Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2004

Tornado Warning 14, NWS Huntsville, AL

July 14, 2004Colbert County, Franklin County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at Jul 14, 2004, 5:24 PM CDT for Colbert County, Franklin County, Alabama. It was in force for 51 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 14, 2004, 5:24 PM CDT (22:24 UTC)
Expired: Jul 14, 2004, 6:15 PM CDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Huntsville, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Colbert County, AL, Franklin County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:24 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 tornado 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
Jul 14, 1:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr
Jul 14, 3:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 182 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: 18 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -353 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1795 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 66 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 92 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KHUN 142224
TORHUN
ALC033-059-142315-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
524 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  COLBERT COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA
  FRANKLIN COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT

* AT 523 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF LITTLEVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30
  MPH.

* LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
  LITTLEVILLE.
  RUSSELLVILLE.

THIS STORM SHOWS STRONG ROTATION...AND MAY PRODUCE A TORNADO AT ANY
TIME. DO NOT WAIT...GO TO A SAFE PLACE NOW PUT AS MANY WALLS AS
POSSIBLE BETWEEN YOU AND THE STORM.

LAT...LON 3475 8785 3473 8781 3473 8777 3457 8757
      3456 8754 3431 8754 3431 8763 3465 8797
      3466 8797

$$

SCHAUB

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jul 14, 3:00 PM CDT, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 14, 3:00 PM CDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
300 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

.DISCUSSION...
WILL BE LOOKING AT MAIN THREATS INTO THE EVENING ACROSS THE FORECAST
AREA (FA) BEING SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS. SVR TSRA RAPIDLY
DEVELOPING ALONG LEWP MOVING EAST AND SOUTHEAST THRU SRN MIDDLE
TENNESSEE TOWARD NORTH ALABAMA. SEVERAL REPORTS ALREADY OF HIGH
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION STRONG TO POSSIBLY
SEVERE STORMS IN EVENING ZONES FA-WIDE. MAIN THREATS WILL BE BOW
ECHO WIND DAMAGE AND SOME HAIL. EVEN THOUGH WET BULB ZERO VALUES ARE
AROUND 12,000 FEET...STRONG DOWNDRAFTS WITH THE STORMS WILL ALLOW
FOR SOME LARGE HAIL TO CONTINUE TO OCCUR. SWEAT INDICES HAVE
INCREASED TO OVER 400 ALONG WITH CAPES RANGING FROM 4-5000 J/KG
ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA AND INTO SRN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

WILL CONTINUE WITH CURRENT TRENDING WITH FRONT MOVING INTO THE FA BY
AROUND 00Z. MODELS ARE CONTINUING TO INDICATE DECENT DRYING BEHIND
THE FRONT...WHICH I AM PROGGING TO MOVE THROUGH THE FA BETWEEN
00-06Z. SKIES SHOULD CLEAR SHORTLY AFTER BOUNDARY PASSES THROUGH AND
WILL CONTINUE WITH THE CURRENT FORECAST TRENDS INTO THURSDAY.

MODELS CONTINUE TO PULL FRONT TO ON THRU THE FA AND THIS SOLUTION IS
ACCEPTED. CURRENT FORECAST HAS A DECENT HANDLE ON ENDING PRECIP
CHANCES AFTER THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY. GFS MODEL CONTINUES TO
BRING ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVE AT 500 MILLIBARS THROUGH THE FA
ON SUNDAY. WITH SHORTWAVE AND PRECIP PROGGED OVER THE FA ON
SUNDAY...WILL BUMP UP POPS AT LEAST TO 30 PERCENT FA-WIDE. WILL NOT
BE MAKING MUCH CHANGES TO THE REST OF THE GOING FORECAST AT THIS
TIME.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
HUNTSVILLE    70  90  67  90 /  60  10  10  10
SHOALS        71  90  68  89 /  60  10  10  10
CULLMAN       72  91  66  90 /  60  10  10  10
FAYETTEVILLE  69  88  66  89 /  60  10  10  10
FT PAYNE      71  89  65  89 /  60  10  10  10
&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...SVR TSRA WATCH ALL NORTH ALABAMA COUNTIES EXCEPT CULLMAN UNTIL
7 PM. SVR TSRA WATCH FOR CULLMAN COUNTY UNTIL 9 PM.
TN...SVR TSRA WATCH FOR LINCOLN/MOORE/FRANKLIN COUNTIES UNTIL 7 PM.

&&

TROUTMAN

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 14, 1:00 PM CDT, 4 hours 24 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
100 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-151000-
COLBERT-CULLMAN-DE KALB-FRANKLIN AL-FRANKLIN TN-JACKSON-LAUDERDALE-
LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-LINCOLN-MADISON-MARSHALL-MOORE-MORGAN-
100 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PARTS OF
SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...(THROUGH TONIGHT)...

A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY THIS EVENING
FROM THE NORTH. THE APPROACH OF THIS FRONT...ALONG WITH VERY WARM AND
UNSTABLE AIR...WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE THE CHANCE OF STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE
BETWEEN 1-2 PM FOR SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...AFTER 2 PM FOR THE
BORDER COUNTIES OF ALABAMA AND TENNESSEE...AND 3-5 PM FOR THE
REMAINDER OF NORTHERN ALABAMA. DAMAGING WINDS...WITH GUSTS OVER 60
MPH AND HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREATS.

ALONG WITH THE RISK OF STORMS...AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE
TENNESSEE VALLEY SHOULD WARM TO THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 90S. THESE
TEMPERATURES...ALONG WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE 70S WILL PRODUCE HEAT
INDICES RANGING FROM 105 EASTERN AND CENTRAL AREAS...TO 110 NORTHWEST
ALABAMA.

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

EXPECT DRY WEATHER AND SLIGHTLY LESS HUMID CONDITIONS FOR THURSDAY
AND FRIDAY. ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. MONDAY AND TUESDAY LOOKS
DRY AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
MAY BE REQUESTED BY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

RSB

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 14, 3:31 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
331 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0312 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FAYETTEVILLE            35.15N 86.56W
07/14/2004                   LINCOLN            TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LARGE TREES DOWN IN FAYETTEVILLE

&&

HA

Local storm report, Jul 14, 3:36 PM CDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
336 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0255 PM     TSTM WND DMG     HURDLOW                 35.17N 86.34W
07/14/2004                   MOORE              TN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN AT SIMMONS HILL AND INCLINE ROAD

&&

HA

Local storm report, Jul 14, 3:43 PM CDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
343 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0333 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 W HAZEL GREEN         34.92N 86.62W
07/14/2004                   MADISON            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN ON CHARITY LANE

&&

HA

Local storm report, Jul 14, 4:29 PM CDT, 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
429 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0349 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 E HUNTSVILLE          34.71N 86.59W
07/14/2004                   MADISON            AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A FEW TREES AND POWER LINES BLOWN DOWN.

0414 PM     FLASH FLOOD      SCOTTSBORO              34.65N 86.05W
07/14/2004                   JACKSON            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            FLOODING OVER NUMEROUS ROADS IN SCOTTSBORO.

0415 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 N ELKMONT             34.97N 86.98W
07/14/2004                   LIMESTONE          AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LARGE LIMBS DOWN AND WIND GUSTS ESTIMATED AT 60 MPH.

&&

TROUTMAN

Local storm report, Jul 14, 5:04 PM CDT, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
504 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0356 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SCOTTSBORO              34.65N 86.05W
07/14/2004                   JACKSON            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS TREES BLOWN DOWN.

&&

TROUTMAN

Local storm report, Jul 14, 5:20 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
520 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0450 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 SW DECATUR            34.52N 87.05W
07/14/2004                   MORGAN             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            A FEW TREES BLOWN DOWN.

&&

TROUTMAN

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 13, 10:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Jackson, Madison	61 min
Jul 13, 11:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Limestone	39 min
Jul 13, 11:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Lauderdale	44 min
Jul 13, 11:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Jackson, Madison	30 min
Jul 13, 11:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	DeKalb	46 min
Jul 13, 11:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Jackson, Madison	15 min
Jul 13, 11:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Marshall	48 min
Jul 14, 3:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Jackson	43 min
Jul 14, 3:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Madison	31 min
Jul 14, 3:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Lauderdale, Limestone	50 min
Jul 14, 3:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Jackson, Madison	51 min
Jul 14, 3:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan	67 min
Jul 14, 4:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Madison	30 min
Jul 14, 4:06 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	HUN	Jackson, Madison	3 hr
Jul 14, 4:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	DeKalb, Marshall	51 min
Jul 14, 4:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Madison	46 min
Jul 14, 4:35 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	HUN	Lauderdale	3 hr
Jul 14, 4:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Colbert, Cullman, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Morgan	67 min
Jul 14, 4:59 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	HUN	Colbert	3 hr
Jul 14, 5:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Colbert, Lauderdale	26 min
Jul 14, 5:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Limestone, Madison	47 min
Jul 14, 5:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Lawrence	47 min
Jul 14, 5:59 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	HUN	Franklin	3 hr
Jul 14, 6:09 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Franklin	36 min
Jul 14, 6:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Colbert	34 min
Jul 14, 6:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Colbert	38 min
Jul 14, 6:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Marshall, Morgan	41 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2004 Every tornado warning in 2004 Tornadoes in 2004

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.