Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 285, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 2, 1997, 4:39 PM CDT for Walker County, Alabama. It was in force for 81 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
- May 2, 1997, 4:39 PM CDT (21:39 UTC)
- Expired
- May 2, 1997, 6:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 81 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Walker County, AL
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 86 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:42 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 5:30 PM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Eldridge, AL | Dime size hail was reported in Eldridge, in the northwest part of the county. |
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.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 3:00 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 84 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1681 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 45 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 176 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 229 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 022139 RRA SVRBHM ALC127-022300- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 439 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN CENTRAL ALABAMA ...WALKER AT 435 PM CDT...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT HAVE A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND MOVING INTO THE NORTHWEST PART OF WALKER COUNTY. BASED ON CURRENT MOVEMENT THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL WILL REACHING THE NORTHWEST PART OF WALKER COUNTY IN THE VICINITY OF CARBON HILL BETWEEN 5:00 PM AND 5:15 PM. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EF FECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. REMEMBER... SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
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, May 2, 12:39 PM CDT, 4 hours before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-022200-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1240 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997
... SEVERE WEATHER LIKELY ACROSS PARTS OF ALABAMA ...
... AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING ...
A STRONG STORM SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL PART OF THE UNITED
STATES IS EXPECTED TO BRING SEVERE WEATHER TO ALABAMA AND WEST
CENTRAL GEORGIA BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING INTO
SATURDAY MORNING. ALREADY ACROSS ALABAMA, STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND
WAS BLOWING AT 15 TO 25 MPH WITH STRONGER GUSTS . THIS STRONG
SOUTHERLY WIND WILL SPREAD WARM, MOIST AIR ACROSS THE AREA
HELPING TO ENHANCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEVERE WEATHER.
THE MAIN CULPRIT IS A STRONG AND DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM IN
THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST-NORTHEAST
TODAY. JUST SHORTLY AFTER 12 NOON, THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER
IN NORMAN, OK, HAD ISSUED THE FIRST OF WHAT WILL BE A NUMBER OF
TORNADO WATCHES THAT INCLUDED MOST OF MISSISSIPPI. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALREADY DEVELOPING WITH NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICES TO ALABAMA'S WEST ISSUING WARNINGS.
FOR ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA, PEOPLE CAN EXPECT
SEVERE WEATHER FROM THIS AFTERNOON MAINLY ALONG THE WESTERN
BOUNDARY OF ALABAMA AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE EVENING INTO THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SATURDAY. THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL, DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH, DEADLY
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING, AND TORNADOES.
PEOPLE ACROSS ALL OF ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA ARE
URGED TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT THE WEATHER. WHEN A TORNADO WATCH
IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, REVIEW SAFETY RULES SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE FACED WITH AN APPROACHING TORNADO OR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM. ONCE A WATCH IS ISSUED, STAY ALERT FOR RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATIONS WILL BE MADE LATER THIS AFTERNOON
AND INTO THE EVENING. LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,
NEWS MEDIA OUTLETS, AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE WARNING PROCESS
ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONSIDER EXTRA STAFFING FOR THE HOURS FROM
ABOUT 3 PM TO AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
THIS IS A ^POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER EVENT. PLEASE KEEP
INFORMED ABOUT THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND INFORMATION VIA
NOAA WEATHER RADIO BROADCASTS OR THROUGH COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
AND RADIO OUTLETS.Special weather statement, May 2, 12:40 PM CDT, 3 hours 59 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-022200-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1240 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 1997
... SEVERE WEATHER LIKELY ACROSS PARTS OF ALABAMA ...
... AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING ...
A STRONG STORM SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL PART OF THE UNITED
STATES IS EXPECTED TO BRING SEVERE WEATHER TO ALABAMA AND WEST
CENTRAL GEORGIA BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING INTO
SATURDAY MORNING. ALREADY ACROSS ALABAMA, STRONG SOUTHERLY WIND
WAS BLOWING AT 15 TO 25 MPH WITH STRONGER GUSTS . THIS STRONG
SOUTHERLY WIND WILL SPREAD WARM, MOIST AIR ACROSS THE AREA
HELPING TO ENHANCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SEVERE WEATHER.
THE MAIN CULPRIT IS A STRONG AND DEVELOPING STORM SYSTEM IN
THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST-NORTHEAST
TODAY. JUST SHORTLY AFTER 12 NOON, THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER
IN NORMAN, OK, HAD ISSUED THE FIRST OF WHAT WILL BE A NUMBER OF
TORNADO WATCHES THAT INCLUDED MOST OF MISSISSIPPI. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALREADY DEVELOPING WITH NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICES TO ALABAMAS WEST ISSUING WARNINGS.
FOR ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA, PEOPLE CAN EXPECT
SEVERE WEATHER FROM THIS AFTERNOON MAINLY ALONG THE WESTERN
BOUNDARY OF ALABAMA AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE EVENING INTO THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SATURDAY. THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL, DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH, DEADLY
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING, AND TORNADOES.
PEOPLE ACROSS ALL OF ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA ARE
URGED TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT THE WEATHER. WHEN A TORNADO WATCH
IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA, REVIEW SAFETY RULES SO THAT YOULL KNOW
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE FACED WITH AN APPROACHING TORNADO OR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM. ONCE A WATCH IS ISSUED, STAY ALERT FOR RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATIONS WILL BE MADE LATER THIS AFTERNOON
AND INTO THE EVENING. LAW ENFORCEMENT, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT,
NEWS MEDIA OUTLETS, AND OTHERS INVOLVED IN THE WARNING PROCESS
ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONSIDER EXTRA STAFFING FOR THE HOURS FROM
ABOUT 3 PM TO AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER EVENT. PLEASE KEEP
INFORMED ABOUT THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND INFORMATION VIA
NOAA WEATHER RADIO BROADCASTS OR THROUGH COMMERCIAL TELEVISION
AND RADIO OUTLETS.The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 3:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Colbert, Lauderdale | 62 min |
| May 2, 3:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Franklin | 56 min |
| May 2, 3:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 63 min |
| May 2, 4:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette | 64 min |
| May 2, 4:26 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Colbert, Franklin, Lawrence | 64 min |
| May 2, 4:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Winston | 64 min |
| May 2, 4:38 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lauderdale | 52 min |
| May 2, 4:47 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Limestone | 58 min |
| May 2, 4:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 35 min |
| May 2, 4:54 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Morgan | 66 min |
| May 2, 5:09 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Madison | 66 min |
| May 2, 5:15 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Winston | 35 min |
| May 2, 5:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette | 31 min |
| May 2, 5:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar | 48 min |
| May 2, 5:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 61 min |
| May 2, 5:36 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 69 min |
| May 2, 5:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jackson | 66 min |
| May 2, 5:46 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 49 min |
| May 2, 5:50 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marion | 50 min |
| May 2, 5:56 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marion | 34 min |
| May 2, 6:06 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | DeKalb | 69 min |
| May 2, 6:09 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Winston | 51 min |
| May 2, 6:20 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Franklin, Lawrence | 55 min |
| May 2, 6:20 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Morgan | 55 min |
| May 2, 6:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 47 min |
| May 2, 6:40 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 45 min |
| May 2, 6:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jackson, Marshall | 67 min |
| May 2, 6:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 23 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1997Every 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.