to Moderate (D1) by the third week.
Drought level increased to Severe (D2) in early November and improved to Moderate (D1) by the third week.
Drought level increased to Severe (D2) in early November and improved to Moderate (D1) by the third week.
Drought level increased to Severe (D2) in early November and improved to Moderate (D1) by the third week.
Drought level increased to Severe (D2) in early November and improved to Moderate (D1) by the third week.
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, November 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: 1217283, 1217284, 1217286, 1217287, 1217289, 1217290, 1217291, 1217292, 1217293, 1217294, 1217295.