Alabama, 2026Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 24, 2026
April 24, 2026 · NWS BMX · 2 events in 1 county or zone
A mesoscale convective system moved east-southeastward through central Mississippi into southwestern Alabama late on April 24. Although it mostly missed Central Alabama, it clipped southern Sumter County, resulting in a few downed trees.
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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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.
A mesoscale convective system moved east-southeastward through central Mississippi into southwestern Alabama late on April 24. Although it mostly missed Central Alabama, it clipped southern Sumter County, resulting in a few downed trees.
What forecasters said that day
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 Apr 24, 6:02 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Issued at 700 PM CDT FRI APR 24 2026
- There is a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms through Saturday morning across western portions of Central Alabama.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 24, 6:02 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
702 PM CDT Fri Apr 24 2026
...New AVIATION...
.KEY MESSAGES...
Issued at 700 PM CDT FRI APR 24 2026
- There is a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms
through Saturday morning across western portions of Central
Alabama.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
(This afternoon through Thursday)
Issued at 1257 PM CDT FRI APR 24 2026
Shower and thunderstorm activity is expected to increase by this
evening, as an organized line of storms moves SE over central
Mississippi. This line is still expected to begin working into
the area sometime around the 8-10 PM timeframe, and remain
following that S/SE movement. Even though the Storm prediction
center (SPC) has maintained the Marginal Risk (Level 1 of 5), and
even put a few of our western counties into the Slight risk
(Level 2 of 5), confidence remains low on the overall prospects
of severe weather tonight.
High-res guidance has been struggling today by, 1) not capturing
the whole environment, and 2) not initializing downstream storms
well. Because of this, it's hard to really get a handle on where
this line of storms could run out of steam. There is a chance
this line will stay to the west of us, merely clipping our far
western counties with only a breeze and a few rumbles of thunder.
Or, it could slowly start to drift east, working into the area at
semi-full strength. While confidence remains low, the main threat
with any severe activity remains damaging winds. A chance of
scattered thunderstorm activity is expected during the afternoon
hours on Saturday as the boundary starts to work into the region,
but this additional activity will be more scattered in nature,
with no additional severe weather expected.
Shifting gears into Monday night, as of this morning the SPC has
completely pulled back the Slight Risk (Level 2 or 5) that's
slowly been getting trimmed over the last few nights. With that
being said, we don't entirely think the severe weather threat is
nonzero, and a Marginal Risk (Level 1 or 5) getting reintroduced
is not out of the question. The main area of forcing located
along the low pressure and cold front is still well to our NW,
with the cold front becoming elongated as this low continues to
move into the Great Lakes region. However, this cold front could
still drop into the region, with forecast instability values
currently between 1000-1500 J/Kg of CAPE. So while the forcing
isn't the best, decent instability values could help overcome
this, with any severe weather threat being limited to damaging
winds and large hail. This is something we'll obviously continue
to keep an eye on here over the next few days.
From here, the upper-level pattern will shift by Tuesday, as a
stout ridge builds well to our SW. This will put the flow aloft
into a more zonal pattern, keeping scattered rain chances in the
forecast through the week, and afternoon highs in the low to mid-
80s.
/44/
&&
.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 700 PM CDT FRI APR 24 2026
Showers and storms will move eastward from Mississippi overnight
due to upper-level disturbances and outflow boundaries. Have
tried to time out convection as best as possible, but confidence
regarding occurrence and timing of TSRA is only low to medium.
Therefore, only PROB30s are mentioned for TSRA. Additionally,
cigs are expected to lower to IFR; however, confidence is only
medium due to uncertainties regarding convection. Cigs should
improve to VFR by around midday. Additional showers and storms
will develop with daytime heating Saturday afternoon. Will only
include PROB30 mentions due to medium confidence.
Observations from TCL remain intermittent, so will continue with
AMD NOT SKED there.
NOTE: Spring seasonal issuance of the TAF for KASN is now being
issued and will run through 04/29 18z.
32/JDavis
&&
.FIRE WEATHER...
Rain chances will begin to increase by tonight, with MinRH values
jumping to above 60% area-wide. They will briefly drop into
Sunday, before rebounding by the start of the new workweek. Given
sustained south flow, and rain chances through the week, there is
medium confidence that MinRH values will generally range about
50% into next weekend.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Gadsden 58 77 55 83 / 70 60 40 10
Anniston 60 78 58 83 / 50 60 50 10
Birmingham 63 77 60 83 / 70 60 40 20
Tuscaloosa 62 81 60 84 / 80 60 30 20
Calera 62 80 59 85 / 60 60 40 20
Auburn 61 79 62 83 / 20 60 70 20
Montgomery 62 81 62 84 / 30 70 50 20
Troy 60 82 61 84 / 10 70 60 20
&&
.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.
&&
DISCUSSION.../44/
AVIATION...32/JDavis
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Apr 24, 6:49 PM CST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
749 PM CDT Fri Apr 24 2026
ALZ030-250130-
Sumter AL-
749 PM CDT Fri Apr 24 2026
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN SUMTER COUNTY
THROUGH 830 PM CDT...
At 748 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of strong
thunderstorms near Scooba, or 7 miles east of De Kalb, moving east at
35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea 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...
Gainesville, Panola, Geiger, and Warsaw.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3296 8835 3300 8817 3296 8816 3296 8819
3294 8817 3294 8820 3292 8821 3291 8819
3288 8818 3286 8816 3284 8817 3284 8818
3282 8816 3283 8814 3281 8811 3280 8807
3279 8811 3276 8837
TIME...MOT...LOC 0048Z 265DEG 30KT 3279 8853
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
89^GSatterwhiteThunderstorm Wind, Sumter
- When
- April 24, 8:01 PM CST to 8:05 PM CST
- Where
- Sumter County, 7.17 mi SSW of Siloam
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 32.333, -88.312
Trees were downed in the Kinterbish area, including along County Road 10.
Thunderstorm Wind, Sumter
- When
- April 24, 8:17 PM CST to 8:18 PM CST
- Where
- Sumter County, 0.42 mi SSE of Siloam
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- 911 Call Center
- Coordinates
- 32.425, -88.267
A tree was downed along County Road 9 near Highway 17.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Texas, April 24 to 27, 20264 deaths · 7 injured · $8.9 million · EF2 · 155 events
- Tornadoes and Hail in Mississippi, April 24 to 25, 20261 injured · EF1 · 71 events
- Wildfire in New Mexico, April 24 to 25, 2026$500,000 · 1 event
- Damaging Winds in Indiana, April 24, 20261 injured · $280,000 · 56 kt wind · 5 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, April 24, 2026$10,000 · 2.75 in hail · 41 events
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Arkansas, April 24, 2026$30,000 · 2 in hail · 3 events
- Lightning Strike in Wisconsin, April 24, 2026$20,000 · 1 event
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, April 24, 20261.25 in hail · 14 events
- Dense Fog in Kentucky, April 24 to 25, 202613 events
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, April 24, 20265 events
- Damaging Winds in Arkansas, April 24, 2026$8,000 · 56 kt wind · 2 events
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in Lake Huron, April 24, 20262 events
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: 1320098, 1320099.