Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 29, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 4, 1989, 11:35 AM CDT for DeKalb County, Alabama. It was in force for 55 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
- Apr 4, 1989, 11:35 AM CDT (16:35 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 4, 1989, 12:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 55 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County DeKalb 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 11:45 AM CDT | Hail 1 | Dekalb, 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
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 4.6 hours before the alert went out and 199 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 645 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 67 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 146 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 146 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KHSV 041634
TORHSV
ALC049-041730-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1135 AM CDT TUE APR 4 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1230 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN NORTH ALABAMA
...DEKALB
AT 1130 AM CDT... RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WITH A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN EXTREME EASTERN MARSHALL COUNTY NEAR THE
TOWNS OF BOAZ AND HUSTLEVILLE. THE STORM HAS BEEN MOVING
EAST-NORTHEAST AT 45 TO 50 MPH.
THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE MIDDLE TO SOUTHERN PART OF
DEKALB COUNTY... THROUGH GERALDINE AND CROSSVILLE AND FORT PAYNE.
THIS THUNDERSTORM HAS ALREADY DROPPED 3/4 INCH HAIL AND SHOWS
STRONG TORNADO INDICATIONS.
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, Apr 4, 7:01 AM CDT, 4 hours 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 700 AM CST TUE APR 04 1989 THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11AM CDT. WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR ANNISTON TO SOUTHERN SHELBY COUNTY AND ON WESTWARD TO NEAR CENTREVILLE. THE LINE WAS MOVING SLOWLY TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST. STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEAR ANNISTON AND FROM CEkNTREVILLE TO SOUTHEAST SHELBY COUNTY. THESE STORMS WILL BE ENTERING COOSA AND CHILTON COUNTIES WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS HIGH. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT. PETTIT
Local storm report, Apr 4, 7:19 AM CDT, 4 hours 16 minutes before
STORM REPORTS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 715 AM CDT TUE APR 4 1989 ...TREES WERE UPROOTED ON HIGHWAY 13 I FOUR MILES NORTH OF ELDRIDGE IN EXTREME NORTHWEST WALKER COUNTY. THIS NORTHWEST ALABAMA DAMAGE PROBABLY OCCURRED ABOUT 330 AM CDT. ...LATER INFORMATION FROM THE MARION COUNTY EMA OFFICE... INDICATES THAT DAMAGE OCCURED ALL THE WAY ACROSS MARION COUNTY..FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST EARLY THIS MORNING. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS IN A ONE-HALF MILE WIDE SWATH. EARLY REPORTS INDICATE THAT AT LEAST 10 HOMES WERE DAMAGED BY FALLING TREES...CRUSHING THE ROOFS. AUTOMOBILES WERE ALSO DAMAGED...INCLUDING A STATE TROOPER CRUISER. ON THE WEST SIDE OF HALEYVILLE...WHICH IS ACTUALLY IN THE EDGE OF MARION COUNTY...TWO MOBILE HOMES WERE DESTROYED AT THE GREEN ACRES MOBILE HOME PARK. ANOTHER MOBILE HOME WAS DAMAGED ON WEST 14TH STREET IN HALEYVILLE. STILL ANOTHER MOBILE HOME WAS OVERTURNED AND CARRIED 20-30 FEET ON COUNTY ROAD 253 IN MARION COUNTY. MOST OF THE MARION COUNTY DAMAGE WAS AROUND 315 TO 330 AM.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 7:37 AM CDT, 3 hours 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 735 AM CDT TUE APR 4 1989 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 11 AM CDT... THUNDERSTORMS WERE GROWING MORE INTENSE OVER EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA. AT 735 AM...THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN EASTERN CLAY AND RANDOLPH COUNTY...EXTENDING FROM EAST OF ASHLAND TO NEAR WEDOWEE. THEY WERE MOVING EAST RAPIDLY. THEY MAY CONTAIN HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. OTHER INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL ALABAMA OVER BIBB AND NORTHERN CHILTON COUNTIES. THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO BECOMING SEVERE AGAIN OVER PARTS OF EAST MISSISSIPPI. SOME OF THESE WILL BE MOVING INTO WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA LATER...POSSIBLY INTO WEST ALABAMA'S PICKENS COUNTY.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 8:03 AM CDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 800 AM CST TUE APR 04 1989 THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11AM CDT. WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF THEM QUITE STRONG ACROSS THE NORTHERN EDGES OF CHAMBERS...TALLAPOOSA ...COOSA AND CHILTON COUNTIES. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST NORTHEAST WHILE THE AREA WAS DRIFTING SLOWLY SOUTHEAST. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CLAY COUNTY SOUTH OF ASHLAND. NEWLY FORMED THUNDERSHOWERS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS SOUTH ALABAMA. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS HIGH. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT. PETTIT
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 8:06 AM CDT, 3 hours 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 800 AM CDT TUE APR 04 1989 THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11AM CDT. WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF THEM QUITE STRONG ACROSS THE NORTHERN EDGES OF CHAMBERS...TALLAPOOSA ...COOSA AND CHILTON COUNTIES. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE EAST NORTHEAST WHILE THE AREA WAS DRIFTING SLOWLY SOUTHEAST. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CLAY COUNTY SOUTH OF ASHLAND. NEWLY FORMED THUNDERSHOWERS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS SOUTH ALABAMA. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS HIGH. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT. PETTIT
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 9:53 AM CDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 955 AM CDT TUE APR 4 1989 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 11 AM CDT... THUNDERSTORMS HAVE NOT BEEN AS STRONG DURING THE PAST HOUR AND THERE ARE NO WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR ANY PART OF THE STATE AT THIS TIME. THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE RAPIDLY ACROSS A PORTION OF NORTHERN ALABAMA. THESE STORMS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS. STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER EASTERN MISSISSIPPI WEST OF COLUMBUS. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO LAMAR COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER 10 AM. RAINFALL HAS BEEN HEAVY OVER SECTIONS OF NORTH ALABAMA THIS MORNING. OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN WINFIELD AND NEARLY TWO INCHES AT CORDOVA. MORE THAN ONE INCH WAS RECORDED AT HODGES...HANCEVILLE AGOAL
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 3:01 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 59 min |
| Apr 4, 4:14 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Limestone | 30 min |
| Apr 4, 4:14 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Madison, Morgan | 50 min |
| Apr 4, 4:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 64 min |
| Apr 4, 4:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 64 min |
| Apr 4, 5:02 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pickens | 43 min |
| Apr 4, 5:04 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marshall | 46 min |
| Apr 4, 7:54 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa | 66 min |
| Apr 4, 10:00 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 60 min |
| Apr 4, 10:07 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount, Cullman | 68 min |
| Apr 4, 10:11 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Pickens | 64 min |
| Apr 4, 10:21 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marshall | 69 min |
| Apr 4, 10:21 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Morgan | 59 min |
| Apr 4, 10:30 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Etowah | 60 min |
| Apr 4, 10:36 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette | 54 min |
| Apr 4, 10:59 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 46 min |
| Apr 4, 11:21 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pickens | 69 min |
| Apr 4, 11:38 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 67 min |
| Apr 4, 11:56 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 64 min |
| Apr 4, 12:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 69 min |
| Apr 4, 12:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Hale | 61 min |
| Apr 4, 12:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair, Shelby | 64 min |
| Apr 4, 12:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Etowah | 65 min |
| Apr 4, 12:49 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Shelby | 41 min |
| Apr 4, 1:01 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah | 59 min |
| Apr 4, 1:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Hale, Marengo | 60 min |
| Apr 4, 1:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Clay, Cleburne | 60 min |
| Apr 4, 1:32 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Hale, Marengo | 43 min |
| Apr 4, 1:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Randolph | 60 min |
| Apr 4, 1:59 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chilton | 31 min |
| Apr 4, 2:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marengo | 63 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.