Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2006

Tornado Warning 23, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 13, 2006Calhoun County, Cherokee County, Etowah County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Mar 13, 2006, 7:42 PM CST for Calhoun County, Cherokee County, Etowah County, Alabama. It was in force for 35 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 13, 2006, 7:42 PM CST (01:42 UTC)
Expired: Mar 13, 2006, 8:17 PM CST
In force: 35 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Calhoun County, AL, Cherokee County, AL, Etowah County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:44 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.

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
Mar 13, 5:56 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 128 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: 63 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -27 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1384 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 132 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 121 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 
WFUS54 KBMX 140142
TORBMX
ALC015-019-055-140245-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0023.060314T0142Z-060314T0245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
742 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN CALHOUN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA
  THIS INCLUDES THE AREA OF PIEDMONT
  SOUTHERN CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA
  SOUTHERN ETOWAH COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA
  THIS INCLUDES THE AREA OF GADSDEN

* UNTIL 845 PM CST

* AT 741 PM CST...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD
  NEAR SOUTHSIDE...OR ABOUT NEAR GADSDEN...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DAMAGE.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  GLENCOE...HOKES BLUFF...PLEASANT GAP AND FORNEY.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CST MONDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEASTERN ALABAMA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 800 PM CST MONDAY EVENING FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA.

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

LAT...LON 3409 8542 3396 8540 3396 8548 3393 8553
      3390 8554 3390 8559 3386 8564 3386 8603
      3389 8607 3402 8607 3403 8604

$$

JONES/90

2 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 140203
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
803 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

ALC015-019-055-140245-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0023.000000T0000Z-060314T0245Z/
CALHOUN AL-ETOWAH AL-CHEROKEE AL-
803 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 845 PM CST FOR SOUTHERN
CHEROKEE...SOUTHEASTERN ETOWAH AND NORTHEASTERN CALHOUN COUNTIES...

AT 803 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR NEW LIBERTY...OR
ABOUT 11 MILES EAST OF GADSDEN...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING DAMAGE.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO BALL
FLAT...PIEDMONT...POPE...PLEASANT GAP AND FORNEY.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CST MONDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEASTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3409 8542 3396 8540 3396 8548 3393 8553
      3390 8554 3390 8559 3390 8568 3392 8593
      3394 8595 3399 8595 3404 8593

$$

JONES/90

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 140217
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
817 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

ALC015-019-055-140227-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0023.000000T0000Z-060314T0245Z/
CALHOUN AL-ETOWAH AL-CHEROKEE AL-
817 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHERN CHEROKEE...SOUTHEASTERN ETOWAH
AND NORTHEASTERN CALHOUN COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

AT 817 PM CST 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.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CST MONDAY EVENING
FOR NORTHEASTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3409 8542 3396 8540 3396 8548 3393 8553
      3390 8554 3390 8559 3390 8568 3392 8593
      3394 8595 3399 8595 3404 8593

$$

JONES/90

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 Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Mar 13, 6:24 PM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 13, 6:24 PM CST, 1 hour 18 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
624 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

.DISCUSSION...A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
TORNADOES WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT LOCATIONS ROUGHLY ALONG AND JUST
NORTH OF INTERSTATE 59 THROUGH 8 PM CST BEFORE THEY WEAKEN.

AT 615 PM CST...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS FILLING IN
ALONG AN ALICEVILLE TO JASPER TO CULLMAN LINE.  TWO STORMS ALONG
THIS LINE HAVE HAD A HISTORY OF PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER.  A TORNADO
WAS REPORTED AROUND 6 PM CST NEAR ARKADELPHIA IN CULLMAN COUNTY AND
WIND DAMAGE REPORTS HAVE COME IN FROM WALKER AND FAYETTE COUNTIES.
THE ATMOSPHERE WAS A BIT UNSTABLE WITH LIFTED INDICES BETWEEN -1
AND -3 ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF OF ALABAMA.

THROUGH 8 PM CST...LOCATIONS ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF AN ALICEVILLE
TO TUSCALOOSA TO GARDENDALE TO GADSDEN LINE WILL HAVE AN ENHANCED
THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING TORNADOES.  THE STORMS WILL
MOST LIKELY BE STRONGEST THROUGH 730 PM CST BEFORE WEAKENING WITH
COOLING AND THE LOSS OF DAYTIME HEATING.

AFTER 8 PM CST...A FEW STORMS MAY BE STRONG OR SEVERE...THOUGH THE
LINE SHOULD WEAKEN AS THEY MOVE EAST OF INTERSTATE 59 AND ENCOUNTER
A COOLER MORE STABLE AIRMASS.

OVERALL...STILL NOT EXPECTING A WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER EVENT.

&&

.UPDATE...ADDED TORNADO WATCH 91 AND REMOVED THE LAKE WIND ADVISORY.

&&

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

&&

MBS/91

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 13, 6:40 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
640 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

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

0635 PM     HAIL             NECTAR                  33.97N 86.64W
03/13/2006  E0.75 INCH       BLOUNT             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN NECTAR BY STORM SPOTTERS.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Mar 13, 6:57 PM CST, 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
657 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

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

0643 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NECTAR                  33.97N 86.64W
03/13/2006                   BLOUNT             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            POSSIBLE TORNADO IN NECTAR. A SMALL BUILDING WAS
            DESTROYED.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Mar 13, 7:09 PM CST, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
709 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

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

0645 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CLEVELAND               33.99N 86.57W
03/13/2006                   BLOUNT             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES BLOWN DOWN IN CLEVELAND.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Mar 13, 7:10 PM CST, 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
710 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

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

0653 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ONEONTA                 33.95N 86.47W
03/13/2006                   BLOUNT             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES BLOWN DOWN IN ONEONTA.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Mar 13, 7:19 PM CST, 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
719 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

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

0716 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     FULTONDALE              33.62N 86.80W
03/13/2006                   JEFFERSON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED IN FULTONDALE.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, Mar 13, 7:30 PM CST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
730 PM CST MON MAR 13 2006

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

0729 PM     TSTM WND DMG     RAINBOW CITY            33.93N 86.09W
03/13/2006                   ETOWAH             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            POSSIBLE TORNADO NEAR THE COOSA RIVER AT HORTONS BEND.
            DAMAGE TO A FEW BOATS AND BOAST HOUSES.

&&

LINHARES

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 13, 6:01 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	44 min
Mar 13, 6:26 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Walker	19 min
Mar 13, 6:36 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	54 min
Mar 13, 6:42 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount, Etowah, St. Clair	63 min
Mar 13, 6:44 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	46 min
Mar 13, 6:52 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	53 min
Mar 13, 7:02 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	43 min
Mar 13, 7:26 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	34 min
Mar 13, 7:26 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	40 min
Mar 13, 7:43 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	47 min
Mar 13, 7:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	29 min
Mar 13, 7:54 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	St. Clair	29 min
Mar 13, 7:57 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Hale	48 min
Mar 13, 8:14 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb	20 min
Mar 13, 8:18 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	16 min
Mar 13, 8:24 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	66 min
Mar 14, 3:46 AM CST	Lake Wind Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	13 hr
Mar 14, 5:30 AM CST	Frost Advisory	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton and 17 more	26 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2006 Every tornado warning in 2006 Tornadoes 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.