Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 103, NWS Birmingham, AL

June 21, 1990Fayette County, Walker County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 21, 1990, 3:23 PM CDT for Fayette County, Walker County, Alabama. It was in force for 67 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Jun 21, 1990, 3:23 PM CDT (20:23 UTC)
Expired: Jun 21, 1990, 4:30 PM CDT
In force: 67 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Whole counties

Counties Fayette County, AL, Walker 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, 8.4 hours before the alert went out and 100 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1904 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -79 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1025 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 4 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -37 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -10 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 212028
SVRBHM
ALC057-125-127-212130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
323 PM CDT THU JUN 21 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...FAYETTE COUNTY...NORTHERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY...WALKER COUNTY
 
AT 324 PM...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTHERN
TUSCALOOSA COUNTY. THIS WAS PART OF A LINE OF STORMS EXTENDING FROM
NORTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY TO NORTHERN PICKENS COUNTY. THE LINE WAS
DEVELOPING NORTHWARD INTO FAYETTE AND WALKER COUNTIES ACCOMPANIED
BY STRONG...AND POSSIBLY EVEN DAMAGING...WINDS.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

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, Jun 21, 10:06 AM CDT, 5 hours 17 minutes before

ALZ004>007-011-181600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1005 AM CDT THU JUN 21 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

AT 1003 AM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...MOVING INTO ETOWAH COUNTY
AND STRETCHING SOUTHWESTWARD INTO BLOUNT...CULLMAN...AND WALKER
COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST STORMS AT THAT TIME WERE IN NORTHERN BLOUNT
COUNTY JUST EAST OF BLOUNTSVILLE...IN SOUTHERN CULLMAN COUNTY NEAR
SMITH DAM...AND IN SOUTHERN WALKER COUNTY NEAR OAKMAN.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WIND...BRIEF
HEAVY DOWNPOURS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLE SOME HAIL...AS THEY
MOVE TO THE EAST AT AROUND 25 MPH. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT...AND STAYED TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS.

Local storm report, Jun 21, 12:20 PM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1218 PM CDT THU JUN 21 1989

1030 AM...NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES IN THE TOWNS OF BLOUNTSVILLE AND
          BROOKSVILLE (NORTH BLOUNTY COUNTY).
1035 AM...NUMEROUS FIRES CAUSED BY LIGHTNING REPORTED NEAR THE TOWN
          OF SNEAD (NORTH BLOUNT COUNTY).
1035 AM...HOUSE DETROYED BY FIRE CAUSED BY LIGHTNING NEAR TOWN OF
          SNEAD.
1058 AM...STRONG WINDS REPORTED NORTH OF BLOUNTSVILLE IN NORTHERN
x          BLOUNT COUNTY BY INDIVIDUAL DRIVING INTO TOWN...NO
          ESTIMATED WINDS GIVEN.

Special weather statement, Jun 21, 2:50 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

ALZ010-012-014-017-018-212100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
250PM CDT THU JUN 21 1990

...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW STRONG...
SCATTERED FROM NORTHERN TALLAPOOSA COUNTY THROUGH COOSA AND AUTAUGA
COUNTIES WESTWARD INTO NORTHERN DALLAS COUNTY. THE STORMS WERE MOVING
VERY LITTLE.

THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND VERY
INTENSE LIGHTNING.

DUE TO THE INTENSE HEATING OF THIS AFTERNOON...STRONG STORMS MAY
FORM QUICKLY. PERSONS IN SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Local storm report, Jun 21, 3:09 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
310 PM CDT THU JUN 21 1989

130 PM    MARBLE SIZE HAIL AT LEEDS ON THE SHELBY COUNTY - ST. CLAIR
          COUNTY LINE.  REPORTED BY BIRMINGHAM RADIO CLUB (BRC)
145 PM    STREET FLOODING ON 19TH AVE IN HOMEWOOD...JEFFERSON COUNTY.
          WATER HALF-WAY UP THE DOOR OF AN ISUZU TROOPER. (BRC)
145 PM    WIND GUST TO 39 MPH AT NWS FORECAST OFFICE ON WEST OXMOOR
          IN BIMINGHAM.
155 PM    WINDS ESTIMATED 55 TO 60 MPH NEARLY TURNED OVER 18 WHEELER
          ON I-65 SOUTH NEAR 8 AVE SOUTH IN BIRMINGHAM. (BRC)
158 PM    WIND GUST TO 56 MPH AT CHANNNEL 6 ON RED MOUNTAIN IN BHM.
2-215 PM  LOCAL FLOODING AT BROADWAY AND GREEN SPRINGS IN HOMEWOOD.
          6 INCH DIAMETER OAK TREE BLOWN DOWN IN 1200 BLOCJ OF 31ST
          STREET SOUTH IN BIRMINGHAM. (BRC)
215 PM    WIND GUST TO 58 MPH AT BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT.
220 PM    DIME-SIZE HAIL IN INVERNESS IN NORTHERN SHELBY COUNTY. (BRC)
133 PM-
  230 PM  RAINFALL AT NWS 1.40 INCHES IN LESS THAN ONE HOUR. (1.60 INCHES
          BY 3 PM)
202 PM    10 FOOT SQUARE PLATE GALASS WINDOW BLOWN OUT AT 7TH AVE
          SOUTH AND 20TH STREET IN BIRMINGHAM.

          WARNINGS IN EFFECT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING JEFFERSON
          AND SHELBY COUNTIES ISSUED 128 PM IN EFFECT TIL 215 PM.
          SEEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING SHELBY COUNTY ISSUED 224 PM
          IN EFFECT TIL 315 PM.

Local storm report, Jun 21, 3:15 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

STORM REPORT CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
310 PM CDT THU JUN 21 1989

130 PM    MARBLE SIZE HAIL AT LEEDS ON THE SHELBY COUNTY - ST. CLAIR
          COUNTY LINE.  REPORTED BY BIRMINGHAM AREA RADIO CLUB (BARC)
145 PM    STREET FLOODING ON 19TH AVE IN HOMEWOOD...JEFFERSON COUNTY.
          WATER HALF-WAY UP THE DOOR OF AN ISUZU TROOPER. (BARC)
145 PM    WIND GUST TO 39 MPH AT NWS FORECAST OFFICE ON WEST OXMOOR
          IN BIMINGHAM.
155 PM    WINDS ESTIMATED 55 TO 60 MPH NEARLY TURNED OVER 18 WHEELER
          ON I-65 SOUTH NEAR 8 AVE SOUTH IN BIRMINGHAM. (BARC)
158 PM    WIND GUST TO 56 MPH AT CHANNNEL 6 ON RED MOUNTAIN IN BHM.
2-215 PM  LOCAL FLOODING AT BROADWAY AND GREEN SPRINGS IN HOMEWOOD.
          6 FOOT DIAMETER OAK TREE BLOWN DOWN IN 1200 BLOCK OF 31ST
          STREET SOUTH IN BIRMINGHAM. (BARC)
215 PM    WIND GUST TO 58 MPH AT BIRMINGHAM AIRPORT.
220 PM    DIME-SIZE HAIL AT INVERNESS IN NORTHERN SHELBY COUNTY. (BARC)
133 PM-
  230 PM  RAINFALL AT NWS 1.40 INCHES IN LESS THAN ONE HOUR. (1.60 INCHES
          BY 3 PM)
202 PM    10 FOOT SQUARE PLATE GLASS WINDOW BLOWN OUT AT 7TH AVE
          SOUTH AND 20TH STREET IN BIRMINGHAM.

          WARNINGS IN EFFECT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING JEFFERSON
          AND SHELBY COUNTIES ISSUED 128 PM IN EFFECT TIL 215 PM.
          SEEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING SHELBY COUNTY ISSUED 224 PM
          IN EFFECT TIL 315 PM.

       ...CORRECTED SIZE OF TREE BLOWN DOWN...6 FEET NOT INCHES IN
          DIAMETER...

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 21, 10:13 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	62 min
Jun 21, 11:17 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair	58 min
Jun 21, 12:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	35 min
Jun 21, 1:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cullman	68 min
Jun 21, 1:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	47 min
Jun 21, 2:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lawrence	55 min
Jun 21, 2:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	51 min
Jun 21, 3:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	41 min
Jun 21, 4:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar	35 min
Jun 21, 5:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Franklin	60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1990 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.