Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 20, NWS Mobile, AL

February 10, 1990Macon County, Tallapoosa County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 10, 1990, 3:31 AM CST for Macon County, Tallapoosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 59 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
Feb 10, 1990, 3:31 AM CST (09:31 UTC)
Expired
Feb 10, 1990, 4:30 AM CST
In force
59 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Macon County, AL, Tallapoosa 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, 3:55 AM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Macon, AL
Feb 10, 3:55 AM CSTThunderstorm Wind 0Tallapoosa, 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, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 139 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 KMGM 100935
SVRMGM
ALC087-123-101030-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
331 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
          ...MACON...TALLAPOOSA
 
WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO
WESTERN TALLAPOOSA AND WESTERN MACON COUNTIES AT 3 34AM CST. THE
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

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, Feb 10, 12:39 AM CST, 2 hours 52 minutes before
ALZ013-015-016-MSZ013-014-100800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1240 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI AND
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS UNTIL 600 AM...

AT 1235 AM THE MOBILE RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
FROM EAST CENTRAL TO SOUTHWEST MISSISSIPPI SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL
LOUISIANA.  THE LINE WAS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST AT 40 MPH WHILE THE
INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI BEFORE 200 AM.  RESIDENTS OF THE AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED
FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER AND REMAIN ALERT.
Local storm report, Feb 10, 2:06 AM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
205 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

150 AM CST  GREENE CO MS  TREES DOWN 6 MILES SOUTH OF RUNNELSTOWN.
                          RPTD BY GREENE CO MISSI|SSIPPI SHERIFF DEPT.
Special weather statement, Feb 10, 2:37 AM CST, 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
230 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS ARE HEADING TOWARDS NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

AT 230 AM CST...A SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...STRETCHED FROM JUST NORTH OF NEW ORLEANS
NORTHEAST TO NEAR BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA. THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS LINE WAS
APPROACHING THE NORTH PORTION OF MOBILE COUNTY ALABAMA AND WAS MOVING
RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST TOWARDS MOBILE. IT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE NORTH
PORTIONS OF ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTIES OF FLORIDA IN AN HOUR OR
TWO. IT APPEARS AT THE PRESENT TIME THAT THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL STAY
TO THE NORTH OF THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

ELSEWHERE...SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING FROM THE PANAMA CITY AREA
OF FLORIDA NORTH TO THE DOTHAN AREA OF SOUTHEAST ALABAMA. THESE SHOWERS
WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, Feb 10, 2:42 AM CST, 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
230 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

...THUNDERSTORMS ARE HEADING TOWARDS NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

AT 230 AM CST...A SOLID LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...STRETCHED FROM JUST NORTH OF NEW ORLEANS
NORTHEAST TO NEAR BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA. THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS LINE WAS
APPROACHING THE NORTH PORTION OF MOBILE COUNTY ALABAMA AND WAS MOVING
RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST TOWARDS MOBILE. IT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE NORTH
PORTIONS OF ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTIES OF FLORIDA IN AN HOUR OR
TWO. IT APPEARS AT THE PRESENT TIME THAT THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL STAY
TO THE NORTH OF THE WEST FLORIDA PANHANDLE.

ELSEWHERE...SCATTERED SHOWERS WERE OCCURRING FROM THE PANAMA CITY AREA
OF FLORIDA NORTH TO THE DOTHAN AREA OF SOUTHEAST ALABAMA. THESE SHOWERS
WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
Local storm report, Feb 10, 2:56 AM CST, 35 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
255 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

THE FOLLOWING REPORT IS CORRECTED:

150 AM CST  PERRY CO MS  TREES DOWN 6 MILES SOUTH OF RUNNELSTOWN.
                          RPTD BY PERRY CO MISSISSIPPI SHERIFF DEPT.

...PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AS GREENE COUNTY...

244 AM CST GREENE CO MS  POWER LINES DOWN NEAR MCLAIN.  REPORTED BY
SHERIFF.  SVR TSTM WRNG IN EFFECT 147-245 AM.
Local storm report, Feb 10, 3:13 AM CST, 18 minutes before
ATTN SELS
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
310 AM CST SAT FEB 10 1990

230 AM CST WASHINGTON CO AL...TREES REPORTED DOWN IN CHATOM BY SHERIFFS
OFFICE.  ALSO UNCOFIRMED REPORT OF RESIDENTIAL DAMAGE IN YELLOW PINE.
STATE TROOPERS ARE CHECKING IN THE YELLOW PINE AREA AT THIS TIME.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 10, 1:27 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCoffee, Dale48 min
Feb 10, 1:47 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWashington58 min
Feb 10, 2:07 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBClarke68 min
Feb 10, 2:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBDallas, Wilcox60 min
Feb 10, 2:44 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMobile, Washington46 min
Feb 10, 2:53 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBAutauga, Lowndes67 min
Feb 10, 3:05 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCoosa, Elmore55 min
Feb 10, 3:05 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMontgomery55 min
Feb 10, 3:05 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBButler55 min
Feb 10, 3:20 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBMontgomery25 min
Feb 10, 3:27 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMobile63 min
Feb 10, 3:27 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBaldwin63 min
Feb 10, 3:49 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBChambers, Lee56 min
Feb 10, 3:49 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCrenshaw56 min
Feb 10, 3:49 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBullock56 min
Feb 10, 3:55 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBConecuh, Escambia50 min
Feb 10, 4:11 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBButler, Covington64 min
Feb 10, 4:53 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBarbour67 min
Feb 10, 5:08 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCoffee, Dale, Geneva67 min
Feb 10, 6:46 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMobile44 min
Feb 10, 8:07 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBaldwin38 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.