Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 38, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 15, 1994Calhoun County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 1994, 12:45 PM CDT for Calhoun County, Alabama. It was in force for 15 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 15, 1994, 12:45 PM CDT (17:45 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 1994, 1:00 PM CDT
In force
15 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Calhoun County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Centreville/Bibb, AL (KCKL), launched 12:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 160 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 1994-04-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1524 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 1994-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 234 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 151751 COR
TORBHM
ALC015-151800-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL...CORRECTION TO COUNTY NUMBER.
1245 PM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 100 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA

   ...CALHOUN COUNTY

WEATHER SERVICE HAS RECEIVED AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF A TORNADO IN
CALHOUN COUNTY JUST WEST OF JACKSONVILLE.  RADAR SHOWS A WEAK ROTATION
IN THIS SAME AREA.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
:

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, 7:48 AM CDT, 4 hours 57 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, 4 hours 32 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, 4 hours 11 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.
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 10:36 AM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
ALZ040>044-054-151740-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1035 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 91 IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF NORTH AND WEST
ALABAMA...INCLUDING DALLAS COUNTY...UNTIL 3PM CDT...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTH AND WEST ALABAMA AT 1025 AM CDT.  THE LINE STRETCHED FROM NEAR
GADSDEN...SOUTHWEST TO NEAR MERIDIAN MISSISSIPPI.  ELSEWHERE...NUMEROUS
PATCHES OF LIGHT RAIN...ALONG WITH A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS...WERE OCCURRING OVER MUCH OF NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.
THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS INDICATED BY RADAR OVER EAST CENTRAL OR SOUTH
ALABAMA AT THIS TIME.  THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND
TORNADOES WILL REMAIN HIGH IN...AND CLOSE TO...THE WATCH AREA FOR THE
NEXT SEVERAL HOURS HOWEVER.  PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH ALABAMA ARE
URGED TO MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
LATER STATEMENTS CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 10:41 AM CDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
ALZ063-064-FLZ001>015-151800

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1040 AM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

...DENSE FOG ADVISORY CANCELLED FOR THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AND
   COASTAL ALABAMA...

THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR COASTAL ALABAMA AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE
HAS BEEN CANCELLED.  PATCHY FOG WAS STILL PRESENT NEAR THE COAST AT
MID MORNING...PRIMARILY IN THE PENSACOLA AREA.  HOWEVER...VISIBILITIES
HAD MOSTLY INCREASED TO ONE MILE OR BETTER...AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO
IMPROVE THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON.
Special weather statement, Apr 15, 12:13 PM CDT, 32 minutes before
ALZ040>044-054-151915-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
1210 PM CDT FRI APR 15 1994

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 91 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR DALLAS COUNTY UNTIL 3
PM CDT...

WEATHER RADAR AT MONTGOMERY SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA AT 12 PM CDT.  THE LINE STRETCHED FROM JUST
WEST OF ANNISTON...SOUTHWEST TO NEAR DEMOPOLIS.  THE LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE
INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY
RAIN...WERE OCCURRING OVER WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS INDICATED BY RADAR OVER EAST CENTRAL OR
SOUTHEAST ALABAMA AT THIS TIME...HOWEVER THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES WILL REMAIN HIGH IN...AND CLOSE TO...THE
WATCH AREA FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS.  PEOPLE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH
ALABAMA SH$OULD MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS VERY CLOSELY THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. STAY TUNED TO YOUR 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
Apr 15, 5:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman69 min
Apr 15, 7:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion32 min
Apr 15, 8:49 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman41 min
Apr 15, 8:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene68 min
Apr 15, 8:58 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall62 min
Apr 15, 9:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman33 min
Apr 15, 9:59 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXCullman16 min
Apr 15, 10:03 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount27 min
Apr 15, 10:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb34 min
Apr 15, 11:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby49 min
Apr 15, 11:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb30 min
Apr 15, 12:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPerry30 min
Apr 15, 2:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert, Lauderdale60 min
Apr 15, 3:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall59 min
Apr 15, 3:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion35 min
Apr 15, 3:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Pickens43 min
Apr 15, 3:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton38 min
Apr 15, 3:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount33 min
Apr 15, 4:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega42 min
Apr 15, 4:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens28 min
Apr 15, 4:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette49 min
Apr 15, 4:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa41 min
Apr 15, 4:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker61 min
Apr 15, 4:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay58 min
Apr 15, 5:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson62 min
Apr 15, 5:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby49 min
Apr 15, 5:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair54 min
Apr 15, 5:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb, Marshall57 min
Apr 15, 6:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun25 min
Apr 15, 6:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison69 min
Apr 15, 6:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee52 min
Apr 15, 6:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah26 min
Apr 15, 6:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson55 min
Apr 15, 6:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega35 min
Apr 15, 6:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun47 min
Apr 15, 6:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay38 min
Apr 15, 6:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne, Randolph59 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.