Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 121, NWS Mobile, AL

November 8, 1989Dallas County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Nov 8, 1989, 8:51 PM CST for Dallas County, Alabama. It was in force for 69 min. 3 reports 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
Nov 8, 1989, 8:51 PM CST (02:51 UTC)
Expired
Nov 8, 1989, 10:00 PM CST
In force
69 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Dallas 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
Nov 8, 9:05 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Dallas, AL
Nov 8, 9:15 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Dallas, AL
Nov 8, 9:30 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Dallas, 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 00:00Z, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 64 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 00:00Z on 1989-11-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 437 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 00:00Z on 1989-11-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -55 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
437 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-61 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
770 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-55 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-42 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 KMGM 090253
SVRMGM
ALC047-090400-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
851 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
          ...DALLAS
 
AT 850 PM CST RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN DALLAS COUNTY
NEAR ORRVILLE MOVING EAST AT AROUND 25 MILES AN HOUR.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 8, 5:41 PM CST, 3 hours 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
535 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989

...THE TORNADO WATCH FOR NORTHWEST FLORIDA HAS BEEN CANCELLED...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS EVENING FOR ESCAMBIA...
SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...WALTON...WASHINGTON...HOLMES AND BAY COUNTIES
OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

AT 530 PM CST...A BAND OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS SRRETCHED FROM THE
APALACHICOLA RIVER SOUTHWEST ACROSS MUCH OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
CONTINUING INTO THE GULF AND OVER TO SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA. THE HEAVIER
RAIN EXTENDED FROM SEAGROVE BEACH IN SOUTH WALTON COUNTY SOUTHEAST TO
A POINT 40 MILES SOUTH OF PENSACOLA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS..
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND FLOODING OF STREETS...POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND
SMALL STREAMS.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 6:37 PM CST, 2 hours 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
635 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS EVENING FOR ESCAMBIA...
SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...WALTON...WASHINGTON...HOLMES AND BAY COUNTIES
OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

AT 630 PM CST...A BAND OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS SRRETCHED FROM THE
APALACHICOLA RIVER SOUTHWEST ACROSS MUCH OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
CONTINUING INTO THE GULF TO SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA. THE HEAVIER RAIN WAS
OVER THE GULF FROM PANAMA CITY WEST TO 60 MILES SOUTH OF MOBILE.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.

ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE HEAVY RAIN IS CURRENTLY OFFSHORE THE POTENTIAL
STILL EXISTS FOR FLOODING OF .STREETS...POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND SMALL
STREAMS THIS EVENING. MODERATE RAIN DOES CONTINUE OVER MANY AREAS
OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE FROM HOLMES COUNTY SOUTH TO PANAMA CITY.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 7:32 PM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
735 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS EVENING FOR ESCAMBIA...
SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...WALTON...WASHINGTON...HOLMES AND BAY COUNTIES
OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

AT 730 PM CST...A BAND OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS SRRETCHED FROM THE
APALACHICOLA RIVER SOUTHWEST ACROSS MUCH OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
CONTINUING INTO THE GULF 75 MILES SOUTH OF MOBILE. THE HEAVIER RAIN
EXTENDED FROM PANAMA CITY WEST TO 60 MILES SOUTH OF PENSACOLA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED OVER SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND
WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA FROM HATTIE_SBURG NORTHEAST TO GREENE COUNTY
ALABAMA. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 TO 35
MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 7:45 PM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
745 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 10 PM...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN ALABAMA...

WEATHER SERVICE RADARS AT 740 PM SHOWED THE LEADING EDGE OF SHOWERS AND
EMBEDDED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM LINDEN IN MARENGO COUNTY ALABAMA TO
HATTIESBURG THEN SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA. THE STRONGEST
STORMS WERE IN SOUTH CHOCTAW COUNTY ALABAMA. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST
AT 30 MPH. THE AREA WAS WEAKENING AS IT MOVES EAST INTO SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.

RESIDENTS IN SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS FOR THE POSSIBLITY OF SEVERE WEATHER
AS CONDITIONS REMAIN IN PLACE TO TRIGGER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. NO
ADDITIONAL FLOODING IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA HAS BEEN REPORTED THIS EVENING
AND RUN OFF HAS OCCURRED ON MOST STREETS AND ROADS IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.
Special weather statement, Nov 8, 8:47 PM CST, 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
835 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THIS EVENING FOR ESCAMBIA...
SANTA ROSA...OKALOOSA...WALTON...WASHINGTON...HOLMES AND BAY COUNTIES
OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

AT 830 PM CST...A BAND OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS SRRETCHED FROM THE
APALACHICOLA RIVER SOUTHWEST ACROSS THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE CONTINUING
INTO THE GULF 75 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PENSACOLA. THE HEAVIER RAIN WAS
OFFSHORE SOUTH OF PANAMA CITY AND FT WALTON BEACH.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 TO 35 MILES AN HOUR.

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM MARENGO COUNTY ALABAMA SOUTHWEST
TO STONE COUNTY MISSISSIPPI. THE LINE WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MILES
AN HOUR.
Local storm report, Nov 8, 8:48 PM CST, 3 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
845 PM CST WED NOV 8 1989

TIME             EVENT
835 PM CST       MARBLE SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY FULTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
                 FULTON LOCATED IN NORTHERN CLARKE COUNTY.

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1989Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.