Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 196, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 8, 1998Cherokee County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 8, 1998, 9:57 PM CDT for Cherokee County, Alabama. It was in force for 33 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, 9:57 PM CDT (02:57 UTC)
Expired: Apr 8, 1998, 10:30 PM CDT
In force: 33 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Whole counties

County Cherokee County, AL

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, 7:30 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 3.0 hours before the alert went out and 136 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: 771 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 478 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 67 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 176 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 313 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.5
Supercell composite: 8.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

788 
WUUS1 KBHM 090256 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC019-090330-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
957 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1030 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN NORTHERN ALABAMA

   ...SOUTHERN CHEROKEE COUNTY...

AT 955 PM CDT... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN CHEROKEE COUNTY NEAR PINE GROVE
AND ROCK RUN.  MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.



<<CALL TO ACTION>>
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 FOR
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, Apr 8, 9:19 PM CDT, 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
919 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0830 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     MOBILE HOME DESTROYED ON
                                          COUNTY RD. 59...7 MILES
                                          NORTH OF BROOKWOOD... SOME
                                          INJURIES OCCURRED.

0835 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      CHURCH DESTROYED BY
                                          POSSIBLE TORNADO ON
                                          BIRMINGPORT RD IN
                                          JEFFERSON CO... TIME
                                          ESTIMATED...NO REPORTS OF
                                          INJURIES AT THIS TIME.

0835 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   WINSTON                        SEVERAL VEHICLES AND ROOF
                                          DAMAGE BY UNKNOWN SIZED
                                          HAIL AND WIND GUSTS IN
                                          EASTERN WINSTON COUNTY.

0844 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      POSSIBLE TORNADO DESTROYED
                                          THE OAK GROVE FIRE
                                          STATION...BUILDING IS
                                          GONE.. ALL ROADS AROUND
                                          LOCATION ARE CLOSED.

0845 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      UNKNOWN WIND DAMAGE WITH
                                          PERSONAL INJURIES.

0848 PM    MOUNDVILLE                AL
04/08/98   HALE                           NUMEROUS SPOTTER REPORTS
                                          OF FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR
                                          MOUNDVILLE.
0848 PM    FT PAYNE                  AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   DEKALB                         QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN THE CITY OF FT
                                          PAYNE.

0855 PM    PINSON                    AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR PINSON BY STORM
                                          SPOTTERS.

0901 PM    MOULTON                   AL   .88 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LAWRENCE                       NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          BY HAMS NEAR MOULTON.

Local storm report, Apr 8, 9:37 PM CDT, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
937 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0825 PM    EDGEWATER                 AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN
                                          NEAR
                                          EDGEWATER..UNSPECIFIED
                                          DAMAGE.. REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTERS.

0830 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   MARION                         WIND AND HAIL DAMAGE
                                          REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          241...HOMES DAMAGED..
                                          REPORTED BY EMA.
0850 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   DEKALB                         1 INCH HAIL REPORTED JUST
                                          NORTH OF FORT PAYNE.

0905 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BY
                                          TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN THE
                                          OAK GROVE AREA.

0908 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   DEKALB                         TREES..SIGNS..AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          168 AND 68..WEST OF
                                          COLLINSVILLE.

0912 PM    MOULTON                   AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LAWRENCE                       QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED 10 MILES EAST OF
                                          MOULTON.

0912 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   ST CLAIR                       SUSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE
                                          BETHEL CHURCH ON HIGHWAY
                                          11...POSSIBLE TORNADO
                                          TOUCHDOWN.

0920 PM    PELL CITY                 AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   ST CLAIR                       TORNADO REPORTED ON THE
                                          GROUND ON MARIAH RD....7
                                          MILES NORTH OF PELL CITY..
                                          NO DAMAGE REPORTED AT THIS
                                          TIME.

0922 PM    DECATUR                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MORGAN                         DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED 5
                                          SOUTH DECATUR.

Local storm report, Apr 8, 9:37 PM CDT, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
937 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0825 PM    EDGEWATER                 AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN
                                          NEAR
                                          EDGEWATER..UNSPECIFIED
                                          DAMAGE.. REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTERS.

0830 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   MARION                         WIND AND HAIL DAMAGE
                                          REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          241...HOMES DAMAGED..
                                          REPORTED BY EMA.
0850 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   DEKALB                         1 INCH HAIL REPORTED JUST
                                          NORTH OF FORT PAYNE.

0905 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BY
                                          TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN THE
                                          OAK GROVE AREA.

0908 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   DEKALB                         TREES..SIGNS..AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          168 AND 68..WEST OF
                                          COLLINSVILLE.

0912 PM    MOULTON                   AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LAWRENCE                       QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED 10 MILES EAST OF
                                          MOULTON.

0912 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   ST CLAIR                       SUSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE
                                          BETHEL CHURCH ON HIGHWAY
                                          11...POSSIBLE TORNADO
                                          TOUCHDOWN.

0920 PM    PELL CITY                 AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   ST CLAIR                       TORNADO REPORTED ON THE
                                          GROUND ON MARIAH RD....7
                                          MILES NORTH OF PELL CITY..
                                          NO DAMAGE REPORTED AT THIS
                                          TIME.

0922 PM    DECATUR                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MORGAN                         DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED 5
                                          SOUTH DECATUR.

Special weather statement, Apr 8, 9:44 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

ALZ001>003-011-012-090320-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
944 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN ALABAMA

 B  ...LAUDERDALE... COLBERT... FRANKLIN... MARION... LAMAR

THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED EAST OF THESE COUNTIES AND ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED.

Special weather statement, Apr 8, 9:44 PM CDT, 13 minutes before

ALZ001>003-011-012-090320-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
944 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN ALABAMA

 B  ...LAUDERDALE... COLBERT... FRANKLIN... MARION... LAMAR

THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED EAST OF THESE COUNTIES AND ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED.

Local storm report, Apr 8, 9:54 PM CDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
854 PM CST WED APR 08 1998

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

0803 PM    CONCORD                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          CONCORD.

0807 PM    CONCORD                   AL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN
                                          NEAR CONCORD..UNCONFIRMED
                                          DAMAGE.

0811 PM    ALBERTVILLE               AL   .88 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARSHALL                       NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          4 SOUTHEAST OF
                                          ALBERTVILLE.

0812 PM    ROANOKE                   AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   RANDOLPH                       QUARTER SIZED HAIL OR
                                          LARGER REPORTED NEAR
                                          ROANOKE.

0813 PM    BEAR CREEK                AL   2.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARION                         BASEBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR BEAR CREEK
                                          ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          241...NUMEROUS CARS
                                          HEAVILY DAMAGED.

0814 PM    ALBERTVILLE               AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARSHALL                       HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF
                                          GOLFBALLS REPORTED
                                          NORTHEAST OF
                                          ALBERTVILLE... BY HAMS.

0814 PM    CONCORD                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      FIRE STATION 3 IN CONCORD
                                          REPORTING WIND DAMAGE TO
                                          BUILDING.

0816 PM                              AL
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     FUNNEL CLOUD IN WESTERN
                                          TUSCALOOSA
                                          COUNTY...REPORTED BY
                                          SPOTTERS.

0816 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      ALABAMA POWER REPORTS
                                          NUMEROUS POWER LINES
                                          DOWNED ACROSS WESTERN
                                          JEFFERSON COUNTY.

0817 PM    GERALDINE                 AL   2.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   DEKALB                         BASEBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR
                                          GERALDINE...REPORTED BY
                                          HAMS.

0821 PM    FULTONDALE                AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN FULTONDALE ALONG
                                          INTERSTATE 65...REPORTED
                                          BY HAMS.

0822 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN
                                          FORESTDALE...REPORTED BY
                                          HAMS.

0823 PM    WATERLOO                  AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LAUDERDALE                     DIME SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          WATERLOO..REPORTED BY
                                          HAMS.

0825 PM    ATHENS                    AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LIMESTONE                      DIME SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          ATHENS..REPORTED BY HAMS.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 8, 7:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	49 min
Apr 8, 7:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Franklin	51 min
Apr 8, 7:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar	50 min
Apr 8, 7:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Coosa, Tallapoosa	45 min
Apr 8, 7:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marion	47 min
Apr 8, 7:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Colbert	46 min
Apr 8, 7:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cullman	35 min
Apr 8, 7:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marshall	47 min
Apr 8, 7:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Colbert	49 min
Apr 8, 7:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens	48 min
Apr 8, 7:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Winston	48 min
Apr 8, 7:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chambers	48 min
Apr 8, 7:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	46 min
Apr 8, 7:45 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	50 min
Apr 8, 7:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lawrence	49 min
Apr 8, 7:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	63 min
Apr 8, 7:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	64 min
Apr 8, 7:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	66 min
Apr 8, 7:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lauderdale	51 min
Apr 8, 8:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cleburne	50 min
Apr 8, 8:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	DeKalb	63 min
Apr 8, 8:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Randolph	49 min
Apr 8, 8:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah	47 min
Apr 8, 8:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Limestone	49 min
Apr 8, 8:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Morgan	50 min
Apr 8, 8:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	33 min
Apr 8, 8:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Madison	49 min
Apr 8, 8:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cherokee	63 min
Apr 8, 8:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	St. Clair	46 min
Apr 8, 8:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Hale	36 min
Apr 8, 8:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cherokee, Etowah	51 min
Apr 8, 8:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	49 min
Apr 8, 9:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb	50 min
Apr 8, 9:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	63 min
Apr 8, 9:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lawrence	49 min
Apr 8, 9:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Morgan	48 min
Apr 8, 9:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Talladega	65 min
Apr 8, 9:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Limestone, Madison	50 min
Apr 8, 9:32 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Shelby	48 min
Apr 8, 9:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	47 min
Apr 8, 9:52 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cleburne	48 min
Apr 8, 9:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jackson	47 min
Apr 8, 10:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	50 min
Apr 8, 10:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	46 min
Apr 8, 10:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Hale	48 min
Apr 8, 10:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jackson	34 min
Apr 8, 10:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	31 min
Apr 8, 10:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	DeKalb	33 min
Apr 8, 10:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Perry	45 min
Apr 8, 10:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	49 min
Apr 8, 10:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay	45 min
Apr 8, 11:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair, Shelby	62 min
Apr 8, 11:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne	47 min
Apr 8, 11:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Shelby	48 min
Apr 8, 11:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	50 min
Apr 8, 11:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne	33 min
Apr 9, 12:07 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Coosa	48 min
Apr 9, 12:20 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay	50 min
Apr 9, 12:45 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Randolph, Tallapoosa	45 min
Apr 9, 1:17 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers	48 min
Apr 9, 3:16 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pike	34 min
Apr 9, 3:31 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour	49 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 1998 Every 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.