Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2007

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 23, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 13, 2007Jefferson County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 13, 2007, 5:25 PM CST for Jefferson County, Alabama. It was in force for 65 min. 10 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Feb 13, 2007, 5:25 PM CST (23:25 UTC)
Expired: Feb 13, 2007, 6:30 PM CST
In force: 65 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Jefferson County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:27 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Feb 13, 5:47 PM CST	HAIL 1	2 W Hueytown, AL	QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN OAK GROVE.
Feb 13, 5:49 PM CST	HAIL 1	2 W Hueytown, AL	QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN CONCORD.
Feb 13, 5:55 PM CST	HAIL 0.75	Bessemer, AL	PENNY SIZED HAIL IN BESSEMER.
Feb 13, 5:55 PM CST	HAIL 1	Hueytown, AL	QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN HUEYTOWN.
Feb 13, 5:59 PM CST	HAIL 1	2 E Hueytown, AL	QUARTER SIZED HAIL IN MIDFIELD.
Feb 13, 6:10 PM CST	HAIL 0.75	1 E Hueytown, AL	PENNY SIZED HAIL ON TIN MILL ROAD AND ALLISON BONNET PARKWAY.
Feb 13, 6:10 PM CST	HAIL 1	Hoover, AL	QUARTER SIZED HAIL ON SHADES CREST ROAD AND HIGHWAY 150.
Feb 13, 6:15 PM CST	HAIL 0.75	Hoover, AL	PENNY SIZED HAIL ON ALFORD AVENUE...LORNA ROAD AND THE I-65...I-459 INTERCHANGE.
Feb 13, 6:15 PM CST	HAIL 1	Hoover, AL	DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL NEAR THE KRISPY KREME IN HOOVER.
Feb 13, 6:17 PM CST	HAIL 0.75	Hoover, AL	PENNY SIZED HAIL IN BLUFF PARK.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 6 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 22 minutes after it went out.

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
Feb 13, 12:49 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr
Feb 13, 5:18 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 837 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 263 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 315 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 132325
SVRBMX
ALC073-140030-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0023.070213T2325Z-070214T0030Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
525 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  JEFFERSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...VESTAVIA HILLS...TRUSSVILLE...
  TARRANT...PLEASANT GROVE...MOUNTAIN BROOK...MINOR...MIDFIELD...
  LIPSCOMB...LEEDS...IRONDALE...HUEYTOWN...HOOVER...HOMEWOOD...
  FULTONDALE...FORESTDALE...FAIRFIELD...CENTER POINT...CAHABA
  HEIGHTS...BRIGHTON...BIRMINGHAM...BESSEMER...ADAMSVILLE...
  PINSON-CLAY-CHALKVILLE

* UNTIL 630 PM CST

* AT 523 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL.  THIS
  STORM WAS LOCATED 19 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SYLVAN SPRINGS...OR ABOUT
  14 MILES NORTHEAST OF HOLT...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  HUEYTOWN AND SYLVAN SPRINGS BY 550 PM CST
  PLEASANT GROVE...BRIGHTON...LIPSCOMB AND MAYTOWN BY 555 PM CST
  FAIRFIELD...MIDFIELD AND MINOR BY 600 PM CST
  BIRMINGHAM BY 610 PM CST

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. IF A TORNADO
IS SPOTTED... ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A STURDY
STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.

IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS.
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...
ON THE WEB WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/BMX (SUBMIT A STORM REPORT)
CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3348 8731 3338 8720 3325 8702 3353 8655
      3371 8661

$$

03

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 Feb 13, 2:57 PM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 13, 2:57 PM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
257 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

.DISCUSSION

STILL EXPECTING A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON INTO
THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

CONVECTION IS NOW FORMING ACROSS EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI AS
TEMPERATURES CLIMB INTO THE LOWER 70S. A DRY SLOT EVIDENT ON WV
IMAGERY IS POSITIONED ACROSS MUCH OF ALABAMA AND EASTERN
MISSISSIPPI GRADUALLY SHIFTING EASTWARD. 500 MB TEMPERATURES ARE
IN THE NEGATIVE MID-TEENS ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL ALABAMA...WITH A
POTENT UPPER LEVEL JET STREAK SPREADING EASTWARD ALONG THE
NORTHERN GULF COAST. BY 00Z MOST OF CENTRAL ALABAMA WILL BE
POSITIONED BENEATH THE DIVERGENT LEFT EXIT REGION OF THIS JET.
FURTHERMORE...WET BULB ZERO HEIGHTS ARE JUST A BIT ABOVE 8000
FEET. CURRENT THINKING IS 30 VIL SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO PRODUCE
HAIL.

DISTINCT...BUT NOT HIGHLY AMPLIFIED SHORTWAVE SHOULD MOVE EAST OF
ALABAMA BY 4Z.  SURFACE INSTABILITY IS NOT OUT OF CONTROL...BUT
RESPECTABLE FOR MID FEBRUARY WITH CAPES IN THE 500 TO 900
RANGE...AND LIS -2 TO -4.

AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT...NORTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO
AROUND 15 MPH. DURING THE DAY TOMORROW...GUSTS COULD REACH AS HIGH
AS 30 MPH. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED...BUT WILL
WAIT UNTIL THE CONVECTION DIES DOWN BEFORE ISSUANCE TO KEEP
PRODUCT NUMBERS DOWN...ESPECIALLY SINCE WE ARE EXPECTING TO ISSUE
A FEW WARNINGS THIS AFTERNOON.

COLDER CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST...AND WE COULD SEE SOME OF THE
COLDEST TEMPERATURES SO FAR THIS YEAR THURSDAY NIGHT. GUIDANCE HAS
HINTED AT A LITTLE WINTRY WEATHER SATURDAY...BUT CONSISTENCY HAS
BEEN LACKING. SEEMS LIKE THE 12Z RUNS HAVE BEEN COLDER AND WETTER THAN
THE AFTERNOON RUNS. AT THIS TIME...IT LOOKS LIKE THE MOISTURE WILL
SKIRT BY NORTHEASTERN ALABAMA...KEEPING CENTRAL ALABAMA COLD BUT
DRY.

&&

.AVIATION...DISCUSSION FOR 18Z TAFS.
THE PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH IS EXITING THE TAF SITES AND THE RAIN WILL
BE GONE BY 1930Z.  FOR THE MOST PART EXPECT VFR CEILINGS. DO SEE
SOME LOWER CLOUDS IN EASTERN MS OUT AHEAD OF THE ACTUAL FRONT WHERE
CEILINGS WILL BE MVFR. THE NEXT QUESTION IS WILL THERE BE
REDEVELOPMENT ALONG THE FRONT? NOT EXACTLY SURE AND NOT SEEING
MUCH ON THE RADAR ALONG THE FRONT. THE FRONT WILL MOVE INTO TCL
AROUND 21Z AND REACH TOI AROUND 00Z. WILL GO WITH VCTS FOR THE
FRONT. IF THUNDERSTORMS DO OCCUR THE BEST CHANCE WILL BE FOR MGM
AND TOI. THE DIFFICULT PART IS TIMING. AS FOR CLOUDS AND CEILINGS
WENT WITH THE MORE OPTIMISTIC VFR BUT THERE COULD VERY WELL BE
MVFR CEILINGS AROUND 2000 TO 2500 FT. AFTER THE FRONT PASSES
EXPECT CEILINGS TO BECOME MVFR AND REMAIN THAT WAY OVERNIGHT.
WINDS WILL ALSO BE SUSTAINED AT 13KT ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE FRONT
THROUGH THE NIGHT.

/80/
&&

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     32  39  22  37  18 /  60  10  10  10  10
ANNISTON    34  42  25  40  20 /  60  10  10  10  10
BIRMINGHAM  32  42  24  40  18 /  60  10  10  10  10
TUSCALOOSA  32  41  25  39  19 /  50  10  10  10  10
CALERA      33  42  25  40  20 /  60  10  10  10  10
AUBURN      38  46  26  43  22 /  50  10  10  10  10
MONTGOMERY  38  46  27  43  22 /  50  10  10  10  10
TROY        40  49  27  44  23 /  50  10  10  10  10

&&

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

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 13, 1:30 PM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
130 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

ALZ011>015-017>050-141930-
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-
130 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AND BRING A COLD
FRONT THROUGH THE STATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE
COLD FRONT WILL ENTER WESTERN ALABAMA BEFORE 5 PM...MOVE EAST
OF INTERSTATE 65 BETWEEN 7 AND 9 PM AND EXIT EAST OF THE STATE
INTO GEORGIA BETWEEN 9 PM AND MIDNIGHT.

THE MAIN THREAT WITH THE FRONT AND THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL BE
LARGE HAIL.  THERE IS ALSO A SMALLER THREAT OF STRONG WINDS OF 45
MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH.  FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND SOUTH OF
DEMOPOLIS TO AUBURN A FEW STORM COULD ROTATE CAUSING A FEW ISOLATED
TORNADOES.

BREEZY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS ARCTIC AIR
SPILLS SOUTHWARD. SUSTAINED NORTHERLY WINDS AROUND 15 MPH...WITH
GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 MPH ARE ANTICIPATED AREAWIDE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

...SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY.

80

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 13, 4:48 PM CST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
448 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

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

0445 PM     HAIL             3 S TUSCALOOSA          33.19N 87.54W
02/13/2007  E0.75 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PENNY SIZED HAIL JUST SOUTH OF TUSCALOOSA.

&&

DWILFING

Local storm report, Feb 13, 4:56 PM CST, 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
456 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

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

0448 PM     HAIL             TUSCALOOSA              33.24N 87.54W
02/13/2007  E0.75 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            PENNY AND DIME SIZED HAIL ON COUNTY ROAD 38...4 MILES
            WEST OF NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

0448 PM     HAIL             NEWBERN                 32.59N 87.54W
02/13/2007  E2.75 INCH       HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            BASEBALL SIZED HAIL NEAR NEWBERN.

&&

DWILFING

Local storm report, Feb 13, 5:01 PM CST, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
501 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

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

0452 PM     HAIL             5 S TUSCALOOSA          33.17N 87.54W
02/13/2007  E1.75 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL IN TALORSVILLE.

0453 PM     TORNADO          W GREENSBORO            32.70N 87.59W
02/13/2007                   HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TORNADO REPORTED ON THE GROUND JUST WEST OF GREENSBORO.

0456 PM     HAIL             3 S GREENSBORO          32.66N 87.59W
02/13/2007  E1.00 INCH       HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            QUARTER SIZED HAIL 3 MILES SOUTH OF GREENSBORO.

&&

DWILFING

Local storm report, Feb 13, 5:03 PM CST, 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
503 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

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

0455 PM     HAIL             1 S TUSCALOOSA          33.22N 87.54W
02/13/2007  E2.75 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            BASEBALL SIZED HAIL JUST SOUTH OF TUSCALOOSA.

&&

DWILFING

Local storm report, Feb 13, 5:05 PM CST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
505 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

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

0500 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     1 N NEWBERN             32.61N 87.54W
02/13/2007                   HALE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED JUST NORTH OF NEWBERN.

&&

DWILFING

Local storm report, Feb 13, 5:21 PM CST, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
521 PM CST TUE FEB 13 2007

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

0505 PM     HAIL             NEWBERN                 32.59N 87.54W
02/13/2007  E0.50 INCH       HALE               AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MARBLE SIZED HAIL IN NEWBERN.

0510 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     4 S MOUNDVILLE          32.94N 87.63W
02/13/2007                   HALE               AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            ROTATING DEBRIS 1 MILE SOUTH OF HAVANA JUNCTION...ON
            HIGHWAY 69.

0513 PM     HAIL             3 S DUNCANVILLE         33.01N 87.41W
02/13/2007  E1.75 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL 3 MILES SOUTH OF
            DUNCANVILLE.

0518 PM     HAIL             TUSCALOOSA              33.24N 87.54W
02/13/2007  E0.75 INCH       TUSCALOOSA         AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            PENNY SIZED HAIL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA CAMPUS.

&&

DWILFING

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Feb 13, 3:32 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Sumter	28 min
Feb 13, 3:43 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Pickens	32 min
Feb 13, 3:56 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	49 min
Feb 13, 4:00 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lamar	30 min
Feb 13, 4:09 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Tuscaloosa	51 min
Feb 13, 4:23 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens, Tuscaloosa	52 min
Feb 13, 4:31 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Tuscaloosa	44 min
Feb 13, 4:37 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Perry	38 min
Feb 13, 4:53 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Hale, Perry	52 min
Feb 13, 5:00 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	45 min
Feb 13, 5:06 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb	39 min
Feb 13, 5:12 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	48 min
Feb 13, 5:13 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Tuscaloosa	17 min
Feb 13, 5:29 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa	61 min
Feb 13, 5:36 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Perry	39 min
Feb 13, 5:46 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Shelby	44 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2007 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2007

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.