Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 24, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 10, 1990Talladega County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Feb 10, 1990, 2:54 AM CST for Talladega County, Alabama. It was in force for 66 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Feb 10, 1990, 2:54 AM CST (08:54 UTC)
Expired
Feb 10, 1990, 4:00 AM CST
In force
66 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Talladega County, AL

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Feb 10, 3:15 AM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Talladega, AL

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 00:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 110 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 1990-02-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 897 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 1990-02-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 282 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
897 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
603 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
282 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
340 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.5
Supercell composite
7.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 100855 RRA
TORBHM
ALC121-101000-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
254 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  400 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...TALLADEGA COUNTY
 
AT 255 AM CST A TORNADO WAS INDICATED BY RADAR MOVING INTO WESTERN
TALLADEGA COUNTY AT 50 MPH.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 9, 10:48 PM CST, 4 hours 6 minutes before
ALZ010-100600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1055 PM CST FRI FEB 9 1990

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4AM CST FOR COOSA AND
TALLAPOOSA COUNTIES...

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 11PM UNTIL 6AM FOR PARTS OF
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...
AT 10 55PM CST WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED SCATTERED
LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS OVER PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL THROUGH
SOUTH ALABAMA. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER NORTH
ALABAMA SOUTHWESTWARD INTO MISSISSIPPI.  THE SHOWERS AND THUNDER
STORMS WERE MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 50 MPH.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER OVER ALABAMA FOR TONIGHT IS HIGH
AND PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREAS AS WELL A>S OTHER PARTS OF ALABAMA
SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT.
PETTIT
Special weather statement, Feb 10, 12:13 AM CST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
ALZ010-100800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1215 AM CST FRI FEB 10 1990

...TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4AM CST FOR COOSA AND
TALLAPOOSA COUNTIES...

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 11PM UNTIL 6AM FOR PARTS OF
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...
AT 1215 AM CST WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED SCATTERED
LIGHT TO MODERATE THUNDERSHOWERS OVER PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA
EXTENDING SOUTHWARD INTO THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. THE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSHOWERS WERE MOVING RAPIDLY TOWARD THE NORTHEAST.
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM NORTH ALABAMA SOUTHWESTWARD INTO
MISSISSIPPI.
THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER OVER ALABAMA FOR TONIGHT IS HIGH.
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE LdIKELY TO SPREAD ACROSS SOUTH ALABAMA LATER
TONIGHT. PERSONS IN SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD REMAIN ON THE ALERT.
PETTIT
Local storm report, Feb 10, 12:16 AM CST, 2 hours 38 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1215 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

...AT 915 PM CST A HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 5 MILES
   EAST OF FAYETTE IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

...TREES WERE REPORTED DOWN ACROSS HIGHWAY 18 WEST IN LAMAR COUNTY
   AROUND 1045 PM CST...ALSO WINDS WERE ESTIMATED AT 50 TO 60 MPH.
   REPORT FROM LAMAR COUNTY EMA AT 1120 PM CST.

...AT 1120 PM CST WALKER COUNTY EMA REPORTS TREES DOWN ACROSS HIGHWAY
   78 IN THE CARBON HILL AND ELDRIDGE AREAS IN WALKER COUNTY.

...AT 1123 PM CST REPORT FROM CARBON HILL POLICE DEPARTMENT VIA HAM
   RADIO OPERATORS OF FUNNEL CLOUD OVER CARBON MILL MOVING NORTHEAST
   AROUND 55 MPH.

...AT 1124 PM CST BIRMINGHAM STATE RELAYS REPORT OF TREES DOWN IN
   JASPER.

...AT 1125 PM MARBLE SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN THE ARLEY AREA IN WINSTON
   COUNTY AND FUNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED OVER DUNCANS BRIDGE IN SOUTHEAST
   WINSTON COUNTY.

...AT 1132 PM CST REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUD 6 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF
   ARLEY IN THE SMITH LAKE AREA OF WINSTON COUNTY...MOVING NORTHEAST.
   HOUSE ALSO REPORTED STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AND BURNED DOWN.

...AT 1135 PM CST HAM RADIO OPERATORS REPORT 45 MPH WINDS AND BLUE
   LIGHTNING 7 MILES NORTH ON MANCHESTER IN WALKER COUNTY.

...AT 1140 PM CST...FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED MOVING FROM PARISH TOWARD
   JASPER IN WALKER COUNTY BY WALKER COUNTY EMA.

...AT 1143 PM CST NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS SIGHTED NEAR
   LEWIS SMILTH LAKE AND IN SOUTHERN CULLMAN COUNTY.

...AT 1146 PM CST PEA SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN VINEMONT IN CULLMAN
   COUNTY. TREES AND POWER LINES REPORTED DOWN AT SAME TIME IN THE
   HELICON AREA. REPORT RECEIVED FROM HAM RADIO OPERATORS.

...AT 1155 PM TREES REPORTEDg FALLING 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF BERRY ALONG
   THE WALKER...FAYETTE COUNTY LINE. REPORT RECEIVED FROM HAM
   RADIO OPERATORS.

...AT 1200 AM CST PEA SIZE HAIL AND 45 MPH GUSTS REPORTED 7 MILES
   NORTH OF MANCHESTER IN WALKER COUNTY.
Special weather statement, Feb 10, 1:55 AM CST, 59 minutes before
ALZALL-100830-
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
150 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

THE TORNADO WATCH THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND
NORTHERN ALABAMA HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REMOVE SECTIONS OF NORTHWEST
ALABAMA AND TO INCLUDE SECTIONS OF SOUTH ALABAMA. THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES OF ALABAMA ARE NOT UNDER ANY TORNADO WATCH AT THE PRESENT
TIME...LAUDERDALE...COLBERT...LAWRENCE...FRANKLIN...LIMESTONE...
MADISON...MORGAN...JACKSON...MARSHALL...DEKALB...CULLMAN...MARION...
LAMAR...WINSTON...BARBOUR...DALE...HENRY...AND HOUSTON. THE REMAINDER
OF THE STATE REMAINS UNDER A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING.
ROUGHLY...IF YOU LIVE IN EXTREME NORTH ALABAMA AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST
ALABAMA YOU ARE NOT UNDER A TORNADO WATCH. HOWEVER....REPEATING ONCE
AGAIN THE MAJORITY OF ALABAMA IS UNDER A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 6AM THIS
MORNING.

AT 145 AM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
INTO WEST-mCENTRAL ALABAMA. THIS LINE WILL MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL AND
SOUTH ALABAMA THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT.
Local storm report, Feb 10, 2:38 AM CST, 16 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
235 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

...AT 140 AM CST POWER OUTAGE IN PICKENS COUNTY AND ONE BUILDING
   DAMAGED. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT.

...200 AM MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS IN HALE COUNTY.
   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT.
...200 AM 65 MPH WINDS AT TUSCALOOSA AIRPORT IN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY.

...200-215 AM WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES AND NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
   LINES DOWN ACROSS TUSCALOOSA COUNTY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
   IN EFFECT.

...205 AM WIND GUSTED BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH AT RADIO STATION IN
   MARENGO COUNTY NEAR DEMOPOLIS COUNTY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
   IN EFFECT.

...225 AM WIND GUSTED TO 65 MPH AT CENTREVILLE IN BIBB COUNTY.
   SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 9, 8:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLauderdale61 min
Feb 9, 8:45 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXLamar30 min
Feb 9, 8:56 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXFayette34 min
Feb 9, 9:23 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXLamar37 min
Feb 9, 9:30 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXFayette30 min
Feb 9, 9:43 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXWalker47 min
Feb 9, 10:08 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXLimestone27 min
Feb 9, 10:22 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMadison68 min
Feb 9, 10:53 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXJackson, Madison37 min
Feb 9, 11:02 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXWalker28 min
Feb 9, 11:16 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXColbert, Lauderdale4 hr
Feb 9, 11:28 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXCullman, Winston47 min
Feb 9, 11:35 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXWalker40 min
Feb 9, 11:35 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXLamar40 min
Feb 10, 12:53 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXWalker22 min
Feb 10, 12:53 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXJefferson37 min
Feb 10, 1:06 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens69 min
Feb 10, 1:22 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene68 min
Feb 10, 1:30 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXColbert, Franklin, Lawrence5 hr
Feb 10, 1:30 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLimestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan5 hr
Feb 10, 1:30 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLauderdale5 hr
Feb 10, 1:30 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson5 hr
Feb 10, 1:33 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa57 min
Feb 10, 1:53 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale67 min
Feb 10, 2:00 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale35 min
Feb 10, 2:06 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarengo29 min
Feb 10, 2:19 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson56 min
Feb 10, 2:20 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb55 min
Feb 10, 2:32 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby58 min
Feb 10, 2:39 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton51 min
Feb 10, 2:40 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby30 min
Feb 10, 2:50 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair55 min
Feb 10, 3:11 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXClay64 min
Feb 10, 3:11 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun64 min
Feb 10, 3:33 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne, Randolph37 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.