Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 121, NWS Mobile, AL

May 21, 1990Coffee County, Covington County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 21, 1990, 4:59 PM CDT for Coffee County, Covington County, Alabama. It was in force for 61 min. 2 reports 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
May 21, 1990, 4:59 PM CDT (21:59 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 1990, 6:00 PM CDT
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Coffee County, AL, Covington 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
May 21, 5:20 PM CDTHail 1Coffee, AL
May 21, 5:30 PM CDTHail 0.75Covington, 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 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 198 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 1990-05-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 173 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 1990-05-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 141 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
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 KMGM 212204
SVRMGM
ALC031-039-212300-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
459 PM CDT MON MAY 21 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
 
   ...COFFEE COUNTY...COVINGTON COUNTY
 
WEATHER RADAR IN MONTGOMERY HAS DETECTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN
WESTERN COVINGTON COUNTY AND JUST NORTH OF ENTERPRISE. THE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 20 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

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

Local storm report, May 21, 3:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
345 PM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

EVERGREEN STATE TROOPERS REPORTED MARBLE SIZED HAIL IN MONROEVILLE,
MONROEVILLE COUNTY ALABAMA.
Local storm report, May 21, 3:47 PM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
345 PM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

EVERGREEN STATE TROOPERS REPORTED MARBLE SIZED HAIL IN MONROEVILLE,
MONROE COUNTY ALABAMA.
Special weather statement, May 21, 3:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
FLZ001-002-003-004-212130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
335 PM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL COUNTIES IN THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE UNTIL 9 PM...

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING THROUGH SOUTH ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI...

AT 330 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTH ALABAMA AND SOUTH-
EAST MISSISSIPPI...WITH THE STRONGER STORMS OVER A 15 MILE WIDE LINE
FROM NEAR MONROEVILLE IN MONROE COUNTY TO 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF MOBILE.
WITH SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST ALABAMA BETWEEN
DOTHAN AND MONTGOMERY...AND FROM ANDALUSIA TO ENTERPRISE.

THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR...
WITH THE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PERIODS OF VERY
HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES...AND HAIL.

PERSONS SHOULD TAKE ANY NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS FOR THESE CONDITIONS
AND BE ON THE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER CONDITIONS WHILE
THE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE IN THE AREA.
Special weather statement, May 21, 3:57 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
ALZ016-MSZ013-212200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
357 PM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM TONIGHT...

AT 340 PM...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM MONROEVILLE
TO CITRONELLE IN ALABAMA...AND FROM LUCEDALE TO PICAYUNE IN
MISSISSIPPI. THE LINE WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE MOVING INTO THE GULFPORT-BILOXI AND MOBILE AREA AROUND 430
PM...AND INTO THE PASCAGOULA AREA BETWEEN 430 AND 500 PM. HIGH
WINDS...HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WHEN THE THUNDERSTORMS
MOVE THROUGH.

PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL
RADIO OR T.V. UNTIL THE STORMS MOVE THROUGH.
Local storm report, May 21, 4:38 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
435 PM CDT MON MAY 21 1990

400 PM   PEA SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN NORTHERN MOBILE
         COUNTY AL.

415 PM   MARBLE SIZED HAIL 5 MILES SOUTH OF EVERGREEN IN CONECUH
         COUNTY, AL. REPORTED BY EVERGREEN STATE TROOPERS.

430 PM   BALDWIN COUNTY EOC REPORTED A WATERSPROUT IN MOBILE BAY
         JUST OFF DAPHNE. THE WATERSPOUT DISSIPATED BEFORE MOVING
         ON SHORE.
Special weather statement, May 21, 4:41 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
FLC033-192245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
445 PM CDT SAT MAY 19 1990

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM CDT FOR ALL OF THE
COUNTIES IN THE WESTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

AT 4:30PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME VERY
STRONG...ACROSS SOUTHERN AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA. THE LINE STRETCHED
FROM NEAR TROY IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST TO MOBILE AND GULFPORT
MISSISSIPPI. MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WAS
NEARING THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF ESCAMBIA COUNTY FLORIDA.

DURING THE AFTERNOON...THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS PRODUCED FROM
PEA TO GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IN PARTS OF MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA.

PERSONS IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGEING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AS THE THUNDERSTORMS NEAR AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE
TO A SAFE PLACE QUICKLY.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 12:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCoosa64 min
May 21, 12:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBTallapoosa61 min
May 21, 12:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBDallas, Wilcox63 min
May 21, 1:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMontgomery43 min
May 21, 2:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBLee61 min
May 21, 2:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBClarke, Washington51 min
May 21, 2:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCovington62 min
May 21, 2:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCoffee68 min
May 21, 3:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBPike69 min
May 21, 3:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBHenry59 min
May 21, 3:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBarbour65 min
May 21, 4:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBEscambia30 min
May 21, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBGeneva, Houston63 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.