Alabama, 2026

Damaging 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.

Where it happened

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  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS BMX wrote it up.

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^GSatterwhite

The radar

The Jackson/Brandon,MS radar (KDGX), 157 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm 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.

What these are

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.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alabama in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, April 2026

Sources

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.