Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1998
Tornado Warning 136, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at May 9, 1998, 9:22 PM CDT for Chilton County, Alabama. It was in force for 63 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 9, 1998, 9:22 PM CDT (02:22 UTC)
- Expired
- May 9, 1998, 10:25 PM CDT
- In force
- 63 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Whole counties
County Chilton County, AL
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 9:30 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 50 | Jemison, AL | About a half dozen trees were down along I-65 north of Jemison along the west side of the interstate. |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 7:00 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 2.4 hours before the alert went out and 37 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 213 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -309 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1398 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 70 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 241 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 355 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBHM 100222 RRA TORBHM ALC021-100325- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 922 PM CDT SAT MAY 9 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... CHILTON COUNTY... IN CENTRAL ALABAMA * UNTIL 1025 PM CDT * AT 921 PM CDT... A TORNADO WAS DETECTED...BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN BIBB COUNTY NEAR CENTREVILLE. HOWEVER, THIS STORM IS SHOWING VERY IMPRESSIVE SIGNATURES ON THE RADAR THAT A TORNADO IS LIKELY BEING PRODUCED BY THIS STORM. * THE TORNADO IS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH AND EXPECTED TO BE NEAR JEMISON AND UNION GROVE BETWEEN 935 AND 950 PM. RESIDENTS OF NORTHERN CHILTON COUNTY NEED TO TAKE COVER 8IMMEDIATELY. 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
Special weather statement, May 9, 3:45 PM CDT, 5 hours 37 minutes before
ALZ001>050-GAZ089-090-102-120-100100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 345 PM CDT SAT MAY 9 1998 ...A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF ALABAMA THROUGH TONIGHT... THE INGREDIENTS ARE STILL COMING TOGETHER FOR A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. A STRONG UPPER LOW WILL APPROACH ALABAMA FROM THE WEST LATER TONIGHT AND MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF THE STATE BEFORE SUNRISE. VERY HUMID AIR FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS BEEN MOVING NORTHWARD DURING THE DAY...AND WILL PROVIDE FUEL FOR THE UPPER LOW TO WORK WITH OVERNIGHT. THE GREATEST RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN ONE HALF OF ALABAMA...ROUGHLY NORTH OF A LINDEN...SELMA...AUBURN LINE. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACED A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THESE AREAS. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE MENTIONED AREA. INCLUDED IN THE SLIGHT RISK AREA ARE THE CITIES OF MONTGOMERY...TUSKEGEE...PHENIX CITY...AND COLUMBUS GEORGIA. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT THE BRUNT OF THE SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE BETWEEN 700 PM AND MIDNIGHT FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65...AND AFTER 1000 PM FOR AREAS EAST OF INTERSTATE 65. WINDS IN THE ATMOSPHERE ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS...SO TORNADO WATCHES WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA DURING THE NIGHT. STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD PREPARE FOR ACTIVATION...ESPECIALLY THOSE OVER THE NORTHERN HALF OF ALABAMA.
Local storm report, May 9, 8:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
806 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0720 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
REPORTED NEAR HIGHWAY 82
AND 86. TREES DOWN ALONG
HIGHWAY 82..REPORTED BY
HAM RADIO.
0720 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO REPORTED
15 MILES WEST OF
NORTHPORT..REPORTED BY HAM
RADIO.
0740 PM AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
NORTH OF
TUSCALOOSA..REPORTED BY
HAM RADIO.
0749 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
REPORTED AT HIGHWAY 43 AND
62..REPORTED BY HAMS.Local storm report, May 9, 8:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
806 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0720 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
REPORTED NEAR HIGHWAY 82
AND 86. TREES DOWN ALONG
HIGHWAY 82..REPORTED BY
HAM RADIO.
0720 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO REPORTED
15 MILES WEST OF
NORTHPORT..REPORTED BY HAM
RADIO.
0740 PM AL 1 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
NORTH OF
TUSCALOOSA..REPORTED BY
HAM RADIO.
0749 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL
REPORTED AT HIGHWAY 43 AND
62..REPORTED BY HAMS.Local storm report, May 9, 8:41 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
841 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0752 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
REPORTED JUST NORTH OF
NORTHPORT.
0830 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO 8 MILES
NORTH OF MOUNDVILLE NEAR
TUSCALOOSA...1 INCH DIA
HAIL AND NUMEROUS TREES
AND POWER LINES DOWN IN
MALLARD CREEK SUBDIV.Local storm report, May 9, 8:41 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
841 PM CDT SAT MAY 09 1998
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0752 PM AL 1.75 INCH HAIL
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL
REPORTED JUST NORTH OF
NORTHPORT.
0830 PM AL TORNADO
05/09/98 TUSCALOOSA POSSIBLE TORNADO 8 MILES
NORTH OF MOUNDVILLE NEAR
TUSCALOOSA...1 INCH DIA
HAIL AND NUMEROUS TREES
AND POWER LINES DOWN IN
MALLARD CREEK SUBDIV.Special weather statement, May 9, 9:21 PM CDT, 1 minute before
ALZ001>018-020-100515- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 921 PM CDT SAT MAY 9 1998 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT TIL 1 AM CDT... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS STILL POSSIBLE ACROSS EXTREME NORTHERN ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT... AT MID EVENING...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUING ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH LITTLE OR NO PRECIPITATION OCCURRING ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE STATE. HOWEVER...A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE CONTINUES TO MOVE EASTWARD TOWARD THE STATE...WITH A MOIST UNSTABLE AIRMASS PERSISTING ACROSS THE AREA. THIS SYSTEM WAS TRIGGERING A NEW ROUND OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST ARKANSAS. THESE STORMS SHOULD MOVE EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI INTO NORTHERN ALABAMA LATER TONIGHT...MOST LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS IS EXPECTED TO BE LARGE HAIL...OR POSSIBLY DAMAGING WINDS. IT IS LIKELY THAT AN ADDITIONAL WATCH WILL BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN ALABAMA AFTER 1 AM CDT. EMA OFFICIALS AND STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT...AND BE READY FOR ADDITIONAL ACTIVATION LATER TONIGHT.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 9, 7:06 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 69 min |
| May 9, 7:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene | 62 min |
| May 9, 7:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 76 min |
| May 9, 7:41 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Pickens | 34 min |
| May 9, 7:48 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Sumter | 77 min |
| May 9, 7:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker | 48 min |
| May 9, 8:09 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 51 min |
| May 9, 8:24 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Hale | 61 min |
| May 9, 8:29 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene | 36 min |
| May 9, 8:35 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb | 65 min |
| May 9, 8:48 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Shelby | 77 min |
| May 9, 8:53 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 47 min |
| May 9, 9:50 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Coosa | 65 min |
| May 9, 9:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pickens | 50 min |
| May 9, 9:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Talladega | 47 min |
| May 9, 10:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 63 min |
| May 9, 11:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 63 min |
| May 9, 11:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Clay | 36 min |
| May 9, 11:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Randolph | 50 min |
| May 9, 11:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 51 min |
| May 9, 11:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Tuscaloosa | 47 min |
| May 9, 11:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 50 min |
| May 10, 12:23 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Shelby | 62 min |
| May 10, 12:34 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Talladega | 66 min |
| May 10, 1:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 45 min |
| May 10, 6:49 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Chambers | 31 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.