Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2006

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 55, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 3, 2006Chilton County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 3, 2006, 6:39 AM CDT for Chilton County, Alabama. It was in force for 20 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: Apr 3, 2006, 6:39 AM CDT (11:39 UTC)
Expired: Apr 3, 2006, 6:59 AM CDT
In force: 20 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Chilton County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 37 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 11:42 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, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 38 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: 1222 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1601 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 118 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 341 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.5
Supercell composite: 6.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS54 KBMX 031138
SVRBMX
ALC021-031215-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0055.060403T1139Z-060403T1215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
639 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL CHILTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF CLANTON

* UNTIL 715 AM CDT

* AT 636 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING NICKEL SIZE HAIL.  THIS
  STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR MAPLESVILLE...OR ABOUT 17 MILES WEST OF
  CLANTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  THORSBY

LAT...LON 3283 8699 3283 8689 3292 8688 3295 8656
      3295 8653 3288 8650 3286 8646 3283 8647
      3277 8641 3274 8670 3274 8701

$$

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 031159
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
659 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

ALC021-031209-
/O.CAN.KBMX.SV.W.0055.000000T0000Z-060403T1215Z/
CHILTON AL-
659 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR CENTRAL CHILTON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

AT 659 AM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT
THE THUNDERSTORM THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAD WEAKENED AND WAS NO
LONGER SEVERE...THUS THE WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LAT...LON 3283 8699 3283 8689 3292 8688 3295 8656
      3295 8653 3288 8650 3286 8646 3283 8647
      3277 8641 3274 8670 3274 8701

$$

JD/81

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 3, 5:15 AM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 3, 5:15 AM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
515 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

.DISCUSSION...

IT HAS BEEN A BUSY MORNING ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. SEVERE STORMS
HAVE FIRED UP MAINLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20. THE MAIN PROBLEM SO
FAR HAS BEEN HAIL...BUT WE CANNOT RULE OUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO
FROM DEVELOPING. THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO LAST AT LEAST
THROUGH SUNRISE AND THEN BEGIN TO SUBSIDE A FEW HOURS LATER TODAY.

AFTER WE GET RID OF THESE STORMS...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE RAPIDLY
ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS MORNING. A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL
QUICKLY FOLLOW THE FRONT WHICH WILL GIVE US SOME STRONG GUSTY
WINDS IN THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. WE WILL
ISSUE A LAKE WIND ADVISORY LATER TODAY AS A RESULT WHICH WILL
PROBABLY GO FROM NOON TO 6PM. WINDS WILL BEGIN TO WEAKEN SHORTLY
AFTER SUNSET.

COOLER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY AS A
MUCH COOLER AIRMASS IS IN PLACE. DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WILL BE BACK
IN THE 60S AND 70S WHILE OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL BE BACK IN
THE UPPER 30S TO 40S.

RAIN CHANCES WILL RETURN TO THE FORECAST OF FRIDAY WHEN ANOTHER
COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE FORECAST AREA. THE FRONT LOOKS TO BE
SLOW MOVING THROUGH...SO RAIN CHANCES MAY EXTEND INTO SATURDAY. BY
SUNDAY...DRY CONDITIONS WILL RETURN AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE
SETS IN.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     76  43  67  37 /  30   0   0  10
ANNISTON    79  43  68  42 /  30   0   0  10
BIRMINGHAM  79  44  69  41 /  30   0   0  10
TUSCALOOSA  81  45  71  42 /  20   0   0  10
CALERA      80  46  70  42 /  30   0   0  10
AUBURN      81  48  71  43 /  10   0   0  10
MONTGOMERY  84  48  73  43 /  10   0   0  10
TROY        82  48  74  42 /  10   0   0  10

&&

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

&&

10/ARM

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 3, 1:27 AM CDT, 5 hours 12 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
127 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

ALZ011>015-017>050-031230-
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-
127 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

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

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH 7 AM CDT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA...

.DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS
OF 70 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES...ARE POSSIBLE FOR
NORTHWESTERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...GENERALLY NORTH OF LINE
FROM VERNON...TO FAYETTE..AND JASPER THROUGH 7 AM CDT.

A SQUALL LINE OUT AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH MARION COUNTY
AFTER 3 AM CDT...AND TRACK SLOWLY SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH 7 AM CDT. THE
ATMOSPHERE REMAINS MOIST AND UNSTABLE OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT...AND
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH
SUNRISE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

A FEW STRONG STORMS MAY BE LINGERING ACROSS THE INTERSTATE 20 59
CORRIDOR EARLY THIS MORNING...DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE HOURS...AS A
LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS JUST AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT PUSHES
THROUGH THE AREA.

AS TEMPERATURES HEAT UP LATE MONDAY MORNING...A FEW STRONG STORMS ARE
POSSIBLE GENERALLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 65.
THE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS UP TO 40
MPH...PEA SIZED HAIL...A DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. THE BEST
CHANCE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 11 AM AND 4 PM.

A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ON MONDAY. THE FRONT
WILL BE NEAR A GADSDEN TO BIRMINGHAM TO TUSCALOOSA LINE BY 1 PM...
AND TO A TROY TO PHENIX CITY LINE BY 4 PM. A FEW STRONG STORMS ARE
POSSIBLE JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT AS ITS MOVES THROUGH CENTRAL
ALABAMA.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEXT COLD FRONT APPROACHING CENTRAL ALABAMA.
THIS SYSTEM LOOKS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE AFFECTING US TONIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

JD/81

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 3, 3:40 AM CDT, 2 hours 59 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
340 AM CDT MON APR 03 2006

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

0335 AM     HAIL             BRANCHVILLE             33.66N 86.43W
04/03/2006  E0.50 INCH       ST. CLAIR          AL   PUBLIC

&&

KSUMRALL

Special weather statement, Apr 3, 3:51 AM CDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
351 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

ALZ019-027-030930-
CALHOUN-TALLADEGA-
351 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR TALLADEGA AND CALHOUN
COUNTIES UNTIL 430 AM CDT...

...SMALL HAIL IS POSSIBLE FROM AN APPROACHING THUNDERSTORM...

AT 347 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF LINCOLN...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR LINCOLN...OHATCHEE...
WEST END-COBB TOWN...WEAVER...BLUE MOUNTAIN...ANNISTON...SAKS AND
FORT MCCLELLAN THROUGH 430 AM 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.

Special weather statement, Apr 3, 4:06 AM CDT, 2 hours 33 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
406 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

ALZ022-030-031-030930-
GREENE-PICKENS-SUMTER-
406 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR SUMTER...GREENE AND
PICKENS COUNTIES UNTIL 430 AM CDT...

...SMALL HAIL AND WINDS 35 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR ARE POSSIBLE FROM
APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS...

AT 403 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF PICKENSVILLE TO 28
MILES SOUTHWEST OF MEMPHIS...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR
PICKENSVILLE...MEMPHIS...CARROLLTON...MCMULLEN...ALICEVILLE AND GORDO
THROUGH 430 AM CDT.

THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THESE STORMS IS SMALL HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS. HAIL UP TO ONE HALF INCH IN DIAMETER...IS POSSIBLE. IF YOU
ARE OUTDOORS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS...TAKE SHELTER NOW.
STRONG GUSTY WINDS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED...WHICH CAN BREAK OFF SMALL
TREE LIMBS...AND BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS SUCH AS LAWN
FURNITURE AND TRASH CANS.

Special weather statement, Apr 3, 4:39 AM CDT, 2 hours before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
439 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

ALZ023-031015-
TUSCALOOSA-
439 AM CDT MON APR 3 2006

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT IN EFFECT FOR TUSCALOOSA COUNTY UNTIL
515 AM CDT...

...SMALL HAIL IS POSSIBLE FROM APPROACHING THUNDERSTORMS...

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT...

AT 437 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM 17 MILES NORTH OF NORTHPORT TO 19 MILES
WEST OF NORTHPORT...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AREAS IN AND NEAR
NORTHPORT AND TUSCALOOSA THROUGH 515 AM 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.

Local storm report, Apr 3, 5:28 AM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
528 AM CDT MON APR 03 2006

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

0526 AM     HAIL             BIRMINGHAM              33.53N 86.80W
04/03/2006  E0.75 INCH       JEFFERSON          AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED NEAR ALFORD AVENUE AND INTERSTATE 65.

&&

KSUMRALL

Local storm report, Apr 3, 6:06 AM CDT, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
606 AM CDT MON APR 03 2006

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

0605 AM     HAIL             ALABASTER               33.23N 86.82W
04/03/2006  M0.88 INCH       SHELBY             AL   NWS EMPLOYEE

&&

KSUMRALL

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 3, 2:12 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	33 min
Apr 3, 2:49 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	26 min
Apr 3, 2:58 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	32 min
Apr 3, 3:41 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	St. Clair	19 min
Apr 3, 3:57 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette	33 min
Apr 3, 3:59 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun	31 min
Apr 3, 4:03 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	33 min
Apr 3, 4:22 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cherokee, Etowah	23 min
Apr 3, 4:31 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens	29 min
Apr 3, 4:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	27 min
Apr 3, 5:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Walker	29 min
Apr 3, 5:26 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	34 min
Apr 3, 6:07 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Shelby	23 min
Apr 3, 6:31 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	29 min
Apr 3, 6:53 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Tallapoosa	17 min
Apr 3, 7:20 AM CDT	Lake Wind Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	11 hr

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.