Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 333, NWS Birmingham, AL

June 11, 2003St. Clair County, Talladega County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 11, 2003, 2:59 PM CDT for St. Clair County, Talladega County, Alabama. It was in force for 46 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: Jun 11, 2003, 2:59 PM CDT (19:59 UTC)
Expired: Jun 11, 2003, 3:45 PM CDT
In force: 46 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties St. Clair County, AL, Talladega County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:58 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
Jun 11, 11:50 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.0 hours before the alert went out and 60 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: 2567 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 545 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 21 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 53 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.2
Supercell composite: 1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

644 
WUUS54 KBMX 111959
SVRBHM
ALC115-121-112045-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
257 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  ST. CLAIR COUNTY IN ALABAMA
  TALLADEGA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA

* UNTIL 345 PM CDT

* AT 257 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A 
SEVERAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. ALL OF 
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CAUSE DAMAGING WINDS...AND NUMEROUS TREES 
AND POWER LINES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED BLOWN DOWN IN JEFFERSON 
AND SHELBY COUNTIES.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...ALPINE BAY
RESORT...ASHVILLE...BRANCHVILLE...LINCOLN...ODENVILLE...PELL CITY...
RAGLAND...RIVERSIDE...TALLADEGA AND WINTERBORO.

STRONG DAMAGING WIND WILL KNOCK DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES...AND
DAMAGE BUILDINGS AND HOMES. TAKE COVER NOW. FIND SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER...AVOID WINDOWS...VEHICLES AND MOBILE HOMES.

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

LAT...LON 3377 8650 3342 8636 3314 8642 3335 8605
          3390 8613

$$

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 Jun 11, 9:55 AM CDT, 5 hours 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 11, 9:55 AM CDT, 5 hours 4 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, AL
955 AM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

JUST UPDATED TO INCREASE POPS AND CLOUD COVER OVER THE AREA FOR THE
REST OF TODAY.

WARM MUGGY WEATHER OCCURRED ALABAMA THIS MORNING.  AT 9 AM...TEMPS
WERE AROUND 80 AND DEWPOINTS WERE IN THE MID 70S.  THE ATMOSPHERE WAS
VERY UNSTABLE.  SATELLITE INDICATED PLENTY OF CLOUDS ACROSS
THE AREA.

WENT AHEAD AND INCREASED POPS AND CLOUD COVER TODAY BASED ON LATEST
SATELLITE AND RADAR TRENDS.  THE MORNING BMX SOUNDING INDICATED THAT
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE LITTLE PROBLEM DEVELOPING
TODAY...SO REMOVED MORNING MENTION AND BUMPED UP POPS TO 50 NORTH AND
40 SOUTH.  EXPECT SHWR/TSTORM COVERAGE TO INCREASE THROUGHOUT THE DAY
AS A SHORT WAVE APPROACHES.  WET MICROBURSTS WITH DAMAGING WINDS WILL
BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS SINCE THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE
VERY UNSTABLE...THOUGH STILL DO NOT BELIEVE STRONG STORMS WILL BE
WIDESPREAD.

.BHM...NONE.

MBS/91

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 11, 1:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before

ALZ011>015-017>050-112000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
130 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

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

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

VERY WARM...MOIST...AND UNSTABLE AIR...WILL BRING A CHANCE OF
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT.
AN APPROACHING UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL
ENERGY THAT COULD RESULT IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT.
THE MAIN THREAT OF ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DUE DEVELOP WILL
BE STRONG GUSTY WINDS...LARGE HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.

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

WARM MOIST AIR...AND SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW WILL PERSIST OVER THE AREA...
FOR CONTINUED CHANCES OF MAINLY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE PERIOD.

OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
MAY BE NECESSARY TODAY AND TONIGHT. STAY TUNED TO THIS DEVELOPING
WEATHER SITUATION.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 11, 2:02 PM CDT, 57 minutes before

ALZ013-023-112000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
202 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

.A THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR TUSCALOOSA AND FAYETTE
COUNTIES UNTIL 300 PM CDT...

.FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING
THUNDERSTORMS...ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

AT 202 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM GLEN ALLEN TO 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
NORTHPORT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR GLEN
ALLEN...BAZEMORE...TUSCALOOSA...SAMANTHA...NORTHPORT...BERRY...HOLT
AND STUDDARDS CROSSROADS THROUGH 300 PM CDT.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING STRIKESAND GUSTY WINDS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS IN THE
VICINITY OF THESE STORMS...TAKE SHELTER NOW. IF LIGHTNING IS
OBSERVED... WAIT AT LEAST 30 MINUTES AFTER THE LAST LIGHTNING STRIKE
BEFORE RESUMING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.

LAT...LON 3393 8783 3308 8774 3311 8733 3385 8754

Special weather statement, Jun 11, 2:27 PM CDT, 32 minutes before

ALZ037-043-112015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
227 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

.A THUNDERSTORM ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR ELMORE AND TALLAPOOSA COUNTIES
UNTIL 315 PM CDT...

AT 226 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM OVER KENT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR TALLASSEE...
TALLAPOOSA CITY...KOWALIGA...KENT...ECLECTIC...BARNESVILLE...
JACKSONS GAP AND DADEVILLE THROUGH 315 PM CDT.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS STRONG WINDS. WINDS 35 TO 45
MPH ARE LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS. OUTDOOR OBJECTS SUCH AS LAWN
FURNITURE...TRASH CANS....OR OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS COULD BE BLOWN
AROUND.  IN ADDTION TO THE STRONG WINDS...HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS
CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED.

LAT...LON 3265 8608 3246 8596 3263 8575 3279 8562
          3310 8563 3299 8590

Local storm report, Jun 11, 2:40 PM CDT, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
240 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

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

0234 PM    DOUBLE SPRINGS            AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/11/03   WINSTON                        TRESS DOWN ACROSS SEVERAL
                                          LOCATIONS IN COUNTY

Local storm report, Jun 11, 2:45 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
245 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

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

0220 PM    SHELBY                    AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/11/03   SHELBY                         POWER LINES DOWN NEAR
                                          JONES FISH CAMP NEAR
                                          HIGHWAY 47

Local storm report, Jun 11, 2:48 PM CDT, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
248 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

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

0215 PM    BRILLIANT                 AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/11/03   MARION                         NUMEROUS TREES DOWN NEAR
                                          BRILLIANT...WINFIELD...
                                          AND...HAMILTON

Local storm report, Jun 11, 2:51 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
251 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

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

0240 PM    CALERA                    AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/11/03   SHELBY                         NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
                                          ACROSS THE COUNTY

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jun 11, 1:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Pickens	47 min
Jun 11, 1:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	51 min
Jun 11, 2:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	39 min
Jun 11, 2:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	59 min
Jun 11, 2:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	12 min
Jun 11, 3:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	60 min
Jun 11, 3:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Etowah	46 min
Jun 11, 3:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair	12 min
Jun 11, 6:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	54 min
Jun 11, 6:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar	58 min
Jun 11, 6:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	55 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.