Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 42, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Nov 8, 1989, 4:13 PM CST for Greene County, Pickens County, Alabama. It was in force for 47 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Nov 8, 1989, 4:13 PM CST (22:13 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 8, 1989, 5:00 PM CST
- In force
- 47 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Greene County, AL, Pickens 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, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 79 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
- 1 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 739 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 59 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 57 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 37 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 KBHM 082217 TORBHM ALC107-063-082300- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 413 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 500 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...SOUTHERN PICKENS COUNTY IN SOUTH ALABAMA ...NORTHERN GREENE COUNTY AT 411 PM CST RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO FORMING IN A THUNDERSTORM IN SOUTHERN PICKENS COUNTY JUST WEST OF ALICEVILLE. THIS STORM IS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITUREH. 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
Local storm report, Nov 8, 11:37 AM CST, 4 hours 36 minutes before
STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 1135 AM CDT WED NOV 08 1989 GENEVA COUNTY EMA REPORTS CONSIDERABLE HIGHWAY AND STREET FLOODING AT AROUND 11AM. DEVAUGHN
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 11:44 AM CST, 4 hours 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1145 AM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING ACROSS A WIDE AREA OF ALABAMA... LATE THIS MORNING A COLD FRONT STRETCHED FROM MEMPHIS TENNESSEE TO NEAR SHREVEPORT LOUISIANA. SKIES ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME PARTLY CLOUDY THIS AFTERNOON OVER MUCH OF NORTHERN ALABAMA ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO WARM INTO THE UPPER 70S. EVEN THOUGH THE RAIN HAD ENDED OVER NORTH ALABAMA BY LATE MORNING... WARM MOIST AIR WAS STILL IN PLACE OVER THE STATE. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWEST ALABAMA BY MID AFTERNOON. COOL DRY AIR BEHIND THE FRONT WILL COLLIDE WITH THE UNSTABLE AIRMASS SETTING THE STAGE FOR A POTENTIAL OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WEATHER ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. PERSONS IN ALABAMA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SAFETY RULES...LISTEN TO RADIO ...TV...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS...AND POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 12:42 PM CST, 3 hours 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 1238 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES FOR SOUTH COUNTIES UNTIL 6PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA COUNTIES ALONG THE FLORIDA BORDER... RADAR SHOWED WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN THIRD OF ALABAMA AT 1235 PM. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...ESPECIALLY IN A BAND FROM TUSKEGEE TO JUST SOUTH OF MONTGOMERY...TO NEAR PINEAPPLE. OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEAR TROY AND JUST SOUTHWEST OF EUFAULA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT AROUND 40 MPH AND WILL BE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...4AND MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF HIGHWAYS...STREETS...AND SMALL STREAMS. DEVAUGHN
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 2:21 PM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 220 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES FOR SOUTH COUNTIES UNTIL 6PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA COUNTIES ALONG THE FLORIDA BORDER UNTIL 445PM... RADAR SHOWED WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN THIRD OF ALABAMA AT 215 PM. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...ESPECIALLY IN A BAND FROM UNION SPRINGS TO TROY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT AROUND 40 MPH AND WILL BE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF HIGHWAYS...STREETS...AND SMALL STREAMS. DEVAUGHN
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 2:46 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 245 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989 AT 240 PM RADAR INDIACTED NO PRECIPITATIOPN OVER NORTH ALABAMA BUT THUNDERSTORMS ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUE OVER MUCH OF SOUTH ALABAMA. DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI ALONG A COLD FRONT. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS ALREADY BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI AND MORE WATCHES ARE LIKELY TO BE POSTED DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS AS THE FRONT MOVES SOUTHEAST. THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER MISSISSIPPI WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH AND COULD REACH THE WESTERN COUNTIES OF ALABAMA BY 400 PM. PERSONS IN ALABAMA SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND LISTEN TO RADIO...TV...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS...AND POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 3:30 PM CST, 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 330 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES FOR SOUTH COUNTIES UNTIL 6PM... ...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA COUNTIES ALONG THE FLORIDA BORDER UNTIL 445PM... RADAR SHOWED WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS AND RAIN OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN THIRD OF ALABAMA AT 330 PM. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT AROUND 40 MPH AND WILL BE PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF HIGHWAYS...STREETS...AND SMALL STREAMS. NEW VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING OVER PARTS OF MISSISSIPPI AND OFF THE COAST OF FLORIDA. PERSONS IN SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BULLETINS FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 4:04 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Pickens | 56 min |
| Nov 8, 4:59 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene | 61 min |
| Nov 8, 5:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene | 42 min |
| Nov 8, 5:55 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Hale | 65 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.