Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 28, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 27, 1994Cherokee County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Mar 27, 1994, 5:28 PM CST for Cherokee County, Alabama. It was in force for 47 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 27, 1994, 5:28 PM CST (23:28 UTC)
Expired
Mar 27, 1994, 6:15 PM CST
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Cherokee County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 12:00Z, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 205 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 1994-03-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1055 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 1994-03-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 365 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
1055 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
564 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
365 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
399 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.6
Supercell composite
10.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 272329
TORBHM
ALC019-280015-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
528 PM CST SUN MAR 27 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...CHEROKEE COUNTY
 
AT 527 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO JUST SOUTHEAST OF
GADSDEN MOVING INTO CHEROKEE COUNTY HEADING TOWARDS CENTRE.  THE WAS
MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 50 MILES AN HOUR.
 
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.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

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 27, 12:26 PM CST, 5 hours 2 minutes before
ALZ037-038-040>047-050-054-272030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1225 PM CST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 41 IS IN EFFECT FOR COOSA...TALLAPOOSA...AND
CHAMBERS COUNTY UNTIL 4 PM CST...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...DEVELOPING ACROSS CENTRAL AND
SOUTH ALABAMA AT 1215 PM CST.  THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL WERE
LOCATED NEAR LAKE MARTIN...AND 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MONTGOMERY.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS INDICATED OVER EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA AT
THIS TIME...HOWEVER THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND
TORNADOES REMAINS VERY HIGH IN...AND CLOSE TO...THE WATCH AREA.  NOW IS
THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO DO IF A WARNING IS ISSUED
FOR YOUR AREA.  PICK UP OBJECTS OUTSIDE THAT MAY BECOME DEADLY
PROJECTILES IN STRONG WINDS...THINK ABOUT WHERE hYOU WILL GO IN THE
EVENT SEVERE WEATHER OCCURS.  HAVING A PLAN OF ACTION COULD SAVE YOUR
LIFE.
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 1:36 PM CST, 3 hours 52 minutes before
ALZ037-038-040>047-050-054-272135-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
134 PM CST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 41 IN EFFECT FOR COOSA...TALLAPOOSA...AND
CHAMBERS COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 4 PM CST...

WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA AT 130 PM CST.
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED NEAR LAKE JORDAN... 10
MILES NORTHWEST OF PRATTVILLE...AND IN BUTLER COUNTY NEAR CHAPMAN.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS INDICATED BT RADAR OVER EAST CENTRAL OR SOUTH
ALABAMA AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES IN...AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA.  STRONG WINDS...GUSTING TO 40 MILES AN HOUR AT TIMES ARE
OCCURRING OVER SOUTH ALABAMA...IN ADDITION TO DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
ASSOCIATED WITH THE THU(NDERSTORMS.  PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA
ARE URGED TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON WEATHER CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. STAY TUNED TO THE LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA...OR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Local storm report, Mar 27, 1:59 PM CST, 3 hours 29 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
155 PM CST SUN MAR 27 1994

INFORMATION PROVIDED TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FROM CHEROKEE
COUNTY INDICATES THAT A TORNADO STRUCK THE EXTREME SOUTHERN PORTION
OF CHEROKEE COUNTY AROUND 1135 AM.  THE TORNADO STRUCK THE GOSHEN
CHURCH NEAR THE CHEROKEE-CALHOUN COUNTY LINE.  WE UNDERSTAND THERE
WERE 17 DEATHS AND 90 INJURIES WITH ONE PERSON UNACCOUNTED FOR.
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 2:42 PM CST, 2 hours 46 minutes before
ALZ037-038-040>047-050-054-272245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
242 PM CST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 41 IS IN EFFECT FOR COOSA...TALLAPOOSA...AND
CHAMBERS COUNTIES UNTIL 4 PM CST...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA AT 235 PM CST.
THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL WERE OCCURRING JUST EAST OF LAKE
JORDAN...AND 20 MILES NORTH OF ALEXANDER CITY.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS INDICATED BY RADAR OVER EAST CENTRAL OR SOUTH
ALABAMA AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
AND TORNADOES REMAINS HIGH IN...AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  STAY
TUNED TO THE LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER
STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 3:23 PM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes before
ALZ037-038-040>047-050-054-272325-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
322 PM CST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 45 IS IN EFFECT FOR DALLAS...AUTAUGA...COOSA
...TALLAPOOSA AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES OF CENTRAL ALABAMA UNTIL 10 PM
CST...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTH AND WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA AT 315 PM CST.  OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS
WERE OCCURRING OVER THE EAST CENTRAL SECTIONS OF THE STATE.  THE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS INDICATED BY RADAR ACROSS EAST CENTRAL OR SOUTH
ALABAMA AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
AND TORNADOES REMAINS VERY HIGH IN...AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THIS
DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.  STAY TUNED TO THE LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA
OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 4:50 PM CST, 38 minutes before
ALZ037-038-040>047-050-054-280050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
449 PM CST SUN MAR 27 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 45 IS IN EFFECT FOR AUTAUGA...COOSA...
TALLAPOOSA...CHAMBERS...AND DALLAS COUNTIES UNTIL 10 PM CST...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS
NORTHWEST ALABAMA AT 440 PM CST.  THE LINE STRETCHED FROM JUST WEST OF
GADSDEN...SOUTHWEST THROUGH BIRMINGHAM...AND ON TO NEAR MERIDIAN
MISSISSIPPI.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN
HOUR...WHILE THE LINE DRIFTED SOUTHEAST AT 10 MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OCCURRING OVER EAST CENTRAL OR SOUTH ALABAMA AT
THIS TIME...HOWEVER THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE
STATE CONTINUE TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES.
THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES REMAINS VERY HIGH
IN...AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA
ARE URGED TO MONITOR THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY FOR THE
NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.  STAY TUNED TO THE LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA...OR NOAA
WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 27, 6:25 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarshall65 min
Mar 27, 9:16 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Pickens44 min
Mar 27, 9:16 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker44 min
Mar 27, 9:47 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman, Winston58 min
Mar 27, 10:08 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker67 min
Mar 27, 10:23 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan67 min
Mar 27, 10:24 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, St. Clair51 min
Mar 27, 10:33 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXCullman42 min
Mar 27, 10:37 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXMorgan53 min
Mar 27, 10:45 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker60 min
Mar 27, 10:47 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarshall43 min
Mar 27, 10:49 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Etowah41 min
Mar 27, 10:53 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair52 min
Mar 27, 11:08 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount52 min
Mar 27, 11:12 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall48 min
Mar 27, 11:23 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman37 min
Mar 27, 11:27 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Etowah33 min
Mar 27, 11:33 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall57 min
Mar 27, 11:33 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson, Madison47 min
Mar 27, 11:40 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar65 min
Mar 27, 11:43 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker47 min
Mar 27, 11:43 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson47 min
Mar 27, 11:56 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXBlount49 min
Mar 27, 12:25 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarshall37 min
Mar 27, 12:27 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXEtowah48 min
Mar 27, 12:30 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair, Shelby45 min
Mar 27, 12:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Pickens51 min
Mar 27, 12:41 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Walker, Winston49 min
Mar 27, 12:41 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXDeKalb64 min
Mar 27, 12:41 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXJackson21 min
Mar 27, 12:45 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee45 min
Mar 27, 12:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman42 min
Mar 27, 1:10 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Etowah65 min
Mar 27, 1:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Walker51 min
Mar 27, 1:30 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan12 hr
Mar 27, 1:30 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXColbert, Franklin12 hr
Mar 27, 1:30 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall12 hr
Mar 27, 2:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman, Winston44 min
Mar 27, 2:21 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb, Marshall69 min
Mar 27, 2:35 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXPickens55 min
Mar 27, 3:11 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXFayette, Tuscaloosa49 min
Mar 27, 3:36 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXPickens39 min
Mar 27, 3:46 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXWalker44 min
Mar 27, 3:52 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa38 min
Mar 27, 3:54 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXJefferson66 min
Mar 27, 4:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount53 min
Mar 27, 4:33 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair57 min
Mar 27, 4:37 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarshall38 min
Mar 27, 4:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Tuscaloosa51 min
Mar 27, 4:51 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXBlount, Etowah54 min
Mar 27, 5:06 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun54 min
Mar 27, 5:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby57 min
Mar 27, 5:18 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby57 min
Mar 27, 5:32 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXBibb43 min
Mar 27, 5:35 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair55 min
Mar 27, 5:45 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXChilton60 min
Mar 27, 5:54 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Etowah51 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes in 1994

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.