Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 46, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Nov 15, 1989, 3:39 PM CST for Randolph County, Alabama. It was in force for 36 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Nov 15, 1989, 3:39 PM CST (21:39 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 15, 1989, 4:15 PM CST
- In force
- 36 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Randolph 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, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 168 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
- 1103 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -32 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 565 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 34 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 126 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 119 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 2.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 152140 TORBHM ALC111-152215- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 339 PM CST WED NOV 15 1989 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 415 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...RANDOLPH COUNTY AT 337 PM RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO IN SOUTHEAST RANDOLPH COUNTY MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. THE TORNADO WAS NEAR ROANOKE. 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. UHSE 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, Nov 15, 10:47 AM CST, 4 hours 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1050 AM CST WED NOV 15 1989
...MAJOR SEVERE WEATHER THREAT POISED FOR...
...ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA...
ALL THE NEEDED INGREDIENTS ARE COMING INTO PLACE FOR A SEVERE WEATHER
EVENT ACROSS ALABAMA AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT.
THE NATIONAL SEVERE STORMS FORECAST CENTER IN KANSAS CITY MISSOURI IS
FORECASTING A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER ALABAMA AND
NORTHWEST FLORIDA THIS AFTERNOON...TONIGHT...AND THURSDAY MORNING.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDSTORMS.
THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. ITS IMPORTANT FOR ALL
RESIDENTS TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES NOW BEFORE THE WEATHER
TURNS THREATENING. ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
AGENCIES SHOULD PREPARE NOW FOR ADEQUATE STAFFING THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT.
SPECIAL NOTE TO MEDIA...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALWAYS DEPENDS
ON THE MEDIA TO QUICKLY DISTRIBUTE WEATHER WATCHES AND WARNINGS AND
CRITICAL WEATHER INFORMATION. PLEASE GEAR UP NOW TO GIVE FULL
ATTENTION TO ALL WEATHER INFORMATION...ESPECIALLY WATCHES AND
WARNINGS THIS AFTERNOO0N AND TONIGHT. THANKS IN ADVANCE.
SAFETY RULES COVERING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES WILL BE
SENT LATER THIS MORNING.Special weather statement, Nov 15, 12:34 PM CST, 3 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1235 PM CST WED NOV 15 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A PART OF NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 800 PM TONIGHT... AT 1230 PM THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING OVER NORTHWEST ALABAMA. ONE OF THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WAS OVER WALKER COUNTY AND ANOTHER WAS IN EASTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY. OTHERS WERE DEVELOPING OVER NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND WILL BE MOVING INTO LAMAR AND MARION COUNTIES WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. ALL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AND HOUR. THESE STORMS WERE DEVELOPING WELL AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WAS MOVING THROUGH ARKANSAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. ITS IMPORTANT FOR ALL RESIDENTS TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES NOW AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES ARE LIKELY OVER OTHER PARTS OF ALABAMA LATER TODAY AS THE STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES TO THE SOUTHEAST.
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 12:57 PM CST, 2 hours 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1257 PM CST WED NOV 15 1989 ...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A PART OF NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 800 PM TONIGHT... AT 1257 PM STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA. ONE OF THE STRONGEST STORMS WAS MOVING INTO MARION COUNTY. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN JEFFERSON AND SHELBY COUNTIES. MORE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. ALL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AND HOUR. THESE STORMS WERE DEVELOPING WELL AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT WAS MOVING THROUGH ARKANSAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. ITS IMPORTANT FOR ALL RESIDENTS TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES NOW AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS. ADDITIONAL SEVERE WEATHER WATCHES ARE LIKELY OVER OTHER PARTS OF ALABAMA LATER TODAY AS THE STRONG COLD FRONT PUSHES TO T/HE SOUTHEAST.
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 1:32 PM CST, 2 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 125 PM CST WED NOV 15 1989 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING... AT 120 PM CST MONTGOMERY WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL OVER THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF COOSA COUNTY AND ANOTHER ONE NEAR JEMISON ALABAMA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT NEARLY 40 MPH. ALONG WITH THE HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLE HAIL THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONGf GUSTY SURFACE WINDS. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO AND DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.
Local storm report, Nov 15, 2:34 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 232 PM CST WED NOV 15 1989 ...AT 215PM CST...TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN NEAR THE CLAY/TALLADEGA COUNTY LINE AT THE BULL GAP COMMUNITY ...AT 225 PM CST...GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL FELL AT HAMILTON IN MARION COUNTY. ...A APPROXMATELY 200 PM CST...A CONFIRMED TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN THE MELLOW VALLEY COMMUNITY IN CLAY COUNTY WITH PEOPLE TRAPPED IN A COLLAPSED HOUSE.
Local storm report, Nov 15, 3:28 PM CST, 11 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
229 PM CST WED NOV 15 1989
...UPDATED REPORT ON THE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN CLAY COUNTY...
...CORRECTION ON TIME...OCCURRED AT 130 PM CST...TOUCHDOWN 7IN THE
MELLOW VALLEY COMMUNITY. PEOPLE WERE REPORTED TRAPPED IN A
COLLAPSED HOUSE WITH SEVERAL INJURIES. IT IS NOT KNOWN OF THE
EXTENT OF INJURIES OR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE INJURED.The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 1:11 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 49 min |
| Nov 15, 1:48 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 42 min |
| Nov 15, 1:53 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Clay, Randolph | 52 min |
| Nov 15, 2:09 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 51 min |
| Nov 15, 3:40 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lawrence, Morgan | 65 min |
| Nov 15, 3:44 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 46 min |
| Nov 15, 3:44 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Winston | 46 min |
| Nov 15, 3:51 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marengo | 34 min |
| Nov 15, 3:54 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan | 66 min |
| Nov 15, 4:13 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Limestone, Madison, Morgan | 62 min |
| Nov 15, 4:13 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Randolph | 47 min |
| Nov 15, 4:16 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb | 44 min |
| Nov 15, 4:23 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Shelby | 52 min |
| Nov 15, 4:32 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman, Walker, Winston | 43 min |
| Nov 15, 4:35 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pickens, Tuscaloosa | 40 min |
| Nov 15, 4:39 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Madison | 39 min |
| Nov 15, 4:47 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair, Talladega | 43 min |
| Nov 15, 4:47 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chilton | 43 min |
| Nov 15, 5:00 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cherokee, Etowah | 45 min |
| Nov 15, 5:02 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jackson, Madison, Marshall | 58 min |
| Nov 15, 5:05 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 25 min |
| Nov 15, 5:14 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | Shelby | 46 min |
| Nov 15, 5:18 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 27 min |
| Nov 15, 5:26 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 49 min |
| Nov 15, 5:45 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 45 min |
| Nov 15, 5:59 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 46 min |
| Nov 15, 5:59 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Shelby | 46 min |
| Nov 15, 5:59 PM CST | Tornado Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Marshall | 61 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.