Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 319, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 1997, 8:04 AM CDT for Macon County, Alabama. It was in force for 31 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
- May 3, 1997, 8:04 AM CDT (13:04 UTC)
- Expired
- May 3, 1997, 8:35 AM CDT
- In force
- 31 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Macon County, AL
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 3, 6:30 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 135 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
- 1369 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 65 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -90 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 0 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 031303 RRA SVRBHM ALC087-031335- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 804 AM CDT SAT MAY 3 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 835 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA ...MACON AT 802 AM CDT...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM JUST SOUTHWEST OF TUSKEGEE MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. HIGH AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH HAIL. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 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 DONT 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, May 3, 4:50 AM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
ALZ012-013-015>018-020-022>024-026-031055- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 450 AM CDT SAT MAY 3 1997 TORNADO WATCH 242 CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTH ALABAMA... CULLMAN...BLOUNT...ETOWAH...CHEROKEE...ST CLAIR... JEFFERSON...WALKER...FAYETTE...LAMAR...PICKENS...TUSCALOOSA.
Special weather statement, May 3, 4:51 AM CDT, 3 hours 13 minutes before
ALZ012-013-015>018-020-022>024-026-031055- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 450 AM CDT SAT MAY 3 1997 TORNADO WATCH 242 CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTH ALABAMA... CULLMAN...BLOUNT...ETOWAH...CHEROKEE...ST CLAIR... JEFFERSON...WALKER...FAYETTE...LAMAR...PICKENS...TUSCALOOSA.
Special weather statement, May 3, 6:54 AM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
ALZ019-021-025-027-028-030>036-031212- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 655 AM CDT SAT MAY 3 1997 TORNADO WATCH 242 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL ALABAMA... SUMTER...GREENE...HALE...PERRY...BIBB...SHELBY...CHILTON...COOSA... TALLADEGA...CALHOUN...CLEBURNE AND CLAY.
Special weather statement, May 3, 6:55 AM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
ALZ019-021-025-027-028-030>036-031212- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 655 AM CDT SAT MAY 3 1997 TORNADO WATCH 242 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL ALABAMA... SUMTER...GREENE...HALE...PERRY...BIBB...SHELBY...CHILTON...COOSA... TALLADEGA...CALHOUN...CLEBURNE AND CLAY.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 7:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 50 min |
| May 2, 7:13 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cullman | 47 min |
| May 2, 7:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Madison, Morgan | 55 min |
| May 2, 7:29 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 61 min |
| May 2, 7:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jackson | 63 min |
| May 2, 8:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | DeKalb | 57 min |
| May 2, 8:11 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | DeKalb | 49 min |
| May 2, 8:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marshall | 60 min |
| May 2, 8:42 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 33 min |
| May 2, 8:54 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar | 61 min |
| May 2, 9:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette | 78 min |
| May 2, 9:37 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marion | 48 min |
| May 2, 9:56 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Walker | 64 min |
| May 2, 10:20 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar | 65 min |
| May 2, 10:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Winston | 32 min |
| May 2, 10:28 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cullman | 62 min |
| May 2, 10:41 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 4 hr |
| May 2, 10:47 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette | 63 min |
| May 2, 11:06 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount | 49 min |
| May 2, 11:10 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Walker | 50 min |
| May 2, 11:12 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Cullman, Marion, Walker, Winston | 3 hr |
| May 2, 11:12 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar | 3 hr |
| May 2, 11:32 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 43 min |
| May 2, 11:46 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar | 49 min |
| May 2, 11:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 49 min |
| May 2, 11:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Etowah | 64 min |
| May 3, 12:01 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson | 59 min |
| May 3, 12:01 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 34 min |
| May 3, 12:05 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette | 65 min |
| May 3, 12:15 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Etowah | 45 min |
| May 3, 12:22 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 48 min |
| May 3, 12:24 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 66 min |
| May 3, 1:42 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 33 min |
| May 3, 1:45 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 50 min |
| May 3, 1:57 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker | 4 hr |
| May 3, 1:57 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Cullman, Winston | 4 hr |
| May 3, 1:57 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Blount | 4 hr |
| May 3, 2:32 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 3 hr |
| May 3, 3:27 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 48 min |
| May 3, 3:54 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene | 36 min |
| May 3, 3:59 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Hale | 31 min |
| May 3, 5:06 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Talladega | 49 min |
| May 3, 5:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Autauga, Chilton | 63 min |
| May 3, 6:11 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Coosa | 49 min |
| May 3, 6:33 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Elmore, Montgomery | 47 min |
| May 3, 6:33 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tallapoosa | 47 min |
| May 3, 7:40 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lee | 35 min |
| May 3, 7:58 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Russell | 47 min |
| May 3, 8:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lee | 30 min |
| May 3, 8:39 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Russell | 46 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.