Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 375, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 9, 1998, 11:30 PM CDT for Randolph County, Alabama. It was in force for 50 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 9, 1998, 11:30 PM CDT (04:30 UTC)
- Expired
- May 10, 1998, 12:20 AM CDT
- In force
- 50 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Randolph County, AL
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 11:45 PM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Wedowee, AL | Dime size hail was covering the ground in the Hawk community. |
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 9, 11:30 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 4.5 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 37 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -470 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1589 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 62 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 34 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 145 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 100430 RRA SVRBHM ALC111-100520- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 1130 PM CDT SAT MAY 9 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... RANDOLPH COUNTY... IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA * UNTIL 1220 AM CDT * AT 1128 PM CDT... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS SHOWN...BY WEATHER RADAR EASTERN CLAY COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE STORM WILL MOVE IN THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF WEDOWEE. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE LIKELY. GO INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS! WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING... PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT STAND BY W2INDOWS. 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
Local storm report, May 9, 8:06 PM CDT, 3 hours 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
806 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0720 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
REPORTED NEAR HIGHWAY 82
AND 86. TREES DOWN ALONG
HIGHWAY 82..REPORTED BY
HAM RADIO.
0720 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO REPORTED
15 MILES WEST OF
NORTHPORT..REPORTED BY HAM
RADIO.
0740 PM AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
NORTH OF
TUSCALOOSA..REPORTED BY
HAM RADIO.
0749 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
REPORTED AT HIGHWAY 43 AND
62..REPORTED BY HAMS.Local storm report, May 9, 8:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
841 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0752 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
REPORTED JUST NORTH OF
NORTHPORT.
0830 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO 8 MILES
NORTH OF MOUNDVILLE NEAR
TUSCALOOSA...1 INCH DIA
HAIL AND NUMEROUS TREES
AND POWER LINES DOWN IN
MALLARD CREEK SUBDIV.Local storm report, May 9, 8:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 49 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
841 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0752 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
REPORTED JUST NORTH OF
NORTHPORT.
0830 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO 8 MILES
NORTH OF MOUNDVILLE NEAR
TUSCALOOSA...1 INCH DIA
HAIL AND NUMEROUS TREES
AND POWER LINES DOWN IN
MALLARD CREEK SUBDIV.Special weather statement, May 9, 9:21 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
ALZ001>018-020-100515- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 921 PM CDT SAT MAY 9 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT TIL 1 AM CDT... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS STILL POSSIBLE ACROSS EXTREME NORTHERN ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT... AT MID EVENING...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUING ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH LITTLE OR NO PRECIPITATION OCCURRING ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE STATE. HOWEVER...A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD TOWARD THE STATE...WITH A MOIST UNSTABLE AIRMASS PERSISTING ACROSS THE AREA. THIS SYSTEM WAS TRIGGERING A NEW ROUND OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS. THESE STORMS SHOULD MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI INTO NORTHERN ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT...MOST LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE LARGE HAIL...OR POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS. IT IS LIKELY THAT AN ADDITIONAL WATCH WILL BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN ALABAMA AFTER 1 AM CDT. EMA OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT...AND BE READY FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIVATION LATER TONIGHT.
Local storm report, May 9, 10:10 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1010 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0830 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO..TREES
DOWN NEAR LAKE
LURLEEN...TIME ESTIMATED
0830 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE
TORNADO...NUMEROUS TREES
DOWN IN BEAR CREEK
AREA...TIME ESTIMATED.
0841 PM CONCORD AL .75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 JEFFERSON DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
NEAR CONCORD..REPORTED BY
HAM RADIO.
0841 PM PLEASANT GROVE AL .75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 JEFFERSON DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
PLEASANT GROVE..BY HAM
RADIO.
0848 PM BROOKWOOD AL 1.25 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA DIME TO HALF DOLLAR SIZED
HAIL REPORTED IN BROOKWOOD
BY HAM RADIO.
0900 PM ALICEVILLE AL FLOODING
05/09/98 PICKENS LOCAL FLOODING REPORTED IN
ALICEVILLE...WATER
ENTERING SOME HOMES AND
BUSINESSES..REPORTED BY
EMA.
0943 PM MONTEVALLO AL WIND DAMAGE
05/09/98 SHELBY TREES DOWN 1.5 MILES SOUTH
OF MONTEVALLO.Local storm report, May 9, 10:10 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1010 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0830 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO..TREES
DOWN NEAR LAKE
LURLEEN...TIME ESTIMATED
0830 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE
TORNADO...NUMEROUS TREES
DOWN IN BEAR CREEK
AREA...TIME ESTIMATED.
0841 PM CONCORD AL .75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 JEFFERSON DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
NEAR CONCORD..REPORTED BY
HAM RADIO.
0841 PM PLEASANT GROVE AL .75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 JEFFERSON DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
PLEASANT GROVE..BY HAM
RADIO.
0848 PM BROOKWOOD AL 1.25 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA DIME TO HALF DOLLAR SIZED
HAIL REPORTED IN BROOKWOOD
BY HAM RADIO.
0900 PM ALICEVILLE AL FLOODING
05/09/98 PICKENS LOCAL FLOODING REPORTED IN
ALICEVILLE...WATER
ENTERING SOME HOMES AND
BUSINESSES..REPORTED BY
EMA.
0943 PM MONTEVALLO AL WIND DAMAGE
05/09/98 SHELBY TREES DOWN 1.5 MILES SOUTH
OF MONTEVALLO.The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 7:06 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 69 min |
| May 9, 7:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene | 62 min |
| May 9, 7:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 76 min |
| May 9, 7:41 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Pickens | 34 min |
| May 9, 7:48 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Sumter | 77 min |
| May 9, 7:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 48 min |
| May 9, 8:09 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 51 min |
| May 9, 8:24 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Hale | 61 min |
| May 9, 8:29 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene | 36 min |
| May 9, 8:35 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb | 65 min |
| May 9, 8:48 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Shelby | 77 min |
| May 9, 8:53 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 47 min |
| May 9, 9:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chilton | 63 min |
| May 9, 9:50 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Coosa | 65 min |
| May 9, 9:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pickens | 50 min |
| May 9, 9:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Talladega | 47 min |
| May 9, 10:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 63 min |
| May 9, 11:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 63 min |
| May 9, 11:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Clay | 36 min |
| May 9, 11:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 51 min |
| May 9, 11:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 47 min |
| May 9, 11:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 50 min |
| May 10, 12:23 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Shelby | 62 min |
| May 10, 12:34 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Talladega | 66 min |
| May 10, 1:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 45 min |
| May 10, 6:49 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chambers | 31 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.