Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 199, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 8, 1998Hale County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 8, 1998, 10:22 PM CDT for Hale County, Alabama. It was in force for 48 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, 10:22 PM CDT (03:22 UTC)
Expired
Apr 8, 1998, 11:10 PM CDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Hale County, AL

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 8, 7:30 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 92 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 1998-04-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2060 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 1998-04-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 148 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
2060 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
632 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
79 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
148 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
284 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
12.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

953 
WUUS1 KBHM 090321 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC065-090410-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1022 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1110 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA

   ...HALE COUNTY...

AT 1020 PM CDT... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH INTO WESTERN HALE COUNTY NEAR AKRON
AND WEDGEWORTH.



<<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, 9:54 PM CDT, 28 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.
Local storm report, Apr 8, 9:58 PM CDT, 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
959 PM CST WED APR 08 1998

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

0742 PM    BAILEYTON                 AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   CULLMAN                        GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR BAILEYTON.

0744 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   WINSTON                        GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED 3 MILES SOUTH OF
                                          HALEYVILLE.

0749 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   WINSTON                        GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED FROM HALEYVILLE
                                          TO LINT..BY EMA DIRECTOR.

0749 PM    JOPPA                     AL   1.25 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   CULLMAN                        HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR JOPPA.

0752 PM    ARAB                      AL   2.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARSHALL                       BASEBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN DOWNTOWN ARAB.

0753 PM    HALEYVILLE                AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   WINSTON                        GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN HALEYVILLE.

0759 PM    GUNTERSVILLE              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARSHALL                       GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN DOWNTOWN
                                          GUNTERSVILLE.
Special weather statement, Apr 8, 10:09 PM CDT, 13 minutes before
ALZ004-005-013>015-090330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1009 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998

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

IN ALABAMA

   ...LAWRENCE... LIMESTONE... FAYETTE... WINSTON... WALKER

THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED EAST OF THESE COUNTIES AND ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED.
Special weather statement, Apr 8, 10:09 PM CDT, 13 minutes before
ALZ004-005-013>015-090330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1009 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998

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

IN ALABAMA

   ...LAWRENCE... LIMESTONE... FAYETTE... WINSTON... WALKER

THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED EAST OF THESE COUNTIES AND ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED.
Local storm report, Apr 8, 10:18 PM CDT, 4 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1018 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0715 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     TORNADO NEAR JACKSON
                                          TRACE...VEHICLE DAMAGED
                                          ROOF BLOWN OFF HOME.

0718 PM                              AL   .88 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   FRANKLIN                       NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          19 MILES WEST OF
                                          RUSSELVILLE.

0722 PM    BROWNVILLE                AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     TORNADO REPORTED ON THE
                                          GROUND NEAR BROWNVILLE..BY
                                          EMA.

0725 PM    WINFIELD                  AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARION                         GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR WINFIELD.

0731 PM    COKER                     AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     CHURCH DAMAGED IN
                                          COKER..SOME PEOPLE WERE
                                          TRAPPED INSIDE..POSSIBLE
                                          INJURIES.

0733 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   TALLAPOOSA                     DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          AT U.S. 80 RIVER BRIDGE
                                          AND NEAR JACKSONS GAP.

0735 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MORGAN                         QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN SOUTHEAST
                                          CORNER OF MORGAN COUNTY.

0737 PM    ARAB                      AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARSHALL                       DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          ARAB.

0945 PM    DECATUR                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   MORGAN                         TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
                                          8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
                                          DECATUR...REPORTED BY
                                          STORM SPOTTER.

0945 PM    PLEASANT GROVE            AL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      *** 1 DEAD ***
                                          1 FATALITY REPORTED...TIME
                                          ESTIMATED..WEATHER CAUSE
                                          UNKNOWN AT THIS TI.ME.
Local storm report, Apr 8, 10:18 PM CDT, 4 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1018 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0715 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     TORNADO NEAR JACKSON
                                          TRACE...VEHICLE DAMAGED
                                          ROOF BLOWN OFF HOME.

0718 PM                              AL   .88 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   FRANKLIN                       NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          19 MILES WEST OF
                                          RUSSELVILLE.

0722 PM    BROWNVILLE                AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     TORNADO REPORTED ON THE
                                          GROUND NEAR BROWNVILLE..BY
                                          EMA.

0725 PM    WINFIELD                  AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARION                         GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED NEAR WINFIELD.

0731 PM    COKER                     AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     CHURCH DAMAGED IN
                                          COKER..SOME PEOPLE WERE
                                          TRAPPED INSIDE..POSSIBLE
                                          INJURIES.

0733 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   TALLAPOOSA                     DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          AT U.S. 80 RIVER BRIDGE
                                          AND NEAR JACKSONS GAP.

0735 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MORGAN                         QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN SOUTHEAST
                                          CORNER OF MORGAN COUNTY.

0737 PM    ARAB                      AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MARSHALL                       DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          ARAB.

0945 PM    DECATUR                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   MORGAN                         TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
                                          8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
                                          DECATUR...REPORTED BY
                                          STORM SPOTTER.

0945 PM    PLEASANT GROVE            AL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      *** 1 DEAD ***
                                          1 FATALITY REPORTED...TIME
                                          ESTIMATED..WEATHER CAUSE
                                          UNKNOWN AT THIS TI.ME.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 8, 7:01 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa49 min
Apr 8, 7:04 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXFranklin51 min
Apr 8, 7:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar50 min
Apr 8, 7:15 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCoosa, Tallapoosa45 min
Apr 8, 7:18 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarion47 min
Apr 8, 7:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert46 min
Apr 8, 7:25 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCullman35 min
Apr 8, 7:33 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarshall47 min
Apr 8, 7:36 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXColbert49 min
Apr 8, 7:37 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXPickens48 min
Apr 8, 7:37 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXWinston48 min
Apr 8, 7:42 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXChambers48 min
Apr 8, 7:44 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount46 min
Apr 8, 7:45 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson50 min
Apr 8, 7:46 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLawrence49 min
Apr 8, 7:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker63 min
Apr 8, 7:56 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa64 min
Apr 8, 7:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion66 min
Apr 8, 7:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLauderdale51 min
Apr 8, 8:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cleburne50 min
Apr 8, 8:02 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXDeKalb63 min
Apr 8, 8:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay, Randolph49 min
Apr 8, 8:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah47 min
Apr 8, 8:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone49 min
Apr 8, 8:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan50 min
Apr 8, 8:32 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson33 min
Apr 8, 8:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison49 min
Apr 8, 8:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee63 min
Apr 8, 8:49 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair46 min
Apr 8, 8:49 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXHale36 min
Apr 8, 8:54 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCherokee, Etowah51 min
Apr 8, 8:56 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa49 min
Apr 8, 9:00 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb50 min
Apr 8, 9:02 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson63 min
Apr 8, 9:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence49 min
Apr 8, 9:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan48 min
Apr 8, 9:15 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Talladega65 min
Apr 8, 9:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone, Madison50 min
Apr 8, 9:32 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXShelby48 min
Apr 8, 9:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSumter47 min
Apr 8, 9:52 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCleburne48 min
Apr 8, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson47 min
Apr 8, 9:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee33 min
Apr 8, 10:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa50 min
Apr 8, 10:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega46 min
Apr 8, 10:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson34 min
Apr 8, 10:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega31 min
Apr 8, 10:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb33 min
Apr 8, 10:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Perry45 min
Apr 8, 10:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson49 min
Apr 8, 10:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay45 min
Apr 8, 11:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair, Shelby62 min
Apr 8, 11:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne47 min
Apr 8, 11:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Shelby48 min
Apr 8, 11:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega50 min
Apr 8, 11:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne33 min
Apr 9, 12:07 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCoosa48 min
Apr 9, 12:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay50 min
Apr 9, 12:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph, Tallapoosa45 min
Apr 9, 1:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers48 min
Apr 9, 3:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPike34 min
Apr 9, 3:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBarbour49 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.