Strong to severe thunderstorms developed in the afternoon hours ahead of a cold front sagging south into northern Alabama. Some of these storms produced damaging winds.
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 HUN wrote it up.
Strong to severe thunderstorms developed in the afternoon hours ahead of a cold front sagging south into northern Alabama. Some of these storms produced damaging winds.
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 May 16, 11:51 PM CST, 1 hour 43 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1251 AM CDT Sat May 17 2025 ...New AVIATION... .NEAR TERM... (This evening through Saturday) Issued at 1055 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025 An occluding surface low (initially drifting westward across west-central MN) will continue to weaken as it accelerates eastward into the Upper Great Lakes overnight in conjunction with a filling cyclone aloft that will spread east-southeastward into the Central Great Lakes. As this occurs, a dryline (which initiated cellular convection earlier today to our northwest) will be overtaken by the synoptic cold front, with the effective moisture gradient boundary predicted to extend from central OH southwestward into the Arklatex vicinity by 12Z. Current radar data suggests that earlier supercells have now congealed into a squall line extending from the Upper OH Valley southwestward into northwestern TN, with additional but more scattered thunderstorms noted across central AR. As both regions of convection travel further eastward and away from the low-level forcing mechanism, there remains a good deal of uncertainty regarding how much additional development will occur in the intermediate region between the two convective regimes (i.e. from east-central AR into western TN). However, should additional thunderstorms form in this region, they would likely adjoin the two regimes, resulting in a somewhat broken QLCS spreading southeastward through our CWFA during the early morning hours. Although storm coverage remains very uncertain, it is becoming increasingly certain that any impacts will not begin until the 12A-3A timeframe in the northwest. Regardless, both deep-layer and low-level shear will remain favorable for storm organization, even as MUCAPE (currently in the 2000-2500 J/kg range) diminishes to 1500-2000 J/kg. The main threats from the strongest cells will be locally damaging winds of 55-65 MPH and hail of 1-1.5" diameter. However, with a WSW low-level jet of 30-35 knots in place, a brief tornado or two may occur as well. As deeper convection exits the region around 12Z, lingering light rain will be possible for a few hours across the southeastern portion of the forecast area before ending by late tomorrow morning. It still appears as if the lingering outflow boundary will drift southward into central portions of MS/AL/GA before reigniting afternoon convection, with mostly sunny and dry conditions expected across our forecast area for the remainder of the day. That said, the true cold front will lose definition to our north, with highs once again predicted to reach the m-u 80s. && .SHORT TERM... (Saturday night through Monday night) Issued at 1055 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025 In the wake of a departing mid/upper low and downstream from an amplifying shortwave trough (predicted to eject from the southwestern deserts into the central High Plains), ridging aloft will build from the northwestern Gulf into south-central Canada from Saturday night-Sunday night, resulting in WNW flow aloft of 40-50 knots across the TN Valley. Present indications are that a lee cyclone will gradually become established across southeastern CO/northeastern NM in response to the motion of the southwestern CONUS shortwave trough, with the outflow boundary expected to begin lifting slowly northeastward tomorrow night. Weak ascent along and north of this feature will help to sustain an area of elevated convection (that should initially develop across north- central TX/southern OK tomorrow afternoon) as it advances northeastward into northeastern MS/northwestern AL by 12Z Sunday, with greatest spatial coverage of rain/storms in our CWFA expected to occur late Sunday morning as this system may be overtaken by a separate/elevated MCS spreading southeastward from the Ozarks. With elevated CAPE of 1000-1500 J/kg and sufficient effective shear, small hail and a few wind gusts up to 40-50 MPH may occur with the strongest cells. A similar scenario may unfold once again Sunday night as afternoon storms across OK/KS congeal into a southeastward-propagating MCS. However, with the synoptic warm front predicted to lift northward through the region during the period as the lee cyclone begins to eject northeastward across western KS, impacts from this system may largely remain to our northwest. The axis of the 500-mb ridge will translate eastward across the TN Valley on Monday, and with the warm front predicted to reside to our north, lingering impacts from nocturnal MCS activity may largely miss our CWFA to the northeast. Highs will return to the m-u 80s (after dropping into the l-m 80s Sunday), as our region will be within the warm sector. From late Monday night into Tuesday morning, redevelopment of convection is expected to occur in the vicinity of the warm front, as a mid-level vort max (peripheral to a developing closed low over the central High Plains) ejects northeastward. However, this activity should be most concentrated to the north of our region. && .LONG TERM... (Tuesday through Friday) Issued at 1055 PM CDT Fri May 16 2025 Guidance from the latest suite of global models suggests that a prominent mid-level shortwave disturbance will accelerate northeastward from the TX Panhandle into the Lower Great Lakes/OH Valley on Tuesday and Tuesday night, in the flow around a closed low over the central Plains. As this occurs, a related surface low will spread eastward through the OH Valley, with a trailing trough expected to initiate convection as it tracks eastward and through the local area Tuesday afternoon/evening. Mid-level WSW flow of 55-60 knots will once again support organized convection featuring a risk for severe wind/hail, and perhaps a few tornadoes given a low-level jet of 30-35 knots. However, early day cloud cover may have a minor impact on instability, and this trend will need to be monitored. Beyond Tuesday night, deep-layer flow will veer to NW as a new closed upper cyclone evolves across the northeastern CONUS and the OH Valley surface low ejects northeastward. Although some clouds and perhaps a few light showers will be possible from Wednesday into Thursday, the airmass in the wake of this system will be notably cooler and drier. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1251 AM CDT Sat May 17 2025 There have been no significant changes to previous forecast reasoning, as both convection and LLWS will remain concerns for aviation interests thru the early morning hours. General thinking is that clusters of strong-severe TSRA (both to our W and NW) will continue to spread east-southeastward, with timing of potential storm impacts (including AWWs) at the terminals expected to be from 7-10Z/MSL and 9-12Z/HSV. Outside of convection, conds will remain VFR, with an initially overcast coverage of mid/high- lvl clouds becoming more scattered after 12Z. Layers of Cs/As will begin to spread back northeastward across the region late in the TAF period. SW sfc flow of 5-10 kts will veer to WSW in the wake of the nocturnal convection before becoming lgt/vrbl late this evening. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. TN...None. && NEAR TERM...70/DD SHORT TERM...70/DD LONG TERM...70/DD AVIATION...70/DD
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
140 AM CDT Sat May 17 2025
TNZ097-170700-
Franklin TN-
140 AM CDT Sat May 17 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY
THROUGH 200 AM CDT...
At 139 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Monteagle, or 14 miles northeast of Winchester, moving east at 50
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Alto, Sewanee, Woods Reservoir, and Decherd.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 300 AM CDT for Middle
Tennessee.
&&
LAT...LON 3531 8597 3531 8595 3530 8595 3530 8593
3528 8591 3523 8587 3522 8586 3520 8604
3529 8606 3532 8598
TIME...MOT...LOC 0639Z 255DEG 43KT 3528 8588
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
25The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:34 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees were knocked down across the county, especially in Red Bay east to near and just south of Highway 24.
A tree was knocked down at Bethel Cemetery Road and County Line Road. Time estimated by radar.
Multiple trees were knocked down into the roadway blocking Sprit Life Church. Time estimated by radar.
A tree was knocked down at the intersection of CR 747 and CR 730. 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, 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: 1276914, 1276915, 1276916, 1276917.