Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 313, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 3, 1998Randolph County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 1998, 6:54 PM CDT for Randolph County, Alabama. It was in force for 61 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
May 3, 1998, 6:54 PM CDT (23:54 UTC)
Expired
May 3, 1998, 7:55 PM CDT
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Randolph County, AL

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 3, 2:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 89 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 1998-05-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 239 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 1998-05-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 100 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
239 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-118 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1307 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
100 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
174 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

163 
WUUS1 KBHM 032353 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC111-040055-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
654 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  RANDOLPH COUNTY... IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA

* UNTIL 755 PM CDT

* AT 651 PM CDT... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING LARGE HAIL WAS
  SHOWN...BY WEATHER RADAR OVER NORTHEASTERN CLAY COUNTY MOVING EAST
AT 30 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHERN RANDOLPH COUNTY
BETWEEN 705 AND 755 PM.

DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE LIKELY. GO INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING
AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS

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, May 3, 5:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
546 PM CDT SUN MAY 03 1998

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

0300 PM    PRATTVILLE                AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   AUTAUGA                        NICKLE SIZED HAIL 3 MILES
                                          NORTH OF PRATTVILLE

0315 PM    OXFORD                    AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CALHOUN                        GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          OXFORD.

0320 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   ELMORE                         GOLF BALL HAIL NEAR
                                          EMERALD MOUNTAIN.

0320 PM                              AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   ELMORE                         EAST OF I65 ON COUNTY ROAD
                                          14.

0400 PM    TALLASSEE                 AL   1 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   ELMORE                         QUARTER SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          HIGHWAY 14 ON THE EAST
                                          SIDE OF TALLASSEE.

0411 PM    GAYLESVILLE               AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CHEROKEE                       GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL
                                          OUTSIDE OF GAYLESVILLE.

0419 PM    MONTGOMERY                AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MONTGOMERY                     DIME SIZED HAIL IN THE
                                          CITY OF MONTGOMERY.

0424 PM    MONTGOMERY                AL   1 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MONTGOMERY                     QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON THE
                                          EAST SIDE OF MONTGOMERY.

0425 PM    TUSKEGEE                  AL   2.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MACON                          GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL
                                          SIZED HAIL NORTH OF
                                          TUSKEGEE ON INTERSTATE 85.

0425 PM    MONTGOMERY                AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MONTGOMERY                     GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL EAST
                                          OF MONTGOMERY.

0425 PM    DUNCANVILLE               AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   TUSCALOOSA                     DIME SIZED HAIL OUTSIDE OF
                                          DUNCANVILLE.  REPORTED BY
                                          VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTER.

0430 PM    SELMA                     AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   DALLAS                         NICKEL SIZED HAIL TO THE
                                          WEST OF SELMA.

0440 PM    ALEXANDER CITY            AL   1 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   TALLAPOOSA                     DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          IN ALEXANDER CITY.

0446 PM    ALEXANDER CITY            AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   TALLAPOOSA                     GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
                                          ALEXANDER CITY.  REPORTED
                                          BY EMA OFFICIALS.

0447 PM    WETUMPKA                  AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   ELMORE                         DIME SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          WETUMPKA.

0450 PM    ALEXANDER CITY            AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   TALLAPOOSA                     NICKLE SIZED HAIL OUTSIDE
                                          OF ALEXANDER CITY.

0455 PM    PINE LEVEL                AL   1 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MONTGOMERY                     QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN THE
                                          TOWN OF PINE LEVEL.

0510 PM    RANBURNE                  AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CLEBURNE                       DIME SIZED HAIL IN TEH
                                          TOWN OF RANBURNE.

0510 PM    GRAHAM                    AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   RANDOLPH                       DIME SIZED HAIL OUTSIDE OF
                                          THE TOWN OF GRAHAM

0514 PM    JEMISON                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CHILTON                        DIME SIZED HAIL NEAR THE
                                          TOWN OF JEMISON.

0530 PM    OPELIKA                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   LEE                            DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR THE CITY OF OPELIKA.

0534 PM    JEMISON                   AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CHILTON                        MARBLE SIZED HAIL 10 MILES
                                          SOUTH OF THE CITY OF
                                          JEMISON.

0537 PM                              AL   .5 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   RANDOLPH                       MARBLE SIZED HAIL COVERING
                                          THE GROUND ONE INCH DEEP
                                          OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF
                                          RANDOLPH COUNTY.  FUNNEL
                                          CLOUD ALSO REPORTED WITH
                                          THIS STORM.
Local storm report, May 3, 5:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
546 PM CDT SUN MAY 03 1998

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

0300 PM    PRATTVILLE                AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   AUTAUGA                        NICKLE SIZED HAIL 3 MILES
                                          NORTH OF PRATTVILLE

0315 PM    OXFORD                    AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CALHOUN                        GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          OXFORD.

0320 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   ELMORE                         GOLF BALL HAIL NEAR
                                          EMERALD MOUNTAIN.

0320 PM                              AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   ELMORE                         EAST OF I65 ON COUNTY ROAD
                                          14.

0400 PM    TALLASSEE                 AL   1 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   ELMORE                         QUARTER SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          HIGHWAY 14 ON THE EAST
                                          SIDE OF TALLASSEE.

0411 PM    GAYLESVILLE               AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CHEROKEE                       GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL
                                          OUTSIDE OF GAYLESVILLE.

0419 PM    MONTGOMERY                AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MONTGOMERY                     DIME SIZED HAIL IN THE
                                          CITY OF MONTGOMERY.

0424 PM    MONTGOMERY                AL   1 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MONTGOMERY                     QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON THE
                                          EAST SIDE OF MONTGOMERY.

0425 PM    TUSKEGEE                  AL   2.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MACON                          GOLF BALL TO BASEBALL
                                          SIZED HAIL NORTH OF
                                          TUSKEGEE ON INTERSTATE 85.

0425 PM    MONTGOMERY                AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MONTGOMERY                     GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL EAST
                                          OF MONTGOMERY.

0425 PM    DUNCANVILLE               AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   TUSCALOOSA                     DIME SIZED HAIL OUTSIDE OF
                                          DUNCANVILLE.  REPORTED BY
                                          VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTER.

0430 PM    SELMA                     AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   DALLAS                         NICKEL SIZED HAIL TO THE
                                          WEST OF SELMA.

0440 PM    ALEXANDER CITY            AL   1 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   TALLAPOOSA                     DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          IN ALEXANDER CITY.

0446 PM    ALEXANDER CITY            AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   TALLAPOOSA                     GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
                                          ALEXANDER CITY.  REPORTED
                                          BY EMA OFFICIALS.

0447 PM    WETUMPKA                  AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   ELMORE                         DIME SIZED HAIL NEAR
                                          WETUMPKA.

0450 PM    ALEXANDER CITY            AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   TALLAPOOSA                     NICKLE SIZED HAIL OUTSIDE
                                          OF ALEXANDER CITY.

0455 PM    PINE LEVEL                AL   1 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   MONTGOMERY                     QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN THE
                                          TOWN OF PINE LEVEL.

0510 PM    RANBURNE                  AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CLEBURNE                       DIME SIZED HAIL IN TEH
                                          TOWN OF RANBURNE.

0510 PM    GRAHAM                    AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   RANDOLPH                       DIME SIZED HAIL OUTSIDE OF
                                          THE TOWN OF GRAHAM

0514 PM    JEMISON                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CHILTON                        DIME SIZED HAIL NEAR THE
                                          TOWN OF JEMISON.

0530 PM    OPELIKA                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   LEE                            DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR THE CITY OF OPELIKA.

0534 PM    JEMISON                   AL   .88 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   CHILTON                        MARBLE SIZED HAIL 10 MILES
                                          SOUTH OF THE CITY OF
                                          JEMISON.

0537 PM                              AL   .5 INCH HAIL
05/03/98   RANDOLPH                       MARBLE SIZED HAIL COVERING
                                          THE GROUND ONE INCH DEEP
                                          OVER NORTHERN PORTIONS OF
                                          RANDOLPH COUNTY.  FUNNEL
                                          CLOUD ALSO REPORTED WITH
                                          THIS STORM.
Special weather statement, May 3, 6:11 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
ALZ022-023-030>034-039-040-032325-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
611 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 1998

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

IN ALABAMA

   ...PICKENS... TUSCALOOSA... SUMTER... GREENE... HALE... PERRY
   ...BIBB... MARENGO... DALLAS

THE STORMS THAT PRODUCED THE SEVERE WEATHER EARLIER THIS EVENING OVER
THE AREA HAVE NOW MOVED OUT OF THESE COUNTIES.  STABLE AIR IS NOW OVER
THIS AREA AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER
OF THE NIGHT.
Special weather statement, May 3, 6:11 PM CDT, 43 minutes before
ALZ022-023-030>034-039-040-032325-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
611 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 1998

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

IN ALABAMA

   ...PICKENS... TUSCALOOSA... SUMTER... GREENE... HALE... PERRY
   ...BIBB... MARENGO... DALLAS

THE STORMS THAT PRODUCED THE SEVERE WEATHER EARLIER THIS EVENING OVER
THE AREA HAVE NOW MOVED OUT OF THESE COUNTIES.  STABLE AIR IS NOW OVER
THIS AREA AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER
OF THE NIGHT.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 3, 2:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarengo46 min
May 3, 2:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDallas, Perry63 min
May 3, 2:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXAutauga49 min
May 3, 2:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Talladega48 min
May 3, 2:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBarbour49 min
May 3, 3:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarengo49 min
May 3, 3:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXElmore48 min
May 3, 3:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne47 min
May 3, 3:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMacon, Tallapoosa47 min
May 3, 3:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLowndes46 min
May 3, 3:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee, DeKalb63 min
May 3, 3:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXAutauga, Dallas47 min
May 3, 3:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMontgomery65 min
May 3, 3:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPerry36 min
May 3, 3:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Tuscaloosa46 min
May 3, 4:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMacon49 min
May 3, 4:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXElmore47 min
May 3, 4:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRussell64 min
May 3, 4:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCoosa, Tallapoosa48 min
May 3, 4:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby20 min
May 3, 4:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton63 min
May 3, 4:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDallas36 min
May 3, 4:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb18 min
May 3, 4:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBarbour46 min
May 3, 4:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBullock, Pike65 min
May 3, 4:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb33 min
May 3, 5:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers65 min
May 3, 5:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph62 min
May 3, 5:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLee48 min
May 3, 5:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton50 min
May 3, 5:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBarbour60 min
May 3, 5:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay, Talladega49 min
May 3, 6:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay34 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.