Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 20, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Mar 5, 1989, 5:15 PM CST for Cherokee County, Alabama. It was in force for 60 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Mar 5, 1989, 5:15 PM CST (23:15 UTC)
- Expired
- Mar 5, 1989, 6:15 PM CST
- In force
- 60 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Cherokee 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 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 205 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
- 771 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -19 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 581 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 43 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 266 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 304 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.0
- Supercell composite
- 5.8
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KBHM 052318
TORBHM
ALC019-060015-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
515 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 615 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN NORTH ALABAMA
...CHEROKEE
AT 514 PM CST A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CONTAINING A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS
MOVING INTO WESTERN CHEROKEE COUNTY. A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SIGHTED WITH
THIS STORM AS IT MOVED ACROSS NORTHEAST ETOWAH COUNTY AND IT COULD
TOUCH DOWN AT ANY TIME. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
IF YOU LIVE IN A HOME OR APARTMENT...SEEK SHELTER IN THE
INNERMOST PORTION OF THE BUILDING YON THE LOWEST FLOOR. GET TO
A BASEMENT IF ONE IS AVAILABLE. AVOID WINDOWS AND PROTECT YOUR
BODY FROM FLYING DEBRIS WITH CUSHIONS...BLANKETS...OR PILLOWS.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, Mar 5, 12:29 PM CST, 4 hours 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 1230 AM CST SUN MAR 5 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH 23 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST FOR CHILTON...DALLAS... AND WILCOX COUNTIES OF CENTRAL ALABAMA AND MOST OF WEST ALABAMA... AT 1225 PM MONTGOMERY WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER WEST AND NORTHWEST ALABAMA. MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WAS TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP AND MOVE INTO SOUTHWEST ALABAMA. A STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVED INTO WILCOX COUNTY DURING THE PAST HOUR. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS STRONG FOR CENTRAL ALABAMA. THEREFORE...PREPRATIONS FOR SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD CONTINUE. HILTO)N
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 2:45 PM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 243 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989 THE TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 23 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA... LAUDERADALE...COLBERT...FRANKLIN...MARION...LAMAR. THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES TO THE EAST OF THESE COUNTIES.
Local storm report, Mar 5, 3:30 PM CST, 1 hour 45 minutes before
STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 3 25 PM CST SUN MAR 05 1989 DALLAS COUNTY...PEA SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY SELMA STATE AT 2 45PM CST DALLAS COUNTY...3 25PM CST GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT MARION JUNCTION BY AMATUER RADIO PERSONNEL. DALLAS COUNTY SEVERAL WALL CLOUDS REPORTED AROUND DALLAS COUNTY WEST OF SELMA AROUND 2 45PM CST. REPORTS FROM AMATEUR RADIO. PETTIT
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 4:40 PM CST, 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 440 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH 24 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST FOR SOUTH ALABAMA... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NORTH OF MONTGOMERY TONIGHT... AT 440 PM CST MONTGOMERY'S WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN A LONG BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN SHOWERS THAT STRETCHED FROM GADSDEN ALABAMA TO BIRMINGHAM THEN SOUTH TO JUST WEST OF MONTGOMERY AND EVERGREEN ALABAMA. THE BAND IS ABOUT 35 MILES WIDE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR. THE BAND IS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN BUTLER COUNTY 15 MILES NORTH OF CHAPMAN AND IN WEST LOWNDES COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINS. IF YOU ARE NEAR ONE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS RMEMEMBER THAT METAL IS CONDUCTOR AND LIGHTNING IS VERY POWERFUL ELECTRICITY. SNELL
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 4:43 PM CST, 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT--WATCH TIME CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 440 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH 24 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST FOR SOUTH ALABAMA... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NORTH OF MONTGOMERY TONIGHT... AT 440 PM CST MONTGOMERY'S WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN A LONG BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN SHOWERS THAT STRETCHED FROM GADSDEN ALABAMA TO BIRMINGHAM THEN SOUTH TO JUST WEST OF MONTGOMERY AND EVERGREEN ALABAMA. THE BAND IS ABOUT 35 MILES WIDE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR. THE BAND IS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN BUTLER COUNTY 15 MILES NORTH OF CHAPMAN AND IN WEST LOWNDES COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINS. IF YOU ARE NEAR ONE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS REMEMBER THAT METAL IS A CONDUCTOR AND LIGHTNING IS VERY POWERFUL ELECTRICITY. SNELL
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 4:44 PM CST, 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT--WATCH TIME CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 440 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH 24 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CST FOR SOUTH ALABAMA... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH NORTH OF MONTGOMERY TONIGHT... AT 440 PM CST MONTGOMERY'S WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN A LONG BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN SHOWERS THAT STRETCHED FROM GADSDEN ALABAMA TO BIRMINGHAM THEN SOUTH TO JUST WEST OF MONTGOMERY AND EVERGREEN ALABAMA. THE BAND IS ABOUT 35 MILES WIDE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR. THE BAND IS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN BUTLER COUNTY 15 MILES NORTH OF CHAPMAN AND IN WEST LOWNDES COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPANIED BY STRONG WINDS HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINS. IF YOU ARE NEAR ONE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS REMEMBER THAT METAL IS A CONDUCTOR AND LIGHTNING IS VERY POWERFUL ELECTRICITY. SNELL
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5, 12:35 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Colbert, Franklin | 55 min |
| Mar 5, 12:52 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Colbert, Franklin | 68 min |
| Mar 5, 6:02 AM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Franklin, Lawrence | 58 min |
| Mar 5, 6:38 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 52 min |
| Mar 5, 9:14 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar | 61 min |
| Mar 5, 9:59 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 61 min |
| Mar 5, 10:47 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Winston | 58 min |
| Mar 5, 12:47 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 58 min |
| Mar 5, 1:27 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount | 63 min |
| Mar 5, 1:37 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chilton | 68 min |
| Mar 5, 1:55 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 65 min |
| Mar 5, 1:58 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 47 min |
| Mar 5, 2:05 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Walker | 55 min |
| Mar 5, 2:13 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Hale, Perry | 62 min |
| Mar 5, 2:33 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 57 min |
| Mar 5, 2:54 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Limestone, Madison, Morgan | 4 hr |
| Mar 5, 2:59 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb | 61 min |
| Mar 5, 3:18 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 57 min |
| Mar 5, 3:37 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Etowah, St. Clair | 68 min |
| Mar 5, 3:50 PM CST | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Shelby | 115 min |
| Mar 5, 4:43 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Talladega | 62 min |
| Mar 5, 5:04 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Clay, Talladega | 56 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes in 1989
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.