Widespread and consistent rainfall following a pattern change in mid-May led to reductions in drought severity across Central Alabama from late May into early June. As two-month rainfall totals heading into June were near or above average, along with recovery in stream flows around the state, Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Central Alabama during the first week of the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 15 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 BMX wrote it up.
Widespread and consistent rainfall following a pattern change in mid-May led to reductions in drought severity across Central Alabama from late May into early June. As two-month rainfall totals heading into June were near or above average, along with recovery in stream flows around the state, Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Central Alabama during the first week of the month.
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 31, 11:43 PM CST, 17 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Birmingham AL 1243 AM CDT Mon Jun 1 2026 ...New AVIATION... .KEY MESSAGES... Issued at 1242 AM CDT MON JUN 1 2026 - There is a risk for severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts to impact parts of central Alabama this afternoon and evening. - Less humid conditions are forecast Wednesday through Friday, including a break from recent rainy weather. && .DISCUSSION... (Today through Sunday) Issued at 1201 AM CDT MON JUN 1 2026 Severe threat today: Showers and thunderstorms are in progress across eastern Kansas as of the midnight hour, with additional activity forecast to form through the night farther east along a frontal zone extending across central Missouri to southern Illinois. This activity is modeled to congeal into an MCS (complex of thunderstorms) and take a path in our direction later today. The structure/health of the MCS as it approaches and arrives to our area will be key in terms of the extent of the severe weather risk for central Alabama. This is a common challenge with MCSs and is something we should be able to better determine later this morning. What is known is (1) the most likely window for severe thunderstorms to affect parts of central Alabama is during the afternoon. That captures both the faster and slower solutions within the HREF; and (2) a strongly unstable air mass will exist over Alabama with steepening low-level lapse rates and modest shear. This environment is conducive for thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts and large hail with any intense cores. To be determined is what flavor of MCS we are dealt. Should an organized or reintensifying MCS arrive, then the damaging wind threat will be more substantial. Conversely, should too much outflow cause a loosely organized MCS, then the damaging wind threat will be tempered (but not eliminated). Given the storm environment, we favor leaning in the direction of impactful weather, involving damaging wind gusts, for parts of the area. Rest of the week: Tuesday has been labeled a transition day between the rainy weather we've been having and rain-free weather later in the week; however, models have trended a bit wetter with the low- level confluence pattern across the Gulf Coast, which may offer scattered coverage vs. the previously idea of isolated for central Alabama. High pressure will bring rain-free and less humid weather from Wednesday to Friday. Low chances for showers and thunderstorms are forecast over the weekend as moisture content rebounds but we remain under the influence of high pressure. 89^GSatterwhite && .AVIATION... (06Z TAFS) Issued at 1242 AM CDT MON JUN 1 2026 The convection has ended for the night and low clouds are already building in with generally IFR/MVFR taking hold of the area. Areas of lFR clouds and patchy fog should be in place by sunrise for much of the area. VFR conditions return by late morning. Impacts to central Alabama terminals are forecast sometime during the afternoon on Monday from a southward-moving complex of thunderstorms with strong wind gusts. Current best timing estimates are in the TAFs as TEMPOs, though expect some tweaks as we get closer. 16 && .FIRE WEATHER... There are no fire weather concerns over the week ahead. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecast today and Tuesday. Rain- free and less-humid weather is likely Wednesday through Friday. Moisture values climb again this weekend with at least low chances for showers and thunderstorms returning. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Gadsden 86 66 82 56 / 50 30 40 0 Anniston 86 67 82 58 / 40 30 50 0 Birmingham 88 68 83 61 / 60 30 40 0 Tuscaloosa 91 71 85 64 / 60 30 50 10 Calera 91 68 86 60 / 60 30 50 10 Auburn 88 70 84 61 / 30 20 60 20 Montgomery 90 70 86 62 / 50 20 60 20 Troy 90 70 88 61 / 40 30 60 40 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION...89^GSatterwhite AVIATION...16
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
713 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
ALZ024-025-010045-
Jefferson AL-Shelby AL-
713 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN SHELBY AND SOUTH
CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTIES THROUGH 745 PM CDT...
At 713 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Bessemer, moving southeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Southwestern Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Alabaster, Bessemer,
Homewood, Pelham, Helena, Calera, Fairfield, Chelsea, Montevallo,
Midfield, Brighton, Indian Springs Village, Lipscomb, Wilton,
American Village, Oak Mountain State Park, and Maylene.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3329 8658 3307 8685 3307 8688 3305 8689
3324 8703 3325 8703 3325 8704 3333 8710
3348 8690
TIME...MOT...LOC 0013Z 317DEG 26KT 3335 8695
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
44Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
717 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
ALZ043-044-010045-
Montgomery AL-Elmore AL-
717 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN ELMORE AND NORTH
CENTRAL MONTGOMERY COUNTIES THROUGH 745 PM CDT...
At 717 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Jordan Lake, or 10 miles northwest of Wetumpka, moving southeast at
30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Northwestern Montgomery, Millbrook, Wetumpka, Elmore, Coosada,
Deatsville, Montgomery Zoo, Boylston, Santuck, Bob Woodruff Lake,
Titus, Emerald Mountain, Ten Cedar Estates, Lagoon Park, Dexter,
Alabama State University, Weoka Mills, Jordan Lake, Montgomery
Riverwalk Stadium, and Blue Ridge.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3260 8641 3269 8641 3275 8629 3275 8624
3251 8598 3234 8632
TIME...MOT...LOC 0017Z 328DEG 26KT 3266 8631
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
44Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Birmingham AL
804 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
ALZ042-010130-
Lowndes AL-
804 PM CDT Sun May 31 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT LOWNDES COUNTY THROUGH 830 PM
CDT...
At 804 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
White Hall, or 8 miles north of Mosses, moving south at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Fort Deposit, Mosses, Hayneville, White Hall, Gordonville,
Lowndesboro, Benton, Lowndes County Airport, Beechwood, Logan,
Calhoun, Robert F. Henry Lock And Dam, Letohatchee, Mount Willing,
Collirene, Clover Hill, and Fostoria.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3222 8688 3223 8681 3227 8686 3230 8683
3231 8685 3233 8685 3234 8682 3231 8682
3231 8681 3235 8677 3236 8671 3235 8668
3237 8666 3238 8662 3236 8660 3238 8658
3237 8656 3203 8640 3197 8640 3196 8683
TIME...MOT...LOC 0104Z 343DEG 26KT 3230 8670
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
44The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
15 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Barbour County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Pike County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Bullock County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Russell County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Lee County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Macon County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Montgomery County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Lowndes County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Chambers County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions were removed from Randolph County in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions across eastern and southern portions of Tallapoosa County were removed in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions across the southern half of Elmore County were removed in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions across the southeastern half of Autauga County were removed in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions across the northeastern half of Clay County were removed in early June.
Lingering Severe (D2) drought conditions across the southern and eastern portions of Cleburne County were removed in early June.
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, June 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: 1329209, 1329210, 1329211, 1329212, 1329213, 1329214, 1329215, 1329216, 1329217, 1329218, 1329220, 1329221, 1329222, 1329223, 1329224.