Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 381, NWS Birmingham, AL

July 21, 2003Greene County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 21, 2003, 5:21 PM CDT for Greene County, Alabama. It was in force for 24 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: Jul 21, 2003, 5:21 PM CDT (22:21 UTC)
Expired: Jul 21, 2003, 5:45 PM CDT
In force: 24 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Greene County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 122 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:25 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 nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 121 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: 2335 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 677 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 28 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS54 KBMX 212221
SVRBHM
ALC063-212245-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
521 PM CDT MON JUL 21 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 545 PM CDT

* AT 519 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER BOLIGEE...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...EUTAW AND
FORKLAND.

LARGE HAIL...EXCESSIVE LIGHTNING...AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY.
TAKE COVER IN A STURDY SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.

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

LAT...LON 3293 8807 3288 8787 3277 8783 3267 8777
          3261 8779 3262 8802 3274 8811 3278 8810
          3290 8819 3299 8820

$$

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 Jul 21, 3:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 21, 3:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
311 PM CDT MON JUL 21 2003

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS PUT ME BEHIND SCHEDULE WITH THIS
DISCUSSION.  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE SOUTHEAST
AND SPREAD ACROSS MOST OF NORTH ALABAMA THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS.
VERY LITTLE CONVECTION WEST OF TUPELO...SO LIKELY POPS WILL BE
CONFINED TO NORTHERN COUNTIES.   ALL CONVECTION SHOULD DIE DOWN
LATER THIS EVENING...AND EXPECT LITTLE ACTIVITY AFTER MIDNIGHT.
ANOTHER MCS LIKELY TO AFFECT AREA ON TUESDAY...WITH TIMING
PROBABLY SIMILAR TO TODAY.

MODELS IN AGREEMENT WITH BEST UPPER LIFT AND DYNAMICS MOVING ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA TUESDAY NIGHT...AS COLD FRONT MOVES INTO NW
ALABAMA.  THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS ANYTIME THROUGH
TUESDAY NIGHT...AS DYNAMICS VERY STRONG FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.

UPPER TROF DIGS SOUTHWARD OVER THE EASTERN UNITED STATES WITH RAIN
PULLING OUT OF SOUTH ALABAMA WEDNESDAY MORNING.  MUCH DRIER AND
SLIGHTLY COOLER AIR WILL INFILTRATE THE AREA THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.
UPPER TROF EXITS ALABAMA FAIRLY QUICKLY AND SOUTHERLY FLOW RETURNS
TO THE AREA ON SATURDAY.  ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROF WILL AFFECT AREA
BY LATE IN THE WEEKEND.

PRELIMINARY NUMBERS...

BHM 72 87 67 84 63 / 70 60 70 20
MGM 72 90 71 87 65 / 40 50 70 40

.BHM...NONE.

58/ROSE

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 21, 1:00 PM CDT, 4 hours 21 minutes before

ALZ011>015-017>050-212000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ...CORRECTION...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
100 PM CDT MON JUL 21 2003

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

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

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A LINE FROM
LIVINGSTON TO CLANTON TO WEDOWEE.  IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL
FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE COUNTY
WARNING AREA...THE WET MICROBURST POTENTIAL ACROSS THIS AREA IS
ALSO IN THE HIGH CATEGORY.  THIS MEANS THERE IS A GREATER POTENTIAL
FOR STRONG PULSE TYPE STORMS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. THE MAIN
THREATS ARE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

THE WET MICROBURST POTENTIAL FOR THE REMAINING THIRD OF THE COUNTY
WARNING AREA IS MODERATE.

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

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE
AREA TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT.  AN UNUSUALLY STRONG COLD FRONT WILL
APPROACH THE AREA ON TUESDAY.  NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT.  SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE
WITH DAMAGING WINDS AS THE PRIMARY HAZARD.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
MAY BE NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 21, 4:52 PM CDT, 29 minutes before

ALZ011>015-017>020-024-026-220000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM ALABAMA
452 PM CDT MON JUL 21 2003

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 788...

  MARION...WINSTON...

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES REMAIN IN
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 788
WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM...

  BLOUNT...CALHOUN...CHEROKEE...ETOWAH...FAYETTE...
  JEFFERSON...LAMAR...ST CLAIR...WALKER...

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 21, 3:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	59 min
Jul 21, 3:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	63 min
Jul 21, 4:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	45 min
Jul 21, 4:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar	53 min
Jul 21, 4:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens, Sumter	55 min
Jul 21, 4:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cherokee	63 min
Jul 21, 4:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette	68 min
Jul 21, 4:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton	61 min
Jul 21, 4:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	46 min
Jul 21, 5:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	62 min
Jul 21, 5:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	44 min
Jul 21, 5:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	40 min
Jul 21, 5:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene	51 min
Jul 21, 5:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb	64 min
Jul 21, 5:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne	24 min
Jul 21, 5:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Etowah	44 min
Jul 21, 5:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	35 min
Jul 21, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Hale	47 min
Jul 21, 6:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	30 min
Jul 21, 6:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Marengo	57 min
Jul 21, 6:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Perry	64 min
Jul 21, 6:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cleburne	25 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.