Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1991
Tornado Warning 9, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 27, 1991, 3:20 PM CDT for Blount County, Alabama. It was in force for 40 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
- Apr 27, 1991, 3:20 PM CDT (20:20 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 27, 1991, 4:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Blount County, AL
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 3:30 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Blount, 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, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 134 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 11 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -178 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 596 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 246 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 237 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 272021 TORBHM ALC009-272100- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 320 PM CDT SAT APR 27 1991 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 400 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...BLOUNT COUNTY AT 315 PM BIRMINGHAM STATE REPORTED A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN WESTERN BLOUNT COUNTY. NUMEROUS TREES WERE REPORTED ACROSS INTERSTATE 65 NEAR EXIT 160. THIS TORNADO WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS... OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS.
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, Apr 27, 9:49 AM CDT, 5 hours 31 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-271545- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 947 AM CDT SAT APR 27 1991 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #205 IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF EASTERN ALABAMA... AT 935 AM CDT WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM LAKE JORDAN TO SOUTHERN BULLOCK COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 50 MILES AN HOUR. OTHER AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OBSERVED OVER LAKE MARTIN...AND AUTAUGA COUNTY. MONTGOMERY RECEIVED 0.29 OF AN INCH IN LESS THAN AN HOUR. THE RAIN AREA WAS CLEARING FROM AREAS WEST OF SELMA AND FORT DEPOSIT AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES RAPIDLY THROUGH THE STATE. PERSONS IN THE VICINITY OF THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND SOME GUSTY WINDS. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: AUTAUGA...BUTLER...COFFEE...COVINGTON...CRENSHAW... DALE...DALL AS...LOWNDES...MONTGOMERY...PIKE AND WILCOX. SNELL
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 10:50 AM CDT, 4 hours 30 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-271545- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 1046 AM CDT SAT APR 27 1991 ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR EASTERN ALABAMA IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.... AT 940 AM RADAT SHOWED RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSHOWERS LINGERING OVER NORTHEAST AND EASTERN ALABAMA...BUT THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OF THE PAST FEW HOURS HAD EITHER ENDED OR MOVED OUT OF THE STATE. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS OVER...AT LEAST FOR THE PRESENT TIME...AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST STATEMENT ON THIS ACTIVITY UNLESS MORE STORMS DEVELOP. DEVAUGHN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: AUTAUGA...BUTLER...COFFEE...COVINGTON...CREfNSHAW... DALE...DALLAS...LOWNDES...MONTGOMERY...PIKE AND WILCOX. SNELL
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 10:52 AM CDT, 4 hours 28 minutes before
ALZ010-011-012-014-017-018-271545- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 1046 AM CDT SAT APR 27 1991 ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR EASTERN ALABAMA IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.... AT 940 AM RADAT SHOWED RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSHOWERS LINGERING OVER NORTHEAST AND EASTERN ALABAMA...BUT THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OF THE PAST FEW HOURS HAD EITHER ENDED OR MOVED OUT OF THE STATE. THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS OkVER...AT LEAST FOR THE PRESENT TIME...AND THIS WILL BE THE LAST STATEMENT ON THIS ACTIVITY UNLESS MORE STORMS DEVELOP. DEVAUGHN
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 12:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
ALZ004-009-11-271850- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1238 PM CDT SAT APR 27 1991 ...LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA... AT 1235 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR MUSCLE SHOALS TO NEAR MILLPORT IN LAMAR COUNTY AND BACK INTO EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. THE STRONGEST STORMS AT THIS TIME WERE IN EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI AND SHOULD MOVE INTO PICKENS AND LAMAR COUNIES WITHIN THE NEXT HALF HOUR. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH. IF YOU ARE IN CENTRAL ALABAMA YOU ARE URGED TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS WEATHER SITUATION BY TUNING IN NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR LATER UPDATES.
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 1:29 PM CDT, 1 hour 51 minutes before
ALZ004-009-11-271950- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 130 PM CDT SAT APR 27 1991 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA... AT 125 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH FAYETTE...LAMAR...AND WALKER COUNTIES. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH EXTENDED FROM NEAR MUSCLE SHOALS TO JASPER IN WALKER COUNTY TO NEAR REFORM IN PICKENS COUNTY AND BACK INTO EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. THE STRONGEST STORM AT THIS TIME WAS IN WESTERN WALKER COUNTY NEAR JASPER. MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WAS TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 35 MPH. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINl.. FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. IF YOU ARE IN CENTRAL ALABAMA YOU ARE URGED TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS WEATHER SITUATION BY TUNING IN NOAA WEATHER RADIO OF THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR LATER UPDATES.
Special weather statement, Apr 27, 2:25 PM CDT, 55 minutes before
ALZ004>009-11-272050- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 225 PM CDT SAT APR 27 1991 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA... AT 220 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH WALKER...PICKENS...WINSTON AND NORTHERN TUSCLOOSA COUNTIES. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH EXTENDED FROM NEAR HUNTSVILLE TO CULLMAN TO ALICEVILLE IN PICKENS COUNTY AND BACK INTO EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI. THE STRONGEST STORM AT THIS TIME WAS NEAR ALICEVILLE IN PICKENS COUNTY. MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WAS TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 35 MPH. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. IF YOU ARE IN CENTRAL ALABAMA YOU ARE URGED TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS WEATHER SITUATION BY TUNING IN NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR THE LOCAL NEWS MEDIA FOR LATER UPDATES.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 31 min |
| Apr 27, 3:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 44 min |
| Apr 27, 3:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cullman | 37 min |
| Apr 27, 3:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Jefferson | 47 min |
| Apr 27, 3:18 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 57 min |
| Apr 27, 3:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Etowah, St. Clair | 26 min |
| Apr 27, 4:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Etowah | 52 min |
| Apr 27, 4:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marengo | 48 min |
| Apr 27, 4:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | DeKalb | 61 min |
| Apr 27, 4:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 40 min |
| Apr 27, 4:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 47 min |
| Apr 27, 4:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Chilton | 48 min |
| Apr 27, 4:48 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb | 27 min |
| Apr 27, 4:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marengo | 32 min |
| Apr 27, 5:18 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chilton | 27 min |
| Apr 27, 5:43 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chilton | 32 min |
| Apr 27, 6:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chilton | 60 min |
| Apr 27, 6:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chilton | 45 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991
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.