Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 114, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 7, 1998Madison County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at May 7, 1998, 8:06 PM CDT for Madison County, Alabama. It was in force for 49 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 7, 1998, 8:06 PM CDT (01:06 UTC)
Expired
May 7, 1998, 8:55 PM CDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Madison County, AL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 7, 8:15 PM CDTHail 1Huntsville, ALHail the size of quarter was reported in Huntsville.

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
May 7, 8:00 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 152 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 1998-05-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 620 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 1998-05-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 68 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
620 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1649 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
68 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
227 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

983 
WFUS1 KBHM 080105 RRA
TORBHM
ALC089-080155-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
806 PM CDT THU MAY 7 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  MADISON COUNTY... IN NORTHERN ALABAMA

* UNTIL 855 PM CDT

* AT 805 PM CDT... A TORNADO WAS DETECTED...BY NATIONAL WEATHER
  SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR LOCATED NEAR NEBO MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST
AT 35 MILES MILES AN HOUR.   THIS STORM WILL MOVE NEAR OR TO THE CITY
OF HUNTSVILLE.


GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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 7, 5:07 PM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
507 PM CDT THU MAY 07 1998

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

0505 PM    NEW MARKET                AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98   MADISON                        GOLFBALL HAIL

0505 PM    CENTER STAR               AL
05/07/98   LAUDERDALE                     HALF INCH HAIL
Local storm report, May 7, 5:07 PM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
507 PM CDT THU MAY 07 1998

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

0505 PM    NEW MARKET                AL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/07/98   MADISON                        GOLFBALL HAIL

0505 PM    CENTER STAR               AL
05/07/98   LAUDERDALE                     HALF INCH HAIL
Special weather statement, May 7, 6:33 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
ALZ006-008>010-018>021-028-029-038-080020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
633 PM CDT THU MAY 7 1998

TORNADO WATCH 302 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL SECTIONS OF
NORTHEAST AND NORTH-CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS
SHIFTED NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA.   OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE
DEVELOPING WEST OF THE STATE BUT WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING...
THIS THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH.   HOWEVER...A WEAK
FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS VERY CLOSE TO NORTH ALABAMA AND IT REMAINS
POSSIBLE THAT ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP.
UPDATES WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.

NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE AT THIS TIME.
Special weather statement, May 7, 6:33 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
ALZ006-008>010-018>021-028-029-038-080020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
633 PM CDT THU MAY 7 1998

TORNADO WATCH 302 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL SECTIONS OF
NORTHEAST AND NORTH-CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS
SHIFTED NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA.   OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE
DEVELOPING WEST OF THE STATE BUT WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING...
THIS THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH.   HOWEVER...A WEAK
FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS VERY CLOSE TO NORTH ALABAMA AND IT REMAINS
POSSIBLE THAT ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP.
UPDATES WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.

NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE AT THIS TIME.
Special weather statement, May 7, 6:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
ALZ006-008>010-018>021-028-029-038-080020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
635 PM CDT THU MAY 7 1998

TORNADO WATCH 302 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL SECTIONS OF
NORTHEAST AND EAST-CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS
SHIFTED NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA.   OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE
DEVELOPING WEST OF THE STATE BUT WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING...
THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH.   HOWEVER...A WEAK
FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS VERY CLOSE TO NORTH ALABAMA AND IT REMAINS
POSSIBLE THAT ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP.
UPDATES WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.

NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE AT THIS TIME.
Special weather statement, May 7, 6:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
ALZ006-008>010-018>021-028-029-038-080020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
635 PM CDT THU MAY 7 1998

TORNADO WATCH 302 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR ALL SECTIONS OF
NORTHEAST AND EAST-CENTRAL ALABAMA.  THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS
SHIFTED NORTH AND EAST OF THE AREA.   OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE
DEVELOPING WEST OF THE STATE BUT WITH THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING...
THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH.   HOWEVER...A WEAK
FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS VERY CLOSE TO NORTH ALABAMA AND IT REMAINS
POSSIBLE THAT ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP.
UPDATES WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY.

NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE STATE AT THIS TIME.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 7, 7:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison31 min
May 7, 7:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone50 min
May 7, 7:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson65 min
May 7, 7:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence, Winston64 min
May 7, 7:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison50 min
May 7, 8:00 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCullman, Winston65 min
May 7, 8:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan62 min
May 7, 8:11 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXDeKalb, Jackson64 min
May 7, 8:38 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarshall52 min
May 7, 8:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence65 min
May 7, 8:43 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount62 min
May 7, 8:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin35 min
May 7, 8:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWinston62 min
May 7, 8:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee35 min
May 7, 9:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb51 min
May 7, 9:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman66 min
May 7, 9:25 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXEtowah, St. Clair65 min
May 7, 9:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFranklin65 min
May 7, 9:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee49 min
May 7, 9:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWinston64 min
May 7, 9:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun61 min
May 7, 10:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarion65 min
May 7, 10:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne47 min
May 7, 10:58 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCleburne32 min
May 7, 11:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCullman49 min
May 7, 11:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun62 min
May 7, 11:24 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun36 min
May 7, 11:30 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCleburne50 min
May 7, 11:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair50 min
May 8, 12:00 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun50 min
May 8, 12:18 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXCleburne62 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes 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.