Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 335, NWS Birmingham, AL

June 11, 2003Etowah County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 11, 2003, 3:44 PM CDT for Etowah 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, 3:44 PM CDT (20:44 UTC)
Expired: Jun 11, 2003, 4:30 PM CDT
In force: 46 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Etowah County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:43 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
Jun 11, 3:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 122 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.

528 
WUUS54 KBMX 112044
SVRBHM
ALC055-112130-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  ETOWAH COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA

* UNTIL 430 PM CDT

* AT 343 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM SARDIS CITY TO 8 MILES SOUTHWEST
  OF ATTALLA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...GADSDEN...
HOKES BLUFF...KEENER...REECE CITY AND RIDGEVILLE.

STRONG DAMAGING WIND WILL KNOCK DOWN TREES AND POWER LINES...AND MAY 
DAMAGE BUILDINGS AND HOMES...THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF 
PRODUCING WIND DAMAGE. TAKE COVER NOW. FIND SUBSTANTIAL 
SHELTER...AVOID WINDOWS...VEHICLES AND MOBILE HOMES.

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

LAT...LON 3418 8623 3394 8615 3396 8576 3421 8584

$$

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, 3:30 PM CDT, 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 11, 3:30 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM, AL
330 PM CDT WED JUN 11 2003

DEALING WITH THE CURRENT AND UPCOMING WET WEATHER PATTERN IS THE
FORECAST CONCERN IN THIS PACKAGE.  THIS DISCUSSION IS RATHER SHORT
DUE TO THE BUSY ONGOING WEATHER.

AT 3 PM...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALIGNED NORTH TO
SOUTH ACROSS ALABAMA...MOVING EAST.  SOME OF THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS
HAVE PRODUCED DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL.  A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH WAS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM FOR MUCH OF THE AREA.
THE ATMOSPHERE WAS VERY UNSTABLE.

TONIGHT...WILL GO NUMEROUS WORDING FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
THIS EVENING ALONG EAST OF INTERSTATE 65...AND CHANCE WEST AS THE AIR
HAS STABILIZED SOME WHERE THE SHOWERS AND STORMS HAVE ALREADY PAST.
WILL MENTION DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE THIS EVENING
IN EASTERN AREAS.  OVERNIGHT...SOME SHOWERS AND STORMS MAY LINGER
AROUND AS SKIES WILL BE MOSTLY CLOUDY.

BEYOND TONIGHT...WILL KEEP SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN FORECAST AS
UNSETTLED PATTERN WILL CONTINUE.  THE COVERAGE WILL BE HIGHEST IN
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH THE HEATING OF THE DAY...AND POPS WILL
GENERALLY BE ALIGNED HIGHEST NORTH AND LOWEST SOUTH WHERE THE LIFT
WILL BE BEST.  WILL HAVE TO MONITOR FOR WET MICROBURSTS AND HEAVY
RAINFALL FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.

EXPECT NORMAL TEMPS THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD WITH HIGHS
85 TO 90 AND LOWS AROUND 70.

BHM 072/086 072/087 071 56554
MGM 072/088 071/089 071 55554

.BHM...NONE.

MBS/91

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 11, 1:30 PM CDT, 2 hours 14 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, 2:27 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 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, 1 hour 4 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, 59 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, 56 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, 53 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

Local storm report, Jun 11, 3:15 PM CDT, 29 minutes before

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

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

0255 PM    PARRISH                   AL   WIND DAMAGE
06/11/03   WALKER                         NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN ACROSS
                                          SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF
                                          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, 2:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair, Talladega	46 min
Jun 11, 3:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	60 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.