Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 51, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 8, 1998Cleburne County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 8, 1998, 9:52 PM CDT for Cleburne County, Alabama. It was in force for 48 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
Apr 8, 1998, 9:52 PM CDT (02:52 UTC)
Expired
Apr 8, 1998, 10:40 PM CDT
In force
48 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Whole counties

County Cleburne County, AL

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 8, 7:30 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 2.9 hours before the alert went out and 100 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 1998-04-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 771 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 1998-04-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 176 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
771 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
478 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
67 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
176 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
313 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.5
Supercell composite
8.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

765 
WFUS1 KBHM 090251 RRA
TORBHM
ALC029-090340-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
952 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM AL HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1040 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...

IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA

   ...CLEBURNE COUNTY...

WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBILE TORNADO MOVING INTO CLEBURNE
COUNTY...IMPACTING THE GRANTLY AND OAK LEVEL.  THIS STORM HAS HAD A
HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AS IT MOVED ACROSS CENTRAL PORTIONS OF
THE STATE.  ADDITIONAL SEVER THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT OTHER AREAS OF
THE COUNTY.
<<CALL TO ACTION>>
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE
PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE... GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A
REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

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, Apr 8, 9:19 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
919 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0830 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     MOBILE HOME DESTROYED ON
                                          COUNTY RD. 59...7 MILES
                                          NORTH OF BROOKWOOD... SOME
                                          INJURIES OCCURRED.

0835 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      CHURCH DESTROYED BY
                                          POSSIBLE TORNADO ON
                                          BIRMINGPORT RD IN
                                          JEFFERSON CO... TIME
                                          ESTIMATED...NO REPORTS OF
                                          INJURIES AT THIS TIME.

0835 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   WINSTON                        SEVERAL VEHICLES AND ROOF
                                          DAMAGE BY UNKNOWN SIZED
                                          HAIL AND WIND GUSTS IN
                                          EASTERN WINSTON COUNTY.

0844 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      POSSIBLE TORNADO DESTROYED
                                          THE OAK GROVE FIRE
                                          STATION...BUILDING IS
                                          GONE.. ALL ROADS AROUND
                                          LOCATION ARE CLOSED.

0845 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      UNKNOWN WIND DAMAGE WITH
                                          PERSONAL INJURIES.

0848 PM    MOUNDVILLE                AL
04/08/98   HALE                           NUMEROUS SPOTTER REPORTS
                                          OF FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR
                                          MOUNDVILLE.
0848 PM    FT PAYNE                  AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   DEKALB                         QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN THE CITY OF FT
                                          PAYNE.

0855 PM    PINSON                    AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR PINSON BY STORM
                                          SPOTTERS.

0901 PM    MOULTON                   AL   .88 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LAWRENCE                       NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          BY HAMS NEAR MOULTON.
Local storm report, Apr 8, 9:19 PM CDT, 33 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
919 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0830 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   TUSCALOOSA                     MOBILE HOME DESTROYED ON
                                          COUNTY RD. 59...7 MILES
                                          NORTH OF BROOKWOOD... SOME
                                          INJURIES OCCURRED.

0835 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      CHURCH DESTROYED BY
                                          POSSIBLE TORNADO ON
                                          BIRMINGPORT RD IN
                                          JEFFERSON CO... TIME
                                          ESTIMATED...NO REPORTS OF
                                          INJURIES AT THIS TIME.

0835 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   WINSTON                        SEVERAL VEHICLES AND ROOF
                                          DAMAGE BY UNKNOWN SIZED
                                          HAIL AND WIND GUSTS IN
                                          EASTERN WINSTON COUNTY.

0844 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      POSSIBLE TORNADO DESTROYED
                                          THE OAK GROVE FIRE
                                          STATION...BUILDING IS
                                          GONE.. ALL ROADS AROUND
                                          LOCATION ARE CLOSED.

0845 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      UNKNOWN WIND DAMAGE WITH
                                          PERSONAL INJURIES.

0848 PM    MOUNDVILLE                AL
04/08/98   HALE                           NUMEROUS SPOTTER REPORTS
                                          OF FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR
                                          MOUNDVILLE.
0848 PM    FT PAYNE                  AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   DEKALB                         QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN THE CITY OF FT
                                          PAYNE.

0855 PM    PINSON                    AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR PINSON BY STORM
                                          SPOTTERS.

0901 PM    MOULTON                   AL   .88 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LAWRENCE                       NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED
                                          BY HAMS NEAR MOULTON.
Local storm report, Apr 8, 9:37 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
937 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0825 PM    EDGEWATER                 AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN
                                          NEAR
                                          EDGEWATER..UNSPECIFIED
                                          DAMAGE.. REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTERS.

0830 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   MARION                         WIND AND HAIL DAMAGE
                                          REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          241...HOMES DAMAGED..
                                          REPORTED BY EMA.
0850 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   DEKALB                         1 INCH HAIL REPORTED JUST
                                          NORTH OF FORT PAYNE.

0905 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BY
                                          TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN THE
                                          OAK GROVE AREA.

0908 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   DEKALB                         TREES..SIGNS..AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          168 AND 68..WEST OF
                                          COLLINSVILLE.

0912 PM    MOULTON                   AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LAWRENCE                       QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED 10 MILES EAST OF
                                          MOULTON.

0912 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   ST CLAIR                       SUSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE
                                          BETHEL CHURCH ON HIGHWAY
                                          11...POSSIBLE TORNADO
                                          TOUCHDOWN.

0920 PM    PELL CITY                 AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   ST CLAIR                       TORNADO REPORTED ON THE
                                          GROUND ON MARIAH RD....7
                                          MILES NORTH OF PELL CITY..
                                          NO DAMAGE REPORTED AT THIS
                                          TIME.

0922 PM    DECATUR                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MORGAN                         DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED 5
                                          SOUTH DECATUR.
Local storm report, Apr 8, 9:37 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM
937 PM CDT WED APR 08 1998

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

0825 PM    EDGEWATER                 AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN
                                          NEAR
                                          EDGEWATER..UNSPECIFIED
                                          DAMAGE.. REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTERS.

0830 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   MARION                         WIND AND HAIL DAMAGE
                                          REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          241...HOMES DAMAGED..
                                          REPORTED BY EMA.
0850 PM                              AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   DEKALB                         1 INCH HAIL REPORTED JUST
                                          NORTH OF FORT PAYNE.

0905 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   JEFFERSON                      SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BY
                                          TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN THE
                                          OAK GROVE AREA.

0908 PM                              AL   WIND DAMAGE
04/08/98   DEKALB                         TREES..SIGNS..AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY
                                          168 AND 68..WEST OF
                                          COLLINSVILLE.

0912 PM    MOULTON                   AL   1 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   LAWRENCE                       QUARTER SIZED HAIL
                                          REPORTED 10 MILES EAST OF
                                          MOULTON.

0912 PM                              AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   ST CLAIR                       SUSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE
                                          BETHEL CHURCH ON HIGHWAY
                                          11...POSSIBLE TORNADO
                                          TOUCHDOWN.

0920 PM    PELL CITY                 AL   TORNADO
04/08/98   ST CLAIR                       TORNADO REPORTED ON THE
                                          GROUND ON MARIAH RD....7
                                          MILES NORTH OF PELL CITY..
                                          NO DAMAGE REPORTED AT THIS
                                          TIME.

0922 PM    DECATUR                   AL   .75 INCH HAIL
04/08/98   MORGAN                         DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED 5
                                          SOUTH DECATUR.
Special weather statement, Apr 8, 9:44 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
ALZ001>003-011-012-090320-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
944 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN ALABAMA

 B  ...LAUDERDALE... COLBERT... FRANKLIN... MARION... LAMAR

THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED EAST OF THESE COUNTIES AND ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED.
Special weather statement, Apr 8, 9:44 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
ALZ001>003-011-012-090320-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
944 PM CDT WED APR 8 1998

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN ALABAMA

 B  ...LAUDERDALE... COLBERT... FRANKLIN... MARION... LAMAR

THE SEVERE WEATHER HAS MOVED EAST OF THESE COUNTIES AND ADDITIONAL
SEVERE WEATHER DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 8, 7:01 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa49 min
Apr 8, 7:04 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXFranklin51 min
Apr 8, 7:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar50 min
Apr 8, 7:15 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCoosa, Tallapoosa45 min
Apr 8, 7:18 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarion47 min
Apr 8, 7:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXColbert46 min
Apr 8, 7:25 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCullman35 min
Apr 8, 7:33 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarshall47 min
Apr 8, 7:36 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXColbert49 min
Apr 8, 7:37 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXPickens48 min
Apr 8, 7:37 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXWinston48 min
Apr 8, 7:42 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXChambers48 min
Apr 8, 7:44 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount46 min
Apr 8, 7:45 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson50 min
Apr 8, 7:46 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLawrence49 min
Apr 8, 7:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker63 min
Apr 8, 7:56 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa64 min
Apr 8, 7:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion66 min
Apr 8, 7:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLauderdale51 min
Apr 8, 8:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cleburne50 min
Apr 8, 8:02 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXDeKalb63 min
Apr 8, 8:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay, Randolph49 min
Apr 8, 8:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXEtowah47 min
Apr 8, 8:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone49 min
Apr 8, 8:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan50 min
Apr 8, 8:32 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson33 min
Apr 8, 8:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMadison49 min
Apr 8, 8:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee63 min
Apr 8, 8:49 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair46 min
Apr 8, 8:49 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXHale36 min
Apr 8, 8:54 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCherokee, Etowah51 min
Apr 8, 8:56 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXTuscaloosa49 min
Apr 8, 9:00 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb50 min
Apr 8, 9:02 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson63 min
Apr 8, 9:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLawrence49 min
Apr 8, 9:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMorgan48 min
Apr 8, 9:15 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Talladega65 min
Apr 8, 9:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLimestone, Madison50 min
Apr 8, 9:32 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXShelby48 min
Apr 8, 9:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSumter47 min
Apr 8, 9:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson47 min
Apr 8, 9:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee33 min
Apr 8, 10:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTuscaloosa50 min
Apr 8, 10:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega46 min
Apr 8, 10:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXHale48 min
Apr 8, 10:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJackson34 min
Apr 8, 10:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega31 min
Apr 8, 10:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDeKalb33 min
Apr 8, 10:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Perry45 min
Apr 8, 10:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson49 min
Apr 8, 10:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay45 min
Apr 8, 11:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXSt. Clair, Shelby62 min
Apr 8, 11:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne47 min
Apr 8, 11:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChilton, Shelby48 min
Apr 8, 11:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXTalladega50 min
Apr 8, 11:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCleburne33 min
Apr 9, 12:07 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCoosa48 min
Apr 9, 12:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXClay50 min
Apr 9, 12:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXRandolph, Tallapoosa45 min
Apr 9, 1:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers48 min
Apr 9, 3:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXPike34 min
Apr 9, 3:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBarbour49 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.