Alert archive / Georgia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 321, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 1997, 9:39 AM EDT for Chattahoochee County, Muscogee County, Georgia; Russell County, Alabama. It was in force for 46 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, 9:39 AM EDT (13:39 UTC)
- Expired
- May 3, 1997, 10:25 AM EDT
- In force
- 46 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Russell County, AL, Chattahoochee County, GA, Muscogee County, GA
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, 8:30 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
| May 3, 7:30 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 118 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
- 1144 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 542 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 55 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 226 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 235 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.6
- Supercell composite
- 8.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 031339 RRA SVRBHM ALC113-GAC053-215-031425- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 839 AM CDT SAT MAY 3 1997 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 925 AM CDT (1025 AM EDT) FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA ...RUSSELL IN WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA ...CHATTAHOOCHEE ...MUSCOGEE AT 838 AM CDT (938 AM EDT)...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE COLUMBUS AREA SOUTHWEST TO NEAR HURTSBORO IN RUSSELL COUNTY. MOVEMENT IS TO THE EAST AT 45 MPH. QUARTER SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN NORTH PHENIX CITY IN SOUTHERN LEE COUNTY IN THE PAST HALF HOUR. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE... SEEK REFUGE FROM THE STORM IN A STRONG BUILDING. BOATERS ON AREA LAKES SHOULD TAKE SHELTER. DAMAGING WIND... LARGE HAIL... VERY HEAVY RAIN... AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE ALL LIKELY. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES OR OTHER ISOLATED TALL OBJECTS. THESE ATTRACT LIGHTNING. DO NOT 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, 5:50 AM EDT, 3 hours 49 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, 5:51 AM EDT, 3 hours 48 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, 7:54 AM EDT, 1 hour 45 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, 7:55 AM EDT, 1 hour 44 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 3, 8:58 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Muscogee | 47 min |
| May 2, 8:05 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 50 min |
| May 2, 8:13 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cullman | 47 min |
| May 2, 8:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Madison, Morgan | 55 min |
| May 2, 8:29 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 61 min |
| May 2, 8:57 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jackson | 63 min |
| May 2, 9:03 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | DeKalb | 57 min |
| May 2, 9:11 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | DeKalb | 49 min |
| May 2, 9:30 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marshall | 60 min |
| May 2, 9:42 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 33 min |
| May 2, 9:54 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar | 61 min |
| May 2, 10:22 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette | 78 min |
| May 2, 10:37 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marion | 48 min |
| May 2, 10:56 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Walker | 64 min |
| May 2, 11:20 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar | 65 min |
| May 2, 11:23 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Winston | 32 min |
| May 2, 11:28 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cullman | 62 min |
| May 2, 11:41 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 4 hr |
| May 2, 11:47 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette | 63 min |
| May 3, 12:06 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount | 49 min |
| May 3, 12:10 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Walker | 50 min |
| May 3, 12:12 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Cullman, Marion, Walker, Winston | 3 hr |
| May 3, 12:12 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar | 3 hr |
| May 3, 12:32 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 43 min |
| May 3, 12:46 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar | 49 min |
| May 3, 12:51 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 49 min |
| May 3, 12:56 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Etowah | 64 min |
| May 3, 1:01 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson | 59 min |
| May 3, 1:01 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 34 min |
| May 3, 1:05 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette | 65 min |
| May 3, 1:15 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Etowah | 45 min |
| May 3, 1:22 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 48 min |
| May 3, 1:24 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 66 min |
| May 3, 2:42 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 33 min |
| May 3, 2:45 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 50 min |
| May 3, 2:57 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker | 4 hr |
| May 3, 2:57 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Cullman, Winston | 4 hr |
| May 3, 2:57 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Blount | 4 hr |
| May 3, 3:32 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 3 hr |
| May 3, 4:27 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 48 min |
| May 3, 4:54 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene | 36 min |
| May 3, 4:59 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Hale | 31 min |
| May 3, 6:06 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Talladega | 49 min |
| May 3, 6:37 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Autauga, Chilton | 63 min |
| May 3, 7:11 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Coosa | 49 min |
| May 3, 7:33 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Elmore, Montgomery | 47 min |
| May 3, 7:33 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tallapoosa | 47 min |
| May 3, 8:40 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lee | 35 min |
| May 3, 9:04 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Macon | 31 min |
| May 3, 9:25 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lee | 30 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Georgia, 1997Severe 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.