Multiple days of thunderstorms across Central Alabama resulted in instances of wind damage and hail across the region from May 1-3. During the morning of May 1, a lightning strike in Pell City resulted in an injury.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Multiple days of thunderstorms across Central Alabama resulted in instances of wind damage and hail across the region from May 1-3. During the morning of May 1, a lightning strike in Pell City resulted in an injury. Wind damage and hail on May 2 was generally concentrated along and north of Interstate 59/20 as a line of severe thunderstorms moved from Mississippi to Georgia. A fatality and injury occurred the morning of May 3 near Red Mountain in Birmingham after a tree fell on power workers repairing damage from the previous evening. Wind damage and hail were less prevalent on the evening of May 3 as another line of thunderstorms moved southeastward across Central Alabama. However, a brief EF-0 tornado occurred in the Salem area of Lee County, causing minor tree damage.
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 May 1, 5:59 AM CST, 3 hours 32 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 659 AM CDT Thu May 1 2025 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 654 AM CDT THU MAY 1 2025 - There is a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms today for areas northwest of Interstate 85 from 4 pm to 10 pm. Threats include damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail up to quarter size. - There is a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms Friday afternoon and evening for areas northwest of Interstate 85. Threats include damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail up to quarter size. && .SHORT TERM... (Today through Friday) Issued at 349 AM CDT THU MAY 1 2025 This AM, satellite is indicating ample cloud cover at varied levels. There are also some widely scattered radar returns near the NERN and SWRN peripheries of the CWA. At the surface, we have continued weak onshore SRLY flow around the base of a surface ridge to the E over the WRN Atlantic. Low pressure is situated over Newfoundland with a front extending out of it to the E and S over the WRN Atlantic and back WWD into VA and MO. The surface front will not have the upper support required to push far enough SWD to reach C AL today. C AL will continue to see SRLY low level onshore flow around the retreated ridge. In the upper levels, there is a weakening ridge extending from the Carolinas SWWD into Mexico and a shortwave trough present from the Central Plains into E TX with SW flow into C AL around the base of the trough. This shortwave is expected to move to the NE toward the Great Lakes by late today and get somewhat absorbed into the longwave trough over the N Central US. On Friday, the surface front should begin to make some progress toward AL resulting in additional convection for Friday ahead of it across AL. For today, we will continue with similar temperatures from our warm flow regime. For this afternoon into this evening, the upper shortwave will be close enough to have more of an effect on our area's weather. Outflow activity from storms to our NW (closer to the shortwave) should be able to reach us by afternoon. While we will have chances for some isolated convection during the morning, the storms of greater concern and coverage will be focused later in the day and into the evening. Storms will be arriving in the NW counties in the mid/late afternoon and will be greeted by a hot and unstable atmosphere. There should be enough instability for a few strong to severe storms. The primary threat will be damaging straight line winds with a lower but non zero hail threat. The severe threat will continue into the evening hours into much of the area. Storms should decrease in intensity as they progress SEWD through the evening as they move further from the main system and with the loss of daytime heating. While a few strong storms are not out of the question in the SE counties, threats should be sub-severe by the time of their arrival. Friday will have similar timing and threats to today but will be the result of storm development from forcing ahead of the surface front. 08 && .LONG TERM... (Friday night through next Wednesday) Issued at 349 AM CDT THU MAY 1 2025 An advancing 500 mb trough and surface front will bring widespread showers and some thunderstorms on Saturday. While the presence of the upper trough will provide bulk shear upwards of 35 knots ahead of the front, only weak instability is forecast during the day; so, we are not advertising a severe risk at this time. The surface front is progged to move across the area Saturday night while the 500 mb trough evolves into a cutoff low, centered to our north. For Sunday, this should result in showers and storms along the front over the coastal southeast, arching back to the nearly stacked low pressure center over the Midwest. I am leaning toward the dry slot portion of this system bringing fair weather back to a majority of the area, supported by ensembles, versus the NBM that was previously dry but now wants to indicate a broader slight chance of showers. Fair weather is expected on Monday and Tuesday, followed by a chance of showers and storms in a TBD extent mid to late next week, perhaps emanating from upstream convective activity. 89^GSatterwhite && .AVIATION... (12Z TAFS) Issued at 654 AM CDT THU MAY 1 2025 MVFR to IFR at most places except for some dense fog at MGM. Conditions should improve around 14-15z. We have a few showers near TCL, but coverage for shower and tstorms pick up across C AL TAFs this afternoon into tonight with expected outflow convection from an upper shortwave expected to the NW of AL today into tonight. Some lower vsbys/cigs will be possible with the convection at times. Winds outside of storms will be generally S to start then for some becoming SW during the day. The best chances for storms will be starting in the WRN part of the state this afternoon and expanding further into C AL tonight. 08 && .FIRE WEATHER... Isolated showers are forecast this morning for part of central Alabama, followed by an increased risk for showers and thunderstorms, occurring in waves, from this afternoon through Saturday. There will be no low RH issues over the next few days. 20-foot winds will be from the southwest today between 5-10 mph, southwest on Friday near 5 mph, and southwest on Saturday between 5-10 mph though locations along Interstate 22 should begin to turn to the northwest. Winds will be higher in and near storms. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 84 59 82 60 / 40 60 70 70 Anniston 83 62 80 62 / 20 60 70 60 Birmingham 84 63 82 64 / 50 70 80 70 Tuscaloosa 84 63 82 64 / 70 70 80 70 Calera 83 64 79 64 / 50 60 70 70 Auburn 83 64 80 64 / 20 30 60 40 Montgomery 87 64 84 64 / 20 40 70 40 Troy 85 63 84 63 / 20 30 60 30 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Dense Fog Advisory until 9 AM CDT this morning for the following counties: Autauga-Barbour-Bullock-Coosa-Dallas-Elmore-Lowndes- Macon-Montgomery-Pike-Russell-Tallapoosa. && SHORT TERM...08 LONG TERM....89^GSatterwhite AVIATION...08
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Birmingham AL 255 AM CDT Thu May 1 2025 ALZ011>015-017>050-021100- 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- 255 AM CDT Thu May 1 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the counties served by the National Weather Service office in Birmingham. .DAY ONE...Outlook through Tonight. There is a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms today for areas northwest of Interstate 85 from 4 pm to 10 pm. Threats include damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail up to quarter size. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. There is a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms Friday afternoon and evening for areas northwest of Interstate 85. Threats include damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail up to quarter size. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Activation of storm spotters and emergency management will be needed for today and Friday.
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:33 UTC.
34 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, 1 lightning, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A lightning strike at 10:31 am CDT along 30th Street N in Pell City resulted in an injury.
A large tree fell partially on a home along County Road 217. A couple other trees fell on Highway 35 at Blanche and on Longshore Drive in Leesburg.
Trees and power lines were downed across Vernon and nearby areas.
Trees were downed at the intersection of Highway 171 and Highway 102.
Social media report of trees down in Eldridge along Alabama Highway 118 near Eldridge Baptist Church.
Quarter-size hail reported on the County Road 12 overpass on Interstate 20/59 by York VFD.
Trees were downed on William Howton Rd near Sylvan Springs.
Trees fell across County Road 39 and a tree fell on a car along Horton Mill Rd.
Trees fell across Glennwood Rd near Glennwood Baptist Church. Another tree fell on a car in Gardendale.
Trees fell across Meadow Ln in the Smoke Rise area.
Trees were downed at Pocahontas Rd and Lou George Loop.
Tree damage occurred along Red Mountain. A fatality and an injury occurred on 21st Avenue South the next morning after a tree fell on power workers during storm cleanup.
Trees were downed near downtown Trussville, including along Happy Hollow Rd.
A large tree fell on a house in the Indian Valley Subdivision.
Trees were downed on Old Rocky Ridge Rd and Rocky Ridge Lane.
Numerous trees were downed across Mountain Brook, Cahaba Heights, and Liberty Park, including on Corinth Dr, Montevallo Rd, Norman Dr, and Liberty Pkwy. Liberty Pkwy was blocked near Vestavia Fire Station #4. A tree fell on a house on Overton Rd in Cahaba Heights as well.
Multiple trees were downed in the Argo and Margaret areas.
A few trees were downed along Alabama Highway 132 in western Etowah County.
Trees were blown down across Etowah County.
Multiple trees were downed in Odenville.
Trees were blown down across Cherokee County.
A tree fell across County Road 39 just north of the County Road 74 intersection.
Trees were downed blocking County Roads 41 and 99 northeast of Broomtown.
Social media video of at least half dollar-size hail in Alexandria relayed via broadcast media.
Trees were downed blocking both lanes of Alabama Highway 21 in Winterboro.
Quarter-size hail was reported in Wellington.
Trees were downed in Sylacauga, including on Cedar Creek Dr and Park St.
Trees fell across Rocky Hollow Rd northwest of Jacksonville.
Trees and power lines were downed, blocking Ponderosa Trail near Bynum.
Multiple trees were downed in the Moody area.
Trees and power lines were downed on Alice St in Oxford.
A couple dozen trees were blown down across property located off Alabama Highway 132 near Taits Gap Loop.
Several trees were downed north of Gaylesville, including at County Roads 41 and 772, County Road 826, County Road 114, County Road 81 at 77, and Alabama Highway 35.
Trees and power lines were downed on Canal St in Childersburg.
Trees were downed across Possum Trot Rd and Cove Rd north of Jacksonville.
Trees were downed across Main St and E 3rd St in Oxford.
Trees were downed on Coaling Rd in Sylacauga.
Nickel-size hail reported near Marbury.
Multiple trees were downed on Davis Circle near West Lafayette St and Pear Tree Ln.
A weak EF0 tornado embedded in a line of severe thunderstorms|occurred in the Salem area on the evening of May 3. The tornado|began over a wooded area east of Lee Road 151, northeast of the|National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Test Track. The |1start point was estimated using radar data as the area was |inaccessible by roads. Moving slightly south of due east, the tornado |passed just north of Lee Road 2119, where a few small trees or |limbs were snapped on Lee Road 187. By this point a Tornado |Debris Signature (TDS) was evident on radar. On Lee Road 749, a |few small pine trees had the tops snapped or limbs snapped off. |Little damage was noted across Highway 280 near Dudley Lumber, |but more significant tree damage was noted on property just |northwest of Wacoochee Elementary School. Numerous trees were |uprooted and limbs were snapped across the property, in line with |the TDS on radar. One tree limb fell on part of a home, causing |very little damage. Tree damage continued to just northeast of a |large pond, where the track ended. NWS Birmingham would like |to thank Lee County EMA for conducting this survey.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson | 2025-05-03 | 57 | Male | Under Tree | Indirect |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Alabama, 2025Warnings in Alabama, May 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: 1240503, 1240510, 1241031, 1241036, 1241049, 1241050, 1241703, 1241705, 1241713, 1241723, 1241716, 1241265, 1241726, 1241512, 1241725, 1241720, 1241753, 1241506, 1241509, 1241751, 1241508, 1241515, 1241507, 1241441, 1241757, 1241442, 1241756, 1241513, 1241758, 1241747, 1241517, 1241095, 1241760, 1242442, 1242439, 1242445, 1242441, 1242469, 1242471, 1241079.