Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1989

Tornado Warning 41, NWS Birmingham, AL

June 14, 1989Blount County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Jun 14, 1989, 3:42 PM CDT for Blount County, Alabama. It was in force for 63 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
Jun 14, 1989, 3:42 PM CDT (20:42 UTC)
Expired
Jun 14, 1989, 4:45 PM CDT
In force
63 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Blount 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
Jun 14, 4:10 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 0Blount, 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 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 134 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 1989-06-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1521 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 1989-06-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 8 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1521 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-11 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
610 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
31 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 142044
TORBHM
ALC009-142145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
342 PM CDT WED JUN 14 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  445 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
          ...BLOUNT
 
AT 340 PM CDT A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BETWEEN MOUNT OLIVE AND
GARDENDALE AND WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH TOWARD BLOUNT COUNTY.
 
IF YOU LIVE IN A HOME OR APARTMENT...SEEK SHELTER IN THE
INNERMOST PORTION OF THE BUILDING ON 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, Jun 14, 12:37 PM CDT, 3 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1235 PM CDT WED JUN 14 1989

       ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH AND WEST ALABAMA...
    ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
       FOR NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
   ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR THE
   NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF ALABAMA...

AT 1235 PM CDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH WEST AND NORTH
ALABAMA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER WALKER...FAYETTE...
CULLMAN...WINSTON...PICKENS...AND TUSCALOOSA COUNTIES AND WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
FREQUENT LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...AND POSSIBLY HAIL. PERSONS IN NORTH
AND WEST ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOP
OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

IN ADDITION...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF ALABAMA.

MORE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER A WIDE AREA OF ALABAMA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
OR TO COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE VERY LATEST W6EATHER
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 12:45 PM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1240 PM CDT WED JUN 14 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6PM...

AT 1235 PM RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER
SOUTH ALABAMA. THE LINE EXTENDED FROM NEAR MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI
TO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF WILCOX COUNTY...AND EASTWARD TO NEW
BROCKTON IN COFFEE COUNTY. THE LINE WAS DRIFTING NORTHEAST AT
AROUND 15 MPH.

SOME OF THE STORMS WERE PRODUYCING TORRENTIAL RAIN...ESPECIALLY
OVER SOUTHWEST WILCOX COUNTY AND JUST SOUTH OF PINEAPPLE.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND SOME SMALL HAIL.

DEVAUGHN
Local storm report, Jun 14, 1:23 PM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
125 PM CDT WED JUN 14 1989

...115 PM CDT CULLMAN COUNTY EMA REORTS TREES AND POWER LINES
   DOWN SOUTH OF BERLIN
Local storm report, Jun 14, 2:11 PM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
210 PM CDT WED JUN 14 1989

DELAYED STORM REPORT FOR STORMS OF JUNE 12TH 1989
LEE COUNTY...
8PM CDT...TREES DOWN JUST SOUTH OF CHEWCLA STATE PARK. POWER LINES
KNOCKED DOWN. REPORT FROM DIXIE ELECTRIC CO-0P.
WARNINGS IN EFFECT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 710PM CDT UNTIL 8 15PM CDT.
PETTIT
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 2:19 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
220 PM CDT WED JUN 14 1989

    ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWEST ALABAMA FOR THIS
       AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...
   ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR THE
   NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF ALABAMA...

AT 220 PM CDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AND WEST ALABAMA.
THE STRONGEST STORMS IN NORTH ALABAMA WERE LOCATED IN ETOWAH AND SAINT
CLAIR COUNTIES. OVER WEST ALABAMA THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH
GREENE...HALE...PICKENS...TUSCALOOSA...PERRY...AND BIBB COUNTIES.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT
LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...AND POSSIBLY HAIL. PERSONS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT
TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER
SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOP OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

MORE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING OVER A WIDE- AREA OF ALABAMA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO
OR TO COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE VERY LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Jun 14, 2:53 PM CDT, 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
252 PM CDT WED JUN 14 1989

    ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CANCELLED FOR NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
   ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR THE
      NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF ALABAMA...
   ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED FOR LAUDERDALE...COLBERT...
   ...FRANKLIN...LAWRENCE...LIMESTONE...MADISON...MORGAN...MARION...
   ...WINSTON...LAMAR...AND FAYETTE COUNTIES.

AT 252 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHWEST ALABAMA HAD DIMINISHED IN
COVERAGE AND INTENSITY. AS A RESULT THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AND
FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR NORTHWEST ALABAMA.

HOWEVER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN SOUTH OF A LINE FROM FT PAYNE TO
GADSDEN...BIRMINGHAM...AND TUSCALOOSA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...
FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLY HAIL. PERSONS SOUTH OF THIS LINE
SHOULD STILL REMAIN ALbERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE
READY TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOP OR A
WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY INFORMED OF CURRENT WEATHER CONDITIONS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 14, 2:27 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXColbert, Franklin63 min
Jun 14, 2:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert, Franklin63 min
Jun 14, 12:07 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMorgan38 min
Jun 14, 12:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone, Madison, Morgan64 min
Jun 14, 1:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson, Marshall56 min
Jun 14, 3:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby60 min
Jun 14, 3:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker60 min
Jun 14, 3:07 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby58 min
Jun 14, 3:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair67 min
Jun 14, 3:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega64 min
Jun 14, 3:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Clay, Cleburne69 min
Jun 14, 3:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah69 min
Jun 14, 4:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph58 min
Jun 14, 4:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman58 min
Jun 14, 4:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee58 min
Jun 14, 4:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall, Morgan38 min
Jun 14, 6:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Pickens46 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.