Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 111, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 19, 1998DeKalb County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 19, 1998, 11:27 PM CST for DeKalb County, Alabama. It was in force for 63 min. 2 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
Mar 19, 1998, 11:27 PM CST (05:27 UTC)
Expired
Mar 20, 1998, 12:30 AM CST
In force
63 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County DeKalb County, AL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 20, 12:20 AM CSTHail 0.75Rainsville, AL
Mar 20, 12:27 AM CSTHail 0.75Ft Payne, 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 19, 8:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 168 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Birmingham, AL at 00:00Z on 1998-03-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 434 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Birmingham, AL at 00:00Z on 1998-03-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 113 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
434 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-35 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
728 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
113 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
158 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
3.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

995 
WUUS1 KBHM 200526 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC049-200630-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1127 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1230 AM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN NORTHERN ALABAMA

   ...DEKALB COUNTY...

AT 1124 PM CST... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
PRODUCING LARGE HAIL MOVING INTO WESTERN DEKALB COUNTY.  THESE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MUCH OF THE COUNTY UNTIL ABOUT 1230 AM.
MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MPH.




<<CALL TO ACTION>>
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

Local storm report, Mar 19, 9:27 PM CST, 2 hours before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
927 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0912 PM    HARVEST                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MADISON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN HARVEST BY EMA.

0912 PM    TONEY                     AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MADISON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN TONEY BY EMA.

0920 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WINSTON                        DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED EAST OF DOUBLE
                                          SPRINGS BY EMA.
0922 PM    CARBON HILL               AL   .5 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WALKER                         1/2 INCH HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          CARBON HILL BY HAMS.
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 10:06 PM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes before
ALZ001>005-011>014-022-200440-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1006 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...

IN ALABAMA

   ...LAUDERDALE... COLBERT... FRANKLIN... LAWRENCE... LIMESTONE
   ...MARION... LAMAR... FAYETTE... WINSTON... PICKENS
Local storm report, Mar 19, 10:12 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1012 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0900 PM    FAYETTE                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
03/19/98   FAYETTE                        A FEW TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN IN AND AROUND
                                          THE CITY OF FAYETTE...ALSO
                                          HAIL OF UNKNOWN
                                          SIZE..REPORTED BY FAYETTE
                                          PD.

0920 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WALKER                         DIME TO GOLFBALL SIZED
                                          HAIL REPORTED IN AND
                                          AROUND CARBON HILL..BY
                                          CARBON HILL PD.
Local storm report, Mar 19, 10:12 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1012 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0900 PM    FAYETTE                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
03/19/98   FAYETTE                        A FEW TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN IN AND AROUND
                                          THE CITY OF FAYETTE...ALSO
                                          HAIL OF UNKNOWN
                                          SIZE..REPORTED BY FAYETTE
                                          PD.

0920 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WALKER                         DIME TO GOLFBALL SIZED
                                          HAIL REPORTED IN AND
                                          AROUND CARBON HILL..BY
                                          CARBON HILL PD.
Local storm report, Mar 19, 10:45 PM CST, 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1045 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0847 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MARION                         DIME TO PENNY SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN GUIN AND
                                          WINFIELD BY HAMILTON PD.

0948 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   CULLMAN                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN JONES CHAPEL BY CULLMAN
                                          EMA.

1000 PM    NORTHPORT                 AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   TUSCALOOSA                     DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          JUST EAST OF NORTHPORT BY
                                          EMA.

1002 PM                              AL   .88 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   CULLMAN                        DIME TO NICKLE SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR THE
                                          BATTLEGROUNDS NORTH OF
                                          CULLMAN.

1007 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   CULLMAN                        DIME SIZE HAIL IN THE CITY
                                          OF CULLMAN..REPORTED BY
                                          THE EMA.

1007 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   TUSCALOOSA                     DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR THE CITY OF
                                          TUSCALOOSA...FOSTERS AND
                                          MANY OTHERS LOCATIONS IN
                                          THE COUNTY.

1008 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   CULLMAN                        AT LEAST 1 INCH OF HAIL
                                          COVERING THE GROUND NEAR
                                          HIGHWAY 57 AND INTERSTATE
                                          65..BY CULLMAN EMA.

1034 PM    HUNTSVILLE                AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MADISON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTS
                                          COMING IN FROM ALL OVER
                                          THE COUNTY...REPORTED BY
                                          EMA AND HAMS.
Local storm report, Mar 19, 10:45 PM CST, 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1045 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0847 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MARION                         DIME TO PENNY SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN GUIN AND
                                          WINFIELD BY HAMILTON PD.

0948 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   CULLMAN                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN JONES CHAPEL BY CULLMAN
                                          EMA.

1000 PM    NORTHPORT                 AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   TUSCALOOSA                     DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          JUST EAST OF NORTHPORT BY
                                          EMA.

1002 PM                              AL   .88 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   CULLMAN                        DIME TO NICKLE SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR THE
                                          BATTLEGROUNDS NORTH OF
                                          CULLMAN.

1007 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   CULLMAN                        DIME SIZE HAIL IN THE CITY
                                          OF CULLMAN..REPORTED BY
                                          THE EMA.

1007 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   TUSCALOOSA                     DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR THE CITY OF
                                          TUSCALOOSA...FOSTERS AND
                                          MANY OTHERS LOCATIONS IN
                                          THE COUNTY.

1008 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   CULLMAN                        AT LEAST 1 INCH OF HAIL
                                          COVERING THE GROUND NEAR
                                          HIGHWAY 57 AND INTERSTATE
                                          65..BY CULLMAN EMA.

1034 PM    HUNTSVILLE                AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MADISON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTS
                                          COMING IN FROM ALL OVER
                                          THE COUNTY...REPORTED BY
                                          EMA AND HAMS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 19, 6:21 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin49 min
Mar 19, 7:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion49 min
Mar 19, 7:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin42 min
Mar 19, 7:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence, Winston47 min
Mar 19, 7:56 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin19 min
Mar 19, 8:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert33 min
Mar 19, 8:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar51 min
Mar 19, 8:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLauderdale, Limestone, Morgan46 min
Mar 19, 8:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens48 min
Mar 19, 8:41 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Marion59 min
Mar 19, 8:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSumter48 min
Mar 19, 8:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison47 min
Mar 19, 9:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman, Winston46 min
Mar 19, 9:08 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker42 min
Mar 19, 9:17 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens48 min
Mar 19, 9:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman45 min
Mar 19, 9:56 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa49 min
Mar 19, 9:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan47 min
Mar 19, 10:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison, Marshall46 min
Mar 19, 10:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker35 min
Mar 19, 10:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount48 min
Mar 19, 10:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson63 min
Mar 19, 10:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale45 min
Mar 19, 10:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson62 min
Mar 19, 10:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman22 min
Mar 19, 10:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa33 min
Mar 19, 10:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Perry65 min
Mar 19, 11:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall49 min
Mar 19, 11:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah, St. Clair58 min
Mar 19, 11:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby58 min
Mar 19, 11:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson35 min
Mar 19, 11:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson32 min
Mar 19, 11:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Dallas61 min
Mar 19, 11:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee60 min
Mar 19, 11:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega60 min
Mar 20, 12:08 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah, St. Clair32 min
Mar 20, 12:08 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby32 min
Mar 20, 12:16 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXAutauga, Lowndes79 min
Mar 20, 12:16 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCoosa79 min
Mar 20, 12:28 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb47 min
Mar 20, 12:35 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXLowndes60 min
Mar 20, 12:39 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay61 min
Mar 20, 12:47 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXElmore, Montgomery63 min
Mar 20, 12:56 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne64 min
Mar 20, 12:56 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTallapoosa64 min
Mar 20, 1:22 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph63 min
Mar 20, 1:38 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMacon62 min
Mar 20, 1:54 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers, Lee61 min
Mar 20, 2:55 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLee50 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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.