National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

Tropical Storm Fay - August 24th & 25th, 2008

Event Summary for Central Alabama

Tropical Storm Fay formed Friday afternoon, August 15th, over the Dominican Republic. The storm moved rather slowly west northwest and dumped very heavy rain on the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Numerous fatalities occurred as a result of flash flooding. Fay then turned northward and crossed the western part of Cuba early on Monday, August 18th.

Fay then made four distinct landfalls along the Florida Peninsula from August 19th through August 23rd. As Fay meandered slowly northward, rainfall amounts added up quickly. Measurements of 10 to 20 inches were common with isolated totals as high as 25 to 30 inches. Damaging wind gusts and tornadoes also affected the peninsula during this time.

Fay became a Tropical Depression as it entered far southwestern Alabama early Sunday morning, August 24th. A few damaging wind gusts and very heavy rain fell across parts of Alabama and Georgia from Friday, August 22nd through Tuesday, August 26th. Rain amounts of 5 to 10 inches were common with isolated locations just over 10 inches.

Fay finally exited northeastward and into the Appalachians early Wednesday, August 27th. Fay then dissipated Thursday, August 28th over eastern Kentucky.

The five day rainfall amounts reported from Friday, August 22, 2008 at 7 am through Wednesday, August 27, 2008 at 7 am can be found at the link below. The rain fell in association with Fay`s remnants. A majority of the heavy rain fell on two days, Saturday, August 23rd and on Monday, August 25th. These reports are sorted by county. These reports are unofficial and have not been quality controlled. The rainfall table can be found...HERE.

Central Alabama had been experiencing a drought over the past few years. Area river and stream levels were running at 10 to 20 percent of normal before the tropical rainfall occurred. Although rain amounts were quite significant for Central Alabama, flash flooding was very limited and mainstem river flooding was not a large problem. The Catoma Creek in Montgomery just topped flood stage and produced only minor flooding. Several other locations topped caution stages, but no flooding was observed. Localized heavy rainfall, with rain rates as high as 5 inches an hour, was observed in several spots. The heavy rain produced quite a bit of nuisance flooding areawide. Some flash flooding occurred near Troy (Pike County), near Eufaula (Barbour County), near Alabaster (Shelby County), near Talladega (Talladega County), near Springville (St. Clair), and near Bessemer and near Pinson (Jefferson County).

Preliminary data suggests the following 11 tornadoes occurred in association with Fay`s remnants across Central Alabama...with more locations that need further evaluation. The vast majority of the tornadoes were produced in banding features on Monday, August 25th. The tornado producing thunderstorms exhibited little if any lighting at all. Many of the tornado occurrences were observed by several witnesses and captured on video and film. The times listed are approximated;

Weather Episode Data

Surface Analysis August 25th 6 am CDT 500 mb Chart August 25th 6 am CDT Surface Analysis August 26th 6 am CDT 500 mb Chart August 25th 6 am CDT Day 1 Severe Weather Outlook Issued August 24th Day 1 Probabilistic Outlook Issued August 24th Day 1 Severe Weather Outlook Issued August 25th Day 1 Probabilistic Outlook Issued August 25th Track of Fay Storm Total Rainfall Estimate Satellite Imagery of Fay Over Florida Satellite Loop of Fay over Florida