Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2005

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 155, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 30, 2005Etowah County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 30, 2005, 10:46 PM CST for Etowah County, Alabama. It was in force for 44 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: Mar 30, 2005, 10:46 PM CST (04:46 UTC)
Expired: Mar 30, 2005, 11:30 PM CST
In force: 44 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), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:47 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 00:00Z, 4.8 hours before the alert went out and 118 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: 135 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -297 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1597 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 109 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 268 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 310446
SVRBMX
ALC055-310530-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0155.050331T0446Z-050331T0530Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1046 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  ETOWAH COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF GADSDEN

* UNTIL 1130 PM CST

* AT 1044 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
  HAIL.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 10
  MILES SOUTHWEST OF WALNUT GROVE TO 17 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ATTALLA...
  OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES EAST OF ONEONTA TO 14 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF RAINBOW CITY...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  GADSDEN AND ATTALLA BY 1055 PM CST
  SARDIS CITY AND REECE CITY BY 1100 PM CST

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

LAT...LON 3405 8632 3391 8606 3404 8576 3420 8585
      3418 8620

$$

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 310458 RRA
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1058 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

ALC055-310530-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0155.000000T0000Z-050331T0530Z/
ETOWAH AL-
1058 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 1130 PM CST FOR
ETOWAH COUNTY...

AT 1056 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER 
SIZE HAIL OR LARGER.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE 
EXTENDING FROM RIDGEVILLE TO ATTALLA...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING 
FROM 7 MILES WEST OF GADSDEN TO RAINBOW CITY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 
45 MPH.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  ATTALLA BY 1055 PM CST
  RIDGEVILLE...REECE CITY AND GADSDEN BY 1100 PM CST
  7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SARDIS CITY BY 1105 PM CST
  KEENER BY 1110 PM CST

LAT...LON 3405 8632 3391 8606 3404 8576 3420 8585
      3418 8620

$$

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 Mar 30, 3:30 PM CST, 7 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 30, 3:30 PM CST, 7 hours 16 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
330 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

.DISCUSSION...
SHORT WAVE TROUGH OVER THE MIDWEST STATES WILL LIFT NORTHEAST AND
PUSH A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTO NORTHWEST ALABAMA.  SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT
LATE TONIGHT OVER WEST ALABAMA AND SPREAD EASTWARD.  VORT MAX WILL
PASS OVER ALABAMA ON THURSDAY AND PUSH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
INTO GEORGIA THURSDAY AFTERNOON.  SHOULD BE A BREAK IN THE
PRECIPITATION THURSDAY EVENING AS SURFACE LOW DEEPENS TO THE WEST
OF ALABAMA.  CONVECTION WILL SPREAD BACK INTO ALABAMA LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT AS SURFACE LOW TRACKS NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE
AREA.  UPPER TROUGH WILL PASS EAST OF THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT, AND
COOLER AND DRIER CONDITIONS WILL RETURN IN TIME FOR THE WEEKEND.

.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)
LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS INCREASING RAPIDLY OVER THE AREA WITH
DEWPOINTS CLIMBING INTO THE LOWER 60S IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA.
JACKSON 18Z UPPER AIR SOUNDING SHOWS A STRONG CAP AT 850MB WHICH
IS SUPPRESSING CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY.  STORM PREDICTION CENTER IS
FORECASTING CAP TO ERODE LATER TONIGHT WITH STRONG TO SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI AND SPREADING
INTO WESTERN ALABAMA AFTER MIDNIGHT.  FORECAST SOUNDINGS FROM THE
ETA SHOW CAPE VALUES APPROACHING 1000 J/KG BY 12Z THURSDAY.  WIND
PROFILES ALSO INDICATE SHEAR WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR ISOLATED
SUPERCELLS.  SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL PASS EAST OF THE AREA ON
THURSDAY AFTERNOON, AND CONVECTION SHOULD DECREASE AS THE
AFTERNOON PROGRESSES.  PW VALUES WILL DECREASE THURSDAY AFTERNOON
AND EVENING AS DRY AIR ADVECTS INTO THE MID LEVELS.  THE AIRMASS
WILL LIKELY BE CAPPED THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING UNTIL DEEPER
MOISTURE MOVES BACK INTO THE AREA AS MAIN UPPER TROUGH APPROACHES
FROM THE WEST.  DEEPENING SURFACE LOW WILL PROVIDE FAVORABLE
CONDITIONS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON FRIDAY.  PW VALUES APPROACH
1.5 INCHES EARLY FRIDAY MORNING, AND THERE WILL BE A THREAT OF
HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLASH FLOODING.  SURFACE LOW AND ASSOCIATED
FRONT WILL EXIT ALABAMA FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND BRING AN END TO THE
CONVECTION.  GIVEN STRENGTH OF UPPER TROUGH, THERE WILL LIKELY BE
SOME WRAP-AROUND MOISTURE ACROSS NORTH ALABAMA FRIDAY EVENING.
CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO DECREASE ACROSS THE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST
STARTING LATE FRIDAY NIGHT WITH CLEARING SKIES ACROSS THE
REMAINDER OF THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING.

.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY)
SURFACE HIGH WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA ON SUNDAY WITH SEASONAL
TEMPERATURES EXPECTED.  SURFACE RIDGE WILL MOVE EASTWARD, AND
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL RETURN MONDAY AND TUESDAY.  THE NEXT SYSTEM IS
EXPECTED TO APPROACH ALABAMA ON WEDNESDAY.  SYSTEM LOOKS STRONG
ENOUGH TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     60  74  61  69 /  60  50  50  70
ANNISTON    60  74  61  70 /  60  60  50  80
BIRMINGHAM  63  74  63  69 /  60  50  70  60
TUSCALOOSA  63  75  64  70 /  60  50  70  60
CALERA      63  75  64  71 /  60  50  70  70
AUBURN      60  77  61  74 /  50  70  50  80
MONTGOMERY  63  77  64  76 /  60  60  50  80
TROY        60  77  64  77 /  40  70  50  80

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

58/92

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:01 PM CST, 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1001 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

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

0915 PM     HAIL             6 W NORTHPORT           33.24N 87.70W
03/30/2005  1.75 INCH        TUSCALOOSA         AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0927 PM     HAIL             NORTHPORT               33.24N 87.59W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        TUSCALOOSA         AL   PUBLIC

0937 PM     HAIL             11 E TUSCALOOSA         33.24N 87.35W
03/30/2005  0.88 INCH        TUSCALOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            COALING AL

&&

81/JD

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:13 PM CST, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1013 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

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

1004 PM     HAIL             HUEYTOWN                33.44N 87.00W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        JEFFERSON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

1009 PM     HAIL             6 NE SUMITON            33.81N 86.97W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        WALKER             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            HAIL BREAKING WINDSHIELDS IN EMPIRE

&&

81/JD

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:38 PM CST, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1038 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

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

1005 PM     HAIL             4 W BIRMINGHAM          33.53N 86.87W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            NICKEL TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED

1015 PM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
03/30/2005  0.75 INCH        JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            PENNY HAIL REPORTED AT LEGION FIELD

1025 PM     HAIL             TRUSSVILLE              33.64N 86.59W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED ON JANA ROAD

&&

81/JD

Local storm report, Mar 30, 10:40 PM CST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1040 PM CST WED MAR 30 2005

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

1025 PM     HAIL             7 W HAYDEN              33.90N 86.88W
03/30/2005  1.00 INCH        BLOUNT             AL   PUBLIC

            AT EXIT 289 ON INTERSTATE 65

&&

81/JD

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 30, 9:01 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Hale	44 min
Mar 30, 9:07 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	23 min
Mar 30, 9:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	36 min
Mar 30, 9:16 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb	44 min
Mar 30, 9:25 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	35 min
Mar 30, 9:31 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	29 min
Mar 30, 9:35 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Walker	40 min
Mar 30, 9:43 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	47 min
Mar 30, 9:53 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes	52 min
Mar 30, 9:58 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	47 min
Mar 30, 10:06 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	39 min
Mar 30, 10:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	54 min
Mar 30, 10:13 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	47 min
Mar 30, 10:26 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Montgomery	64 min
Mar 30, 10:27 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair	48 min
Mar 30, 10:27 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	48 min
Mar 30, 10:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes	15 min
Mar 30, 10:53 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Montgomery	2 hr
Mar 30, 11:05 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	40 min
Mar 30, 11:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Perry	36 min
Mar 30, 11:15 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Tallapoosa	30 min
Mar 30, 11:23 PM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Elmore	97 min
Mar 30, 11:38 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	52 min
Mar 30, 11:41 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	34 min
Mar 30, 11:45 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Walker	48 min
Mar 30, 11:50 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Tallapoosa	25 min
Mar 31, 12:12 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Montgomery	21 min
Mar 31, 12:20 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	10 min
Mar 31, 12:26 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore	34 min
Mar 31, 12:28 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Lee	2 hr
Mar 31, 12:28 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	47 min
Mar 31, 12:55 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Elmore, Montgomery	2 hr
Mar 31, 1:21 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	24 min
Mar 31, 1:35 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	41 min
Mar 31, 2:11 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Lee	2 hr
Mar 31, 2:29 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	46 min
Mar 31, 3:01 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Elmore	119 min
Mar 31, 3:08 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Tuscaloosa	52 min
Mar 31, 3:11 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	64 min
Mar 31, 4:45 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Perry	45 min
Mar 31, 6:00 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton	45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2005 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2005

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.