Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 161, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 8, 1998, 11:20 AM CDT for Dallas County, Alabama. It was in force for 45 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
- Apr 8, 1998, 11:20 AM CDT (16:20 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 8, 1998, 12:05 PM CDT
- In force
- 45 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Dallas County, AL
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 99 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:23 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.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 8, 10:30 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 4.3 hours before the alert went out and 100 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
- 880 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -44 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 505 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 59 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 145 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 161 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.7
- Supercell composite
- 3.8
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
840 WUUS1 KBHM 081622 RRA SVRBHM ALC047-081705- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1120 AM CDT WED APR 8 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1205 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN CENTRAL ALABAMA ...DALLAS COUNTY... A BAND OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING INTO DALLAS COUNTY. THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND. THE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE DANNELLY RESEVOIR BY 11:30 AND THE SELMA AREA AROUND NOON. <<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. REMEMBER... A TORNADO WATCH MEANS THAT TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. LARGE HAIL... DAMAGING WINDS... AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL MAY ALSO OCCUR. BE READY TO SEEK A PLACE OF SAFETY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA.
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 8, 6:30 AM CDT, 4 hours 50 minutes before
ALZ001>069-GAZ089-090-102-120-082135- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 630 AM CDT WED APR 8 1998 ...INGREDIENTS COMING TOGETHER FOR AN EXTENDED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM EPISODE OVER MOST OF ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA TODAY AND TONIGHT... THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OKLAHOMA HAS PLACED MOST OF NORTHERN ALABAMA UNDER A HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT. MUCH OF THE CENTRAL AND INTERIOR SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF ALABAMA...AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA...ARE UNDER A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY APPROACH ALABAMA FROM THE WEST TODAY...MOVING INTO AND ACROSS THE STATE OVERNIGHT. IN ADVANCE OF THIS FRONT...THE AIRMASS OVER ALABAMA WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE BY AFTERNOON AS ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS PUMPED NORTHWARD OUT OF THE GULF. IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL ALSO APPROACH THE SOUTHEAST U.S. BY TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED OVER EXTREME NORTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA DURING THE PRE DAWN HOURS. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN LATER THIS MORNING...AND ARE UNLIKELY TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER. HOWEVER...ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALREADY DEVELOPING ALONG THE COLD FRONT OVER EASTERN TEXAS THIS MORNING...AND ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE RAPIDLY TOWARD ALABAMA TODAY. OTHER SCATTERED STORMS MAY ALSO DEVELOP OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...WELL AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD REMAIN WEST OF A HUNTSVILLE TO BIRMINGHAM TO DEMOPOLIS LINE. THE STORMS SHOULD SPREAD EASTWARD AND SOUTHWARD DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...AFFECTING CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALABAMA BEFORE MIDNIGHT. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE IN WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA...ESPECIALLY DURING THE LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS TONIGHT. THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY EXPECTED TO BE PRESENT THIS AFTERNOON...COUPLED WITH A FAVORABLE WIND STRUCTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE...WILL LIKELY LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SUPERCELLS OFTEN PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND STRONG TORNADOES. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. PERSONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT...REVIEW THEIR SAFETY RULES... AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL RADIOR OR TV FOR LATER STATEMENTS...WATCHES OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Apr 8, 6:30 AM CDT, 4 hours 50 minutes before
ALZ001>069-GAZ089-090-102-120-082135- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 630 AM CDT WED APR 8 1998 ...INGREDIENTS COMING TOGETHER FOR AN EXTENDED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM EPISODE OVER MOST OF ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA TODAY AND TONIGHT... THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OKLAHOMA HAS PLACED MOST OF NORTHERN ALABAMA UNDER A HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT. MUCH OF THE CENTRAL AND INTERIOR SOUTHWEST SECTIONS OF ALABAMA...AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA...ARE UNDER A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY APPROACH ALABAMA FROM THE WEST TODAY...MOVING INTO AND ACROSS THE STATE OVERNIGHT. IN ADVANCE OF THIS FRONT...THE AIRMASS OVER ALABAMA WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE BY AFTERNOON AS ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS PUMPED NORTHWARD OUT OF THE GULF. IN THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE...A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL ALSO APPROACH THE SOUTHEAST U.S. BY TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED OVER EXTREME NORTHWEST AND SOUTHEAST ALABAMA DURING THE PRE DAWN HOURS. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO WEAKEN LATER THIS MORNING...AND ARE UNLIKELY TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER. HOWEVER...ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALREADY DEVELOPING ALONG THE COLD FRONT OVER EASTERN TEXAS THIS MORNING...AND ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE RAPIDLY TOWARD ALABAMA TODAY. OTHER SCATTERED STORMS MAY ALSO DEVELOP OVER THE AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...WELL AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD REMAIN WEST OF A HUNTSVILLE TO BIRMINGHAM TO DEMOPOLIS LINE. THE STORMS SHOULD SPREAD EASTWARD AND SOUTHWARD DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...AFFECTING CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALABAMA BEFORE MIDNIGHT. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE IN WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA...ESPECIALLY DURING THE LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS TONIGHT. THE DEGREE OF INSTABILITY EXPECTED TO BE PRESENT THIS AFTERNOON...COUPLED WITH A FAVORABLE WIND STRUCTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE...WILL LIKELY LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SUPERCELLS OFTEN PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND STRONG TORNADOES. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. PERSONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT...REVIEW THEIR SAFETY RULES... AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL RADIOR OR TV FOR LATER STATEMENTS...WATCHES OR WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, Apr 8, 9:46 AM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-090245- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH/CENTRAL AL AND WEST CENTRAL GA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 946 AM CDT WED APR 8 1998 SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND WILL APPROACH THE WESTERN ALABAMA BORDER BEFORE NOON TODAY. ADDITIONAL STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING ACROSS SOUTHERN ALABAMA SOUTH OF MONTGOMERY AND WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS AS THEY MOVE NORTHEASTWARD FROM THE GULF. AS THE AFTERNOON APPROACHES...NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA WILL BECOME FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. ALSO...SOUTHERN ALABAMA WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND THESE STORMS WILL AS WELL HAVE SEVERE POTENTIAL. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA... SEE PRODUCT BHMSPSMOB. FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... LOOK AT 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 8, 9:46 AM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-090245- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTH/CENTRAL AL AND WEST CENTRAL GA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 946 AM CDT WED APR 8 1998 SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND WILL APPROACH THE WESTERN ALABAMA BORDER BEFORE NOON TODAY. ADDITIONAL STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING ACROSS SOUTHERN ALABAMA SOUTH OF MONTGOMERY AND WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS AS THEY MOVE NORTHEASTWARD FROM THE GULF. AS THE AFTERNOON APPROACHES...NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ALABAMA WILL BECOME FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS. ALSO...SOUTHERN ALABAMA WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND THESE STORMS WILL AS WELL HAVE SEVERE POTENTIAL. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVATION THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA... SEE PRODUCT BHMSPSMOB. FOR SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... LOOK AT 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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 8, 10:09 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pike | 31 min |
| Apr 8, 10:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Barbour | 65 min |
| Apr 8, 10:47 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Montgomery | 48 min |
| Apr 8, 11:13 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Barbour | 32 min |
| Apr 8, 12:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lee | 48 min |
| Apr 8, 12:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Autauga | 51 min |
| Apr 8, 12:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chambers | 45 min |
| Apr 8, 2:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Montgomery | 35 min |
| Apr 8, 3:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lee | 47 min |
| Apr 8, 4:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 35 min |
| Apr 8, 4:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 47 min |
| Apr 8, 5:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Autauga, Elmore | 51 min |
| Apr 8, 5:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Coosa, Tallapoosa | 48 min |
| Apr 8, 6:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker, Winston | 46 min |
| Apr 8, 6:10 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Tallapoosa | 35 min |
| Apr 8, 6:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chambers | 47 min |
| Apr 8, 6:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 47 min |
| Apr 8, 6:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chambers | 48 min |
| Apr 8, 6:26 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Autauga | 49 min |
| Apr 8, 6:26 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Pickens | 49 min |
| Apr 8, 6:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Colbert | 47 min |
| Apr 8, 6:31 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Walker, Winston | 34 min |
| Apr 8, 6:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 32 min |
| Apr 8, 6:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chilton | 47 min |
| Apr 8, 6:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lauderdale | 50 min |
| Apr 8, 6:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Elmore | 50 min |
| Apr 8, 6:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 47 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.