Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 98, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 19, 1998Madison County, Marshall County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 19, 1998, 10:14 PM CST for Madison County, Marshall County, Alabama. It was in force for 46 min. 4 reports 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
Mar 19, 1998, 10:14 PM CST (04:14 UTC)
Expired
Mar 19, 1998, 11:00 PM CST
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

Counties Madison County, AL, Marshall County, AL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 19, 10:34 PM CSTHail 0.75Huntsville, ALDime size hail was reported in Huntsville.
Mar 19, 10:39 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 65New Hope, ALOne home and five mobile homes were destroyed and 65 others structures sustained major or minor damage in the New Hope area.
Mar 19, 10:45 PM CSTThunderstorm Wind 55Grant, ALThere were a few trees blown down, and damage was reported to a few porches north of Grant.
Mar 19, 10:58 PM CSTHail 0.75Arab, ALDime size hail was reported in Arab.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 19, 8:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 4.2 hours before the alert went out and 157 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 00:00Z on 1998-03-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 434 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 00:00Z on 1998-03-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 113 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
434 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-35 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
728 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
113 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
158 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.4
Supercell composite
3.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KBHM 200414 RRA
SVRBHM
ALC089-095-200500-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1014 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998


THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN NORTHERN ALABAMA

   ...MADISON COUNTY...
   ...MARSHALL COUNTY...

AT 1012 PM CST... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
NEAR HUNTSVILLE AIRPORT TO NEAR CULLMAN. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCTING LARGE
AMOUTNS OF HAIL.


<<CALL TO ACTION>>
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE... SEEK REFUGE FROM THE STORM IN A
STRONG BUILDING. BOATERS ON AREA LAKES SHOULD TAKE SHELTER.
DAMAGING WIND... LARGE HAIL... VERY HEAVY RAIN... AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING ARE ALL LIKELY. DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES OR OTHER
ISOLATED TALL OBJECTS. THESE ATTRACT LIGHTNING. DO NOT DRIVE INTO
AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

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, Mar 19, 9:15 PM CST, 59 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
915 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0802 PM    HALEYVILLE                AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WINSTON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          AROUND HALEYVILLE AND IN
                                          ALL OF NORTHWEST WINSTON
                                          CO...REPORT BY SHERIFF IN
                                          DOUBLE SPRINGS.

0849 PM                              AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   LAMAR                          DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          COUNTYWIDE..ESPECIALLY
                                          NEAR MILLPORT AND
                                          SULLIGENT FROM VERNON
                                          SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.

0857 PM    ATHENS                    AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   LIMESTONE                      DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          BY STATE TROOPERS
                                          NORTHEAST OF ATHENS.
Local storm report, Mar 19, 9:27 PM CST, 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
927 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0912 PM    HARVEST                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MADISON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN HARVEST BY EMA.

0912 PM    TONEY                     AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MADISON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN TONEY BY EMA.

0920 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WINSTON                        DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED EAST OF DOUBLE
                                          SPRINGS BY EMA.
0922 PM    CARBON HILL               AL   .5 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WALKER                         1/2 INCH HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          CARBON HILL BY HAMS.
Local storm report, Mar 19, 9:27 PM CST, 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
927 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0912 PM    HARVEST                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MADISON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN HARVEST BY EMA.

0912 PM    TONEY                     AL   .75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   MADISON                        DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN TONEY BY EMA.

0920 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WINSTON                        DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED EAST OF DOUBLE
                                          SPRINGS BY EMA.
0922 PM    CARBON HILL               AL   .5 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WALKER                         1/2 INCH HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          CARBON HILL BY HAMS.
Special weather statement, Mar 19, 10:06 PM CST, 8 minutes before
ALZ001>005-011>014-022-200440-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1006 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...

IN ALABAMA

   ...LAUDERDALE... COLBERT... FRANKLIN... LAWRENCE... LIMESTONE
   ...MARION... LAMAR... FAYETTE... WINSTON... PICKENS
Local storm report, Mar 19, 10:12 PM CST, 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1012 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0900 PM    FAYETTE                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
03/19/98   FAYETTE                        A FEW TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN IN AND AROUND
                                          THE CITY OF FAYETTE...ALSO
                                          HAIL OF UNKNOWN
                                          SIZE..REPORTED BY FAYETTE
                                          PD.

0920 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WALKER                         DIME TO GOLFBALL SIZED
                                          HAIL REPORTED IN AND
                                          AROUND CARBON HILL..BY
                                          CARBON HILL PD.
Local storm report, Mar 19, 10:12 PM CST, 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
1012 PM CST THU MAR 19 1998

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

0900 PM    FAYETTE                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
03/19/98   FAYETTE                        A FEW TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN IN AND AROUND
                                          THE CITY OF FAYETTE...ALSO
                                          HAIL OF UNKNOWN
                                          SIZE..REPORTED BY FAYETTE
                                          PD.

0920 PM                              AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
03/19/98   WALKER                         DIME TO GOLFBALL SIZED
                                          HAIL REPORTED IN AND
                                          AROUND CARBON HILL..BY
                                          CARBON HILL PD.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 19, 6:21 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin49 min
Mar 19, 7:06 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion49 min
Mar 19, 7:18 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin42 min
Mar 19, 7:48 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence, Winston47 min
Mar 19, 7:56 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin19 min
Mar 19, 8:02 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert33 min
Mar 19, 8:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar51 min
Mar 19, 8:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLauderdale, Limestone, Morgan46 min
Mar 19, 8:32 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens48 min
Mar 19, 8:41 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Marion59 min
Mar 19, 8:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSumter48 min
Mar 19, 8:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison47 min
Mar 19, 9:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman, Winston46 min
Mar 19, 9:08 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker42 min
Mar 19, 9:17 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPickens48 min
Mar 19, 9:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman45 min
Mar 19, 9:56 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa49 min
Mar 19, 9:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan47 min
Mar 19, 10:15 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker35 min
Mar 19, 10:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount48 min
Mar 19, 10:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson63 min
Mar 19, 10:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale45 min
Mar 19, 10:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson62 min
Mar 19, 10:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman22 min
Mar 19, 10:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa33 min
Mar 19, 10:45 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Perry65 min
Mar 19, 11:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarshall49 min
Mar 19, 11:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah, St. Clair58 min
Mar 19, 11:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby58 min
Mar 19, 11:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson35 min
Mar 19, 11:27 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb63 min
Mar 19, 11:33 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson32 min
Mar 19, 11:39 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Dallas61 min
Mar 19, 11:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee60 min
Mar 19, 11:55 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega60 min
Mar 20, 12:08 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah, St. Clair32 min
Mar 20, 12:08 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby32 min
Mar 20, 12:16 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXAutauga, Lowndes79 min
Mar 20, 12:16 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCoosa79 min
Mar 20, 12:28 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb47 min
Mar 20, 12:35 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXLowndes60 min
Mar 20, 12:39 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay61 min
Mar 20, 12:47 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXElmore, Montgomery63 min
Mar 20, 12:56 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne64 min
Mar 20, 12:56 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTallapoosa64 min
Mar 20, 1:22 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph63 min
Mar 20, 1:38 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMacon62 min
Mar 20, 1:54 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers, Lee61 min
Mar 20, 2:55 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLee50 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.