Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 141, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 3, 1998Barbour County, Russell County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 3, 1998, 2:40 PM CST for Barbour County, Russell County, Alabama. It was in force for 50 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
Apr 3, 1998, 2:40 PM CST (20:40 UTC)
Expired
Apr 3, 1998, 3:30 PM CST
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Barbour County, AL, Russell County, AL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 3, 2:55 PM CSTHail 0.75Seale, ALDime size hail was reported in Cottonton.

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
Apr 3, 10:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 161 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 1998-04-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 26 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 12:00Z on 1998-04-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 78 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
26 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
560 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
61 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
78 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
210 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

826 
WUUS1 KBHM 032042 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC005-113-032130-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
240 PM CST FRI APR 3 1998


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA

   ...BARBOUR COUNTY...

IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA

   ...SOUTHERN RUSSELL COUNTY...

AT 239 PM CST... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL MOVING ALONG THE BORDER OF NORTH BARBOUR COUNTY AND SOUTHER
RUSSELL COUNTY. COMMUNITES IN THE STORMS PATH ARE SPRING HILL AND
GLENVILLE.



<<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

Special weather statement, Apr 3, 9:48 AM CST, 4 hours 52 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-040325-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
FOR NORTH/CENTRAL AL AND WEST CENTRAL GA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
948 AM CST FRI APR 3 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER STILL POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...

A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS CONTINUES TO DOMINATE MOST OF
ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS MORNING...AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT
APPROACHING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.  A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
IS ALSO EXPECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN ALABAMA THIS
AFTERNOON.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING OVER
EASTERN ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS MORNING.  MOST OF THIS
PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST OF THE AREA BEFORE NOON...
WITH SOME CLEARING DEVELOPING LATER THIS MORNING AND EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS WESTERN ALABAMA.

THIS CLEARING WILL ALLOW THE AIRMASS TO DESTABILIZE FURTHER ACROSS THE
AREA.  WITH THE APPROACH OF THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM...ANOTHER
ROUND OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
OVER WESTERN AND NORTHERN ALABAMA BY EARLY AFTERNOON...SPREADING
EASTWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL
GEORGIA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER IS OCCURRING NOW...IT MUST BE STRESSED THAT
INGREDIENTS ARE STILL IN PLACE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERCELL
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND POSSIBLE
TORNADOES.

THE GREATEST RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE OVER THE
NORTHERN THIRD OF ALABAMA...FROM ABOUT NOON TO 5 PM.  HOWEVER...THE
AIRMASS IS UNSTABLE OVER ALL OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA AND WEST
CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND A SEVERE THREAT DOES EXIST OVER THIS ENTIRE AREA
TODAY.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD CONTINUE
TO MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY FOR ADDITIONAL
ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. FOR THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER
OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...SEE PRODUCT BHMSPSMOB.  FOR SOUTHEAST
ALABAMA...SEE MIASPSTLH.  FOR MORE WEATHER INFORMATION VISIT
OUR INTERNET SITE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT
HTTP://WWW.ACESAG.AUBURN.EDU/DEPARTMENT/NWS/
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 9:48 AM CST, 4 hours 52 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-040325-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
FOR NORTH/CENTRAL AL AND WEST CENTRAL GA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
948 AM CST FRI APR 3 1998

...SEVERE WEATHER STILL POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA TODAY...

A MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS CONTINUES TO DOMINATE MOST OF
ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS MORNING...AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT
APPROACHING THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.  A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE
IS ALSO EXPECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN ALABAMA THIS
AFTERNOON.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING OVER
EASTERN ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA THIS MORNING.  MOST OF THIS
PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST OF THE AREA BEFORE NOON...
WITH SOME CLEARING DEVELOPING LATER THIS MORNING AND EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS WESTERN ALABAMA.

THIS CLEARING WILL ALLOW THE AIRMASS TO DESTABILIZE FURTHER ACROSS THE
AREA.  WITH THE APPROACH OF THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM...ANOTHER
ROUND OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP
OVER WESTERN AND NORTHERN ALABAMA BY EARLY AFTERNOON...SPREADING
EASTWARD ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL
GEORGIA THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS.

ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER IS OCCURRING NOW...IT MUST BE STRESSED THAT
INGREDIENTS ARE STILL IN PLACE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS MORNING THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERCELL
THUNDERSTORMS...WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND POSSIBLE
TORNADOES.

THE GREATEST RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE OVER THE
NORTHERN THIRD OF ALABAMA...FROM ABOUT NOON TO 5 PM.  HOWEVER...THE
AIRMASS IS UNSTABLE OVER ALL OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA AND WEST
CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND A SEVERE THREAT DOES EXIST OVER THIS ENTIRE AREA
TODAY.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD CONTINUE
TO MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY FOR ADDITIONAL
ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. FOR THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER
OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...SEE PRODUCT BHMSPSMOB.  FOR SOUTHEAST
ALABAMA...SEE MIASPSTLH.  FOR MORE WEATHER INFORMATION VISIT
OUR INTERNET SITE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT
HTTP://WWW.ACESAG.AUBURN.EDU/DEPARTMENT/NWS/

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 3, 12:24 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSumter46 min
Apr 3, 1:23 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar32 min
Apr 3, 1:30 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Hale50 min
Apr 3, 1:40 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion45 min
Apr 3, 2:01 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert, Lauderdale49 min
Apr 3, 2:09 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb46 min
Apr 3, 2:49 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLauderdale16 min
Apr 3, 2:54 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay31 min
Apr 3, 2:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson, Madison46 min
Apr 3, 2:58 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXRussell47 min
Apr 3, 3:04 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXJackson36 min
Apr 3, 3:15 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXDeKalb50 min
Apr 3, 3:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone48 min
Apr 3, 4:00 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence50 min
Apr 3, 4:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan36 min
Apr 3, 4:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison, Marshall31 min
Apr 3, 4:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison47 min
Apr 3, 4:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone33 min
Apr 3, 4:47 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson63 min
Apr 3, 5:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall33 min
Apr 3, 5:47 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson63 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.