Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 50, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 1, 1990St. Clair County, Talladega County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 1, 1990, 7:45 PM CDT for St. Clair County, Talladega County, Alabama. It was in force for 45 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 1, 1990, 7:45 PM CDT (00:45 UTC)
Expired
May 1, 1990, 8:30 PM CDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties St. Clair County, AL, Talladega 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, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 115 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 1990-05-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 56 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 1990-05-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 24 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
56 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-272 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2106 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
28 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 020046
SVRBHM
ALC115-121-020130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
745 PM CDT TUE MAY 1 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...SOUTHERN ST.CLAIR COUNTY...NORTHERN TALLADEGA COUNTY
 
AT 745 PM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN ST.
CLAIR COUNTY AROUND 30 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL MOVE INTO NORTHERN
TALLADEGA COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HALF HOUR. THIS THUNDERSTORM HAS HAD
A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AS IT MOVED ACROSS EASTERN WALKER
AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DON'T USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

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, May 1, 3:25 PM CDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before
ALZ004-005-012130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
225 PM CDT TUE MAY 1 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

STRONG THUNDESTORMS WERE MOVING INTO LAMAR COUNTY OF NORTHWEST ALABAMA
AT 225 PM CDT. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

MARBLE SIZE HAIL HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM ACROSS THE
STATELINE IN MISSISSIPPI EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.

PERSONS IN LAMAR COUNTY CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND
HAIL. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO PICKENS...WINSTON...AND FAYETTE
COUNTIES BEFORE 4 PM CDT.

RESIDENTS OF NORTHWEST ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPAkRED TO SEEK SHELTER IS THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.
Special weather statement, May 1, 4:09 PM CDT, 3 hours 36 minutes before
ALZ004-005-012200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
406 PM CDT TUE MAY 1 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

STRONG THUNDESTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH LAMAR...MARION AND NORTHERN
WINSTON COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND
30 MPH.

MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDER STORMS ACROSS THE
STATELINE IN MISSISSIPPI EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO MARBLE-SIZED HAIL
WAS REPORTED NEAR HALEYVILLE.

PERSONS IN LAMAR...MARION...WINSTON AS WELL AS WALKER COUNTIES NEED TO
REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND STAYED TUNED
FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
Local storm report, May 1, 5:57 PM CDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
556 PM CDT TUE MAY 1 1990

330 PM...MARBLE SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST
         ALABAMA JUST WEST OF HALEYVILLE.

420 PM...GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN EXTREME NORTHWEST LAMAR
         COUNTY NEAR THE MISSISSIPPI STATE LINE BY LAMAR COUNTY EMA.

520 PM...MARBLE SIZED AND LARGER HAIL REPORTED TO HAVE COVERED THE
         GROUND NEAR DODGE CITY IN SOUTHERN CULLMAN COUNTY AT; THE
         INTERSECTION OF INTERSTATE 65 AND HIGHWAY 69. REPORT RECEIVED
         FROM CULLMAN COUNTY EMA AT 550 PM. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
         IN EFFECT FOR CULLMAN COUNTY 2131-2230Z.
Special weather statement, May 1, 6:20 PM CDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-012245-

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
620 PM CDT TUE MAY 1 1990

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL
ALABAMA UNTIL 11 PM CDT.

AT 615 PM CDT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS NORTH
ALABAMA...MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM NEAR COLUMBUS MISSISSIPPI
TO BIRMINGHAM TO GADSDEN.  AT 615 PM...SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS WERE
LOCATED IN EXTREME SOUTHERN BLOUNT COUNTY...AND IN EASTERN WALKER
COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN WALKER COUNTY WILL BE MOVING INTO
NORTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HALF HOUR.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN FAYETTE COUNTY...AND IN
EASTERN MISSISSIPPI JUST WEST OF LAMAR COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS IN
EASTERN MISSISSIPPI WILL LIKELY AFFECT PARTS OF LAMAR AND NORTHERN
PICKENS COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR.
<

THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...BRIEF BUT
HEAVY RAINFAL_L...AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL AS THEY MOVE EAST AROUND 30 MILES
AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, May 1, 6:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
ALZ004>009-011-012245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED FOR HEADER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
620 PM CDT TUE MAY 1 1990

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL
ALABAMA UNTIL 11 PM CDT.

AT 615 PM CDT...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS NORTH
ALABAMA...MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM NEAR COLUMBUS MISSISSIPPI
TO BIRMINGHAM TO GADSDEN.  AT 615 PM...SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS WERE
LOCATED IN EXTREME SOUTHERN BLOUNT COUNTY...AND IN EASTERN WALKER
COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORM IN EASTERN WALKER COUNTY WILL BE MOVING INTO
NORTHERN JEFFERSON COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HALF HOUR.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN FAYETTE COUNTY...AND IN
EASTERN MISSISSIPPI JUST WEST OF LAMAR COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS IN
EASTERN MISSISSIPPI WILL LIKELY AFFECT PARTS OF LAMAR AND NORTHERN
PICKENS COUNTY DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS..c.BRIEF BUT
HEAVY RAINFALL...AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL AS THEY MOVE EAST AROUND 30 MILES
AN HOUR.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 1, 7:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa, Walker43 min

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.