Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 616, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 20, 1998Marengo County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 20, 1998, 5:15 PM CDT for Marengo County, Alabama. It was in force for 35 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
Jul 20, 1998, 5:15 PM CDT (22:15 UTC)
Expired
Jul 20, 1998, 5:50 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Marengo County, AL

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 140 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 12:00Z on 1998-07-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 9 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 12:00Z on 1998-07-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -3 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-292 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1164 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

986 
WUUS1 KBHM 202216 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC091-202250-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
515 PM CDT MON JUL 20 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN MARENGO COUNTY... IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA

* UNTIL 550 PM CDT

* AT 514 PM CDT... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS SHOWN...BY WEATHER RADAR
IN THE VINELAND AREA.  THE STORM WAS MOVING WEST AT 15 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT THE DIXONS MILL...HOBOKEN...AND
SWEET WATER AREAS.

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

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, Jul 20, 11:49 AM CDT, 5 hours 26 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-210445-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
FOR NORTH/CENTRAL AL AND WEST CENTRAL GA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1149 AM CDT MON JUL 20 1998

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IN
TENNESSEE AND WILL MOVE INTO NORTH ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON.  A FEW
STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE OVER NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA BY MID-
AFTERNOON.  THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS
WITH SOME OF THE STORMS.

STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD REMAIN ALERT
FOR CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR
LOCAL TV AND RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS LATER TODAY. THE HAZARDOUS
WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA..^. SEE PRODUCT BHMSPSMOB. FOR
SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... LOOK AT MIASPSTLH.  FOR MORE WEATHER INFORMATION
VISIT OUR INTERNET SITE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT
HTTP://WWW.ACESAG.AUBURN.EDU/DEPARTMENT/NWS/
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 11:49 AM CDT, 5 hours 26 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-210445-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
FOR NORTH/CENTRAL AL AND WEST CENTRAL GA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1149 AM CDT MON JUL 20 1998

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ALONG AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IN
TENNESSEE AND WILL MOVE INTO NORTH ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON.  A FEW
STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE OVER NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA BY MID-
AFTERNOON.  THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS
WITH SOME OF THE STORMS.

STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD REMAIN ALERT
FOR CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR
LOCAL TV AND RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS LATER TODAY. THE HAZARDOUS
WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR SOUTHWEST ALABAMA..^. SEE PRODUCT BHMSPSMOB. FOR
SOUTHEAST ALABAMA... LOOK AT MIASPSTLH.  FOR MORE WEATHER INFORMATION
VISIT OUR INTERNET SITE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT
HTTP://WWW.ACESAG.AUBURN.EDU/DEPARTMENT/NWS/
Local storm report, Jul 20, 4:53 PM CDT, 22 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
453 PM CDT MON JUL 20 1998

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

0210 PM    ALABASTER                 AL   .75 INCH HAIL
07/20/98   SHELBY                         DIME SIZED HAIL

0245 PM    WEST BLOCTON              AL   WIND DAMAGE
07/20/98   BIBB                           TREES DOWNED AND SHINGLES
                                          BLOWN OFF ROOFS

0250 PM    DUKE                      AL   WIND DAMAGE
07/20/98   CALHOUN                        SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN
                                          REEDS MILL AND DUKE AREAS

0315 PM    ASHLAND                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
07/20/98   CLAY                           SMALL TREE DOWN ON HOUSE
                                          WITH MINOR ROOF DAMAGE

0350 PM    HORTON                    AL   WIND DAMAGE
07/20/98   MARSHALL                       SEVERAL CHICKEN HOUSES AND
                                          MANY TREES DOWNED
Local storm report, Jul 20, 4:53 PM CDT, 22 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
453 PM CDT MON JUL 20 1998

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

0210 PM    ALABASTER                 AL   .75 INCH HAIL
07/20/98   SHELBY                         DIME SIZED HAIL

0245 PM    WEST BLOCTON              AL   WIND DAMAGE
07/20/98   BIBB                           TREES DOWNED AND SHINGLES
                                          BLOWN OFF ROOFS

0250 PM    DUKE                      AL   WIND DAMAGE
07/20/98   CALHOUN                        SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN
                                          REEDS MILL AND DUKE AREAS

0315 PM    ASHLAND                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
07/20/98   CLAY                           SMALL TREE DOWN ON HOUSE
                                          WITH MINOR ROOF DAMAGE

0350 PM    HORTON                    AL   WIND DAMAGE
07/20/98   MARSHALL                       SEVERAL CHICKEN HOUSES AND
                                          MANY TREES DOWNED

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 20, 12:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson34 min
Jul 20, 2:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby34 min
Jul 20, 2:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison32 min
Jul 20, 2:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah, Marshall48 min
Jul 20, 2:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPerry35 min
Jul 20, 2:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay32 min
Jul 20, 3:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Hale, Tuscaloosa33 min
Jul 20, 3:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby32 min
Jul 20, 3:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette36 min
Jul 20, 3:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Tuscaloosa46 min
Jul 20, 3:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDallas, Lowndes32 min
Jul 20, 3:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman33 min
Jul 20, 3:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph36 min
Jul 20, 3:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall, Morgan35 min
Jul 20, 3:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega36 min
Jul 20, 4:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette35 min
Jul 20, 4:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDallas46 min
Jul 20, 4:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker35 min
Jul 20, 4:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun35 min
Jul 20, 4:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion, Winston47 min
Jul 20, 4:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers33 min
Jul 20, 4:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLee33 min
Jul 20, 5:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion48 min
Jul 20, 5:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWinston48 min
Jul 20, 5:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTallapoosa35 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.