Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 82, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 21, 1990Chilton County, Shelby County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 21, 1990, 11:18 AM CDT for Chilton County, Shelby County, Alabama. It was in force for 57 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: May 21, 1990, 11:18 AM CDT (16:18 UTC)
Expired: May 21, 1990, 12:15 PM CDT
In force: 57 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Whole counties

Counties Chilton County, AL, Shelby 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, 4.3 hours before the alert went out and 51 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: 173 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -336 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1194 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 32 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 141 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 149 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 211621
SVRBHM
ALC117-021-211715-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1118 AM CDT MON MAY 21 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...SOUTHERN SHELBY COUNTY
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
 
   ...NORTHERN CHILTON COUNTY
 
AT 1118 AM RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ALONG THE
SHELBY-CHILTON COUNTY LINE SOUTH OF CALERA MOVING EAST AROUND 25 MPH.
 
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

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 21, 7:46 AM CDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before

ALZ004>006-008>009-211345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
745 AM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING INTO NORTHWEST ALABAMA THIS
MORNING. THE LINE OF STORMS STRETCHED FROM MUSCLE SHOALS TO HAMILTON
IN MARION COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO LAMAR...
WINSTON AND FAYETTE COUNTIES BEFORE 830 AM.  IF YOU LIVE IN THE
COMMUNITIES OF HAMILTON...BRILLANT...SULLIGENT...VERNON AND WINFIELD...
YOU SHOULD STAY INDOORS UNTIL THESE THUNDERSTORMS PASS.

ALABAMIANS CAN EXPECT ANOTHER DAY OF THUNDERSTORMS...POSSIBLY SEVERE.
YOU SHOULD KEEP UP TO DATE ON THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS LATER TODAY.

Special weather statement, May 21, 8:33 AM CDT, 2 hours 45 minutes before

ALZ004>006-008>009-211330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
830 AM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

AN INTENSE BUT SHORT LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG THE ALABAMA
MISSISSIPPI BORDER...10 TO 20 MILES WEST OF VERNON AND MILLPORT IN LAMAR
COUNTY. WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY HAVE
SOME HAIL. THESE STORMS ARE RACING TO THE EAST AT 50 MPH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE
LAMAR AND PICKENS COUNTIES BEFORE 900 AM.  IF YOU LIVE IN THESE COUNTIES
...YOU SHOULD STAY INDOORS UNTILL THESE THUNDERSTORMS PASS.

RESIDENTS IN CENTRAL ALABAMA SH8OULD REMAIN ALERT THIS MORNING AND
AFTERNOON AS THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE WIDESPREAD AND SOME MAY BECOME SEVERE.
KEEP UP-TO-DATE ON THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS BY LISTENING TO LOCAL
RADIO...TELEVISION...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

Local storm report, May 21, 9:35 AM CDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
935AM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

LATE REPORT FOR STORMS OF SUNDAY MAY 20, 1990
ELMORE COUNTY...NEAR LAKE JORDAN...APPROX 155PM CDT...POWER POLE
SNAPPED AND P=OWER LINES DOWNED...REPORT FROM PIONEER ELECTRIC CO-OP.
WARNINGS IN EFFECT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING...1 49-2 45PM CDT.
PETTIT

Local storm report, May 21, 11:10 AM CDT, 8 minutes before

STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1110 AM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

REPORTS FOR SUN MAY 20 1990
1130 AM-1200 PM...PUBLIC REPORT OF DAMAGE IN MCDONALLDS CHAPEL NEAR
                  MINOR AND ENSLEY IN THE BIRMINGHAM METROPOLITAN AREA.
                  ROOFS BLOWN OFF HOUSES AND BCK PORCH BLOWN OFF A
                  HOUSE.  NUMEROUS TREES AND TREE LIMBS DOWN.
                  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT 1108AM-1215 PM.

         110 PM...CLAY COUNTY EMA REPORTED WINDS OF 50 MPH IN ASHLAND.
                  NO DAMAGE.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WAS IN EFFECT
                  1245-145 PM.

         407 PM...POSSIBLE TORNADO INDICATED BY CENTERVILLE RADAR NEAR
                  TUSCALOOSA AIRPORT.  TORNADO WARNING ISSUED FOR
                  TUSCALOOSA COUNTY UNTIL 5 PM.  NO TORNADO SIGHTED.

         442 PM...FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED BY TUSCALOOSA P.D. JUST EAST
                  OF TUSCALOOSA AIRPORT MOVING EAST.
444 PM...RADAR INDICATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CONTINUED
         NEAR TUSCALOOSA DRIFTING EAST.  ISSUED SEVERE
         THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR TUSCALOOSA COUNTY
         EFFECTIVE FROM 500-600 PM.

517 PM...DIME SIZE HAIL NEAR ALBERTA CITY.  SEVERE THUNDER
         STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR TUSCALOOSA COUNTY
         FROM 500-600 PM.

603 PM...1/4-1/2 INCH HAIL IN DOWNTOWN BRENT IN BIBB COUNTY REPORTED
         BY OFF DUTY WEATHER SERVICE EMPLOYEE.

745 PM...WATER NEAR UP TO A HOUSE IN MILL CREEK IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY.
         FLASH FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT FOR TUSCALOOSA COUNTY.
825 PM...POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN IN CULLMAN COUNTY...SEVERE
         THUNDERSTORM IN EFFECT.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 20, 7:01 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	59 min
May 20, 7:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lawrence	39 min
May 20, 7:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Limestone, Morgan	26 min
May 20, 7:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Madison	35 min
May 20, 8:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Morgan	43 min
May 21, 7:24 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale	36 min
May 21, 8:36 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar	54 min
May 21, 9:34 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	41 min
May 21, 10:59 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	46 min
May 21, 11:32 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene	58 min
May 21, 11:37 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	38 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.