Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 18, 1992Hale County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Mar 18, 1992, 4:37 PM CST for Hale County, Alabama. It was in force for 53 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 18, 1992, 4:37 PM CST (22:37 UTC)
Expired
Mar 18, 1992, 5:30 PM CST
In force
53 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Hale County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 43 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 1992-03-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Centreville/Bibb, AL at 12:00Z on 1992-03-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 258 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-26 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
590 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
258 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
310 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 182239
TORBHM
ALC065-182330-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
437 PM CST WED MAR 18 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH ALABAMA
 
   ...SOUTHERN HALE COUNTY
 
AT 433 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICTAED A POSSIBLE TORNADO NEAR
DEMOPOLIS MOVING EAST AROUND 35 MILE AN HOUR.
 
 
DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO.  CARS ARE EASILY
 
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS.  IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF
A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING.  IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOWH SPOT.

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, Mar 18, 11:41 AM CST, 4 hours 56 minutes before
ALZ004-005-006-007-008-009-011-181945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1141 AM CST WED MAR 18 1992

WHILE THE STAGE IS STILL BEING SET FOR SEVERE WEATHER FOR LATER THIS
AFTERNOON...RAIN WITH EMBEDDED SHOWERS HAD MOVED INTO THE WESTERN HALF
OF ALABAMA. AT 1140 AM CST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A
WIDE AREA OF MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN STRETCHING FROM SOUTH OF HUNTSVILLE AND
MUSCLE SHOALS SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE TUSCALOOSA AREA TO NEAR MONROEVILLE.
THE RAIN WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

     BESIDES THE RAIN...SOME HEAVIER SHOWERS WERE EMBEDDED IN THE RAIN
AREA.  HEAVIEST SHOWERS WERE INDICATED IN WINSTON...WALKER...AND
FAYETTE COUNTIES AND IN MARENGO...PERRY...AND DALLAS COUNTIES.

     IN ADDITION TO THE RAIN...A STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND FLOW BEING
CREATED AHEAD OF THE STORM SYSTEM MOVING TOWARD ALABAMA WAS PRODUCING
SUSTAINED WIND OF 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR WITH GUSTS TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.
THE STRONG WIND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON AS THE STORM
SYSTEM CONTINUES MOVING EASTWARD.  THE STRONG WIND HAS PROMPTED THE
ISSUANCE OF LAKE WIND ADVISORIES FOR MOST OF THE STATE.

     THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT FOR
MUCH OF ALABAMA CONTINUED TO DEVELOP THIS MORNING.  PEOPLE IN ALABAMA
ARE URGED TO KEEP INFORMED WITH THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 18, 2:08 PM CST, 2 hours 29 minutes before
ALZ004-005-006-007-008-009-011-182210-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
207 PM CST WED MAR 18 1992

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ACROSS ALABAMA LATE THIS
AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT.  TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE...

WHILE THE STAGE IS STILL BEING SET FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER THIS
AFTERNOON...RAIN CONTINUES TO PLAGUE MUCH OF ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON.
AT 205 PM CST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR  INDICATED WIDESPREAD
LIGHT RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA.  THERE WERE SOME
HEAVIER SHOWERS EMBEDDED IN THE RAIN...MAINLY ACROSS NORTHERN
JEFFERSON...BLOUNT...HALE AND MARENGO COUNTIES.  THE RAIN WAS MOVING
TO THE EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

IN ADDITION TO THE RAIN...STRONG SOUTH WINDS AHEAD OF THE STORM
SYSTEM WERE GUSTING TO OVER 30 MPH AT TIMES.  THE STRONG WIND HAS
PROMPTED THE ISSUANCE OF LAKE WIND ADVISORIES FOR MOST OF THE STATE.
THE NATIONAL SEVERE STORM FORECAST CENTER HAS ALREADY ISSUED TORNADO
AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES FOR STATES TO THE WEST OF ALABAMA.
PEOPLE IN ALABAMA ARE URGED TO KEEP INFORMED OF THIS POTENTIALLY
DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.  TUNE IN NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR A LOCAL
TV OR RADIO STATION THAT BROADCASTS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STATEMENTS
AND WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 18, 3:29 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
ALZALL-FLZ001>004-190100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
330 PM CST WED MAR 18 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS STILL IN ALABAMA'S WEATHER FORECAST...

     A STORM SYSTEM OVER SOUTHERN MISSOURI CONTINUED TO INTENSIFY
LATE THIS AFTERNOON.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL HAD
BEEN REPORTED IN SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF LOUISIANA DURING THE EARLY
AFTERNOON.  THE WEATHER PATTERN WAS STILL SHAPING UP WITH A
STRONG POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...AND POSSIBLY
TORNADOES...FOR ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT.

     THE STRONG SOUTH WIND THAT MUCH OF ALABAMA HAS EXPERIENCED
DURING THE AFTERNOON HAS INCREASED THE MOISTURE AND RESULTED IN A
RATHER BROAD AREA OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN.  THE RAIN AREAS WERE
OCCASIONALLY DOTTED WITH POCKETS OF HEAVIER RAIN.  HEAVIER
RAINFALL AMOUNTS DURING THE AFTERNOON HAVE BEEN AROUND ONE INCH
WITH A GOOD GENERAL RAINFALL BETWEEN ONE QUARTER AND ONE HALF
INCH AT MOST REPORTING LOCATIONS.

     A BROAD AREA OF MOSTLY LIGHT RAIN CONTINUED ACROSS ALABAMA
AT 325 PM ACCORDING TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR.  SOME OF
THE HEAVIER RAIN AREAS WERE OCCURRING IN SUMTER...MARENGO...GREENE...
AND HALE COUNTIES WITH A FEW PATCHES OF HEAVIER RAIN DOTTED ACROSS
THE REST OF ALABAMA.  THE RAIN AREA WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40
MILES AN HOUR.

     THE WEATHER SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN INTO TONIGHT
AS IT MOVES EASTWARD TOWARD ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA.  THE
POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS HIGH...A FACT WE CANNOT STRESS
ENOUGH.  STORM SPOTTERS...LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES...LOCAL
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...AND ANY OTHERS INVOLVED WITH
SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD ANTICIPATE BEING ACTIVATED EARLY TONIGHT AS
THE WEATHER MOVES INTO ALABAMA.

     THIS STILL REMAINS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.  THOUGH THE
WEATHER HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT SLOWER TO DEVELOP THAN PREVIOUSLY
THOUGHT...ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR A SERIOUS
ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER LATER TONIGHT.

     NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECASTERS WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THIS WEATHER SYSTEM VERY CLOSELY.  PEOPLE IN ALABAMA
SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER WHEN
PLANNING ACTIVITIES FOR TONIGHT.  BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTIONS
SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOP OR WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.

     STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOU LOCAL RADIO OR
TELEVISION STATION FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 18, 4:34 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarengo41 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 1992Every tornado warning in 1992Tornadoes in 1992

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.