Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 19, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 15, 1990Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 15, 1990, 8:42 PM CST for Colbert County, Lauderdale County, Alabama. It was in force for 63 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 15, 1990, 8:42 PM CST (02:42 UTC)
Expired
Feb 15, 1990, 9:45 PM CST
In force
63 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Colbert County, AL, Lauderdale 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

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 180 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 1990-02-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 1990-02-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 380 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-101 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
801 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
64 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
380 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
393 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 KHSV 160242
SVRHSV
ALC033-077-160345-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
842 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  945 PM CST
FOR THE FOLLOWING NORTH ALABAMA COUNTIES...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...COLBERT COUNTY...LAUDERDALE COUNTY
 
AT 8:40 PM CST... RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF POSSIBLE
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM THE EXTREME NORTHWEST
TIP OF ALABAMA NEAR PICKWICK LAKE DOWN ALONG THE STATE LINE
TO NEAR TISHOMINGO MISSISSIPPI.
 
THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN MOVING TO THE EAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH
AND SHOULD MOVE THROUGH COLBERT AND LAUDERDALE COUNTIES FROM WEST
TO EAST DURING THE NEXT 30 MINUTES TO ONE 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 WARNINGW.  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, Feb 15, 4:21 PM CST, 4 hours 21 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-101600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
420 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 38 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA AND PARTS OF SOUTH ALABAMA...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA INTO EAST MISSISSIPPI. STRONGEST STORMS
WERE IN A LINE FROM NEAR TUSCALOOSA SOUTHWESTWARD INTO MISSISSIPPI
NEAR MERIDIAN. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH.

ELSWHERE LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING  OVER SCATTERED
AREAS OF SOUTH ALABAMA.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS HIGH FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT SO PERSONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST
OF THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 4:46 PM CST, 3 hours 56 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
420 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 38 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PART OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA AND PARTS OF SOUTH ALABAMA...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
OVER PARTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA INTO EAST MISSISSIPPI. STRONGEST STORMS
WERE IN A LINE FROM NEAR TUSCALOOSA SOUTHWESTWARD INTO MISSISSIPPI
NEAR MERIDIAN. THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE
NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH.

ELSWHERE LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING  OVER SCATTERED
AREAS OF SOUTH ALABAMA.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS HIGH FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT SO PERSONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST
OF THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 5:31 PM CST, 3 hours 11 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
530 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 38 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHAMBERS...LEE...
TALLAPOOSA...COOSA...ELMORE...AUTAUGA AND DALLAS COUNTIES OF SOUTH
ALABAMA...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR
ANNISTON SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR DEMOPOLIS. SCATTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE
SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED OVER THE REMAINDER OF SOUTH ALABAMA.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT
ABOUT 40MPH.  ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO SEVERE WEATHER REPORTED OVER
SOUTH ALABAMA...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER PARTS OF MISSISSIPPI
AND THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE INTO SOUTH ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT AND PERSONS
OUTSIDE THE WATCH IN SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE
LATEST WEATHER ALSO AS WATCHES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR OTHER AREAS
OF SOUTH ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT.
PETTIT
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 8:06 PM CST, 36 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-160400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
800 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 41 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHAMBERS...LEE...
TALLAPOOSA...COOSA...ELMORE...AUTAUGA AND DALLAS COUNTIES OF SOUTH
ALABAMA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

RADAR SHOWED RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTH AND WEST CENTRAL
ALABAMA AT 8PM. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL
RAIN...ESPECIALLY IN A BAND FROM BIRMINGHAM TO TUSCALOOSA
...AND SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI. A BAND OF SHOWERS
WAS OVER WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA FROM SELMA TO MILLERS FERRY.

NEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER MISSISSIPPI AND SOUTHEAST
LOUISIANA...THEREFORE PER!SONS IN SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST
OF THE LATEST WEATHER BULLETINS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE
OVER PARTS OF SOUTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 15, 6:14 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXTuscaloosa3 hr
Feb 15, 6:14 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXShelby3 hr
Feb 15, 6:21 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall6 hr
Feb 15, 6:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Perry58 min
Feb 15, 7:03 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega42 min
Feb 15, 7:15 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXWinston30 min
Feb 15, 7:50 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXCalhoun, St. Clair3 hr
Feb 15, 8:25 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan4 hr
Feb 15, 8:25 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXMarshall4 hr
Feb 15, 8:55 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXTalladega5 hr
Feb 15, 8:55 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXHale5 hr
Feb 15, 9:02 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene, Tuscaloosa3 hr
Feb 15, 9:02 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXWalker3 hr
Feb 15, 9:34 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa41 min
Feb 15, 9:40 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson3 hr
Feb 15, 10:43 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, St. Clair, Shelby3 hr
Feb 15, 11:46 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Etowah29 min
Feb 16, 12:04 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXEtowah3 hr
Feb 16, 12:04 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXWalker3 hr
Feb 16, 12:32 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall4 hr
Feb 16, 12:35 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBlount, Cullman4 hr
Feb 16, 1:50 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, Perry, Shelby4 hr
Feb 16, 1:50 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXSt. Clair4 hr
Feb 16, 2:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXClay, Cleburne, Randolph4 hr
Feb 16, 2:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXChilton4 hr
Feb 16, 2:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXCalhoun, Etowah, Talladega4 hr
Feb 16, 2:48 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXWalker4 hr
Feb 16, 3:07 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXCherokee4 hr
Feb 16, 4:22 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Tuscaloosa4 hr
Feb 16, 5:06 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall4 hr
Feb 16, 5:29 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby3 hr
Feb 16, 5:29 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXSt. Clair3 hr
Feb 16, 6:36 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, Talladega3 hr
Feb 16, 6:36 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXClay, Randolph3 hr
Feb 16, 7:03 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale42 min
Feb 16, 8:13 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph47 min
Feb 16, 8:54 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall4 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1990Every 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.