A cluster of scattered thunderstorms developed along and ahead of a trough of low pressure/wind shift line during the mid afternoon hours. A couple of the thunderstorms knocked down trees at three locations in Colbert County in northwest Alabama.
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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.
A cluster of scattered thunderstorms developed along and ahead of a trough of low pressure/wind shift line during the mid afternoon hours. A couple of the thunderstorms knocked down trees at three locations in Colbert County in northwest 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 Jan 31, 12:27 PM CST, 3 hours 28 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1227 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2025 ...New NEAR TERM, SHORT TERM... .NEAR TERM... (Tonight) Issued at 1227 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2025 An upper trough will pivot quickly east this evening through the OH and TN valleys. Showers are expected to develop this afternoon in northern MS and western TN which will also move through this evening with the trough. Low ELs will limit the threat of thunderstorms, although won't rule it out and may amend as trends evolve this afternoon. Partial or temporary clearing late tonight may allow for patchy fog to develop, but confidence in this trend is low, but will need to watch this trend closely as well. Overnight lows will be in the lower 40s for most areas, with upper 30s in a few valleys. && .SHORT TERM... (Saturday through Sunday night) Issued at 1227 PM CST Fri Jan 31 2025 The TN valley will be on the southern extent of lower clouds as a cold front sags south into TN and north AL. The front will weaken, and the southern portion of the cloud deck may not fully overlap our southern counties on Saturday. Or, could erode with daytime heating and mixing during the day. Thus, the cloud and temperature forecast is tricky. Temperatures will stay in the 50s where the clouds stick around but could poke into the lower 60s where any partial sunshine occurs. Zonal 5h flow develops into Sunday with a deep layer of southwest to west flow. This will favor good warm air advection as the surface ridge shifts into the far southern CONUS. 8h temps will warm to 10-12C by Sunday afternoon. We expect highs in the middle to upper 60s for most areas, followed by overnight lows in the 40s (except for a few eastern valley upper 30s). && .LONG TERM... (Monday through Thursday) Issued at 435 AM CST Fri Jan 31 2025 In the extended portion of the forecast, present indications are that zonal flow aloft will persist across the local forecast area for much of the new work week, as our region will remain located along the northern rim of a strong subtropical ridge centered well to our southeast. Light-moderate southerly low-level flow will continue at the surface, to the south of a developing warm front that will extend eastward into the OH Valley from a new area of low pressure across the southern High Plains. This, coupled with a west-southwesterly low-level jet of 20-25 knots, will result in warm afternoon temps in the l-m 70s, with lows increasing as well (into the u50s-l60s by Wednesday/Thursday mornings). As dewpoints finally begin to increase into the u50s-l60s by Tuesday night, low stratus clouds will become more common across the region, with a few showers/thunderstorms possible as well. However, we have kept POPs ~20% through Wednesday night and increased them to ~30-40% on Thursday (at which time moisture may begin to pool across the region ahead of a stronger cold front dropping southeastward through the Mid-MS Valley). && .AVIATION... (18Z TAFS) Issued at 1047 AM CST Fri Jan 31 2025 A band of SHRA will continue shifting slowly east early this afternoon, exiting the KHSV area by 20Z. Ceilings will remain at or above 035agl (VFR) will redevelop as an area of SHRA redevelops after 20-22Z in northwest AL. These SHRA will move east through early this evening and end by 03-05Z from west to east. There is a low chance of TSRA, but confidence is low. Will monitor trends and amend as necessary this afternoon. Late tonight, lower clouds below 010agl (IFR) are forecast to develop along with patchy BR or FG. As a weak cold front drops south, winds will shift to the north-northeast by 16Z with ceilings lifting into the 015-025agl range (MVFR). && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. TN...None. && NEAR TERM...17 SHORT TERM....17 LONG TERM....70 AVIATION...17
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:55 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Two trees were knocked down on Riverton Rose Trail, at High Point Road and near Big Cut Hill. Time estimated by radar.
A tree was knocked down at 3957 Mulberry Lane. Time estimated by radar.
A tree was knocked down at the intersection of Ligon Springs Road and Boy Scout Road. Time estimated by radar.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, January 2025
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: 1233640, 1233641, 1233642.