Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1993

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 25, NWS Mobile, AL

March 31, 1993Dale County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 31, 1993, 6:14 AM CST for Dale County, Alabama. It was in force for 46 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 31, 1993, 6:14 AM CST (12:14 UTC)
Expired
Mar 31, 1993, 7:00 AM CST
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Dale County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Eglin AFB/Valpar, FL (KVPS), launched 12:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 136 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, Eglin AFB/Valpar, FL at 12:00Z on 1993-03-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 155 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Eglin AFB/Valpar, FL at 12:00Z on 1993-03-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 170 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
155 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-177 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1375 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
170 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
127 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 KMGM 311215
SVRMGM
ALC045-311300-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
614 AM CST WED MAR 31 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MONTGOMERY HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  700 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION......
 
IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA
 
   ...DALE COUNTY
 
AT 615 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN MONTGOMERY INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS 5 MILES EAST OF
ARITON...MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
 
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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, Mar 31, 2:51 AM CST, 3 hours 23 minutes before
FLZ001>004-ALZ010-013>018-MSZ012>014-310935-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
240 AM CST WED MAR 31 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6AM CST FOR ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA
...AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA...

AT 235 AM CST...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN A LINE FROM PENSACOLA
NORTHEASTWARD INTO ALABAMA.

LARGE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN SCATTERED CLUSTERS FROM BALDWIN
COUNTY OF ALABAMA SOUTHWEST OVER THE GULF TO THE MOUTH OF THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

THESE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS LOOK AS THOUGH THEY COULD EASILY CONTAIN
HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THEY WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST TOWARD THE FLORIDA
PANHANDLE.

LISTEN FOR LATER STTEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 31, 3:46 AM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes before
FLZ001>004-ALZ010-013>018-MSZ012>014-311035-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
340 AM CST WED MAR 31 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6AM CST FOR ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA
...AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 8AM CST FOR THE REMAINDER OF NORTHWEST
FLORIDA...

AT 335 AM CST...THE PENSACOLA RADAR WAS TEMPORARILY OUT OF SERVICE FOR
EMERGENCY MAINTAINENCE. NEIGHBORING RADARS INDICATED SEVERAL LARGE
THUNDERSTORMS...IN CLUSTERS...FROM CRESVIEW FLORIDA TO PENSACOLA AND
OVER THE GULF. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EASTERLY ACROSS SOUTHERN ALABAMA
AND NORTHWEST FLORIDAA.

THE STRONGER STORMS COULD EASILY CONTAIN HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. STAY
TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 31, 4:37 AM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes before
FLZ001>004-ALZ010-013>018-MSZ012>014-311135-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
440 AM CST WED MAR 31 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6AM CST FOR ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA
...AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 8AM CST FOR THE REMAINDER OF NORTHWEST
FLORIDA...

AT 435 AM CST...THE PENSACOLA RADAR WAS TEMPORARILY OUT OF SERVICE FOR
EMERGENCY MAINTAINENCE. NEIGHBORING RADARS INDICATED RAIN AND CLUSTERS
OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM WALTON COUNTY AND DE FUNIAK SPRINGS...
SOUTHWEST TO THE COAST OF OKALOOSA COUNTY AND FT WALTON BEACH...AND ON
FAR INTO THE GULF. THE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY
WINDS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. OVERALL MOVEMENTS WERE EASTWARD.

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER THE WEST END OF THE PANHANDLE AND OVER THE
ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST
AROUND 45 MPH .
Special weather statement, Mar 31, 4:38 AM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes before
ALZ013-015-016-311200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
438 AM CST WED MAR 31 1993

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 83 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL COUNTIES
   IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BALDWIN COUNTY...

...THE TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR BALDWIN COUNTY UNTIL
   6 AM CST...

AT 430 AM WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW A LINE OF SHOWERS
WITH STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS SOUTH ALABAMA AND
NORTHWEST FLORIDA.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS LINE WERE
INDICATED BETWEEN GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH ALABAMA.  THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LIKELY PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG
GUSTY WINDS AND SOME SMALL HAIL.  MOVEMENT OF THESE STROMS WAS TO
THE EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

A RECENT REPORT AT 425 AM BY THE ORANGE BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
INDICATED TORRENTIAL RAINS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WITH THESE
THUNDERSTORMS.  WITH ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ONSHORE
INTO BALDWIN COUNTY THE POTENTIAL STILL EXISTS THERE FOR FUTURE
DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 31, 5:44 AM CST, 30 minutes before
FLZ001>004-ALZ010-013>018-MSZ012>014-311235-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENSACOLA FL
540 AM CST WED MAR 31 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6AM CST FOR ESCAMBIA...SANTA ROSA
...AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA...
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 8AM CST FOR THE REMAINDER OF NORTHWEST
FLORIDA...

AT 535 AM CST...LARGE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE NUMEROUS ALONG THE
EXTREME NORTHERN EDGE OF OKALOOSA...WALTON...AND HOLMES COUNTIES OF
NORTHWEST FLORIDA. IN THE CLUSTER THE STRONGEST STORM WAS NEAR FLORALA.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS INDICATING STRONG INTENSITIES WERE LOCATED IN THE
COASTAL WATERS...JUST OFFSHORE FROM NAVARRE BEACH AND ONE OTHER MZOVING
TOWARD BAY COUNTY AND PANAMA CITY.

MOVEMENTS WERE NORTHEAST AROUND 45 MPH.
Special weather statement, Mar 31, 6:04 AM CST, 10 minutes before
ALZ015-016-311300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
604 AM CST WED MAR 31 1993

...TORNADO WATCH FOR BALDWIN COUNTY ALABAMA HAS EXPIRED...

AT 600 AM RADAR SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS OVER CONECUH...ESCAMBIA...AND BALDWIN COUNTIES IN
SOUTHWEST ALABAMA AND THE ALABAMA COASTAL WATERS.  THE STORMS WERE
MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS DIMINISHED...HOWEVER THESE STORMS MAY
STILL PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL.

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR THE ALABAMA AND
MISSISSIPPI COASTAL WATERS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 30, 10:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBDallas40 min
Mar 31, 1:20 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMobile55 min
Mar 31, 2:42 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBaldwin48 min
Mar 31, 6:29 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBarbour61 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1993Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1993

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.