Extreme Drought (D3) conditions were introduced this week for portions of Northwestern Alabama.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
Extreme Drought (D3) conditions were introduced this week for portions of Northwestern Alabama.
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 Sep 9, 11:01 PM CST, 59 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1201 AM CDT Tue Sep 10 2024 ...New AVIATION... .NEAR TERM... (Rest of tonight) Issued at 926 PM CDT Mon Sep 9 2024 Current satellite shows dry conditions in place, supported by dewpoints in the mid to upper 60s across the area. This is resulting from sfc high pressure centered over Virginia, keeping our advection of dry Appalachian flow. With this in mind, have kept fog out of the forecast tonight despite clear skies and calmer winds. Overnight lows will fall to roughly near where our current dewpoints sit, ranging from the mid 50s to lower 60s. No significant changes were needed during the evening update. && .SHORT TERM... (Tuesday through Thursday night) Issued at 254 PM CDT Mon Sep 9 2024 Short term model consensus suggests that the center of the surface ridge (mentioned above) will migrate northeastward into the northern Mid-Atlantic region on Tuesday/Tuesday night, with surface flow across our region expected to veer to ESE with time. Although this will have no significant impact on low-level moisture content or other sensible weather conditions, both highs and lows will be a bit warmer (u80s-l90s and u50s-l60s, respectively), with warmer overnight temps due to an increase in high-level clouds in SW flow aloft. Beginning Wednesday, we will be closely monitoring the progress to TS Francine, which is predicted to be approaching the coast of LA from the southwest (based on the most recent forecast from NHC). Present indications are that light stratiform rain on the outer edge of the tropical cyclone's circulation may be approaching the southwestern corner of our CWFA by late Wednesday afternoon, warranting a low (10-20%) POP in this region. Otherwise, overcast cirrostratus clouds will inhibit diurnal warming, with highs in the l-m 80s. The stratiform rain shield will expand northeastward across the local area on Wednesday night/Thursday morning, as a SE low-level jet strengthens to 20-30 knots beneath mid-level winds that will back sharply to SSE and increase with time. However, with precipitation initially falling into a relatively dry and stable boundary layer, this northeastward expansion of precipitation will be more pronounced during the early morning hours Thursday. Light-occasionally moderate rain will become fairly widespread after daybreak on Thursday, with intensity expected to increase during the afternoon/evening as the tropical cyclone begins to turn north-northeastward over the Lower MS Valley and into the Mid-South region. As dewpoints begin to increase into the m-u 60s Thursday afternoon, the local airmass will become weakly unstable, supporting an increasing risk for the development of a few thunderstorms (that will persist through Thursday night and into Friday morning). This will occur in conjunction with a significant increase in the south-southeasterly low-level jet (up to 45-55 knots), which will be favorable for development of low- topped supercells and an attendant threat for tropical cyclone tornadoes (likely to be embedded in peripheral rainbands during the overnight hours). Additional impacts from Francine will be beneficial rainfall, with storm total QPF amounts (from WPC) in the 1-2" range from 18Z Wednesday-0Z Saturday. That said, with PWAT values in the 1.8-2" range, high rainfall rates may occur for long periods of time beneath individual rainbands and could result in flash flooding (especially Thursday night). Finally, gradient wind speeds are expected to increase into the 20-25 MPH range from early Thursday morning through Friday morning (with gusts of 30-35 MPH), and a Wind Advisory may be warranted during this timeframe. && .LONG TERM... (Friday through Sunday) Issued at 208 AM CDT Mon Sep 9 2024 A period of more active weather may impact the Tennessee Valley Thursday through Friday night as we monitor the future track of Potential Tropical Cyclone Six. Both GEFS and EC ensembles are honing in on a track into west/central Louisiana that would bring the remnants of this system into the lower Mississippi Valley and Mid South region Thursday into Friday. This would place the Tennessee Valley region in a potentially favorable location for some moderate to locally heavy rainfall (much of which could be beneficial given the moderate drought in place). Official WPC QPF places a range of Storm Total rainfall of 1.5" to 2.5" over much of the area (with the higher totals favoring areas west of I-65). The grand ensemble shows generally a 40-60% probability of exceeding 1.5" across much of the area, with only a 10-30% chance of exceeding 2.5" over a 72 hours period between 00z Thursday to 00z Sunday. Still, with these tropical systems minor deviations in track can impact where the axis of heavy rainfall sets up. Additionally, given the deep tropical moisture being advected in (PWATs as high as 1.8" to 2"), there will always be the potential to outperform these values should a more eastward track end up occurring. Despite the dry conditions, would expect some runoff issues in some locations if this occurs as well as rises on creeks, streams, and small rivers. For now, we will continue to monitor the latest trends and message a greater confidence in meaningful rainfall (at least 1-2") late in the work week, with the possibility of a few hydro issues. The dense cloud cover and higher rain chances will knock high temperatures back into the 70s both Thursday and Friday. Low to medium (20-40%) chances for showers/storms will remain in the forecast through the weekend as the remnants of this system may end up meandering across the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys through the weekend, thanks to a blocking ridge to the north. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1201 AM CDT Tue Sep 10 2024 VFR conditions will prevail through the period with light winds and a mostly clear sky. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. TN...None. && NEAR TERM...25 SHORT TERM....70 LONG TERM....AMP AVIATION...AMP.24
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Extreme Drought (D3) conditions were introduced in portions of Northwestern Alabama; specifically Lauderdale and Limestone Counties as of the 9/10/2024 Drought Monitor issuance, lingering through the end of the month of September.
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, September 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: 1215005.