Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 422, NWS Birmingham, AL

June 5, 1998Calhoun County, Cleburne County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 5, 1998, 6:21 AM CDT for Calhoun County, Cleburne County, Alabama. It was in force for 34 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
Jun 5, 1998, 6:21 AM CDT (11:21 UTC)
Expired
Jun 5, 1998, 6:55 AM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Calhoun County, AL, Cleburne County, AL

The radar

The Atlanta radar (KFFC), 110 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 11:23 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 5, 6:35 AM CDTThunderstorm Wind 50Piedmont, ALTrees and power lines were down in Piedmont.

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 nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 116 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 00:00Z on 1998-06-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1476 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 00:00Z on 1998-06-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 54 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1476 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-27 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1507 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
119 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.5
Supercell composite
2.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 051121 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC015-029-051155-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
621 AM CDT FRI JUN 5 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CALHOUN COUNTY... IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA
  CLEBURNE COUNTY... IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA

* UNTIL 655 AM CDT

* AT 620 AM CDT...A BAND OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS SHOWN BY
WEATHER RADAR OVER NORTHERN CALHOUN COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.  A
WIND GUST OF 60 MPH WAS REPORT IN GADSDEN AROUND 615 AM.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR ANNISTON AND HEFLIN BY 630
AM.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF DAMAGING WIND. 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 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

Local storm report, Jun 5, 5:49 AM CDT, 32 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
549 AM CDT FRI JUN 05 1998

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

0424 AM    MUSCLE SHOALS ARPT        AL   66 MPH TSTM GUST
06/05/98   COLBERT                        MSL ASOS REPORTED 57 KNOT
                                          GUST WITH THUNDERSTORM
                                          PASSAGE.

0430 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   COLBERT                        NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN...SOME ON
                                          HOMES..COUNTYWIDE.

0445 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   LAUDERDALE                     NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN..SOME ON HOUSES
                                          AND CARS. NUMEROUS POWER
                                          OUTAGES.

0445 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   FRANKLIN                       NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN...NUMEROUS CAR
                                          ACCIDENTS. THIS IS
                                          COUNTYWIDE.

0510 AM    HUNTSVILLE ARPT NORTH     AL   54 MPH TSTM GUST
06/05/98   MADISON                        HSV ASOS HAD 54 MILE PER
                                          HOUR WIND GUST WITH
                                          THUNDERSTORM PASSAGE.

0515 AM    ATHENS                    AL   69 MPH TSTM GUST
06/05/98   LIMESTONE                      69 MILE PER HOUR WIND GUST
                                          FROM TV METEOROLOGIST WITH
                                          THUNDERSTORM PASSAGE. TIME
                                          ESTIMATED.

0520 AM                              AL   51 MPH TSTM GUST
06/05/98   MADISON                        WIND GUST OF 51 MILES PER
                                          HOUR IN OWENS
                                          CROSSROADS..TV
                                          METEOROLOGIST.

0535 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   MORGAN                         NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN THROUGHOUT THE
                                          COUNTY.

0535 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   MARSHALL                       NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN ACROSS THE
                                          COUNTY...NUMEROUS POWER
                                          OUTAGES.
Local storm report, Jun 5, 5:49 AM CDT, 32 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
549 AM CDT FRI JUN 05 1998

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

0424 AM    MUSCLE SHOALS ARPT        AL   66 MPH TSTM GUST
06/05/98   COLBERT                        MSL ASOS REPORTED 57 KNOT
                                          GUST WITH THUNDERSTORM
                                          PASSAGE.

0430 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   COLBERT                        NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN...SOME ON
                                          HOMES..COUNTYWIDE.

0445 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   LAUDERDALE                     NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN..SOME ON HOUSES
                                          AND CARS. NUMEROUS POWER
                                          OUTAGES.

0445 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   FRANKLIN                       NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN...NUMEROUS CAR
                                          ACCIDENTS. THIS IS
                                          COUNTYWIDE.

0510 AM    HUNTSVILLE ARPT NORTH     AL   54 MPH TSTM GUST
06/05/98   MADISON                        HSV ASOS HAD 54 MILE PER
                                          HOUR WIND GUST WITH
                                          THUNDERSTORM PASSAGE.

0515 AM    ATHENS                    AL   69 MPH TSTM GUST
06/05/98   LIMESTONE                      69 MILE PER HOUR WIND GUST
                                          FROM TV METEOROLOGIST WITH
                                          THUNDERSTORM PASSAGE. TIME
                                          ESTIMATED.

0520 AM                              AL   51 MPH TSTM GUST
06/05/98   MADISON                        WIND GUST OF 51 MILES PER
                                          HOUR IN OWENS
                                          CROSSROADS..TV
                                          METEOROLOGIST.

0535 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   MORGAN                         NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN THROUGHOUT THE
                                          COUNTY.

0535 AM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/05/98   MARSHALL                       NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN ACROSS THE
                                          COUNTY...NUMEROUS POWER
                                          OUTAGES.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 4, 8:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb47 min
Jun 4, 8:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Shelby48 min
Jun 5, 3:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale63 min
Jun 5, 3:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion63 min
Jun 5, 4:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar47 min
Jun 5, 4:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence, Limestone63 min
Jun 5, 4:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Walker, Winston61 min
Jun 5, 5:02 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison, Morgan48 min
Jun 5, 5:02 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman48 min
Jun 5, 5:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens, Tuscaloosa49 min
Jun 5, 5:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson, Marshall45 min
Jun 5, 5:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson45 min
Jun 5, 5:42 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb48 min
Jun 5, 5:57 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee, Etowah48 min
Jun 5, 6:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair, Shelby46 min
Jun 5, 6:52 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cleburne, Talladega18 min
Jun 5, 2:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Pickens, Sumter52 min
Jun 5, 2:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale, Tuscaloosa61 min
Jun 5, 2:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar50 min
Jun 5, 2:29 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXPickens46 min
Jun 5, 2:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb47 min
Jun 5, 2:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette80 min
Jun 5, 2:46 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa64 min
Jun 5, 2:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Walker77 min
Jun 5, 2:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby77 min
Jun 5, 2:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale, Marengo62 min
Jun 5, 2:55 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXFayette50 min
Jun 5, 2:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar34 min
Jun 5, 3:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Sumter35 min
Jun 5, 3:05 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson65 min
Jun 5, 3:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPerry66 min
Jun 5, 3:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Coosa96 min
Jun 5, 3:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb46 min
Jun 5, 3:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXElmore66 min
Jun 5, 3:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXAutauga, Dallas51 min
Jun 5, 3:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega80 min
Jun 5, 3:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTallapoosa65 min
Jun 5, 3:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair64 min
Jun 5, 3:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay66 min
Jun 5, 4:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLowndes, Montgomery63 min
Jun 5, 4:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMacon78 min
Jun 5, 4:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers, Lee79 min
Jun 5, 4:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBullock63 min
Jun 5, 4:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPike63 min
Jun 5, 4:37 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee, Macon48 min
Jun 5, 4:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRussell61 min
Jun 5, 4:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBarbour64 min
Jun 5, 4:53 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXRussell47 min
Jun 5, 5:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah35 min
Jun 5, 5:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee, DeKalb64 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.