Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 362, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 7, 1998, 9:51 PM CDT for Winston County, Alabama. It was in force for 64 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
- May 7, 1998, 9:51 PM CDT (02:51 UTC)
- Expired
- May 7, 1998, 10:55 PM CDT
- In force
- 64 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Winston County, AL
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 10:05 PM CDT | Hail 1 | Haleyville, AL | Quarter size hail was reported between Haleyville and Double Springs. |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 8:00 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 121 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
- 2677 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -3 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 985 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 74 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 132 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 224 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 3.5
- Supercell composite
- 12.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
683 WUUS1 KBHM 080249 RRA SVRBHM ALC133-080355- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 951 PM CDT THU MAY 7 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... WINSTON COUNTY... IN NORTHERN ALABAMA * UNTIL 1055 PM CDT * AT 950 PM CDT... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS SHOWN...BY WEATHER RADAR ENTERING NORTHWEST WINSTON COUNTY. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. GO INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING... PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
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, May 7, 6:35 PM CDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before
ALZ006-008>010-018>021-028-029-038-080020- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 635 PM CDT THU MAY 7 1998 TORNADO WATCH 302 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL SECTIONS OF NORTHEAST AND EAST-CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS SHIFTED NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING WEST OF THE STATE BUT WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING... THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH. HOWEVER...A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS VERY CLOSE TO NORTH ALABAMA AND IT REMAINS POSSIBLE THAT ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP. UPDATES WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY. NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE AT THIS TIME.
Special weather statement, May 7, 6:35 PM CDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before
ALZ006-008>010-018>021-028-029-038-080020- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 635 PM CDT THU MAY 7 1998 TORNADO WATCH 302 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL SECTIONS OF NORTHEAST AND EAST-CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS SHIFTED NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING WEST OF THE STATE BUT WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING... THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH. HOWEVER...A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS VERY CLOSE TO NORTH ALABAMA AND IT REMAINS POSSIBLE THAT ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP. UPDATES WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY. NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE AT THIS TIME.
Local storm report, May 7, 9:37 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORR FOR TIMES
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
937 PM CDT THU MAY 07 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0607 PM AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON I-59
MILE 235
0608 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB WINDSHIELDS BEING DAMAGED
ON I-59 IN DEKALB COUNTY
0612 PM IDER AL 1.25 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL IN
IDER
0616 PM HAMMONDVILLE AL TORNADO
05/07/98 DEKALB TORNADO TOUCHDOWN REPORTED
TWO MILES NE HAMMONDVILLE
0620 PM HENAGAR AL TORNADO
05/07/98 DEKALB DAMAGE IN HENAGAR/IDER
AREA
0710 PM BELGREEN AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 FRANKLIN GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
BELGREEN
0750 PM ATHENS AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 LIMESTONE GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL 5
MILES NORTH OF ATHENS
0745 PM SKYLINE AL .75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 JACKSON PENNY SIZED HAIL IN
SKYLINE
0755 PM GRAYSON AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 WINSTON GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
GRAYSON
0810 PM JONES CHAPEL AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 CULLMAN GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
JONES CHAPEL
0815 PM HOLLYWOOD AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 JACKSON GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
HOLLYWOOD AREA
0815 PM HUNTSVILLE AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 MADISON QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN
HUNTSVILLE
0825 PM JONES CHAPEL AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 CULLMAN HAIL FALLING IN JONES
CHAPEL LARGE ENOUGH TO
DESTROY CARSLocal storm report, May 7, 9:37 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORR FOR TIMES
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
937 PM CDT THU MAY 07 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0607 PM AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON I-59
MILE 235
0608 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB WINDSHIELDS BEING DAMAGED
ON I-59 IN DEKALB COUNTY
0612 PM IDER AL 1.25 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL IN
IDER
0616 PM HAMMONDVILLE AL TORNADO
05/07/98 DEKALB TORNADO TOUCHDOWN REPORTED
TWO MILES NE HAMMONDVILLE
0620 PM HENAGAR AL TORNADO
05/07/98 DEKALB DAMAGE IN HENAGAR/IDER
AREA
0710 PM BELGREEN AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 FRANKLIN GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
BELGREEN
0750 PM ATHENS AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 LIMESTONE GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL 5
MILES NORTH OF ATHENS
0745 PM SKYLINE AL .75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 JACKSON PENNY SIZED HAIL IN
SKYLINE
0755 PM GRAYSON AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 WINSTON GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
GRAYSON
0810 PM JONES CHAPEL AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 CULLMAN GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
JONES CHAPEL
0815 PM HOLLYWOOD AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 JACKSON GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
HOLLYWOOD AREA
0815 PM HUNTSVILLE AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 MADISON QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN
HUNTSVILLE
0825 PM JONES CHAPEL AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 CULLMAN HAIL FALLING IN JONES
CHAPEL LARGE ENOUGH TO
DESTROY CARSLocal storm report, May 7, 9:37 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
937 PM CDT THU MAY 07 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1107 PM AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON I-59
MILE 235
1108 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB WINDSHIELDS BEING DAMAGED
ON I-59 IN DEKALB COUNTY
1112 PM IDER AL 1.25 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL IN
IDER
1116 PM HAMMONDVILLE AL TORNADO
05/07/98 DEKALB TORNADO TOUCHDOWN REPORTED
TWO MILES NE HAMMONDVILLE
1120 PM HENAGAR AL TORNADO
05/07/98 DEKALB DAMAGE IN HENAGAR/IDER
AREA
1210 AM BELGREEN AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 FRANKLIN GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
BELGREEN
1250 AM ATHENS AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 LIMESTONE GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL 5
MILES NORTH OF ATHENS
1255 AM SKYLINE AL .75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 JACKSON PENNY SIZED HAIL IN
SKYLINE
1255 AM GRAYSON AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 WINSTON GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
GRAYSON
0110 AM JONES CHAPEL AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 CULLMAN GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
JONES CHAPEL
0115 AM HOLLYWOOD AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 JACKSON GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
HOLLYWOOD AREA
0115 AM HUNTSVILLE AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 MADISON QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN
HUNTSVILLE
0125 AM JONES CHAPEL AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 CULLMAN HAIL FALLING IN JONES
CHAPEL LARGE ENOUGH TO
DESTROY CARSLocal storm report, May 7, 9:37 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
937 PM CDT THU MAY 07 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
1107 PM AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON I-59
MILE 235
1108 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB WINDSHIELDS BEING DAMAGED
ON I-59 IN DEKALB COUNTY
1112 PM IDER AL 1.25 INCH HAIL
05/07/98 DEKALB HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL IN
IDER
1116 PM HAMMONDVILLE AL TORNADO
05/07/98 DEKALB TORNADO TOUCHDOWN REPORTED
TWO MILES NE HAMMONDVILLE
1120 PM HENAGAR AL TORNADO
05/07/98 DEKALB DAMAGE IN HENAGAR/IDER
AREA
1210 AM BELGREEN AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 FRANKLIN GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
BELGREEN
1250 AM ATHENS AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 LIMESTONE GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL 5
MILES NORTH OF ATHENS
1255 AM SKYLINE AL .75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 JACKSON PENNY SIZED HAIL IN
SKYLINE
1255 AM GRAYSON AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 WINSTON GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
GRAYSON
0110 AM JONES CHAPEL AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 CULLMAN GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
JONES CHAPEL
0115 AM HOLLYWOOD AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 JACKSON GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN
HOLLYWOOD AREA
0115 AM HUNTSVILLE AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 MADISON QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN
HUNTSVILLE
0125 AM JONES CHAPEL AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/08/98 CULLMAN HAIL FALLING IN JONES
CHAPEL LARGE ENOUGH TO
DESTROY CARSThe office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 7:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Madison | 31 min |
| May 7, 7:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Limestone | 50 min |
| May 7, 7:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jackson | 65 min |
| May 7, 7:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lawrence, Winston | 64 min |
| May 7, 7:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Madison | 50 min |
| May 7, 8:00 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cullman, Winston | 65 min |
| May 7, 8:06 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Madison | 49 min |
| May 7, 8:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Morgan | 62 min |
| May 7, 8:11 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | DeKalb, Jackson | 64 min |
| May 7, 8:38 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marshall | 52 min |
| May 7, 8:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lawrence | 65 min |
| May 7, 8:43 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount | 62 min |
| May 7, 8:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Franklin | 35 min |
| May 7, 8:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Winston | 62 min |
| May 7, 8:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 35 min |
| May 7, 9:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | DeKalb | 51 min |
| May 7, 9:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 66 min |
| May 7, 9:25 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Etowah, St. Clair | 65 min |
| May 7, 9:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Franklin | 65 min |
| May 7, 9:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 49 min |
| May 7, 9:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 61 min |
| May 7, 10:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion | 65 min |
| May 7, 10:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 47 min |
| May 7, 10:58 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 32 min |
| May 7, 11:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cullman | 49 min |
| May 7, 11:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 62 min |
| May 7, 11:24 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 36 min |
| May 7, 11:30 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 50 min |
| May 7, 11:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 50 min |
| May 8, 12:00 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 50 min |
| May 8, 12:18 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 62 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.