Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 64, NWS Mobile, AL

December 15, 1987Dallas County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Dec 15, 1987, 3:12 AM CST for Dallas County, Alabama. It was in force for 48 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
Dec 15, 1987, 3:12 AM CST (09:12 UTC)
Expired
Dec 15, 1987, 4:00 AM CST
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Dallas 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
Dec 15, 3:25 AM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Dallas, 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 00:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 64 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 00:00Z on 1987-12-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 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 00:00Z on 1987-12-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
618 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
348 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMGM 150912
SVRMGM
ALC047-151000-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
312 AM CST TUE DEC 15 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  400 AM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
          ...DALLAS
 
AT 310 AM CST MONTGOMERY RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM IN DALLAS COUNTY 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF SELMA.
THIS THUNDERSTORM SHOULD MOVE NORTH OF SELMA IN THE NORTHEAST
PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DON'T USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERG.ENCY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

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, Dec 15, 12:38 AM CST, 2 hours 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1240 AM CST TUE DEC 15 1987

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND
FORREST...LAMAR AND PERRY COUNTIES OF MISSISSIPPI...

AT 1230 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADARS INDICATED SEVERAL LINES OF
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN A LINE FROM JUST NORTH OF
LAUREL SOUTHWEST TO 10 MILES WEST OF HATTIESBURG TO 5 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF PICAYUNE IN MISSISSIPPI EXTENDING SOUTHWEST INTO LOUISIANA.  THE
LINE WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 15 MPH WHILE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MOVING NORTHWARD UP TO LINE AT 50 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF LAMAR...FORREST AND PE	RRY COUNTIES OF MISSISSIPPI SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT AS THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHES.  SEVERE WEATHER
WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED AT ANY TIME.
Special weather statement, Dec 15, 12:41 AM CST, 2 hours 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
1235 AM CST TUE DEC 15 1987

A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MOST OF ALABAMA UNTIL 6AM THIS
MORNING. ALTHOUGH NO NORTHWEST FLORIDA COUNTIES HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN
THE WATCH AREA...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH NORTHWEST FLORIDA FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. THE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD POSSIBLY BE SEVERE. PERSONS SHOULD KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST
WEATHER REPORTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE PROTECTIVE ACTION IF
THREATENING WEATHER DEVELOPES.

AT 1230 AM CST...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS WERE
IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...FROM MOBILE NORTHWARD...AND IN NEIGHBORING
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI. MOVEMENTS WERE NORTHEAST AT 50 TO 60 MILES AN
HOUR.
Local storm report, Dec 15, 1:23 AM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
120 AM CST TUE DEC 15 1987

THE MISSISSIPPI HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED WIND DAMAGE TO POWER
LINES NEAR PURVIS IN LAMAR COUNTY MISSISSIPPI CDURING THE PAST
FEW MINTUES.
Special weather statement, Dec 15, 1:39 AM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
140 AM CST TUE DEC 15 1987

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL
600 AM...TORNADO WATCH NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR ANY SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI COUNTY...

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR FORREST AND PEARL-RIVER
COUNTIES IN MISSISSIPPI HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

AT 135 AM THE MOBILE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
OVER SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI FROM NEAR RICHTON ACROSS WIGGINS SOUTH TO
THE COAST AT BAY ST LOUIS SOUTHWARD ACROSS THIS MISSISSIPPI DELTA.
THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS
WERE RACING NORTHWARD AT 60 MPH.

DUE TO THE RAPID MOVEMENT OF THESES THUNDERSTORMS...WARNINGS FOR SPECIFIC
COUNTIES ARE DIFFICULT.  RESIDENTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE APPROACH
OF SEVERE WEATHER AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Dec 15, 2:29 AM CST, 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
230 AM CST TUE DEC 15 1987

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 566 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA UNTIL 600 AM...

AT 225 AM...THE MOBILE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG A COLD FRONT FROM WESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY ALABAMA SOUTHWARD
TO NEAR LUCEDALE IN GEORGE COUNTY TO OCEAN SPRINGS AT THE COAST THEN
SOUTH INTO THE GULF FOR MORE THAN 50 MILES.  THE LINE WAS MOVING TOWARD
THE EAST AT 30 MPH WHILE THUNDERTORMS WERE MOVING UP THE LINE AT 60 MPH.

SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED DURING THE PAST HALF HOUR
OVER MOBILE COUNTY AND RADAR INDICATES THEY ARE MOVING NORTHWARD AT
60 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY
OF SEVERE WEATHER UNTIL THE WIND SHIFTS TO THE WEST AND THE TEMPERTURE
BEGINS TO FALL.
Special weather statement, Dec 15, 2:38 AM CST, 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
235 AM CST TUE DEC 15 1987

THE TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALABAMA UNTIL 6AM CST THIS
MORNING.

AT 230 AM CST...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSHOWERS...SOME
PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL...WERE OCASSIONALLY IN LINES AND CLUSTERS OVER
THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA. THE HEAVIEST
THUNDERSHOWEWRS WERE PRESENTLY INDICATED IN ALABAMA FROM MOBILE BAY
NORTHWARD ABOUT 50 MILES. MOVEMENTS WERE NORTHEAST ABOUT 55 MILES AN
HOUR.

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA AND TOWARD THE ALABAMA COASTAL WATERS. NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS
WERE OCCURRING ALONG THE LINE AS IT MOVED EASTWARD AROUND 35 MILES
AN HOUR.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 15, 3:39 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBAutauga51 min
Dec 15, 3:54 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBElmore66 min
Dec 15, 4:14 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBullock61 min
Dec 15, 5:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBullock, Pike45 min
Dec 15, 5:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCoffee45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

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.