Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1995

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 49, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 7, 1995Pickens County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 7, 1995, 2:20 PM CST for Pickens County, Alabama. It was in force for 40 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 7, 1995, 2:20 PM CST (20:20 UTC)
Expired
Mar 7, 1995, 3:00 PM CST
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Pickens County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 122 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 12:00Z on 1995-03-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 231 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 12:00Z on 1995-03-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 319 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
231 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-79 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
590 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
319 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
398 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS1 KBHM 072020 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC107-072100-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
220 PM CST TUE MAR 7 1995
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  300 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA
 
   ...PICKENS COUNTY
 
AT 216 PM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
NEAR ETHELSVILLE...STAFFORD...AND COAL FIRE. THE STORM WAS MOVING
NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH. TOWNS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE REFORM
AND PALMETTO.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

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, Mar 7, 1:06 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
ALZALL-072000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED TO DELETE LAST PAR...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
103 PM CST TUE MAR 7 1995

... TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA UNTIL 5 PM... ... FLASH FLOOD
WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ...

     NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT 100 PM INDICATED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF PICKENS COUNTY.  THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MPH AND WILL PRODUCE
STRONG WIND IN THE 40 TO 50 MILE AN HOUR RANGE AS WELL AS SMALL HAIL AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  ON THE PRESENT MOVEMENT...THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL
MOVE ACROSS PICKENS COUNTY AND THE NORTHERN PORTION OF GREENE COUNTY
DURING THE NEXT HOUR OR SO.

     AS THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES PEOPLE SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IN A
SUBSTANTIAL BUILDING.
Special weather statement, Mar 7, 1:34 PM CST, 46 minutes before
ALZALL-072030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
135 PM CST TUE MAR 7 1995

... TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA UNTIL 5 PM ...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

     NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS GRADUALLY MOVING INTO THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE STATE.
THUNDERSTORMS WERE STRETCHING ALONG ALABAMA'S WESTERN BORDER FROM JUST
WEST OF HAMILTON IN MARION COUNTY SOUTHWARD TO NEAR VERNON IN LAMAR TO
NEAR CARROLLTON IN PICKENS COUNTY TO NEAR LIVINGSTON IN SUMTER COUNTY.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

     THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING SUMTER COUNTY AND COULD
AFFECT GREENE COUNTY IN AN HOUR OR SO.  ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS
MOVING THROUGH CHOCTAW COUNTY AND SHOULD AFFECT MARENGO COUNTY IN AN
HOUR OR SO.  ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING INTO PICKENS COUNTY
IN THE SOUTHWESTERN SECT>ION.

     THE ATMOSPHERE CONTINUED TO BE QUITE UNSTABLE WHICH MEANS THAT
RAPID THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT REMAINS POSSIBLE.  THIS SITUATION IS
QUITE DANGEROUS SO PEOPLE ARE URGED TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 7, 1:35 PM CST, 45 minutes before
ALZALL-072030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
135 PM CST TUE MAR 7 1995

... TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA UNTIL 5 PM ...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

     NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS GRADUALLY MOVING INTO THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE STATE.
THUNDERSTORMS WERE STRETCHING ALONG ALABAMA'S WESTERN BORDER FROM JUST
WEST OF HAMILTON IN MARION COUNTY SOUTHWARD TO NEAR VERNON IN LAMAR TO
NEAR CARROLLTON IN PICKENS COUNTY TO NEAR LIVINGSTON IN SUMTER COUNTY.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

     THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING SUMTER COUNTY AND COULD
AFFECT GREENE COUNTY IN AN HOUR OR SO.  ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS
MOVING THROUGH CHOCTAW COUNTY AND SHOULD AFFECT MARENGO COUNTY IN AN
HOUR OR SO.  ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING INTO PICKENS COUNTY
IN THE SOUTHWESTERN SECTION.

     THE ATMOSPHERE CONTINUED TO BE QUITE UNSTABLE WHICH MEANS THAT
RAPID THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT REMAINS POSSIBLE.  THIS SITUATION IS
QUITE DANGEROUS SO PEOPLE ARE URGED TO KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.
Special weather statement, Mar 7, 1:47 PM CST, 33 minutes before
ALC041-047-054-072145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
147 PM CST TUE MAR 7 1995

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA UNTIL 5 PM...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING ACROSS WEST ALABAMA AT 140 PM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH
WEST DALLAS AND WILCOX COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTING
AND WINDS BETWEEN 40 AND 45 MILES PER HOUR AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL.
Special weather statement, Mar 7, 1:56 PM CST, 24 minutes before
ALC041-047-054-072145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MONTGOMERY AL
147 PM CST TUE MAR 7 1995

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA UNTIL 5 PM...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWS A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
MOVING ACROSS WEST ALABAMA AT 140 PM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH
WEST DALLAS AND WILCOX COUNTIES DURING THE NEXT HOUR.

THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTING
AND WINDS BETWEEN 40 AND 45 MILES PER HOUR AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL.
Special weather statement, Mar 7, 2:04 PM CST, 16 minutes before
ALZ011>035-039-051-072105-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
204 PM CST TUE MAR 7 1995

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA UNTIL 5 PM...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

AT 200 PM CST NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW A LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS ENTERING WESTERN ALABAMA.  THE LINE STRETCHED FROM THE
CARROLLTON AREA OF PICKENS COUNTY...TO BOLIGEE IN GREENE COUNTY...DOWN
TO NEAR SWEET WATER IN MARENGO COUNTY.  THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING
NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MPH.  IT WILL MOVE INTO FAYETTE AND TUSCALOOSA
COUNTIES BEFORE 230 PM.

IN ADDITION...OTHER THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED AHEAD OF THE LINE IN
HALE COUNTY...WHICH WILL ALSO MOVE INTO TUSCALOOSA COUNTY BEFORE 230 PM.

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THIS DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION...
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
BROADCASTS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 6, 6:37 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin, Lawrence68 min
Mar 6, 7:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert48 min
Mar 7, 2:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarengo39 min
Mar 7, 2:11 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale, Tuscaloosa49 min
Mar 7, 2:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar47 min
Mar 7, 2:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarengo10 min
Mar 7, 2:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPerry65 min
Mar 7, 2:59 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa31 min
Mar 7, 3:07 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb68 min
Mar 7, 3:11 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa34 min
Mar 7, 3:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker44 min
Mar 7, 3:24 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXWalker51 min
Mar 7, 3:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson66 min
Mar 7, 3:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa15 min
Mar 7, 3:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPerry32 min
Mar 7, 4:08 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXCullman67 min
Mar 7, 4:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb33 min
Mar 7, 4:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Shelby59 min
Mar 7, 4:28 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMorgan62 min
Mar 7, 4:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson66 min
Mar 7, 5:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Shelby45 min
Mar 7, 5:29 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMadison61 min
Mar 7, 5:47 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarshall58 min
Mar 7, 5:50 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega55 min
Mar 7, 5:57 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXJackson63 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.