The Alabama Weather Year in Review

Photo by Brady Whitesel taken on April 11th

I usually write a review of the top U.S. and Alabama weather events for each year. But my heart just hasn’t been in it since April 27th. There were a few interesting events during the year, including a couple of significant snow events that came on the heels of our White Christmas, and the fourth wettest day in Birmingham history. But there were six significant severe weather events prior to April 27th, and two more late in the year. Of course, nothing can compare to the events of April 27th, but here is my list:

10th: A two day heavy rainfall event March 5-6 impacted Central Alabama with widespread 2-3 inch rainfall amounts. This event would be followed by another heavy rainfall event on the 8th and 9th. Parts of West central Alabama would receive at least ten inches of rain in the month of March, and parts of southern Greene and Perry Counties would see over 15 inches in the month. A large area of North Alabama received at least ten inches of rain in the month. 5-10 inches of rain fell across much of Central Alabama. Severe weather was also reported on the morning of 9th. Most of the reports were from damaging winds.

9th: Alabama was visited by a significant winter storm that brought heavy snow to the northern third of Alabama on January 9th. One to two inches of snow fell in a band from Lamar and Pickens eastward through Jefferson/St. Clair and into eastern Alabama. Thundersnow was reported in Huntsville, and heavy convective snow fell at the rate of five inches in just one hour! Some thundersnow was reported in Birmingham as well. It was a nervous time for thousands of Auburn fans, who were scheduled to fly out of Birmingham on the morning of January 10th for the BCS National Championship game in Phoenix. There were significant delays and flight cancellations at the Shuttlesworth Birmingham International Airport that morning, but most fans made it to the game, which Auburn won to bring home the state’s second straight national championship!

#8: Low pressure moving along the Gulf Coast dragged moisture northward from the Gulf of Mexico and cold air southward into Alabama, resulting in a significant snowstorm for parts of the state on February 9th. Snowfall amounts ranged from 4 inches in West Central Alabama in Lamar County to 2-4 inches from Birmingham to Tuscaloosa to 1-2 inches from Chilton over to Chambers County. A trace fell as far south as Montgomery County. The storm had produced some monster snow amounts in Arkansas on February 9th, including 20 inches at Jasper AR. 5.9 inches fell at the Little Rock Airport.

#7: A rotating thunderstorm caused some scary moments and controversy as it moved southeastward out of Walker County and into Jefferson County on Saturday night, March 26th. An erroneous report by a passenger in a storm chaser’s vehicle of a large wedge tornado northwest of Birmingham nearly triggered a tornado emergency for the city. Damage was reported near Jasper, but there was apparently no tornado. The situation highlights how difficult that it can be spotting severe weather in the trees and hills of the Southeast. An afternoon tornado did touch down near Montevallo during the afternoon, producing EF1 damage. Hail producing thunderstorms did continue into the 27th and the 28th as well.

#6: For the second straight Monday, a line of thunderstorms produced numerous reports of damaging winds across Central Alabama on April 11th. There was one brief tornado that produced EF1 damage in southern Jefferson County. James Spann was vocal after the event, saying that trying to catch brief spin up tornadoes with tornado warnings made no sense when the entire long, slow moving line of storms was capable of producing significant wind damage. James believes that brief spin up tornadoes within squall lines should be handled with severe thunderstorm warnings since the issuance of tornado warnings triggers wall to wall television coverage at ABC 33/40. James believes that wall to wall coverage is a privilege granted by station management and that it should not be used in marginal events since it exacerbates a cry wolf syndrome. The incident was highlighted since it occurred during the season finale of Dancing With the Stars., a very popular ABC program. The difference in warning philosophy has led to a spirited discussion about whether there are too many tornado warnings. The debate continues, but he important lesson is that everyone needs to be weather aware, have a personal weather safety plan and have redundant sources of severe weather information.

#5: Hackleburg in Marion County was visited by a late evening EF0 tornado on February 24th. With top winds of 80 mph, the tornado was on the ground for ½ mile as it passed just northwest of the town. Of course, much of the town of Hackleburg would be destroyed by an EF5 tornado on April 27th.

#4: Hackleburg was ground zero in 2011. Hacklebuurg endured the brunt of the terrible severe weather season in Alabama as much or more than any other community. Just one week before the big 27th outbreak, on April 20th, a bow echo struck the Northwest Alabama town around 4:30 in the morning with winds of 80-90 mph, causing extensive straight line wind damage. A second bow echo would develop later the same day, causing more damage on the evening of the 20th across Northwest Alabama.

#3: The remnants of Tropical Storm Lee began moving slowly across Alabama. It would bring nearly three days of heavy rain, strong winds and even two tornadoes to the state. As much as 8-10 inches of rain fell in a band just northwest of the I-59 corridor. 8.30 inches of rain fell at the Birmingham Airport during the three-day period from September 4th-6th, including 7.11 inches on September 5th. September 5th stands as the fourth wettest calendar day in the city’s history. Numerous high water rescues had to be performed.

#2: On April 15th, at least forty tornadoes touched down across Alabama in the second day of a massive three day outbreak of 177 tornadoes . On Tax Day, April 15th, 73 tornadoes occurred across Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, killing ten people. Four EF3 tornadoes occurred in Alabama. The town of Geiger in Sumter County was nearly destroyed. Four people died in a late evening tornado at Bone’s Chapel in Autauga County. One other person died in Marengo County. There were some scary moments in the afternoon as an EF3 tornado touched down in the southern part of the city near Skyland Blvd and AL-69.

#1: What can be said about April 27th that hasn’t already been said. By April 26th, Alabama was saying not again. But even though the event was predicted days in advance, we had no idea what mother nature had in mind for Wednesday, April 27th. There were two waves of severe weather on this disastrous day. The first came during the early morning hours, when a line of thunderstorms moves into Alabama from Mississippi during the pre-dawn hours, causing widespread wind damage and 4 EF2 and 3 EF3 tornadoes. A total of 28 tornadoes occurred across North and Central Alabama during the morning hours. Additional tornadoes would fire around lunchtime along a warm front over the Tennessee Valley, even before the main event got started around 2 p.m. with an EF4 tornado in Jackson County. Shortly after that, a thunderstorm moving from Walker County into Cullman County quickly started producing a tornado that would strike the city of Cullman. The whole thing was captured on the ABC 33/40 Skycam in real time. Within a short time there were multiple tornadic supercells across eastern Mississippi and North and Central Alabama. One look at the radar and you knew that people were dying. Shortly after 5 p.m., a disastrous tornado appeared on the Tuscaloosa Skycam and we all hatched in horror as the violent tornado moved directly across the city. Then Alabama’s largest city was next in its sights. The destruction was horrible in places like Pleasant Grove, Concord and Pratt City. The tornadoes would keep coming throughout the late afternoon and evening hours. When we woke up the next morning, the shocking death toll in Alabama was 123. We had no idea it would double over the next couple of days as bodies were recovered. When it was all said and done, it rivaled the worst outbreak in Alabama history and worst in our nation’s history.

Here’s hoping that 2012 will be a calmer weather year in Alabama.

Category: Alabama's Weather, Met 101/Weather History