Abnormally dry weather (especially during December) and continued below normal precipitation in January produced severe drought conditions in far eastern portions of Alabama near the AL/GA border by February 10th. These conditions continued through February 28th.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Abnormally dry weather (especially during December) and continued below normal precipitation in January produced severe drought conditions in far eastern portions of Alabama near the AL/GA border by February 10th. These conditions continued through February 28th.
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 Feb 9, 11:06 PM CST, 54 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Huntsville AL 1106 PM CST Mon Feb 9 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Updated at 1013 PM CST Mon Feb 9 2026 - Warm temperatures will continue through tomorrow, followed by a minor cooling trend for the second half of the work week. - High (80-90%) chances for showers and a few thunderstorms from late Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning. - Low chances for rain return Thursday night, with another storm system expected to bring high chances for showers and some thunderstorms Saturday night and Sunday. && .NEAR TERM... (This Evening through Tuesday) Issued at 1013 PM CST Mon Feb 9 2026 A surface high (initially along the southeastern Atlantic Coast) will shift southeastward and offshore overnight, as a cold front extending from a low (across southern Ontario) to a lee cyclone (across southeastern CO) advances southeastward. This will translate to a minor increase in south-southwesterly winds in the boundary layer through the early morning hours on Tuesday, resulting in milder overnight lows ranging from the m40s/NE to l50s/SW. However, prior to this occurring, temporary relaxation of gradient winds and lowering dewpoint depressions may support the development of patchy fog in a few valleys and near large bodies of water beginning later this evening. With WSW flow at the 850-mb level predicted to increase to 25-30 knots in advance of the approaching cold front, patches of stratocumulus also appear likely to develop prior to sunrise. Throughout the day, the cold front will track further southeastward into the Mid-MS and OH Valleys, with 1-2 bands of low-topped showers expected to evolve in the general vicinity of the front (from southeastern MO/northeastern AR/northwestern TN into the central Appalachians) by mid-late afternoon. Further to the southwest, a band of light stratiform rain will expand from southwestern TX into central AR as elevated warm/moist advection strengthens downstream from the decaying remnants of a cutoff upper low (currently west of the Baja Peninsula). Across our CWFA, an overcast coverage of mid/high-level clouds will keep highs a few degrees cooler compared to today (u60s-l70s), in spite of southwest winds (which could be gusty at times). Although some virga and perhaps a few sprinkles of rain will be possible tomorrow afternoon, POPs will remain in the 10-15% range through 0Z. && .SHORT TERM... (Tuesday night through Thursday night) Issued at 1013 PM CST Mon Feb 9 2026 A cold front will continue to shift southeastward into the TN Valley tomorrow evening, with a minor uptick in both the coverage and intensity of showers (and a few thunderstorms) anticipated as the front begins to intercept a plume of modified Gulf moisture (characterized by dewpoints in the mid 50s). Due to the anticipated orientation of the front, precipitation chances will begin to increase across northwest AL/southern Middle TN by 4-6Z, but will be highest (80-90%) region-wide in the 6-12Z timeframe as the frontal wind shift drops southward. With the remnant mid- level trough (related to a cutoff upper low to our southwest) expected to be positioned across the northwest Gulf Coast around 12Z Wednesday, low-level convergence in the vicinity of the cold front will provide the greatest source of lift for precipitation. However, a short period of postfrontal rain will be possible before precipitation ends quickly from NW-to-SE in the 12-16Z timeframe on Wednesday. It still appears as if CAPE in the 100-300 J/kg range will significantly limit updraft height, reducing the risk for organized storms in an otherwise favorable environment (characterized by 40-50 knot WNW flow aloft). However, with westerly winds at the 850-mb level predicted to increase to 30-40 knots ahead of the front, a few stronger wind gusts could occur with any heavier showers or storms. In the wake of the front, a cooler/drier mixture of Canadian and North Pacific air will be advected into the region as NNE winds strengthen Wednesday afternoon. Highs will fall back into the u50s-l60s on both Wednesday and Thursday, with lows dropping into the l-m 30s on Wednesday night as the center of a surface high translated eastward through the OH Valley/Lower Great Lakes, resulting in a light northeast flow. Overcast mid-level clouds and perhaps a few patches of light rain may return to the region from late Thursday evening through early Friday morning as elevated warm advection begins to increase along the interface of the retreating high (to our northeast) and a developing lee cyclone (across the southern Plains), but with temps in the u30s-l40s and a lingering wedge of dry air in the boundary layer, only light rain is expected at this point. && .LONG TERM... (Friday through Monday) Issued at 1013 PM CST Mon Feb 9 2026 The main feature to watch in the long term will be an upper level trough and subsequent low pressure system shifting eastward into the Tennessee Valley area over the weekend. Ensembles continue to show uncertainty in both the depth and placement of the trough. Therefore, confidence remains low in any significant impacts. However, heightened chances of showers (50-80%) remain likely both Saturday and Sunday. Experimental SPoRT river forecasts have also begun to hint towards increasing water levels as a result of rainfall by Sunday. We will continue to monitor this system through the week. High temperatures this weekend should remain in the 60s in most locations with overnight lows dropping into the 40s-50s. && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1106 PM CST Mon Feb 9 2026 Clear skies and a calm-lgt SSW wind will exist at the HSV/MSL terminals early in the period, but due to recent obs we will retain a tempo group for minor vsby reductions in lingering smoke/haze at HSV. Although patchy BR/FG may develop in portions of the region, some lower stratocu is also likely to develop with an increase in the low-level jet, and with dewpoint depressions remaining large at the two airports, we will not include this weather element in the current forecast. High-lvl cloud layers will become overcast after 12Z (with bases descending throughout the day) as a weakening upper-lvl disturbance lifts east- northeastward over the southern Plains. Although some virga and perhaps a few sprinkles of rain may occur tomorrow aftn, chances for showers (and perhaps a few TSRA) will increase more notably btwn 4-6Z as a cold front approaches the region from the northwest. Sfc winds will veer to SW and increase to 8G16 kts after sunrise, before diminishing once again around 0Z. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...None. TN...None. && NEAR TERM...70/DD SHORT TERM...70/DD LONG TERM...HC AVIATION...70/DD
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought conditions developed over northeastern portions of DeKalb county on February 10th and continues through February 28th.
Severe drought conditions developed over extreme southeastern portions of Jackson county on February 10th and continued through February 28th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Alabama in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, February 2026
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: 1319814, 1319815.