Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1995

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 25, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 16, 1995Marion County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 16, 1995, 3:27 AM CST for Marion County, Alabama. It was in force for 63 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Feb 16, 1995, 3:27 AM CST (09:27 UTC)
Expired
Feb 16, 1995, 4:30 AM CST
In force
63 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Marion County, AL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Feb 16, 3:32 AM CSTTornado F1Hamilton, ALA small tornado touched down about six miles east of Hamilton along U.S. Highway 278. The tornado travelled on a track just slightly north of east for about six miles running along and crossing U.S. Highway 278 twice. According to Emergency Management offici

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 148 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, Birmingham, AL at 00:00Z on 1995-02-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 660 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, Birmingham, AL at 00:00Z on 1995-02-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 313 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
660 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
532 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
313 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
346 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
5.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 160928 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC093-161030-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
327 AM CST THU FEB 16 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...MARION COUNTY
 
AT 325 AM..WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS
WESTERN MARION COUNTY. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR
AND WILL BE APPROACHING THE COMMUNITIES OF BEXAR...WESTON...AND
HAMILTON.
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...ANrD
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

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, Feb 15, 9:55 PM CST, 5 hours 32 minutes before
ALZALL-160430-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
955 PM CST WED FEB 15 1995

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 66 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL OF ALABAMA.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 10:00 PM CST, 5 hours 27 minutes before
ALZALL-160430-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
955 PM CST WED FEB 15 1995

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 66 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL OF ALABAMA.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 10:32 PM CST, 4 hours 55 minutes before
ALZ011>029-031>035-039-160535-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1032 PM CST WED FEB 15 1995

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR MARION COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

AT 1025 PM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUING OVER EASTERN ALABAMA FROM NEAR SYLACAUGA IN SOUTHERN
TALLGEGA COUNTY AND EXTENDING INTO CALHOUN..CLEBURNE..CLAY..
AND RANDOLPH COUNTIES.  THE STONGEST STORMS WERE IN CLAY COUNTY NEAR
ASHLAND.

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA FROM
NEAR HAMILTON IN MARION COUNTY.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING HEAVY
RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.  MOTORISTS
SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR SUDDEN REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY IN AREAS
OF HEAVY RAIN. YOU SHOULD WATCH FOR PONDING ON AREA ROADWAYS AND
BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE HYDROPLANING.
Special weather statement, Feb 15, 11:58 PM CST, 3 hours 29 minutes before
ALZ011>029-031>035-039-160700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1158 PM CST WED FEB 15 1995

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 500 AM FOR MUCH OF WEST AND NORTHWEST
ALABAMA...

AT 1150 PM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH ALABAMA.  SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM BIBB COUNTY NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS SHELBY..
TALLADEGA..CLAY..RANDOLPH AND CLEBURNE COUNTIES.  ANOTHER AREA
OF THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED DURING THE PAST HOUR OVER
CULLMAN..BLOUNT AND SAINT CLAIR COUNTIES.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN DETECTED ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA DURING
THE PAST HOUR BUT THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING RAPIDLY AND
SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BRIEFLY BECOME SEVERE.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DON'T USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM
HAS PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 1:30 AM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before
ALZ011>029-031>035-039-160930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
130 AM CST THU FEB 16 1995

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 500 AM FOR MUCH OF WEST AND NORTHWEST
ALABAMA...

AT 120 AM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A NARROW BAND OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL AND NORTH ALABAMA.  SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM SHELBY COUNTY NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS
TALLADEGA..CLAY..RANDOLPH AND CLEBURNE COUNTIES.  RAINFALL ESTIMATES
OF 2 INCHES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED OVER CLAY AND CLEBURNE COUNTIES
DURING THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 40
MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN DETECTED ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA DURING
THE PAST HOUR...BUT THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DO HAVE THE
POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Feb 16, 3:07 AM CST, 20 minutes before
ALZ011>029-031>035-039-161010-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
307 AM CST THU FEB 16 1995

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHWEST MARION COUNTY HAS
EXPIRED...
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 500 AM FOR MUCH
OF WEST AND NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL NORTH ALABAMA...

AT 300 AM DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THAT MOVED
ACROSS NORTHWEST MARION COUNTY IS KNOW OUT OF THE COUNTY. THIS STORM
HAS CONTINUED NORTHEAST...BUT SHOWERS AND A SECOND POTENTIALLY SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM IS FOLLOWING THAT STORM AND WILL MOVE OVER THE EXACT
SAME LOCATIONS DURING THE NEXT HOUR. NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ARE
IN EFFECT AT THIS TIME...BUT THIS SECOND STORM IS CAPABLE OF GUSTY
WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN FOR THE NEXT HOUR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL BROADCAST MEDIA FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 15, 9:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion40 min
Feb 15, 10:48 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLawrence, Madison, Morgan4 hr
Feb 15, 10:48 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXFranklin4 hr
Feb 15, 11:28 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXJackson3 hr
Feb 16, 2:11 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion49 min
Feb 16, 2:22 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXFranklin68 min
Feb 16, 2:22 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin68 min
Feb 16, 2:49 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXColbert, Lauderdale56 min
Feb 16, 2:49 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert, Lauderdale56 min
Feb 16, 3:12 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLawrence63 min
Feb 16, 3:12 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence63 min
Feb 16, 3:45 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWinston60 min
Feb 16, 3:54 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLimestone, Morgan66 min
Feb 16, 3:54 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone, Morgan66 min
Feb 16, 4:01 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXWinston29 min
Feb 16, 4:22 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison68 min
Feb 16, 4:25 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman50 min
Feb 16, 5:00 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarshall45 min
Feb 16, 5:03 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson42 min
Feb 16, 5:22 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan53 min
Feb 16, 5:32 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXDeKalb43 min
Feb 16, 5:44 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison31 min
Feb 16, 6:07 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson, Marshall53 min
Feb 16, 6:21 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens, Tuscaloosa48 min
Feb 16, 6:46 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb29 min
Feb 16, 7:25 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson35 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1995Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1995

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.