Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 27, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 15, 1990Greene County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Feb 15, 1990, 3:07 PM CST for Greene County, Alabama. It was in force for 38 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 15, 1990, 3:07 PM CST (21:07 UTC)
Expired
Feb 15, 1990, 3:45 PM CST
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Greene 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, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 70 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 12:00Z on 1990-02-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 8 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 12:00Z on 1990-02-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 257 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
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-132 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
608 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
257 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
402 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 152109
TORBHM
ALC063-152145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
307 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  345 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
 
   ...NORTHERN GREENE COUNTY
 
AT 308 PM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN NORTHWEST
GREENE COUNTY MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MPH(.
 
N

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 15, 10:59 AM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-151800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1059 AM CST THU FEB 15 1990

AT 1059 AM CENTREVILLE RADAR SHOWS A STRONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
WHICH EXTENDS FROM CARROLTON SOUTHWESTWARD INTO EASTERN MISSISSIPPI TO
JUST NORTHWEST OF MERIDIAN MS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE CITIES
OF CARROLTON AND REFORM IN PICKENS COUNTY AND FAYETTE IN FAYETTE COUNTY
WITHIN THE HOUR.

THE UNION FIRE CHIEF REPORTED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN...MARBLE
SIZED HAIL...AND ROOFS OFF BUSINESSES IN AND AROUND UNION MS WITH
THESE STORMS.

PERSONS IN WEST CENTRAL ABABAMA SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPID[LY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO OR TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS LATER THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 11:33 AM CST, 3 hours 34 minutes before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-151930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1130 AM CST THU FEB 15 1990

AT 1130 AM CENTREVILLE RADAR SHOWS A STRONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
WHICH EXTENDS FROM NEAR REFORM AND CARROLTON SOUTHWESTWARD INTO TO
JUST SOUTH OF MERIDIAN MS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE CITIES
OF CARROLTON...REFORM...ALICEVILLE IN PICKENS COUNTY WITHIN THE HOUR.
THIS LINE OF STRONG STORMS WERE MAKING VERY SLOW PROGRESS TO THE EAST
AROUND 15 MPH.

THE UNION FIRE CHIEF AT 925 AM REPORTED TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN...
MARBLE SIZED HAIL...AND ROOFS OFF BUSINESSES IN AND AROUND UNION MS WITH
THESE STORMS. AT 1030 AM CST...WEATHER SERVICE EMPLOYEE IN MERIDIAN
REPORTED NICKLE SIZE HAIL ON I20 1 MILE WEST OF NEWTON IN NEWTON COUNTY
MISSISSIPPI.

PERSONS IN WEST CENTRAL ABABAMA SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN TO LOCAL RADIO OR TV OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS LATER THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 12:27 PM CST, 2 hours 40 minutes before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-151930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1225 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990

AT 1225 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM WESTERN WALKER COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD ACROSS WESTERN
TUSCALOOSA INTO GREENE COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE CITIES
OF JASPER...TUSCALOOSA AND EUTAW BY 1PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HAIL.
PERSONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR LOCAL NEW OUTLETS AS THE WEATHER MAY CHANGE RAP(IDLY
THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 12:55 PM CST, 2 hours 12 minutes before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-152000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1256 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990

AT 1255 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM NORTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD INTO
SOUTHERN GREENE COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST
AT 40 MPH. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE CITIES OF
TUSCALOOSA...MELTON AND MOUNTSVILLE BY 200 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HAIL.
PERSONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR LOCAL NEW OUTLETS AS THE WEATHER MAY CHANGE RA[PIDLY
THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 1:31 PM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-152030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
130 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990

AT 125 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM JUST SOUTH OF TUSCALOOSA SOUTHWESTWARD INTO GREENE
COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE CITY OF GREENSBORO BY 2 PM.
POLICE AND TROOPER REPORTS INDICATE THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY DOWNPOURS. WITH THESE STORMS LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING...ESPECIALLY
IN LOW LYING AREAS...MAY OCCUR.

THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
AND POSSIBLE HAIL. PERSONS ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO
MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL NEW OUTLETS AS THE WEATHER MAY
CHANGE RAPIDLY THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 2:13 PM CST, 54 minutes before
ALZ004-006-008-005-009-152130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
213 PM CST THU FEB 15 1990

AT 213 PM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF OAK GROVE IN WESTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY
SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE CITIES OF BROOKWOOD...GREENSBORO...TO DEMOPOLIS.
THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. WITH THESE STORMS
LOCALIZED FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN LOW LYING AREAS...MAY OCCUR.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI.
NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER AND POSSIBLE TORNDAOES IN MISSISSIPPI
HAVE BEEN RECIEVED AT THE WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH
WILL BE ISSUED LATER THIS AFTERNOON FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN HALF OF ALABAMA.

RESIDENTS IN CENTRAL ALABAMA ARE ENCOURAGED TO MONITOR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS AS THE WEATHER MAY CHANGE RAPIDLY THROUGHOUT
THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 15, 2:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Hale47 min
Feb 15, 3:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa64 min
Feb 15, 4:06 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, Tuscaloosa2 hr
Feb 15, 4:35 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXShelby115 min
Feb 15, 4:45 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale3 hr
Feb 15, 5:17 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson3 hr

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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.