Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 33, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 4, 1989Chilton County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 4, 1989, 1:59 PM CDT for Chilton County, Alabama. It was in force for 31 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 4, 1989, 1:59 PM CDT (18:59 UTC)
Expired
Apr 4, 1989, 2:30 PM CDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Chilton 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, 7.0 hours before the alert went out and 45 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 1989-04-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1111 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 1989-04-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 174 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1111 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
704 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
174 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
190 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.9
Supercell composite
6.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 041900
TORBHM
ALC021-041930-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
159 PM CDT TUE APR 4 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  230 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
          ...CHILTON
 
AT 158 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO IN THE CLANTON AREA MOVING
EAST NEAR 50 MPH.
 
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY%.  AVOID WINDOWS.

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, 12:29 PM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1225 PM CDT TUE APR 04 1989

THE TORMADO WATCH PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 5PM CDT.

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 10
MILES NORTH OF GASDENS TO TUSCALOOSA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST ABOUT 50 MPH AS THE LINE MOVES TO THE SOUTHEAST ABOUT 10
MPH.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE 15 MILES NORTHEAST@ OF TUSCALOOSA AN
15 MILES NORTHWEST OF BIRMINGHAM.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS HIGH. PERSONS IN THE WATCH
AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT.
SEWELL
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 12:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1225 PM CDT TUE APR 04 1989

THE TORMADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 5PM CDT.

AT 1230 PM CDT MONTGOMERY RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 10
MILES NORTH OF GASDENS TO TUSCALOOSA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST ABOUT 50 MPH AS THE LINE MOVES TO THE SOUTHEAST ABOUT 10
MPH.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE 15 MILMES NORTHEAST OF TUSCALOOSA AN
15 MILES NORTHWEST OF BIRMINGHAM.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS HIGH. PERSONS IN THE WATCH
AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT.
SEWELL
Local storm report, Apr 4, 12:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1244 PM CDT TUE APR 4 1989

WIND GUSTS TO 69 MPH WERE RECORDED AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFCE ON OXMOOR ROAD IN BIRMINGHAM AT 1237 PM. SO`ME TREESE HAVE
BEEN REPORTED DOWN IN AREA ACROSS POWER LINES. TREE WAS BLOWN ON
CAR IN 5  POINTS WEST SECTION.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 1:22 PM CDT, 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
125 PM CDT TUE APR 04 1989

THE TORMADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 5PM CDT.

AT 115 PM CDT MONTGOMERY RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
FROM TALLADAGA COUNTY SOUTHWEST TO NORTHERN CHILTON COUNTY THEN WESTWARD
TO SOMTER COUNTY. THIS LINE WAS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST ABOUT 10 MPH
AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST ABOUT 40 MPH.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHERN SHELBY COUNTY AND IN
SUMTER COUNTY.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS HIGH. PERSONS IN THE WATCH
AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT.
SEWELL
Local storm report, Apr 4, 1:27 PM CDT, 32 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1244 PM CDT TUE APR 4 1989

...AT 1235 PM CDT TREES WERE BLOWN ONTO HOUSES IN THE 4700 OF
TERRACE Q IN WESTERN BIRMINGHAM. NUMEROUS LARGE BILLBOARDS AND
TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN THROUGHOUT THE BIRMINGHAM AREA.
...AT 1255 PM CDT FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED NEAR THE GALLERIA ON INTERSTATE
459 AND U.S. 31. A DRIVE IN TELLER WINDOW WAS DAMAGED AT A BANK IN
VESTAVIA HILLS.
...AT 1256 PM CDT A 3 FOOT IN DIAMETER TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN AT LEEDS
AREA NEAR BIRMINGHAM. THE CITY OF LEEDS IS IN THREE COUNTIES...SHELBY
   ...ST CLAIR...AND JEFFERSON.
...AT 1200 PM CDT A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS REPORTED AT CORDOVA AND PEA SIZE
   HAIL COVERED THE GROUND NEAR JASPER.
...AT 1216 GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED AT DORA IN WALKER.
...AT 1210 PM CDT ROOF OF A SOLID WASTE PLANT WAS BLOWN OFF WEST OF
TUSCALOOSA AND ANOTHER BUSINESS WAS DAMAGED IN THE CITY OF TUSCALOOSA.
...AT 1225 PM CDT TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ON HWY 171 IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY.
...AT 1230 PM CDT 3/4 INCH SIZE HAIL FELL AR BIRMINGPORT IN SOUTHWEST
JEFFERSON COUNTY.
...AT 1248 PM CDT 3 ROOFS WERE BLOWN OFF SKI LODGE APARTMENTS...
   A DENNYS RESTUARANT WAS DAMAGED...AND THE ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF
   GAYFERS DEPARTMENT STORE...ALL IN THE CITY OF TUSCALOOSA.
...AT 103 PM CDT TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ON HIGHWAY 5 NORTH OF
CENTREVILLE IN BIBB COUNTY. POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN CENTREVILLE
AND ON HWY 25 SOUTH OF MONTEVALLO.
...AT 112 PM CDT A TORNADO WAS REPORTED IN THE SOUTHSIDE AREA OF
ETOWAH COUNTY. REPORTED BY ETOWAH COUNTY EMA.
...AT 100 PM A GIRL WAS HURLED OVER A CAR AND AN OUTBUILDING WAS
DAMAGED ON VALLEYDALE ROAD AND INTERSTATE 65 IN SHELBY COUNTY JUST
SOUTH OF BIRMINGHAM.
...AT 115 PM CDT DIME SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN EASTERN CALHOUN COUNTY.
...AT 100 PM CDT GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND LARGE TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN
AT RIVERSIDE AND PELL CITY IN ST CLAIR COUNTY.
...AT 100 PM CDT TREES AND POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN AT LINCOLN IN
   ST CLAIR COUNTY.
Local storm report, Apr 4, 1:36 PM CDT, 23 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
135 PM CDT TUE APR 4 1989

...AT 1331 PM CDT WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH WERE REPORTED AT THE CALHOUN
   COUNTY EMA OFFICE IN ANNISTON AND WIND GUSTS TO 69 MPH WERE CLOCKED
   AT THE ANNISTON FLIGHT SERVICE STATION.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 4, 3:01 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion59 min
Apr 4, 4:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone30 min
Apr 4, 4:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison, Morgan50 min
Apr 4, 4:41 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker64 min
Apr 4, 4:41 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount64 min
Apr 4, 5:02 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens43 min
Apr 4, 5:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall46 min
Apr 4, 7:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa66 min
Apr 4, 10:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman60 min
Apr 4, 10:07 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount, Cullman68 min
Apr 4, 10:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Pickens64 min
Apr 4, 10:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall69 min
Apr 4, 10:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan59 min
Apr 4, 10:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah60 min
Apr 4, 10:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette54 min
Apr 4, 10:59 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarshall46 min
Apr 4, 11:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens69 min
Apr 4, 11:35 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXDeKalb55 min
Apr 4, 11:38 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa67 min
Apr 4, 11:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson64 min
Apr 4, 12:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount69 min
Apr 4, 12:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Hale61 min
Apr 4, 12:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair, Shelby64 min
Apr 4, 12:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah65 min
Apr 4, 12:49 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXShelby41 min
Apr 4, 1:01 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Etowah59 min
Apr 4, 1:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale, Marengo60 min
Apr 4, 1:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay, Cleburne60 min
Apr 4, 1:32 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXHale, Marengo43 min
Apr 4, 1:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph60 min
Apr 4, 2:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarengo63 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.