Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Watches in 2003
Tornado Watch 284
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 7, 2003, 10:35 AM CDT for 29 counties in Alabama; 7 counties in Georgia. It was in force for 5 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 7, 2003, 10:35 AM CDT (15:35 UTC)
- Expired
- May 7, 2003, 4:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 5 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
All 36 counties
Bibb County, AL, Blount County, AL, Calhoun County, AL, Chambers County, AL, Cherokee County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Clay County, AL, Cleburne County, AL, Coosa County, AL, Cullman County, AL, DeKalb County, AL, Etowah County, AL, Fayette County, AL, Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Jefferson County, AL, Lamar County, AL, Marion County, AL, Marshall County, AL, Pickens County, AL, Randolph County, AL, Shelby County, AL, St. Clair County, AL, Sumter County, AL, Talladega County, AL, Tallapoosa County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL, Walker County, AL, Winston County, AL, Carroll County, GA, Chattooga County, GA, Floyd County, GA, Haralson County, GA, Heard County, GA, Polk County, GA, Troup County, GA
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:37 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.
Warnings issued inside it
32 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 10:52 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HUN | Jackson, Marshall | 3 hr |
| May 7, 11:07 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar | 28 min |
| May 7, 11:17 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette | 58 min |
| May 7, 11:43 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | HUN | DeKalb | 2 hr |
| May 7, 11:53 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Walker | 67 min |
| May 7, 12:37 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 53 min |
| May 7, 1:19 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 26 min |
| May 7, 1:25 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 3 hr |
| May 7, 1:27 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 63 min |
| May 7, 1:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount | 44 min |
| May 7, 1:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 15 min |
| May 7, 2:00 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 3 hr |
| May 7, 2:11 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Talladega | 64 min |
| May 7, 2:13 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Shelby | 62 min |
| May 7, 2:18 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Hale | 42 min |
| May 7, 2:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 58 min |
| May 7, 2:29 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 31 min |
| May 7, 2:46 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 74 min |
| May 7, 2:52 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Clay | 53 min |
| May 7, 3:05 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Talladega | 4 hr |
| May 7, 3:05 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson, St. Clair | 40 min |
| May 7, 3:11 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Talladega | 34 min |
| May 7, 3:13 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 4 hr |
| May 7, 3:13 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Randolph | 62 min |
| May 7, 3:22 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FFC | Carroll, Heard | 38 min |
| May 7, 3:26 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Clay | 4 hr |
| May 7, 3:36 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Talladega | 54 min |
| May 7, 3:37 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Clay | 68 min |
| May 7, 3:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson | 60 min |
| May 7, 3:50 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Randolph | 4 hr |
| May 7, 3:57 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FFC | Carroll, Heard | 33 min |
| May 7, 3:58 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | St. Clair | 32 min |
Discussions around it
SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 64 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1457 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -13 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 538 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 43 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 178 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 236 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.3
- Supercell composite
- 6.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WWUS20 KWNS 071536
SEL4
SPC WW 071535
ALZ000-GAZ000-072100-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 284
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1035 AM CDT WED MAY 7 2003
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND A PART OF NORTHERN ALABAMA
NORTHWEST AND WEST-CENTRAL GEORGIA
EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 1035 AM UNTIL
400 PM CDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 60 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA
TO 45 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF ROME GEORGIA.
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 283. WATCH NUMBER 283 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER
1035 AM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 282...
DISCUSSION...APPEARS MCS...INCLUDING CURRENT HP-SUPERCELL...WILL
CONTINUE TRACKING MORE WEST TO EAST THIS AFTERNOON ALONG OUTFLOW
BOUNDARY/SURFACE FRONT NOW EVIDENT FROM NEAR THE ATL AREA EWD TO
NEAR CBM. AIRMASS SOUTH OF THIS FEATURE IS BECOMING VERY
UNSTABLE...AND SUFFICIENT SHEAR IS IN PLACE TO SUPPORT FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT ALONG AND NEAR THIS FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW
TORNADOES WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH VERY LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27030.
...EVANS
341,0881 343,0845 325,0845 323,0881
WWUS20 KWNS 071536
SEL4
SPC WW 071535
ALZ000-GAZ000-072100-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 284
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
1035 AM CDT WED MAY 7 2003
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL AND A PART OF NORTHERN ALABAMA
NORTHWEST AND WEST-CENTRAL GEORGIA
EFFECTIVE THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON FROM 1035 AM UNTIL
400 PM CDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 60 STATUTE MILES NORTH AND
SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF TUSCALOOSA ALABAMA
TO 45 MILES SOUTH SOUTHEAST OF ROME GEORGIA.
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...THIS TORNADO WATCH REPLACES TORNADO
WATCH NUMBER 283. WATCH NUMBER 283 WILL NOT BE IN EFFECT AFTER
1035 AM CDT. CONTINUE...WW 282...
DISCUSSION...APPEARS MCS...INCLUDING CURRENT HP-SUPERCELL...WILL
CONTINUE TRACKING MORE WEST TO EAST THIS AFTERNOON ALONG OUTFLOW
BOUNDARY/SURFACE FRONT NOW EVIDENT FROM NEAR THE ATL AREA EWD TO
NEAR CBM. AIRMASS SOUTH OF THIS FEATURE IS BECOMING VERY
UNSTABLE...AND SUFFICIENT SHEAR IS IN PLACE TO SUPPORT FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT ALONG AND NEAR THIS FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW
TORNADOES WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH VERY LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 3 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 27030.
...EVANS
341,0881 343,0845 325,0845 323,0881SPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 6, 11:32 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Jackson, Limestone, Madison | 88 min |
| May 6, 11:50 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Colbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan | 6 hr |
| May 7, 1:41 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison and 1 more | 3 hr |
| May 7, 4:55 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Lauderdale | 6 hr |
| May 7, 7:06 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Colbert, Cullman, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar and 8 more | 114 min |
| May 7, 7:35 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Blount, Colbert, Cullman, Fayette, Franklin, Greene and 16 more | 5 hr |
| May 7, 10:24 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton and 20 more | 2 hr |
| May 7, 10:50 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Sumter | 5 hr |
| May 7, 1:42 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Autauga, Baldwin, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke and 14 more | 2 hr |
| May 7, 2:30 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Russell | 6 hr |
| May 7, 3:00 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun and 30 more | 6 hr |
| May 7, 6:29 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun and 32 more | 91 min |
| May 7, 1:16 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Fannin, Lumpkin, Towns, Union, White | 3 hr |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Alabama, 2003Tornado Watches in Georgia, 2003Every tornado watch 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.