Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 379, NWS Birmingham, AL

November 11, 2002Hale County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Nov 11, 2002, 12:26 AM CST for Hale County, Alabama. It was in force for 34 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Nov 11, 2002, 12:26 AM CST (06:26 UTC)
Expired: Nov 11, 2002, 1:00 AM CST
In force: 34 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Hale County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 91 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:29 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Nov 10, 10:05 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 6.4 hours before the alert went out and 90 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 2257 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 800 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 64 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 277 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 331 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 4.4
Supercell composite: 15.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS54 KBMX 110626
SVRBHM
ALC065-110700-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1227 AM CST MON NOV 11 2002

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  HALE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA

* UNTIL 100 AM CST

* AT 1224 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER SAWYERVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...AKRON AND
GREENSBORO.

TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP SUDDENLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. BE ALERT
FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS...STAY INDOORS...AWAY FROM WINDOWS
UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

CALL 1-800-856-0758 TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER.

LAT...LON 3291 8776 3260 8776 3268 8750 3295 8744

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.

NWS Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Nov 10, 4:59 PM CST, 7 hours 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 10, 4:59 PM CST, 7 hours 27 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, AL
459 PM CST SUN NOV 10 2002

GOING TO UPDATE TO INCLUDE THE NEW TORNADO WATCH.

.BHM...NONE.

Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 10, 1:00 PM CST, 11 hours 26 minutes before

ALZ001>050-102200-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
100 PM CST SUN NOV 10 2002

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL ALABAMA.

.DAY ONE (THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT)...

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING TOWARDS ALABAMA TONIGHT.  AHEAD
OF THIS SYSTEM...EXPECT INCREASING SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.
THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN AREAL COVERAGE AND
STRENGTH THIS EVENING AND INTO TONIGHT.  DEWPOINT TEMPERATURES AND
INSTABILITIES WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE EVENING AHEAD OF
THIS COLD FRONT.  THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS PLACE MUCH OF
NORTHERN ALABAMA UNDER A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE STORMS TONIGHT.  THE
COUNTIES UNDER THE HIGH RISK ARE GENERALLY NORTH AND WEST OF
INTERSTATE 59.  ISOLATED TORNADOES...DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS...
AND EVEN SOME LARGE HAIL MAY BE ENCOUNTERED IN SOME OF THE STRONGEST
STORMS.

A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE OVER THE
REMAINDER OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE SEVERE RISKS TAPERS OFF FARTHER
SOUTH TO A SLIGHT RISK ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL ALABAMA.

ALL PERSONS ACROSS THE STATE NEED TO REMAIN ALERT TONIGHT FOR
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS...AND SHOULD BE READY TO TAKE
THE NECESSARY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERLY.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL PROBABLY BE
REQUIRED BY THIS EVENING OVER NORTHWEST ALABAMA.  ALL COUNTIES IN THE
HIGH AND MODERATE RISK AREAS WILL PROBABLY BE ACTIVATED AT SOMETIME
DURING THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN (MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...
THIS COLD FRONT WILL STALL OUT ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE
FORECAST AREA KEEPING A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST ON
MONDAY.  HOWEVER...WIDESPREAD SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT
ANTICIPATED.  THEN ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM WILL MOVE IN FROM THE
WEST ON TUESDAY PUSHING THE RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY OUT OF
ALABAMA TUESDAY NIGHT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Nov 10, 11:40 PM CST, 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1140 PM CST SUN NOV 10 2002

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

1050 PM    BESSEMER                  AL   TORNADO
11/10/02   JEFFERSON                      18TH STREET AREA

Special weather statement, Nov 10, 11:44 PM CST, 42 minutes before

ALZ008>010-015>050-111000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
1144 PM CST SUN NOV 10 2002

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 754...

  BLOUNT...CULLMAN...DEKALB...JACKSON...MARSHALL...
  PICKENS...WALKER...

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES REMAIN IN
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 754
WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 AM...

  AUTAUGA...BARBOUR...BIBB...BULLOCK...CALHOUN...
  CHAMBERS...CHEROKEE...CHILTON...CLAY...CLEBURNE...
  COOSA...DALLAS...ELMORE...ETOWAH...GREENE...
  HALE...JEFFERSON...LEE...LOWNDES...MACON...
  MARENGO...MONTGOMERY...PERRY...PIKE...RANDOLPH...
  RUSSELL...SHELBY...ST CLAIR...SUMTER...TALLADEGA...
  TALLAPOOSA...TUSCALOOSA...

Local storm report, Nov 10, 11:52 PM CST, 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1152 PM CST SUN NOV 10 2002

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

1100 PM    ONEONTA                   AL   TORNADO
11/10/02   BLOUNT                         HAUS DAMAGE - TREES DOWN

1130 PM    SPRING CREEK              AL   TORNADO
11/10/02   CHEROKEE                       BUSINESSES DAMAGED

Local storm report, Nov 11, 12:01 AM CST, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1201 AM CST MON NOV 11 2002

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

1120 PM    TUCKER CROSSROADS         AL   TORNADO
11/10/02   CHEROKEE                       8 HOUSES DAMAGED 1
                                          DESTROYED

Local storm report, Nov 11, 12:07 AM CST, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1207 AM CST MON NOV 11 2002

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

1200 PM    LINCOLN                   AL   0.75 IN HAIL
11/10/02   TALLADEGA                      W OF LINCOLN -
                                          CR207/I-20

Special weather statement, Nov 11, 12:25 AM CST, 1 minute before

ALZ008>010-015>050-111000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
1225 AM CST MON NOV 11 2002

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 754...

  BLOUNT...CHEROKEE...CULLMAN...DEKALB...ETOWAH...
  JACKSON...JEFFERSON...MARSHALL...PICKENS...ST CLAIR...
  TUSCALOOSA...WALKER...

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES REMAIN IN
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 754
WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 AM...

  AUTAUGA...BARBOUR...BIBB...BULLOCK...CALHOUN...
  CHAMBERS...CHILTON...CLAY...CLEBURNE...COOSA...
  DALLAS...ELMORE...GREENE...HALE...LEE...
  LOWNDES...MACON...MARENGO...MONTGOMERY...PERRY...
  PIKE...RANDOLPH...RUSSELL...SHELBY...SUMTER...
  TALLADEGA...TALLAPOOSA...

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Nov 10, 6:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar	51 min
Nov 10, 6:21 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette	54 min
Nov 10, 6:28 PM CST	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Fayette, Lamar	47 min
Nov 10, 6:41 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Franklin, Marion	49 min
Nov 10, 7:00 PM CST	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Marion, Walker	45 min
Nov 10, 7:02 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Colbert	28 min
Nov 10, 7:07 PM CST	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Winston	53 min
Nov 10, 7:19 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lamar, Pickens	41 min
Nov 10, 7:40 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cullman	50 min
Nov 10, 7:53 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette	52 min
Nov 10, 7:54 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette	51 min
Nov 10, 8:04 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens	56 min
Nov 10, 8:11 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marshall, Morgan	64 min
Nov 10, 8:12 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Colbert, Franklin	48 min
Nov 10, 8:25 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Walker	50 min
Nov 10, 8:40 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Madison	35 min
Nov 10, 8:49 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Winston	26 min
Nov 10, 8:52 PM CST	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Cullman	53 min
Nov 10, 8:55 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette	35 min
Nov 10, 9:09 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens	36 min
Nov 10, 9:12 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jackson, Marshall	63 min
Nov 10, 9:15 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Walker	45 min
Nov 10, 9:36 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	39 min
Nov 10, 9:42 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cullman	18 min
Nov 10, 10:00 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene	30 min
Nov 10, 10:03 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount, Etowah	42 min
Nov 10, 10:14 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	31 min
Nov 10, 10:14 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jackson, Marshall	46 min
Nov 10, 10:23 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	52 min
Nov 10, 10:34 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	St. Clair	26 min
Nov 10, 10:43 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	32 min
Nov 10, 10:45 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Etowah, Greene, Sumter	45 min
Nov 10, 11:07 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	St. Clair	38 min
Nov 10, 11:10 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cherokee	50 min
Nov 10, 11:22 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Hale	38 min
Nov 10, 11:39 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Talladega	36 min
Nov 10, 11:41 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Sumter	34 min
Nov 10, 11:49 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb	41 min
Nov 11, 12:10 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	35 min
Nov 11, 12:12 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cleburne	33 min
Nov 11, 12:13 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene	17 min
Nov 11, 12:21 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Shelby	24 min
Nov 11, 12:27 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Talladega	33 min
Nov 11, 12:40 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Shelby	35 min
Nov 11, 12:42 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cleburne	48 min
Nov 11, 12:52 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Clay, Talladega	38 min
Nov 11, 1:31 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Randolph	44 min
Nov 11, 1:36 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton	24 min
Nov 11, 1:42 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Clay, Randolph	33 min
Nov 11, 1:55 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	35 min
Nov 11, 1:55 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Coosa, Elmore	65 min
Nov 11, 2:11 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Randolph	49 min
Nov 11, 2:24 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tallapoosa	36 min
Nov 11, 2:38 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tallapoosa	37 min
Nov 11, 2:54 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chambers	36 min
Nov 11, 3:03 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	57 min
Nov 11, 5:57 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pike	33 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2002 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002

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.