Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1994
Tornado Warning 37, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 1994, 10:03 AM CDT for Blount County, Alabama. It was in force for 27 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Apr 15, 1994, 10:03 AM CDT (15:03 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 15, 1994, 10:30 AM CDT
- In force
- 27 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Blount County, AL
The nearest sounding before it
Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 12:00Z, 3.1 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
- 1524 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -15 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 573 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 27 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 234 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 378 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.3
- Supercell composite
- 8.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 151503 TORBHM ALC009-151530- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1003 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1030 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTH ALABAMA ...NORTHERN BLOUNT COUNTY FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE HOLLY POND AREA OF CULLMAN COUNTY WITH A THUNDERSTORM THAT IS MOVING NORTHEAST. THIS TRACK WILL TAKE IT ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTION OF BLOUNT COUNTY IN THE VICINITY OF THE AREA NORTH OF SNEAD AND BLOUNTSVILLE. IF YOU LIVE IN A HOME OR APARTMENT...SEEK SHELTER IN THE INNERMOST PORTION OF THE BUILDING ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. ^ GET TO A BASEMENT IF ONE IS AVAILABLE. AVOID WINDOWS AND PROTECT YOUR BODY FROM FLYING DEBRIS WITH CUSHIONS...BLANKETS...OR PILLOWS.
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 15, 7:09 AM CDT, 2 hours 54 minutes before
ALZ011>029-031>035-039-151230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 705 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CULLMAN COUNTY HAS EXPIRED... AT 705 AM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADARS SHOWED STRONG THUNDER STORMS OVER CULLMAN...LAMARR...WALKER...BIBB...TUSCALOOSA...COOSA... PERRY...CHILTON...SHELBY...AND SOUTHERN TALLADEGA COUNTIES. SMALL HAIL HAS FALLEN FROM THE STORM OVER LAMAR COUNTY NEAR THE CITY OF SULLIGENT. THIS STORM WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE INTO SOUTHERN MARION NEAR THE CITIES OF GUIN AND BRILLIANT. ALL THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. IN ADDITION THUNDERSTORMS WERE BECOMING MORE INTENSE OVER EASTERN MISSISSIPPI AND WILL MOVE INTO WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING... VERY HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLY HAIL. REMAIN ALERT THIS MORNING AND BE READY TO MOVE TO A SAFE PLACE IF THREATENING WEATHER SHOULD APPROACH YOU OR IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS WILL FOLLOW THROUGHOUT THE MORNING FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 7:13 AM CDT, 2 hours 50 minutes before
ALZ036>038-151415- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL 712 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994 ...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA... AT 700 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING THROUGH COOSA...TALLAPOOSA...AND CHAMBERS COUNTIES OF CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE HEAVIEST RAIN FALL WAS LOCATED NEAR ROCKFORD...DADEVILLE...AND CAMP HILL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND CAN CAUSE TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS IN THESE AREAS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 7:22 AM CDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before
ALZ011>029-031>035-039-151230- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 721 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994 AT 720 AM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST INTO MARION COUNTY NEAR GUIN AND GU-WIN AND WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE BRILLIANT AREA AND INTO NORTHWEST WINSTON COUNTY NEAR HALEYVILLE DURING THE NEXT HALF HOUR. THIS STORM HAS HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING HAIL. IN ADDITION STRONG WIND ...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND FREQUENT INTENSE LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 7:48 AM CDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
ALZ012-013-022-151345- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 747 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OUT OF EASTERN MISSISSIPPI INTO PICKENS COUNTY WITH AN ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM ALONG THE FAYETTE/LAMAR COUNTY LINE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ACCOMPANIED BY SMALL HAIL, HEAVY RAIN, AND CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTN0ING. PEOPLE IN THESE COUNTIES SHOULD REMAIN INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDS AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OVER YOUR AREA.
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 8:13 AM CDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
ALZALL-151415- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 812 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF NORTHERN, CENTRAL, AND WESTERN ALABAMA VALID UNTIL 300 PM CDT. WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHERN ALABAMA HAS ALREADY EXPERIENCED SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THIS MORNING WHILE A LARGE AREA OF HEAVY RAIN HAS BEEN MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA WHERE AROUND 2 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN. TODAY IS SHAPING UP TO BE ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENT FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA. ALREADY THIS MORNING THE WIND FLOW IN THE LOWER SECTIONS OF THE ATMOSPHERE HAVE BEGUN TO SWING AROUND TO THE SOUTHEAST ALLOWING A WIND PROFILE MORE CONDUCIVE TO TORNADO FORMATION. AS A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM MOVES CLOSER TO THE STATE DURING THE DAY, THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL INCREASE. PEOPLE ALL ACROSS ALABAMA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES. NOW IS THE TIME TO DO A LITTLE ADVANCE PREPARATION SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE ACTION SHOULD YOU BECOME THREATENED BY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OR TORNADOES. TORNADO SAFETY RULES WILL FOLLOW SHORTLY. LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND MEDIA OUTLETS SHOULD CONSIDER ADDITIONAL STAFFING FOR WEATHER THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL STAFF IS ALREADY ON DUTY AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM IN PREPARATION FOR THE DAY.
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 8:34 AM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
ALZALL-151415- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 830 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994 A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF NORTHERN, CENTRAL, AND WESTERN ALABAMA VALID UNTIL 300 PM CDT. AT 830 AM CDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE INDICATED BY RADAR OVER SOUTHERN LAMAR...NORTHERN FAYETTE...AND WALKER COUNTIES. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED OVER FAYETTE COUNTY. ALL THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR. ALREADY SMALL HAIL HAS FALLEN IN LAMAR COUNTY.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15, 5:51 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 69 min |
| Apr 15, 7:28 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 32 min |
| Apr 15, 8:49 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 41 min |
| Apr 15, 8:52 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene | 68 min |
| Apr 15, 8:58 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marshall | 62 min |
| Apr 15, 9:42 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 33 min |
| Apr 15, 9:59 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cullman | 16 min |
| Apr 15, 10:56 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb | 34 min |
| Apr 15, 11:11 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Shelby | 49 min |
| Apr 15, 11:30 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb | 30 min |
| Apr 15, 12:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Perry | 30 min |
| Apr 15, 12:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 15 min |
| Apr 15, 2:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Colbert, Lauderdale | 60 min |
| Apr 15, 3:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marshall | 59 min |
| Apr 15, 3:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 35 min |
| Apr 15, 3:32 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Pickens | 43 min |
| Apr 15, 3:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chilton | 38 min |
| Apr 15, 3:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 33 min |
| Apr 15, 4:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Talladega | 42 min |
| Apr 15, 4:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pickens | 28 min |
| Apr 15, 4:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette | 49 min |
| Apr 15, 4:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 41 min |
| Apr 15, 4:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 61 min |
| Apr 15, 4:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Clay | 58 min |
| Apr 15, 5:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 62 min |
| Apr 15, 5:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Shelby | 49 min |
| Apr 15, 5:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 54 min |
| Apr 15, 5:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Marshall | 57 min |
| Apr 15, 6:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 25 min |
| Apr 15, 6:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Madison | 69 min |
| Apr 15, 6:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 52 min |
| Apr 15, 6:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Etowah | 26 min |
| Apr 15, 6:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jackson | 55 min |
| Apr 15, 6:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Talladega | 35 min |
| Apr 15, 6:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 47 min |
| Apr 15, 6:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Clay | 38 min |
| Apr 15, 6:46 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cleburne, Randolph | 59 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.