Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 656, NWS Birmingham, AL

November 10, 1998Franklin County, Marion County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Nov 10, 1998, 10:08 AM CST for Franklin County, Marion County, Alabama. It was in force for 62 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
Nov 10, 1998, 10:08 AM CST (16:08 UTC)
Expired
Nov 10, 1998, 11:10 AM CST
In force
62 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Franklin County, AL, Marion County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 61 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:59 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Nov 10, 10:00 AM CSTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 4.1 hours before the alert went out and 159 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 1998-11-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 8 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 1998-11-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 276 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
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-251 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
713 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
276 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
316 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.

062 
WUUS1 KBHM 101609 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC059-093-101710-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1008 AM CST TUE NOV 10 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  FRANKLIN COUNTY... IN NORTHERN ALABAMA
  MARION COUNTY... IN NORTHERN ALABAMA

* UNTIL 1110 AM CST

* AT 1004 AM CST... BY WEATHER RADAR A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS
ACROSS EASTERN MISSISSIPPI...THIS LINE IS MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 40
MPH...AND IS ABOUT TO MOVE INTO MARION AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES.  THESE
STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AS IT RACES ACROSS THE
COUNTIES...IT SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE COUNTIES SHROTLY AFTER 11 AM.



* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT A LARGE PORTION OF BOTH FRANKLIN
AND MARION COUNTIES.

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.

IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A
STORM APPROACHES.  MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR REDUCED
VISIBILITIES DURING DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.  STREETS MAY FLOOD QUICKLY.

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, Nov 10, 9:40 AM CST, 28 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-110330-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
FOR NORTH/CENTRAL AL AND WEST CENTRAL GA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
940 AM CST TUE NOV 10 1998

...TORNADO WATCH JUST ISSUED FOR NORTHERN AND WESTERN ALABAMA...
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA...

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL CONTINUE
STRENGTHENING TODAY AND MOVE INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION TONIGHT. A
COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BEGIN MOVING THROUGH
ALABAMA AROUND MID DAY. PRECEEDING THIS FRONT...STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS
OF 20 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR WILL CONTINUE PUMPING GULF MOISTURE INTO THE
REGION MAKING THE ATMOSPHERE UNSTABLE.

A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ENTER WESTERN ALABAMA
BETWEEN 940 AM AND 1000 AM AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. THIS LINE WILL PUSH
EASTWARD AND MAKE ITS WAY TO I-65 BY AROUND 1130 AM. THESE STORMS WILL
BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...LARGE HAIL...AND
TORNADOES. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE
TORNADOES WILL LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON WATCHES AND WARNINGS STAY TUNED TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA SOURCES.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD MONITOR
THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS. INTEREST IN NORTHERN AND WESTERN ALABAMA
SHOULD ACTIVATE NOW AND THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE BY THIS
AFTERNOON. 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, Nov 10, 9:40 AM CST, 28 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-110330-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
FOR NORTH/CENTRAL AL AND WEST CENTRAL GA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
940 AM CST TUE NOV 10 1998

...TORNADO WATCH JUST ISSUED FOR NORTHERN AND WESTERN ALABAMA...
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA...

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM LOCATED IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL CONTINUE
STRENGTHENING TODAY AND MOVE INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION TONIGHT. A
COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL BEGIN MOVING THROUGH
ALABAMA AROUND MID DAY. PRECEEDING THIS FRONT...STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS
OF 20 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR WILL CONTINUE PUMPING GULF MOISTURE INTO THE
REGION MAKING THE ATMOSPHERE UNSTABLE.

A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ENTER WESTERN ALABAMA
BETWEEN 940 AM AND 1000 AM AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. THIS LINE WILL PUSH
EASTWARD AND MAKE ITS WAY TO I-65 BY AROUND 1130 AM. THESE STORMS WILL
BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...LARGE HAIL...AND
TORNADOES. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE
TORNADOES WILL LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON WATCHES AND WARNINGS STAY TUNED TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA SOURCES.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES AND STORM SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD MONITOR
THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS. INTEREST IN NORTHERN AND WESTERN ALABAMA
SHOULD ACTIVATE NOW AND THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE BY THIS
AFTERNOON. 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/

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 10, 10:31 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert, Lauderdale49 min
Nov 10, 10:35 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar50 min
Nov 10, 10:47 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens63 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.