Alabama, 2026

Damaging Wind in Alabama, May 29, 2026

May 29, 2026 · NWS HUN · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Isolated to scattered strong storms developed mainly near and east of the I-65 corridor in the afternoon and early evening hours. A storm knocked down a tree in southern portions of Morgan county.

Where it happened

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 HUN wrote it up.

Isolated to scattered strong storms developed mainly near and east of the I-65 corridor in the afternoon and early evening hours. A storm knocked down a tree in southern portions of Morgan county.

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 Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 29, 4:56 PM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 1048 AM CDT Fri May 29 2026
  • A medium-high (50-90%) coverage of showers and thunderstorms is expected from today through Saturday. Lightning and heavy downpours will be the main impacts.
  • Coverage of showers and storms will begin to decrease on Sunday and Monday (becoming focused across northern/western areas), with dry and mild conditions expected Tuesday-Thursday.
Area forecast discussion, May 29, 4:56 PM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
556 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 1048 AM CDT Fri May 29 2026

 - A medium-high (50-90%) coverage of showers and thunderstorms is
   expected from today through Saturday. Lightning and heavy
   downpours will be the main impacts.

 - Coverage of showers and storms will begin to decrease on Sunday
   and Monday (becoming focused across northern/western areas),
   with dry and mild conditions expected Tuesday-Thursday.

&&

.NEAR TERM...
(Rest of Today and Tonight)
Issued at 155 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

There have been no major changes to near term forecast reasoning
since the update earlier this morning. Latest CAMs suggest that
convective showers and thunderstorms (currently in progress across
northeast AL/southern Middle TN) will progress northeastward and
out of the region between 20-22Z, as light rain persists across
the western half of the CWFA. However, the coverage of showers and
storms is expected to increase region-wide early this evening, as
convection spreading northeastward from MS enters the region and
begins to interact with an eastward-moving outflow boundary. The
primary impacts from thunderstorms will be gusty winds (perhaps up
to 40 MPH), lightning and heavy downpours which may result in
localized flash flooding. As evening convection begins to slowly
dissipate during the early morning hours, conditions will quickly
become favorable for the development of very low stratus clouds
and fog (some of which could be locally dense) as temperatures
fall into the m-u 60s.

Previous Discussion:
A weak but negatively-tilted 500-mb shortwave trough will lift
slowly northeastward across Lower-MS Valley today, providing a
modest increase in deep-layer southwesterly flow across our
forecast area. In the low-levels, a lengthy axis of streamline
confluence will exist from MO southeastward through the TN Valley
and into southern GA along the interface of easterly flow (related
to a weakening surface high over the Lower Great Lakes) and
southerly flow (related to a small low over AR and stronger lee
cyclone across eastern CO).

Current thinking is that areas of light rain will continue to
spread northward over the CWFA through the remainder of the
morning, within a warm/moist advection regime to the east of the
shortwave trough. As occasional breaks in the overcast altostratus
layer permit limited insolation beginning early this afternoon,
thunderstorms are expected to evolve in the vicinity of both the
broader confluence axis and any mesoscale boundaries as CAPE rises
into the 1000-1500 J/kg range (perhaps a bit higher in some
locations). Cells and clusters will shift northeastward with time
and eventually exit the region shortly after 0Z. Lightning and
locally heavy rainfall will be the main impacts from thunderstorms
(with PWAT values in the 1.8-2" range), but due to a slight
increase in southwesterly steering flow, the risk for flash
flooding will be a bit lower compared to yesterday.

Although both coverage and intensity will be lower, the risk for
scattered showers and thunderstorms will persist across the entire
region overnight as the shortwave begins to turn southeastward in
the flow around an amplified northern stream trough digging into
the northeastern CONUS. Steering flow, however, will veer to the
west during this period, with cells traveling eastward and exiting
the eastern portion of the forecast area shortly after 12Z
Saturday. As temperatures slowly fall into the l-m 60s and winds
subside, conditions will become favorable for the development of
widespread and perhaps locally dense fog and low stratus clouds
early Saturday morning.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(Saturday through Sunday night)
Issued at 1048 AM CDT Fri May 29 2026

Beginning late tonight and continuing through Saturday night, a
reinforcing dome of Canadian high pressure will build southward
through eastern Ontario and into the Great Lakes as a northern
stream trough digs southeastward off the coast of New England.
This will force a lengthy low-level confluence axis southwestward
through the local forecast area tomorrow in the form of a backdoor
cold front. In spite of minor height rises and subsidence in the
wake of a weaker shortwave disturbance (that will cross the region
early tomorrow morning), showers and thunderstorms are likely to
develop along this feature by late morning and spread
southeastward with time under the influence of strengthening
northwest flow aloft. Due to an abundant coverage of low clouds
and fog early in the morning, CAPE values will likely be similar
to today. However, as mid-level winds begin to rise into the 25-30
knot range, a few more organized clusters may eventually develop,
increasing the risk for strong/SPS-caliber wind gusts.

Light northeast flow in the boundary layer is predicted to advect
a slightly drier airmass into much of the region beginning
Saturday evening, with any lingering convection expected to
dissipate within an hour or so of sunset. Overnight lows will be a
few degrees cooler as a result, with some locations in northeast
AL perhaps reaching the l60s early Sunday morning. Present
indications are that dry air will continue to be advected into the
region on Sunday, as minor cold air damming becomes established
in the lee of the Appalachians. With this in mind, chances for
afternoon convection will likely be limited to the western half of
the CWFA (where POPs remain in the 60-70% range at the current
time). With the dry airmass being reinforced across our eastern
zones Sunday night, temps may fall into the u50s early Monday
morning, with dry conditions expected after any afternoon
convection dissipates early in the evening.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Monday through Thursday)
Issued at 955 PM CDT Thu May 28 2026

A pattern change bringing drier conditions will arrive for the
start of the new work week. Through the long term, mid level
ridging will build over the Plains and slowly push east. This
coupled with surface high pressure building over the Great Lakes
region will suppress on high rain chances and bring in much drier
conditions. Rain chances will drop to below 30% each afternoon.
Likewise, the building high pressure will push our current muggy
dew points further south, replacing them with more comfortable dew
points in the high 50s to low 60s. Moderate temps also look to
remain through the long term thanks to high pressure to our north
with highs topping out in the low to mid 80s each day.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 556 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

Clusters of SHRA/TSRA may move through the region this evening,
promoting a TEMPO at both terminals due to localized MVFR
conditions. An AWW and/or amendment could be needed should a
storm impact either terminal. After Midnight, MVFR/IFR ceilings
from low stratus will develop, before clouds begin to break up by
late morning. Additional -SHRA may develop during the afternoon on
Saturday late in the period.

&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...None.
TN...None.
&&

NEAR TERM...70
SHORT TERM....70
LONG TERM....RAD
AVIATION...AMP.24

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 29, 2:14 PM CST, 4 hours 31 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
314 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

ALZ006-TNZ076-096-097-292100-
Madison AL-Franklin TN-Moore TN-Lincoln TN-
314 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN MADISON...MOORE...
LINCOLN AND WESTERN FRANKLIN COUNTIES THROUGH 400 PM CDT...

At 314 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Tims Ford Lake to near Hazel Green.
Movement was north at 15 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...
Fayetteville, Lynchburg, Hazel Green, Estill Springs, Huntland, Tims
Ford Lake, New Market, Lincoln, Howell, and Elora.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3539 8628 3538 8625 3537 8627 3534 8624
      3533 8620 3536 8616 3535 8608 3499 8626
      3499 8631 3495 8628 3493 8632 3490 8632
      3493 8668 3537 8660 3536 8649 3533 8646
      3532 8642 3535 8641 3536 8633 3541 8626
TIME...MOT...LOC 2014Z 197DEG 12KT 3527 8626 3498 8651

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

30
Special weather statement, May 29, 2:42 PM CST, 4 hours 3 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Huntsville AL
342 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

ALZ009-010-292115-
DeKalb AL-Jackson AL-
342 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN JACKSON AND CENTRAL
DEKALB COUNTIES THROUGH 415 PM CDT...

At 342 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Powell, or near Rainsville, moving northeast at 5 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...
Rainsville, Henagar, Sylvania, Fyffe, Powell, Section, Pisgah,
Dutton, and Pine Ridge.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3443 8579 3448 8602 3470 8595 3468 8574
TIME...MOT...LOC 2042Z 238DEG 6KT 3454 8594

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

30

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:42 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Morgan

When
May 29, 6:45 PM CST
Where
Morgan County, 1.96 mi SSW of Cole Spgs
Measured
39 kt (45 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$1,000
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
34.324, -86.843

A tree was reported down near 600 Holmes Drake road.

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, May 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: 1339935.