Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 50, NWS Mobile, AL

July 23, 1986Montgomery County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 23, 1986, 6:40 PM CDT for Montgomery County, Alabama. It was in force for 65 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 23, 1986, 6:40 PM CDT (23:40 UTC)
Expired
Jul 23, 1986, 7:45 PM CDT
In force
65 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Montgomery County, AL

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 23, 7:05 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 0Montgomery, AL

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 120 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1986-07-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1016 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1986-07-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 0 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1016 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-35 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1170 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
0 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
0 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
0 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAAOO KMGM 232340
SVRMGM
ALC101-240045-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
640 PM CDT WED JUL 23 1986
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  745 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES:
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
          ..MONTGOMERY

AT 6 40PM CDT WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM OVER EAST MONTGOMRY MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHWEST AT 10
MPH.
AT 6 30 PM CDT SEVERE LIGHTNING AND PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN
EAST MONTGOMERY.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 23, 2:42 PM CDT, 3 hours 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
235 PM CDT MON JUL 21 1986

AT 230 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHERN WALTON..
WASHINGTON AND NORTHERN BAY COUNTIES OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAIN..FREQUENT LIGHT-
NING STRIKES AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE SOUTHWEST
AROUND 10 MPH. MARINE INTEREST IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF WALTON AND BAY
COUNTY SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO
SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR WEATHER INFORMATION STATION OTHER STATEMENTS
AND OR WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED.

ELSEWHERE WIDESPREAD RAhIN AND THUNERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHEAST ALABAMA
AND THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE. SCATTERED THUNDERSHOWERS WERE OVER
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA.
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 2:50 PM CDT, 3 hours 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY(CORRECTION DATE/TIME)
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
235 PM CDT WED JUL 23 1986

AT 230 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHERN WALTON..
WASHINGTON AND NORTHERN BAY COUNTIES OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAIN..FREQUENT LIGHT-
NING STRIKES AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE SOUTHWEST
AROUND 10 MPH. MARINE INTEREST IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF WALTON AND BAY
COUNTY SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO
SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR WEATHER INFORMATION STATION OTHER STATEMENTS
AND OR WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED.}

ELSEWHERE WIDESPREAD RAIN AND THUNERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHEAST ALABAMA
AND THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE. SCATTERED THUNDERSHOWERS WERE OVER
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA.
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 3:40 PM CDT, 3 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
335 PM CDT WED JUL 23 1986

AT 330 PM CDT...A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS OVER THE SOUTHERN
2/3 OF WALTON AND SOUTHERN 1/2 OF OKALOOSA COUNTIES FLORIDA.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAIN..FREQUENT LIGHT-
NING STRIKES AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE WEST-SOUTHWEST
AROUND 12 MPH. MARINE INTEREST AND RECREATIONIST ALONG THE BEACHES OF
WALTON AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES SHOULD BE ALERT TO THE APPROACH OF THESE
STORMS AND SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR WEATHER INFORMATION STATION. OTHER STATEMENTS
AND/OR WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED.

ELSEWHERE WIDESPREAD RAIN AND THUNERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHEAST ALABAMA
AND THE EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE. SCATTERED THUNDERSHOWERS WERE OVER
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 4:40 PM CDT, 2 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
440 PM CDT WED JUL 23 1986

...VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS POUND WESTERN MOBILE...

AT 435 PM CDT THE MOBILE RADAR SHOWED VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS COVERING
MUCH OF CENTRAL MOBILE COUNTY FROM JUST WEST OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA TO NEAR
WILMER.  THESE STORMS PRODUCED WIND GUSTS TO 41 MPH SHORTLY BEFORE 4 PM
CDT AT THE MOBILE AIRPORT AND DUMPED 2.55 INCHES OF RAIN ON THE AIRPORT
IN LESS THAN ONE HOUR BETWEEN 330 AND 430 PM.  THE STORMS WERE ACCOMPANIED
BY NEARLY CONINUOUS LIGHTNING.

OTHER VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI
AND SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE HEAVIEST OF THESE WERE LOCATED...5 MILES
EAST OF PICAYUNE MISSISSIPPI...15 MILES NORTH OF GULFPORT...AND 30 MILES EAST
OF BREWTON ALABAMA.

ALL OF THE STORMS ARE DRIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST AROUND 10 MPH. THE HEAVIEST
STORMS WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING, STRONG WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 4:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
435 PM CDT WED JUL 23 1986

A CLUSTER OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WAS OVER OKALOOSA AND WESTERN WALTON
COUNTIES IN THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE. WIDESPREAD LIGHT RAIN WAS
THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE FROM EASTERN SANTA ROSA COUNTY TO THE
APALACHICOLA RIVER. THE RIN EXTENDED INTO SOUTHEAST ALABAMA AND INTO
THE GULF SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF PANAMA CITY FOR 50 MILES.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS, BRIEFLY HEAVY RAINFALL,
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES AS THEY AND THE ACCOMPANYING LIGHT RAIN
MOVE TO THE WEST AT 10 MPH.

ELSEWHERE, SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER COASTAL MISSISSIPPI AND
OVER THE MOBILE AREA OF ALABAMA.
Special weather statement, Jul 23, 5:37 PM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
535 PM CDT WED JUL 23 1986

SCATTERED HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA
SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE BETWEEN MILTON AND
CRESTVIEW TO THE FORT WALTON BEACH AREA. WIDESPREAD LIGHT RAIN WAS OVER
SOUTH ALABAMA AND EXTENDED SOUTHWARD ACROSS MOST OF THE WESTERN FLORIDA
PANHANDLE (EXCEPT PENSACOLA...) INTO THE GULF FOR 50 TO 75 MILES.

THESE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS, FREQUENT
LIGHTNING STRIKES, AND BRIEFLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN AS THEY DRIFT
SOUTH THE SOUTHWEST.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER COASTAL MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA.
P

The office that day

Everything else NWS Mobile, AL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 23, 2:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBDale, Houston60 min
Jul 23, 3:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBPike50 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1986Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.