Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 52, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 24, 1997Madison County, Marshall County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jan 24, 1997, 4:48 PM CST for Madison County, Marshall County, Alabama. It was in force for 72 min. 5 reports 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: Jan 24, 1997, 4:48 PM CST (22:48 UTC)
Expired: Jan 24, 1997, 6:00 PM CST
In force: 72 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Whole counties

Counties Madison County, AL, Marshall County, AL

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where
Jan 24, 4:49 PM CST	Hail 0.75	Albertville, AL
Jan 24, 5:00 PM CST	Thunderstorm Wind 50	Douglas, AL
Jan 24, 5:00 PM CST	Hail 1.75	Guntersville, AL
Jan 24, 5:06 PM CST	Thunderstorm Wind 50	Huntsville, AL
Jan 24, 5:15 PM CST	Hail 0.75	Huntsville, AL

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
Jan 24, 3:30 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr
Jan 24, 4:45 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 157 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: 379 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -22 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 510 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 316 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 348 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 2.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

712 
WUUS1 KHSV 242250 
SVRHSV
ALC095-242345-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED...CORRECTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
448 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN NORTH ALABAMA

   ...MADISON COUNTY

AT 443 PM CST WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN HUNTSVILLE INIDICATED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF NORTHERN LIMESTONE COUNTY AND OVER MORGAN
COUNTY NEAR DECATUR. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE MOVING TOWARDS THE EAST
AT 35 MILES AN HOUR...MOVING INTO WESTERN MADISON COUNTY FROM MADISON TO
TRIANA...AND NORTH OF TONEY. THESE STORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS.

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
DONT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

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.

1 follow-up statement

730 
WUUS1 KHSV 242252 RRB
SVRHSV
ALC089-242345-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED...CORRECTED FOR COUNTY...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
448 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN NORTH ALABAMA

   ...MADISON COUNTY

AT 443 PM CST WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN HUNTSVILLE INIDICATED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF NORTHERN LIMESTONE COUNTY AND OVER MORGAN
COUNTY NEAR DECATUR. THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE MOVING TOWARDS THE EAST
AT 35 MILES AN HOUR...MOVING INTO WESTERN MADISON COUNTY FROM MADISON TO
TRIANA...AND NORTH OF TONEY. THESE STORMS HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS.

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
DONT DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

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.

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, 2:45 PM CST, 2 hours 3 minutes before

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

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

0145 PM    HAMILTON                  AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   MARION                         DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN HAMILTON BY EMA

0155 PM    HACKLEBURG                AL   1 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   MARION                         QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN HACKLEBURG BY
                                          EMA

Local storm report, Jan 24, 2:51 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

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

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

0205 PM                              AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   MARION                         2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
                                          REPORTED 9 MILES EAST OF
                                          HAMILTON THAT COMPLETELY
                                          COVERED THE GROUND

0225 PM    BEAR CREEK                AL   1 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   MARION                         QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN BEAR CREEK BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER

0235 PM    HALEYVILLE                AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON                        DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          HALEYVILLE BY EMA

Local storm report, Jan 24, 2:52 PM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes before

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

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

0205 PM                              AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   MARION                         2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
                                          REPORTED 9 MILES EAST OF
                                          HAMILTON THAT COMPLETELY
                                          COVERED THE GROUND

0225 PM    BEAR CREEK                AL   1 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   MARION                         QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN BEAR CREEK BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER

0235 PM    HALEYVILLE                AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON                        DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          HALEYVILLE BY EMA

Local storm report, Jan 24, 3:14 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes before

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

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

0250 PM                              AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON                        2 INCH DIAMETER SIZE HAIL
                                          JUST WEST OF DOUBLE
                                          SPRINGS

0307 PM                              AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON                        2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR ADDISON

0310 PM                              AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON                        EMA REPORTS 2 INCH
                                          DIAMETER HAIL ALONG THE
                                          ENTIRE STORM PATH IN
                                          EASTERN WINSTON COUNTY

Local storm report, Jan 24, 3:15 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before

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

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

0250 PM                              AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON                        2 INCH DIAMETER SIZE HAIL
                                          JUST WEST OF DOUBLE
                                          SPRINGS

0307 PM                              AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON                        2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR ADDISON

0310 PM                              AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON      &                  EMA REPORTS 2 INCH
                                          DIAMETER HAIL ALONG THE
                                          ENTIRE STORM PATH IN
                                          EASTERN WINSTON COUNTY

Local storm report, Jan 24, 4:30 PM CST, 18 minutes before

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

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

0215 PM    DELMAR                    AL   2 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   WINSTON                        2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL NEAR
                                          DELMAR

0327 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   CULLMAN                        GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR JONES CHAPEL

0327 PM                              AL   TORNADO
01/24/97   CULLMAN                        TORNADO NEAR JONES CHAPEL
                                          NO DAMAGE REPORTS

0335 PM                              AL   TORNADO
01/24/97   WINSTON                        NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN NEAR MORELAND
                                          WITH 2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL
                                          COVERING THE GROUND

0417 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
01/24/97   MARION                         DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED SW
                                          OF HALEYVILLE IN MARION
                                          CO.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jan 24, 6:37 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	38 min
Jan 24, 6:52 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Lowndes	53 min
Jan 24, 7:10 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga	35 min
Jan 24, 7:24 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Elmore, Montgomery	51 min
Jan 24, 7:43 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Coosa	47 min
Jan 24, 8:00 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tallapoosa	60 min
Jan 24, 8:02 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	58 min
Jan 24, 8:15 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Montgomery	30 min
Jan 24, 8:18 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock	57 min
Jan 24, 8:26 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pike	64 min
Jan 24, 8:29 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	61 min
Jan 24, 8:35 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chambers	55 min
Jan 24, 8:41 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Randolph	49 min
Jan 24, 8:58 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	17 min
Jan 24, 9:01 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour	59 min
Jan 24, 9:04 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Russell	56 min
Jan 24, 1:39 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	51 min
Jan 24, 1:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Franklin	59 min
Jan 24, 2:01 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	44 min
Jan 24, 2:11 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lawrence	64 min
Jan 24, 2:32 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	43 min
Jan 24, 2:42 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Winston	33 min
Jan 24, 2:59 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cullman	61 min
Jan 24, 3:18 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	42 min
Jan 24, 3:27 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Morgan	63 min
Jan 24, 3:30 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Colbert, Lauderdale	60 min
Jan 24, 3:42 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Limestone	63 min
Jan 24, 3:47 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	58 min
Jan 24, 3:49 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	41 min
Jan 24, 3:54 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Franklin	66 min
Jan 24, 3:57 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	33 min
Jan 24, 4:03 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cullman	12 min
Jan 24, 4:05 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marshall	55 min
Jan 24, 4:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lawrence	61 min
Jan 24, 4:18 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	42 min
Jan 24, 4:23 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	52 min
Jan 24, 4:27 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	48 min
Jan 24, 4:31 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lawrence	59 min
Jan 24, 4:38 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Limestone, Morgan	67 min
Jan 24, 4:42 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	48 min
Jan 24, 4:54 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Shelby	51 min
Jan 24, 5:04 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	DeKalb, Marshall	56 min
Jan 24, 5:11 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	49 min
Jan 24, 5:12 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Madison	63 min
Jan 24, 5:16 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair	44 min
Jan 24, 5:26 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jackson	64 min
Jan 24, 5:28 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lawrence	62 min
Jan 24, 5:32 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Morgan	43 min
Jan 24, 5:34 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	41 min
Jan 24, 5:34 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Morgan	41 min
Jan 24, 5:37 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	38 min
Jan 24, 5:43 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	32 min
Jan 24, 5:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Limestone	60 min
Jan 24, 5:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marshall	60 min
Jan 24, 5:48 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar	42 min
Jan 24, 5:52 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun	53 min
Jan 24, 5:57 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette	48 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.