Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 101, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 24, 1997Chilton County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jan 24, 1997, 11:01 PM CST for Chilton County, Alabama. It was in force for 44 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Jan 24, 1997, 11:01 PM CST (05:01 UTC)
Expired: Jan 24, 1997, 11:45 PM CST
In force: 44 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Whole counties

County Chilton County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 36 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:05 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 5.0 hours before the alert went out and 37 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 966 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 568 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 494 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 542 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 2.9
Supercell composite: 11.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 250501 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC021-250545-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1101 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1145 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN CENTRAL ALABAMA
 
   ...SOUTHERN CHILTON COUNTY
 
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM...LIKELY PRODUCING DIME SIZE OR LARGER HAIL...WILL
MOVE THROUGH SOUTHERN CHILTON COUNTY THROUGH 1145 PM. THIS STORM WILL BE
NEAR THE MAPLESVILLE AREA AROUND 1115 PM...AND SOUTH OF CLANTON BY 1135
PM. MOVEMENT WAS EAST 40 MPH.
 
 
 
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

Local storm report, Jan 24, 9:29 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
930 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

TIME(CST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0330 PM    TUSCALOOSA                AL   1.25 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   TUSCALOOSA                     HAIL LARGER THAN HALF
                                          DOLLAR SIZE REPORTED IN
                                          TUSCALOOSA BY PD

0410 PM                              AL   TORNADO
01/24/97   BLOUNT                         UNCONFIRMED TORNADO NEAR
                                          BROOKSVILLE..HOMES..TRAIL
                                          ERS DAMAGED AND MANY POWER
                                          LINES DOWN

0720 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   BLOUNT                         DIME SIZE HAIL AT EXIT 284
                                          ON I-65

0740 PM    ANNISTON                  AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   CALHOUN                        GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR ANNISTON BY
                                          SHERIFF

0755 PM    ANNISTON                  AL   WIND DAMAGE
01/24/97   CALHOUN                        FEW TREES DOWN NEAR
                                          ANNISTON REPORTED BY EMA

0850 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR BIRMINGPORT

0904 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   TUSCALOOSA                     DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR NORTHPORT

0907 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR HUEYTOWN

0923 PM                       >       AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR CENTERPOINT

Local storm report, Jan 24, 9:30 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
930 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

TIME(CST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0330 PM    TUSCALOOSA                AL   1.25 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   TUSCALOOSA                     HAIL LARGER THAN HALF
                                          DOLLAR SIZE REPORTED IN
                                          TUSCALOOSA BY PD

0410 PM                              AL   TORNADO
01/24/97   BLOUNT                         UNCONFIRMED TORNADO NEAR
                                          BROOKSVILLE..HOMES..TRAIL
                                          ERS DAMAGED AND MANY POWER
                                          LINES DOWN

0720 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   BLOUNT                         DIME SIZE HAIL AT EXIT 284
                                          ON I-65

0740 PM    ANNISTON                  AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   CALHOUN                        GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR ANNISTON BY
                                          SHERIFF

0755 PM    ANNISTON                  AL   WIND DAMAGE
01/24/97   CALHOUN                        FEW TREES DOWN NEAR
                                          ANNISTON REPORTED BY EMA

0850 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR BIRMINGPORT

0904 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   TUSCALOOSA                     DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR NORTHPORT

0907 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR HUEYTOWN

0923 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR CENTERPOINT

Special weather statement, Jan 24, 10:02 PM CST, 59 minutes before

ALZ015>017-022>025-031-032-035-250500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
10 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 29 HAS NOW EXPIRED.  THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
ARE NO LONGER UNDER ANY WATCHES: CULLMAN...WALKER...BLOUNT
...JEFFERSON...SHELBY...PICKENS...TUSCALOOSA...GREENE...HALE AND BIBB.

A COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH ACROSS THE CENTRAL SECTIONS THROUGH
MIDNIGHT.  SOME THUNDERSTORMS COULD STILL APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS
AND A FEW MORE WARNINGS MAY STILL BE REQUIRED.  THESE WARNINGS WILL BE
ISSUED LOCALLY HERE IN BIRMINGHAM AND SINCE THE AREA AFFECTED IS RATHER
SMALL...AN ADDITIONAL WATCH FOR ONE OR 2 HOURS WILL NOT BE ISSUED.  ONCE
THE FRONT CLEARS THE AREA THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL END.

HOWEVER...TORNADO WATCHES REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR SECTIONS OF EAST AND
ALL OF SOUTH ALABAMA.  ADDITIONAL WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED
ACROSS THESE AREAS AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH OVERNIGHT.

Local storm report, Jan 24, 10:38 PM CST, 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
1038 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

TIME(CST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0931 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          CLAY AND HUEYTOWN

0943 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   ETOWAH                         GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED JUST NORTH OF
                                          GADSDEN

0947 PM    VESTAVIA HILLS            AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN VESTAVIA HILLS
0947 PM    PELL CITY                 AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   ST CLAIR                       DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          PELL CITY

1021 PM    JACKSONVILLE              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   CALHOUN                        DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          JACKSONVILLE

1028 PM    BYNUM                     AL   .88 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   CALHOUN                        NICKEL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR BYNUM

Local storm report, Jan 24, 10:40 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
1038 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

TIME(CST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0931 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          CLAY AND HUEYTOWN

0943 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   ETOWAH                         GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED JUST NORTH OF
                                          GADSDEN

0947 PM    VESTAVIA HILLS            AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN VESTAVIA HILLS
0947 PM    PELL CITY                 AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   ST CLAIR                       DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          PELL CITY

1021 PM    JACKSONVILLE              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   CALHOUN                        DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          JACKSONVILLE

1028 PM    BYNUM                     AL   .88 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   CALHOUN                        NICKEL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR BYNUM

Local storm report, Jan 24, 10:49 PM CST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
1049 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

TIME(CST)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0954 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          GREYSTONE AND NEAR OAK
                                          MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

1015 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   SHELBY                         DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          JUST SOUTH OF THE SHELBY
                                          CO AIRPORT

1035 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   TALLADEGA                      DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          THE NW PART OD TALLADEGA
                                          CO

1044 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   TALLADEGA                      DIME SIZE HAIL 5W OF
                                          TALLADEGA

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 24, 6:10 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Franklin	65 min
Jan 24, 6:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	61 min
Jan 24, 6:17 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	43 min
Jan 24, 6:20 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Morgan	55 min
Jan 24, 6:23 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne	52 min
Jan 24, 6:30 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Franklin	60 min
Jan 24, 6:32 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	St. Clair	43 min
Jan 24, 6:35 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jackson	55 min
Jan 24, 6:38 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Talladega	37 min
Jan 24, 6:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lawrence	60 min
Jan 24, 6:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marshall	60 min
Jan 24, 6:54 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cullman	51 min
Jan 24, 6:54 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	51 min
Jan 24, 6:59 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marshall	61 min
Jan 24, 7:01 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	44 min
Jan 24, 7:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Morgan	66 min
Jan 24, 7:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	DeKalb	66 min
Jan 24, 7:11 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun	64 min
Jan 24, 7:31 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Limestone, Madison	59 min
Jan 24, 7:31 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	44 min
Jan 24, 7:37 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cleburne	53 min
Jan 24, 7:41 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	49 min
Jan 24, 7:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens, Tuscaloosa	59 min
Jan 24, 7:53 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Etowah	52 min
Jan 24, 7:55 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jackson	65 min
Jan 24, 8:01 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cullman	59 min
Jan 24, 8:01 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	59 min
Jan 24, 8:09 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	St. Clair	36 min
Jan 24, 8:12 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	DeKalb	63 min
Jan 24, 8:24 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	51 min
Jan 24, 8:28 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	47 min
Jan 24, 8:33 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	57 min
Jan 24, 8:35 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	40 min
Jan 24, 8:41 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	49 min
Jan 24, 8:51 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb	69 min
Jan 24, 8:51 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby	69 min
Jan 24, 8:51 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Hale	69 min
Jan 24, 8:59 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cherokee	31 min
Jan 24, 9:03 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount, St. Clair	27 min
Jan 24, 9:12 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	48 min
Jan 24, 9:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah	30 min
Jan 24, 9:56 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Hale, Shelby	64 min
Jan 24, 9:56 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	64 min
Jan 24, 9:56 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, St. Clair, Talladega	64 min
Jan 24, 10:18 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	42 min
Jan 24, 10:23 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne	67 min
Jan 24, 10:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	45 min
Jan 24, 11:29 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga	31 min
Jan 24, 11:32 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Perry	28 min
Jan 24, 11:36 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	54 min
Jan 25, 12:09 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga	51 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1997 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1997

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.