What should you know about Birmingham's weather?
- NWS office
- Birmingham (BMX)
- Climate
- Humid subtropical
- Time zone
- CST/CDT
- Elevation
- 610 ft
- Coordinates
- 33.52° N, 86.80° W
- Nearest radar
- KBMX · Birmingham NEXRAD · 24 mi
- County
- Jefferson County, AL
- Yearly rain
- 56.6 in
- Warmest month
- July · 81.5°F average
- Coldest month
- January · 44.7°F average
- Severe storm peak
- Apr to Jun
How much rain does Birmingham get each month?
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 54.5 | 59.1 | 67.1 | 75.0 | 82.0 | 88.1 | 91.0 | 90.6 | 85.9 | 76.0 | 65.0 | 56.9 |
| Low °F | 34.9 | 38.4 | 45.0 | 52.1 | 61.0 | 68.5 | 72.1 | 71.3 | 65.3 | 53.9 | 43.0 | 37.9 |
| Rain (in) | 5.03 | 4.95 | 5.66 | 5.08 | 4.91 | 4.78 | 5.42 | 4.35 | 4.00 | 3.34 | 4.23 | 4.87 |
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Rain (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54.5 | 34.9 | 5.03 |
| Feb | 59.1 | 38.4 | 4.95 |
| Mar | 67.1 | 45.0 | 5.66 |
| Apr | 75.0 | 52.1 | 5.08 |
| May | 82.0 | 61.0 | 4.91 |
| Jun | 88.1 | 68.5 | 4.78 |
| Jul | 91.0 | 72.1 | 5.42 |
| Aug | 90.6 | 71.3 | 4.35 |
| Sep | 85.9 | 65.3 | 4.00 |
| Oct | 76.0 | 53.9 | 3.34 |
| Nov | 65.0 | 43.0 | 4.23 |
| Dec | 56.9 | 37.9 | 4.87 |
BIRMINGHAM AP, AL US · 5 mi away · NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020
Why check the Birmingham weather radar before bed in winter?
Because damaging tornadoes can strike here in the middle of a winter night. On January 23, 2012, an EF-3 tornado with peak winds of 150 mph touched down at 3:58 a.m. and tracked 15.69 miles through Center Point. The National Weather Service lists 75 injuries and 1 death for that tornado. Radar can show the storm coming, but it cannot wake you, so turn on phone alerts or a NOAA Weather Radio before bed.
What was the 1998 Oak Grove tornado?
It was an F5 tornado that tore across west Jefferson County on the evening of April 8, 1998. The track ran 30.6 miles through Oak Grove, Concord, Pleasant Grove, Edgewater and McDonald's Chapel before ending in Pratt City. NWS Birmingham put the death toll at 32, with more than 250 injuries and more than 1,000 homes destroyed. The office noted that two or three more miles on the ground would have brought it to the high rises of downtown.
How did the April 27, 2011 outbreak hit the Birmingham area?
The worst of it came from the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF-4, which reached the western suburbs late that afternoon with peak winds of 190 mph. Survey teams found EF-4 damage near Concord and in Pleasant Grove, where slabs were wiped clean. The tornado was losing strength by the time it reached Interstate 65 near Fultondale, and it lifted about 2 miles north of Tarrant. Across the state, 62 tornadoes touched down that day.
What made the January 2014 snow and ice storm so bad in Birmingham?
Warm roads turned the first snow into ice. Freezing rain and snow fell across central Alabama on January 28, 2014. The first layer melted on contact, then refroze as a sheet of ice on roads in 20 degree air. Snow and sleet also reached the ground several hours earlier than expected, and people were stranded in traffic for many hours. Alabama State Troopers responded to 731 crashes statewide from January 28 to 31, and nine deaths were tied to the icy roads.
Where does flash flooding hit around Birmingham?
Along small, fast-rising urban creeks such as Village Creek, Fivemile Creek and Patton Creek. On July 24, 2017, nearly stationary storms dropped 2 to 3 inches of rain in an hour near Tarrant and the airport, and flooding hit Highway 79 in downtown Tarrant as Fivemile Creek and Village Creek left their banks. Two days later, Patton Creek overflowed in Vestavia Hills and flooded the area along Highway 31 after radar estimated upwards of 2 inches of rain in one hour. Birmingham averages 56.6 inches of precipitation a year, and March is the wettest month at 5.66 inches.
When should you check the Birmingham radar?
Severe storm peak
April to JuneMore than half of the county's 1996 to 2025 severe reports fall in these months. When a line is coming, commuters on Highway 280 and I-459 check the loop before heading home.
Hurricane season
June 1 to November 30Gulf storms can still spin up tornadoes this far inland. The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy produced an EF-1 tornado near Fairfield in June 2017, so watch for small, fast cells inside tropical rain bands.
What else do people ask about the Birmingham radar?
Which NWS office and radar cover Birmingham?
NWS Birmingham (BMX) issues forecasts and warnings for Birmingham. The nearest NEXRAD radar is KBMX, about 24 miles from the city center.
How often does the radar on this page update?
The radar loop on this page updates every 5 minutes.
Is this page an official warning service?
No. It shows radar and forecasts only. For warnings, follow NWS Birmingham and local emergency alerts.
Quick facts
- Radar: KBMX (Birmingham NEXRAD), a new frame every 5 minutes
- Forecasts and warnings: NWS Birmingham (BMX)
- Severe storms peak from April to June (NOAA Storm Events, 1996 to 2025)
- Local time: CST/CDT
- Radar: KBMX, a new frame every 5 minutes
- Warnings: NWS Birmingham (BMX)
- Severe storms: April to June
- Local time: CST/CDT
Where does this data come from?
- NOAA NEXRAD radar via Iowa Environmental Mesonet
- National Weather Service, Birmingham office
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020: BIRMINGHAM AP, AL US
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1996 to 2025
- USGS Elevation Point Query Service
- GOES-East satellite imagery
- Open-Meteo forecast API
- OpenStreetMap contributors
- NWS Birmingham: Tornadoes on January 23, 2012
- NWS Birmingham: April 8, 1998 tornado
- NWS Birmingham: Historic outbreak of April 27, 2011
- NWS Birmingham: Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF-4 tornado
- NWS Birmingham: Snow and ice of January 28, 2014
- NWS Birmingham: Localized flooding of July 24, 2017
- NWS Birmingham: Localized flooding of July 26, 2017
- National Hurricane Center: Tropical cyclone climatology