ATHENS — Thunderstorms packing intense cloud-to-ground lightning, high winds and torrential rain rocked already storm-ravaged Limestone County late Wednesday night causing widespread damage.

The roofs of at least three businesses in the county were damaged. A portion of the roof was destroyed at U.G. White Hardware on Jefferson Street in downtown Athens, which has been in business for 94 years. The portion of the damaged roof also covered the neighboring restaurant LuVici’s. Owner Jerry Sandlin said it might be weeks before the eatery’s roof is repaired.

Also, a 150-foot portion of the roof at Salem Auto Parts in West Limestone was torn from the building.

The storms scattered debris across U.S. 72 and other roadways and the downpour left standing water in areas throughout the county.  A tree fell on historic Alabama Fork Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Alabama 127, causing extensive damage.

According to the Limestone County Emergency Management Agency, utility poles and trees were down throughout the county Thursday as utility and emergency crews worked to clear roads and restore power to more than 25,000 customers.

In Colbert County, 43-year-old Brenda Jo Michael was killed when a tree fell onto the bedroom of her Locust Lane home in Tuscumbia.

Chris Darden, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Huntsville, surveyed a large portion of the storm area Thursday and said the damage paths mostly occurred north to south or northwest to southeast. There was no indication of tornadic activity, according to Darden. Straight line winds with clusters of storms moved in snapping power poles and damaging trees and roofs, he said.

Lightning was blamed for at least two fires in the county. Athens Fire and Rescue officials said that lightning most likely caused the fire that destroyed Athens Church of God on Quinn Road. Another fire at a house on Mahalo Circle is also being blamed on lightning.  

“It was an impressive amount of lightning,” said Brian Carcione, science operations officer with the NWS. He estimated 15,000 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes throughout a four-hour span in an area extending from Muscle Shoals to Guntersville.

“A very electrical and very active series of storms affected the area overnight,” he said.

The storm was intense partly because it has been so warm and humid, according to Carcione. Thermometers at three airports in the area —Huntsville, Decatur and Muscle Shoals — hit triple digits Wednesday.

“It has been so moist the last four months that it didn’t take much,” Carcione said. “When laden with moisture, say if it rains for more than half an hour, you get a dangerous flash flood situation.”

Carcione said rain amounts were reported at an inch to an inch-and-a-half in the Capshaw area. However, Doppler Radar showed as much as 3 to 5 inches of rain in a band extending from Lester to Decatur, he said.

Forecasters said the storms would likely be the most active of the week, but more showers and thunderstorms are possible and would most likely occur in daylight to afternoon hours. They did not rule out storms developing again overnight.  Heat index readings remain between 105 to 110 degrees.