Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1988
Tornado Warning 34, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Nov 26, 1988, 7:09 PM CST for Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 51 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Nov 26, 1988, 7:09 PM CST (01:09 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 26, 1988, 8:00 PM CST
- In force
- 51 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Tuscaloosa County, AL
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
The nearest sounding before it
Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 00:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 53 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 395 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -11 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 789 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 71 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 437 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 526 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.1
- Supercell composite
- 5.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KBHM 270109
TORBHM
ALC125-270200-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
709 PM CST NOV 26 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 800 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN NORTH ALABAMA
...TUSCALOOSA
AT 707 PM CST...RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO JUST SOUTH OF THE
CITY OF TUSCALOOSA MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 50 MPH.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Nov 26, 1:13 PM CST, 5 hours 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 110 PM CST SAT NOV 26 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 500 PM CST THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON... AT 110 PM CST ONLY A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING OVER A PORTION OF WEST ALABAMA. HOWEVER HEAVIER SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED OVER EASTERN MISSISSIPPI. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE JUST A FEW MILES WEST OF COLBERT COUNTY IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF MISSISSIPPI EXTENDING SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF ALABAMA WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 60 MPH. DURING THE NEXT HOUR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE INTO THE NORTHWEST PORTION OF ALABAMA. IT WILL LATER THIS AFTERNOON WHEN ANOTHER SURGE OF THUNDERSTORMS SPREADS INTO WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA FROM MISSISSIPPI.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 1:52 PM CST, 5 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 150 PM CST SAT NOV 26 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 500 PM CST THIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON... THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN MISSISSIPPI WERE MOVING CLOSER TO ALABAMAS WESTERN COUNTIES. AT 150 PM CST...RAIN HAD SPREAD INTO NORTHWEST ALABAMA REACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST CORNER SOUTHWARD TO LAMAR COUNTY. WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE DEVELOPING OVER WEST AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA. STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE JUST WEST OF COLUMBUS MISSISSIPPI MOVING RAPIDLY TO THE NORTHEAST. EVEN STRONGER AND MORE NUMEROUS STORMS WERE FURTHER WEST EXTENDING INTO LOUISIANA AND EASTERN ARKANSAS. M THE TORNADO WATCH CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWEST ALABAMA WILL LIKELY BE EXTENDED AND EXPANDED TO COVER OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 2:39 PM CST, 4 hours 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 235 PM CST SAT NOV 26 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 500 PM CST... THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW SEVERE...WERE IN EASTERN MISSISSIPPI MOVING TOWARD NORTHWEST ALABAMA. AT 235 PM ONLY LIGHT RAIN WITH SOME HEAVY RAIN SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING OVER WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST ALABAMA. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS LOCATED NEAR HAMILTON IN MARION COUNTY AND TO THE NORTH OF DEMOPOLIS. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE AFFECTING SOME OF THE WESTERN COUNTIES BY 330 PM. PERSONS IN NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEIR LOCAL TV...RADIO...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO THINK OF A PLACE OF SHELTER BEFORE THE WEATHER BECOMES THREATENING.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 3:17 PM CST, 3 hours 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 315 PM CST SAT NOV 26 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 500 PM CST... THE THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW SEVERE...THAT WERE IN EASTERN MISSISSIPPI HAVE WEAKENED SOME AS THEY MOVED INTO WESTERN ALABAMA. AT 315 PM THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AND WIND GUSTS AROUND 40 MPH WERE LOCATED NEAR HAMILTON IN MARION COUNTY AND NEAR COLUMBUS MISSISSIPPI MOVING INTO LAMAR COUNTY. PERSONS IN NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA...PARTICULARLY IN THE WEST CENTRAL COUNTIES...SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEIR LOCAL TV...RADIO...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO THINK OF A PLACE OF SHELTER BEFORE THE WEATHER BECOMES THREATENING. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
Special weather statement, Nov 26, 4:14 PM CST, 2 hours 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 410 PM CST SAT NOV 26 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 500 PM CST... THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW VERY STRONG...WERE MOVING INTO WESTERN ALABAMA. AT 410 PM THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS MARION...LAMAR AND FAYETTE COUNTIES. FREQUENT LIGHTNING....BLINDING RAIN HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS APPROACHING 50 MPH. OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO PICKENS AND TUSCALOOSA COUNTIES SHORTLY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 45 MPH. DUE TO THE FAST MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS...PERSONS IN NORTH AND5 CENTRAL ALABAMA...PARTICULARLY IN THE WEST CENTRAL COUNTIES...SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEIR LOCAL TV...RADIO...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION. YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING.
Local storm report, Nov 26, 6:02 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
600 PM CST SAT NOV 26 1988
...555 PM CST...MANCHESTER IN WALKER COUNTY. BARN BLOWN AWAY. TREES
AND POWER LINES DOWN. REPORT FROM JASPER POLICE DEPT./
]The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 26, 6:11 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cullman, Walker | 64 min |
| Nov 26, 6:32 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Morgan | 28 min |
| Nov 26, 10:02 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Shelby | 43 min |
| Nov 27, 12:11 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 34 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 1988Every tornado warning in 1988Tornadoes in 1988
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.