Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 35, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 27, 1994Cleburne County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Mar 27, 1994, 7:13 PM CST for Cleburne County, Alabama. It was in force for 32 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 27, 1994, 7:13 PM CST (01:13 UTC)
Expired
Mar 27, 1994, 7:45 PM CST
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Cleburne County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 00:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 178 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 1994-03-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1080 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 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 1994-03-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 327 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1080 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-8 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1126 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
75 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
327 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
424 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.7
Supercell composite
13.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 280113
TORBHM
ALC029-280145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
713 PM CST SUN MAR 27 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  745 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA
 
   ...CLEBURNE COUNTY
 
AT 713 PM CST RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN THE HOLLIS
CROSSROADS AREA OF CLEBURNE COUNTY. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
ARBACOOCHEE AND NEW HOPEWELL ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM. THIS WARNING
REPLACES THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW TGROUND 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

Local storm report, Mar 27, 1:59 PM CST, 5 hours 14 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, 4 hours 31 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, 3 hours 50 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, 2 hours 23 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.
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 6:05 PM CST, 1 hour 8 minutes before
ALZ037-038-040>047-050-054-280205-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
604 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 INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTH ALABAMA AT 6 PM CST.  THE LINE STRETCHED FROM 20 MILES EAST OF
GADSDEN...SOUTHWEST TO NEAR BIRMINGHAM...AND ON TO NEAR CENTREVILLE.
OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING ACROSS MOST OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES REMAINS VERY HIGH
IN...AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.  PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA
SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSELY FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS.  STAY TUNED TO THE LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Mar 27, 7:03 PM CST, 10 minutes before
ALZ036>038-040>047-050-054-280205-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
703 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...

AT 655 PM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN MONTGOMERY SHOWED A LINE OF
INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NORTHEAST OF ANNISTON IN EAST
ALABAMA SOUTHWESTWARD TO NEAR TALLADEGA AND ON TO JUST NORTH OF SELMA.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING RAPIDLY TO THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MILES AN
HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO COOSA AND AUTAUGA COUNTIES VERY
SHORTLY...ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING.

THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES REMAINS VERY HIGH
IN...AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA
SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONTIOR WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSELY FOR THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS...AND MOVE INDOORS TO SHELTER AS THE ST:ORMS APPROACH.
STAY TUNED TO THIS STATION FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 27, 6:04 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXTalladega56 min
Mar 27, 6:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay, Cleburne63 min
Mar 27, 6:36 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee54 min
Mar 27, 6:42 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun33 min
Mar 27, 7:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph56 min
Mar 27, 7:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay34 min
Mar 27, 7:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne30 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.