Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Mobile, AL

April 4, 1989Bullock County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 4, 1989, 4:00 PM CDT for Bullock County, Alabama. It was in force for 60 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 4, 1989, 4:00 PM CDT (21:00 UTC)
Expired
Apr 4, 1989, 5:00 PM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Bullock 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, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 165 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 KMGM 042104
SVRMGM
ALC011-042200-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
400 PM CDT TUE APR 4 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  500 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
          ...BULLOCK
 
MONTGOMERY'S WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHWEST
BULLOCK COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 40 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 CONDITIO_NS.

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, Apr 4, 11:16 AM CDT, 4 hours 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1115 AM CDT TUE APR 4 1989

...TORNADO WATCHES IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 500 PM TODAY...

TORNADO WATCHES WERE ISSUED LATE THIS MORNING FOR THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.  COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE LAMAR...FORREST AND PERRY AND IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA CLARKE COUNTY IS INCLUDED.

WEATHER SERVICE RADARS INDICATE THAT THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOW
LOCATED FROM WEST-CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI TO NORTH ALABAMA.  THE STORMS
ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST AND SOUTHEAST AND AFFECT THE WATCH AREA IN
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON.

RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTIES IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT TODAY AS
THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE TOWARD YOUR LOCATION.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 1:29 PM CDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
130 PM CDT TUE APR 4 1989

...TORNADO WATCHES IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND
SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 500 PM TODAY...

TORNADO WATCHES WERE ISSUED LATE THIS MORNING FOR THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI.  COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE LAMAR...FORREST AND PERRY AND IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA CLARKE COUNTY IS INCLUDED.

AT 125 PM CDT THE MOBILE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF EVERGREEN IN CONECUH COUNTY ALABAMA.  IT WAS MOVING TOWARD
THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL PASS NEAR EVERGREEN DURING THE NEXT 20
MINUTES.  THE STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL.

RESIDENTS OF THE COUNTIES IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD BE ALERT TODAY AS
THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE TOWARD YOUR LOCATION.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 2:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
230 PM CDT TUE APR 4 1989

..A TORNADO WATCH WILL BE IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

A TORNADO WATCH FOR ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTIES IS EFFECTIVE FROM
245PM TO 10PM CDT THIS TUESDAY EVENING.

A NEARLY-SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM SOUTHEAST AND
EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI ACROSS THE CENTRAL SECTIONS OF ALABAMA. THE
LINE WS MOVING TO JTHE SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR.

WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER COASTAL MISSISSIPPI AND OVER
THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF ALABAMA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 2:57 PM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
255 PM CDT TUE APR 4 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 91 IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR ALL PARTS OF SOUTHWEST
ALABAMA SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI UNTIL 1000 PM...

A TORNADO WATCH HAS NOW BEEN ISSUED THAT INCLUDES ALL COUNTIES IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.  THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 1000 PM.

AT 250 PM THE MOBILE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM
NEAR LAUREL MISSISSIPPI NORTHEASTWARD INTO CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE LINE
WAS MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS
WERE MOVING EAST AROUND 50 MPH.   IF THE PRESENT MOVEMENT AND INTENSITY
PERSISTS...WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED FOR WASHINGTON AND CLARKE COUNTIES
OF ALABAMA WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR WEATHER EVENTS THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  THIS IS A STRONG
WEATHER SYSTEM AND HAS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF PRODUCINuG SEVERE WEATHER.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 4, 1:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCoosa59 min
Apr 4, 2:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMontgomery58 min
Apr 4, 2:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBTallapoosa68 min
Apr 4, 2:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBAutauga, Dallas68 min
Apr 4, 2:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBElmore, Macon58 min
Apr 4, 2:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBLee67 min
Apr 4, 2:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCrenshaw67 min
Apr 4, 3:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMontgomery66 min
Apr 4, 3:22 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBMontgomery68 min
Apr 4, 3:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBAutauga, Dallas61 min
Apr 4, 3:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBElmore61 min
Apr 4, 3:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMacon64 min
Apr 4, 3:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBLee65 min
Apr 4, 3:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBClarke, Washington62 min
Apr 4, 4:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBLowndes60 min
Apr 4, 4:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMontgomery58 min
Apr 4, 5:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBClarke54 min
Apr 4, 5:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWilcox62 min
Apr 4, 6:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBPike66 min
Apr 4, 6:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBButler66 min
Apr 4, 6:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBClarke46 min

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.