Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 6, NWS Mobile, AL

March 5, 1989Chambers County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 5, 1989, 7:48 PM CST for Chambers County, Alabama. It was in force for 57 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 5, 1989, 7:48 PM CST (01:48 UTC)
Expired
Mar 5, 1989, 8:45 PM CST
In force
57 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Chambers 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 00:00Z, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 169 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 1989-03-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1123 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 1989-03-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 213 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
1123 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
597 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
75 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
213 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
286 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.1
Supercell composite
26.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMGM 060151
SVRMGM
ALC017-060245-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
748 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
          ...CHAMBERS
 
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS OBSERVED ON MONTGOMERY'S WEATHER RADAR 10
MILES NORTH OF AUBURN. THE THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
MILES AN HOUR AND INTENSIFYING. PEA AND MARBLE SIZED HAIL HAS BEEN
REPORTED. SEEK SHELTER FROM DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HAIL AND STRONG
WINDS.
 
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBEmR
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, Mar 5, 3:28 PM CST, 4 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
325 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 24 IN EFFECT AT 330 PM FOR ESCAMBIA...
CONECUH AND MONROE COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 23.

AT 320 PM MOBILE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM NEAR BIRMINGHAM TO MONROEVILLE ALABAMA TO PENSACOLA FLORIDA.
HEAVY RAINFALL WAS INDICATED 5 MILES EAST OF ATMORE ALABAMA.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTH NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR
AND MAY BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER.

A SECONDARY LINE OF THUNDERSHOWERS HAS DEVELOPED NORTH AND SOUTH
ACROSS MOBILE COUNTY OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 3:40 PM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
345 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

AT 330 PM CST...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS RAN NORTH TO
SOUTH FROM ALABAMA THROUGH ESCAMBIA COUNTY FLORIDA AND PENSACOLA...
THEN FAR INTO THE GULF. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN ESCAMBIA
COUNTY AND NEAR THE PENSACOLA NAVAL AIR STATION. THESE STORMS WERE
MOVING NORTHEASTERLY 40 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE THE LINE MOVED
EASTWARD 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. SHORT PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN WILL
MARK THE PASSAGE OF THE STORMS.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOLLOWED THE LINE AND WERE OCCURRING
IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND SOUTH OVER THE GULF.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 4:34 PM CST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
435 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

AT 430 PM CST...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED NORTH TO SOUTH FROM
DALLAS COUNTY ALABAMA THROUGH SANTA ROSA COUNTY FLORIDA AND CONTINUED
INTO THE GULF 80 MILES SOUTH OF NAVARRE BEACH. THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST
AT 20 MILES AN HOUR AND MAY MAY PRODUCE BRIEF PREIODS OF HEAVY RAIN...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

OT	HER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM BALDWIN COUNTY ALABAMA
SOUTHWEST INTO THE GULF TO A POINT 110 MILES SOUTH OF PASCAGOULA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 4:45 PM CST, 3 hours 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
445 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 24 IN EFFECT FOR ESCAMBIA...CONECUH AND
MONROE COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA UNTIL 10 PM...

AT 435 PM MOBILE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MILTON
FLORIDA. IT WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE
IN EASTERN ESCAMBIA COUNTY ALABAMA BY 510 PM. IT WAS IN A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR MONTGOMERY TO BREWTON ALABAMA TO
PENSACOLA FLORIDA AND 100 MILES SOUTH INTO THE GULF.

ANOTHER LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 10 MILES
NORTHWEST OF ATMORE ALABAMA TO GULF SHORES AND 125 MILES SOUTH INTO
THE GULF.  HEAVY RAINFALL WA$S INDICATED NEAR GULF SHORES.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 5:34 PM CST, 2 hours 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
535 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

AT 530 PM CST...TWO LINES OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED NORTH TO SOUTH
OVER THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. ONE LINE STRETCHED FROM NEAR MONTGOMERY
SOUTH ACROSS THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE BETWEEN MILTON AND CRESTVIEW AND
CONTINUED INTO THE GULF 60 MILES SOUTH OF NAVARRE BEACH.

THE OTHER LINE EXTENDED FROM JUST NORTH OF PENSACOLA ACROSS SOUTHWEST
ESCAMBIA COUNTY FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST BALDWIN COUNTY ALABAMA CONTINUING
INTO THE GULF 100 MILES SOUTH OF MOBILE.

THESE LINES MAY CAUSE BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY
WINDS AS THEY MOVE EAST ACROSS NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT
COASsTAL WATERS AT 20 MILESAN HOUR...WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS
MOVE NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Mar 5, 6:31 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
630 PM CST SUN MAR 5 1989

AT 630 PM CST...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM THE ALABAMA
BORDER NORTH OF MILTON SOUTHWEST THROUGH PENSACOLA AND CONTINUED INTO
THE GULF ANOTHER 75 MILES. THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR
WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45
MILES AN HOUR.

THE LINE MAY CAUSE BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY
WINDS AS IT MOVES EAST ACROSS NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND THE ADJACENT
COASTAL WATERS.

A FEW OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE AHEAD OF THE LINE FROM
MONTGOMERY SOUTH TO FT WALTON BEACH AND INTO THE ADJACENT COASTAL
WATERS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 5, 6:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBElmore, Tallapoosa58 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.