Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 221, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 2, 2003Pike County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 2, 2003, 8:09 PM CDT for Pike County, Alabama. It was in force for 66 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: May 2, 2003, 8:09 PM CDT (01:09 UTC)
Expired: May 2, 2003, 9:15 PM CDT
In force: 66 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Pike County, AL

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
May 2, 5:05 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 169 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: 2674 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -12 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1099 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 61 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 51 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.5
Supercell composite: 2.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

817 
WUUS54 KBMX 030109
SVRBHM
ALC109-030215-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
810 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  PIKE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA

* UNTIL 915 PM CDT

* AT 810 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 19 MILES WEST OF ORION TO 17
  MILES SOUTHWEST OF GOSHEN...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...BANKS...
BRUNDIDGE...LINWOOD AND TROY.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT. REMEMBER...TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP
SUDDENLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

STRONG DAMAGING WIND...AND LARGE HAIL ARE LIKELY WITH THIS STORM.
TAKE COVER IN A STURDY SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.

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

LAT...LON 3163 8617 3179 8614 3180 8619 3185 8617
          3197 8618 3194 8579 3163 8576

$$

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 May 2, 2:11 PM CDT, 5 hours 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 2, 2:11 PM CDT, 5 hours 58 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, AL
211 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2003

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND
INTO THE EVENING HOURS. THE AIRMASS WAS BECOMING INCREASINGLY
UNSTABLE WITH EARLY AFTERNOON LIS FROM -8 TO -10 OVER MUCH OF THE
AREA.  A SERIES OF WEAK SHORT WAVES LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS
EVENING, ALONG WITH OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES, SHOULD HELP TO ENHANCE
CONVECTION. A FEW STORMS COULD BE SEVERE, PRODUCING STRONG
MICROBURSTS AND LARGE HAIL. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH SHOULD
CONTINUE FOR PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA INTO THE EVENING.

A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE STATE SATURDAY AND
PROVIDE SOME BRIEF DRYING. IT SHOULD STALL, THEN MOVE BACK NORTH
SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. I THINK THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS OR
THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY WILL BE LESS BECAUSE OF THE DRYING, BUT I WILL
KEEP AT LEAST A SMALL POP BECAUSE OF THE BOUNDARY.  AVN MOS
TEMPERATURE GUIDANCE LOOKS PRETTY GOOD AND IS EXCEPTED WITH ONLY
MINOR CHANGES.

BHM 062/082 058/083 065 32-234
MGM 063/086 060/086 065 33-122

.BHM...NONE.

Hazardous weather outlook, May 2, 12:43 PM CDT, 7 hours 26 minutes before

ALZ011>015-017>050-022100-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1243 PM CDT FRI MAY 2 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

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

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ONCE
AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT.  SOME OF
THESE WILL LIKELY BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL
BEING THE PRIMARY THREATS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN (SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...

ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND
DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS AS THE FRONT BECOMES
STATIONARY ACROSS ALABAMA.

THE BEGINNING OF THE WORK WEEK DOES NOT SHOW MUCH PROMISE EITHER AS A
SERIES OF UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCES MOVES OVER US ON MONDAY AND
TUESDAY.  THESE DISTURBANCES WILL BRING BETTER SHOWER AND
THUNDERSTORM CHANCES...WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR ANY STRONG
STORMS BEING ON TUESDAY.

NO OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

EVEN THOUGH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY
CHANGING AFTERNOON AND EVENING CONDITIONS...ACTIVATION OF STORM
SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL WILL LIKELY NOT BE
REQUIRED THROUGH TONIGHT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 2, 6:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
650 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2003

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

0625 PM    HOOVER                    AL   0.75 IN HAIL
05/02/03   JEFFERSON                      HAM RADIO

0630 PM    HUEYTOWN                  AL   1.25 IN HAIL
05/02/03   JEFFERSON                      HAM RADIO

0630 PM    ANNISTON                  AL   0.75 IN HAIL
05/02/03   CALHOUN                        PUBLIC

0641 PM    OXFORD                    AL   0.75 IN HAIL
05/02/03   CALHOUN                        PUBLIC

0642 PM    BESSEMER                  AL   TORNADO
05/02/03   JEFFERSON                      HAM RADIO/STORM SPOTTER

Local storm report, May 2, 6:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
654 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2003

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

0633 PM    TALLADEGA                 AL   FUNNEL CLOUD
05/02/03   TALLADEGA                      JUST NORTH OF TALLADEGA.
                                          PUBLIC

0635 PM    HUEYTOWN                  AL   TORNADO
05/02/03   JEFFERSON                      PLUS 2.75 IN HAIL.
                                          PUBLIC

0637 PM    5 E JACKSONVILLE          AL   FUNNEL CLOUD
05/02/03   CALHOUN                        FIRE DEPT.

Local storm report, May 2, 7:01 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
701 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2003

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

0651 PM    HELENA                    AL   TORNADO
05/02/03   SHELBY                         POSSIBLE TOUCH DOWN
                                          HELENA ROAD. PD/HAM

0650 PM    BIRMINGPORT               AL   FUNNEL CLOUD
05/02/03   JEFFERSON                      NEAR RED MOUNTAIN. BHM
                                          OBSRVR.

0645 PM    HOOVER                    AL   1.00 IN HAIL
05/02/03   JEFFERSON                      HAM RADIO

Local storm report, May 2, 8:02 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
802 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2003

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

0653 PM    HELENA                    AL   0.88 IN HAIL
05/02/03   SHELBY                         HAM RADIO

0700 PM    3 S BESSEMER              AL   0.88 IN HAIL
05/02/03   JEFFERSON

0726 PM    MONTEVALLO                AL   FUNNEL CLOUD
05/02/03   SHELBY                         IMMEDIATELY NORTH. HAM
                                          RADIO

0727 PM    ROANOKE                   AL   80 MPH TSTM GUST
05/02/03   RANDOLPH                       70-80MPH. EMA

0729 PM    CALERA                    AL   TORNADO
05/02/03   SHELBY                         TORNADO. PD

0732 PM    BESSEMER                  AL   0.75 IN HAIL
05/02/03   JEFFERSON                      HAM RADIO.

0744 PM    HUEYTOWN                  AL   1.75 IN HAIL
05/02/03   JEFFERSON                      MEDIA

Local storm report, May 2, 8:04 PM CDT, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
804 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2003

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

0715 PM    MAYLENE                   AL   4.00 IN HAIL
05/02/03   SHELBY                         HAM RADIO

Local storm report, May 2, 8:08 PM CDT, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
808 PM CDT FRI MAY 02 2003

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

0751 PM    FIVE POINTS               AL   WIND DAMAGE
05/02/03   CHAMBERS                       TREES AND POWER LINES
                                          DOWN. FIVE POINTS
                                          VICINITY.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 2, 7:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	12 min
May 2, 7:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	42 min
May 2, 7:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Shelby	35 min
May 2, 7:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa	64 min
May 2, 7:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	32 min
May 2, 7:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes	16 min
May 2, 7:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	44 min
May 2, 7:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	40 min
May 2, 7:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Talladega	22 min
May 2, 7:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Perry	64 min
May 2, 7:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Tallapoosa	62 min
May 2, 7:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Coosa	42 min
May 2, 7:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Shelby	33 min
May 2, 8:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	36 min
May 2, 8:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tallapoosa	32 min
May 2, 8:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Perry	28 min
May 2, 9:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock	39 min
May 2, 9:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Russell	28 min
May 2, 10:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	45 min
May 3, 1:00 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	45 min
May 3, 7:09 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	36 min
May 3, 7:45 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	45 min
May 3, 8:17 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	43 min
May 3, 8:24 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton	36 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2003 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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.