Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2006

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 164, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 20, 2006Lamar County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 20, 2006, 7:44 PM CDT for Lamar 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 counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Apr 20, 2006, 7:44 PM CDT (00:44 UTC)
Expired: Apr 20, 2006, 8:30 PM CDT
In force: 46 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Lamar County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 25 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:44 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 20, 6:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 139 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: 1511 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -3 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1343 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 122 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 160 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.8
Supercell composite: 6.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Apr 20, 4:18 PM CDT, 3 hours 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 20, 4:18 PM CDT, 3 hours 26 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED FOR TYPE OF WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
418 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

.UPDATE...

JUST DID A QUICK UPDATE FOR NEW SEVERE WATCH. WATCH INFORMATION
LISTED AT BOTTOM OF DISCUSSION.

&&

.PREVIOUS DISCUSSION...

.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)

HELLO WEATHER FANS. STILL WAITING ON TODAYS ROUND TO GET
GOING...AND IT WONT BE LONG. VERY SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY...MID-
LEVEL CAPES ARE WAY UP...SUFFICIENT SHEAR...TEMPS STILL
CLIMBING... THE LIMITING FACTOR SO FAR HAS BEEN INHIBITION...BUT
THAT IS ALL BUT GONE. MAIN THREAT IS STILL LARGE AND DAMAGING WINDS.
STORMS SHOULD DIE OFF BY 9 OR 10 PM.

FRIDAY STILL CONCERNING AS SEVERE POTENTIAL IS FURTHER ENHANCED.
SHORTWAVE CURRENTLY OVER THE 4 CORNERS REGION WILL GET TO MOVING
LATER TODAY AND BE KNOCKING ON THE DOOR TOMORROW WITH AN
ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT. TIMING WILL PLAY A BIG PART IN HOW THINGS
WORK OUT. CLOUD COVER ACROSS THE NORTH MAY BE A LIMITING
FACTOR...BUT MUCH OF THE AREA SHOULD HEAT UP NICELY. HOW MUCH WE
HEAT UP ALSO PLAYS A BIG FACTOR. AGREE WITH PREVIOUS SHIFT THAT
WITH THE GIVEN WIND SHEARS...A DERECHO EVENT LOOKS POSSIBLE.

.LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)

STORMS WILL BE ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST ON SATURDAY MORNING AS
COLD FRONT MOVES ON THROUGH. IN THE FRONTS WAKE...DRIER AIR WILL
DOMINATE AS A RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE PLAINS STATES. THE NEXT
SYSTEM WITH ASSOCIATED FRONT COMES BY MID-WEEK. ONLY MINOR TWEAKS
THROUGH THE EXTENDED.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     62  82  57  72 /  40  60  70  30
ANNISTON    63  84  58  76 /  40  50  80  30
BIRMINGHAM  64  82  57  76 /  40  70  70  30
TUSCALOOSA  65  84  56  80 /  30  70  70  20
CALERA      65  84  58  78 /  30  60  70  20
AUBURN      64  85  59  75 /  30  20  80  40
MONTGOMERY  63  86  60  78 /  30  40  80  30
TROY        64  87  61  76 /  30  30  80  30

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7PM.
ALC009- 015-019-055-057-073-075-093-107-115-117-121-125-127-133-

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM.
ALC009-015-019-055-05 7-073-075-093-107-115-117-121-125-127-133-

&&

JONES/90

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 20, 5:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
550 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

ALZ011>015-017>050-211130-
AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE-
CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE-
JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-
PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA-
TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON-
550 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

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

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS...WITH SOME PRODUCING LARGE HAIL
AND TORRENTIAL RAIN...WILL OCCUR THROUGH 10 PM NORTH OF A
LIVINGSTON...TUSCALOOSA...ALEXANDER CITY...WEST POINT LAKE...LINE.
SOUTH OF THIS LINE IT APPEARS STORMS WILL NOT DEVELOP FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE DAYLIGHT OR OVERNIGHT HOURS. ALL STORMS WILL WEAKEN
BELOW SEVERE LIMITS BY 11 PM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

ON FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH CENTRAL
ALABAMA WITH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IN THE FORM OF DAMAGING WINDS
AND LARGE HAIL EXPECTED.  THE STORMS WILL BEGIN BETWEEN 11 AM AND 1
PM IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA AND MOVE SOUTHEASTWARD...GRADUALLY WEAKENING
IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA BY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

THE ATMOSPHERE AHEAD OF THIS FRONT WILL BE MOIST AND UNSTABLE ACROSS
ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA.  IN ADDITION...A STRONGER UPPER LEVEL
DISTURBANCE WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT AS IT PUSHES THROUGH.
THIS SITUATION MAY PRODUCE MORE

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL ACTIVATION WILL BE
REQUIRED THROUGH THIS EVENING...AND AGAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO LATEST DETAILS CONCERNING THESE
POTENTIAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

STEFKOVICH

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 20, 5:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 56 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
548 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

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

0525 PM     HAIL             W LEEDS                 33.55N 86.56W
04/20/2006  E0.50 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            BARBOUR MOTORSPORTS PARK.

0531 PM     HAIL             BORDEN SPRINGS          33.93N 85.47W
04/20/2006  E0.25 INCH       CLEBURNE           AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

&&

MBAER

Local storm report, Apr 20, 5:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
558 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

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

0555 PM     HAIL             HOMEWOOD                33.46N 86.81W
04/20/2006  E1.00 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

MBAER

Local storm report, Apr 20, 6:22 PM CDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
622 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

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

&&

MBAER

Local storm report, Apr 20, 7:07 PM CDT, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
707 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

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

0455 PM     HAIL             STEELE                  33.93N 86.20W
04/20/2006  E1.75 INCH       ST. CLAIR          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0500 PM     HAIL             ONEONTA                 33.95N 86.47W
04/20/2006  E1.75 INCH       BLOUNT             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0613 PM     HAIL             VERNON                  33.76N 88.11W
04/20/2006  E0.75 INCH       LAMAR              AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            VCNTY VERNON

0635 PM     FLASH FLOOD      BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006                   JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            CAHABA RIVER BRIDGE ON I-459

0655 PM     HAIL             PLEASANT GROVE          33.49N 86.98W
04/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   PUBLIC

&&

MBAER

Special weather statement, Apr 20, 7:23 PM CDT, 21 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
723 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

ALZ028-210115-
CLAY-
723 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR CLAY COUNTY UNTIL 815 PM
CDT...

AT 723 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM OVER ASHLAND...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR ASHLAND AND LINEVILLE
THROUGH 815 PM CDT.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS SMALL HAIL. HAIL UP TO ONE
HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...IS POSSIBLE. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS IN THE
VICINITY OF THESE STORMS...TAKE SHELTER NOW.

10/ARM

Local storm report, Apr 20, 7:38 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
738 PM CDT THU APR 20 2006

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

0734 PM     HAIL             NW BIRMINGHAM           33.53N 86.80W
04/20/2006  E0.88 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            MCDONALD CHAPEL

&&

MBAER

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 20, 7:25 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Jefferson	3 hr
Apr 20, 9:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	65 min
Apr 20, 9:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	56 min
Apr 20, 10:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Perry	28 min
Apr 20, 10:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	25 min
Apr 20, 10:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	57 min
Apr 21, 12:54 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	66 min
Apr 21, 2:04 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	56 min
Apr 21, 2:35 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	31 min
Apr 21, 2:40 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	50 min
Apr 21, 2:56 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette	49 min
Apr 21, 3:00 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	61 min
Apr 21, 6:11 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	34 min
Apr 21, 2:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	48 min
Apr 21, 3:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	18 min
Apr 21, 3:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa	39 min
Apr 21, 5:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	17 min
Apr 21, 5:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair	33 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2006 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2006

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.