Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1997

Tornado Warning 163, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 24, 1997Blount County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 24, 1997, 3:57 PM CST for Blount County, Alabama. It was in force for 33 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: Jan 24, 1997, 3:57 PM CST (21:57 UTC)
Expired: Jan 24, 1997, 4:30 PM CST
In force: 33 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Whole counties

County Blount County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 92 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:56 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
Jan 24, 4:10 PM CST	Thunderstorm Wind 55	Snead, 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

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 91 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.

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 242158 RRA
TORBHM
ALC009-242230-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
357 PM CST FRI JAN 24 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH ALABAMA
 
   ...NORTHERN BLOUNT COUNTY
 
A TORNADO OVER NORTHEASTERN CULLMAN COUNTY WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN
BLOUNT COUNTY NEAR BROOKSVILLE AND SUMMIT BETWEEN 405 AND 415 PM. THE
STORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH.
 
 
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Jan 24, 10:40 AM CST, 5 hours 17 minutes before

ALZ058-FLZ001-002-241740-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1039 AM CST FRI JAN 24 1997

THE TORNADO WATCH THAT WAS ISSUED FOR THE THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
IS HEREBY CANCELLED.

CRENSHAW COUNTY IN ALABAMA

ESCAMBIA COUNTY IN FLORIDA

THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS THAT WAS PRODUCTING THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS
MOVED EAST. CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER TODAY
AS A COLD FRONT CONTINUES TO APPROACH FROM TVHE WEST.

Local storm report, Jan 24, 2:45 PM CST, 1 hour 12 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 6 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 5 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, 43 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, 42 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

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, 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, 4:48 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Madison, Marshall	72 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

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 1997 Every tornado warning in 1997 Tornadoes 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.