Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 18, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 6, 2008Greene County, Pickens County, Sumter County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 6, 2008, 3:38 AM CST for Greene County, Pickens County, Sumter County, Alabama. It was in force for 52 min. 1 report 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 6, 2008, 3:38 AM CST (09:38 UTC)
Expired: Feb 6, 2008, 4:30 AM CST
In force: 52 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Greene County, AL, Pickens County, AL, Sumter County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 99 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:41 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 6, 4:20 AM CST	TSTM WND DMG	6 Ne Geiger, AL	TREES DOWN ALONG CR-85 1 MILE SOUTH OF THE PICKENS COUNTY LINE.

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 one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 42 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 5, 10:01 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 132 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: 771 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -36 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 947 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 62 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 223 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 320 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.3
Supercell composite: 4.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS54 KBMX 060938
SVRBMX
ALC063-107-119-061030-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0018.080206T0938Z-080206T1030Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
338 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...REFORM...PICKENSVILLE...CARROLLTON...
  ALICEVILLE...
  NORTHWESTERN SUMTER COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 430 AM CST

* AT 337 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF MEMPHIS...OR 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PICKENSVILLE...AND
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MEMPHIS BY 345 AM CST...
  PICKENSVILLE BY 350 AM CST...
  MCMULLEN AND ALICEVILLE BY 355 AM CST...
  DILLBURG AND CARROLLTON BY 400 AM CST...
  OWENS BY 405 AM CST...
  GORDO BY 415 AM 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.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

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

LAT...LON 3324 8832 3347 8784 3285 8783 3265 8838
      3266 8839
TIME...MOT...LOC 0938Z 241DEG 48KT 3307 8840

$$

14

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 061015
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
415 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008

ALC063-107-119-061030-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0018.000000T0000Z-080206T1030Z/
SUMTER AL-GREENE AL-PICKENS AL-
415 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 430 AM CST
FOR PICKENS...NORTHERN GREENE AND NORTHWESTERN SUMTER COUNTIES...

AT 411 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE
HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS
LOCATED NEAR GORDO...OR ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF REFORM...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LUBBUB BY 420 AM CST...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 1000 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3324 8832 3347 8784 3285 8783 3265 8838
      3266 8839
TIME...MOT...LOC 1015Z 241DEG 48KT 3331 8788

$$

14

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 6, 2:40 AM CST, 58 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 6, 2:40 AM CST, 58 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
240 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008

.SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

ACTIVE MORNING AS SEVERE STORMS MOVE RAPIDLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE
AREA. COLD FRONT WILL SHIFT FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH
THE MORNING HOURS AND BE TO OUR EAST LATER THIS AFTERNOON. WILL
UPDATE POPS JUST BEFORE RELEASE TIME BUT EXPECT WIDESPREAD SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR MOST SECTIONS DURING THE MORNING AND QUICKLY
ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE AFTERNOON.  MUCH DRIER AND
COLDER AIR WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT.  HIGHS TODAY WILL OCCUR THIS MORNING...THEN GRADUALLY
FALL THROUGH THE DAY. HIGHS MAINLY IN THE 60S.  LOWS TONIGHT IN THE
30S.

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE
AREA ON THURSDAY AND EARLY FRIDAY...WITH A WEAK SHORT WAVE SHIFTING
ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS ON FRIDAY NIGHT.  WILL FORECAST A
SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS ACROSS THE NORTHERN SECTIONS FRIDAY
NIGHT.  HIGHS ON THURSDAY IN THE 50S AND IN THE 60S FRIDAY.  LOWS
THURSDAY NIGHT MAINLY 30 TO 35. LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT UPPER 30S TO LOWER
40S.

SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE AREA
DURING THIS PERIOD.  WILL CONTINUE WITH DRY CONDITIONS.  HIGHS
SATURDAY IN THE 60S...UPPER 40S TO UPPER 50S SUNDAY AND 55 TO 65 ON
MONDAY.

TUESDAY...NEXT STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA FROM THE
WEST ON TUESDAY.  WILL FORECAST A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AREA-WIDE.
HIGHS 55 TO 65.

&&

.AVIATION...06Z TAF DISCUSSION.

MINOR CHANGES WERE DONE TO THE FORECAST...MAINLY JUST TO DO SOME
TIME ADJUSTING ON WHEN THE LINE OF STORMS WILL ARRIVE AT EACH TAF
SITE. IN ADDITION...INCREASED CEILINGS FROM IFR TO MVFR. BASED ON
CURRENT OBSERVATIONS IN MISSISSIPPI WERE THE LINE IS CURRENTLY
MOVING THROUGH...IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THE IFR CEILINGS WILL
HAPPEN. ONCE THE LINE MOVES OUT OF A TAF SITE...EXPECT CEILINGS TO
BRIEFLY RISE TO VFR BEFORE DROPPING BACK DOWN AGAIN TO MVFR.

10/ARM

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     66  33  54  29  62 /  90  10  10  10  10
ANNISTON    66  33  53  32  63 /  90  10  10  10  10
BIRMINGHAM  66  33  54  36  64 /  80  10  10  10  10
TUSCALOOSA  67  33  56  34  66 /  70  10  10  10  10
CALERA      66  34  56  34  64 /  80  10  10  10  10
AUBURN      67  36  56  35  64 /  90  10  10  10  10
MONTGOMERY  68  35  59  34  67 /  90  10  10  10  10
TROY        68  34  59  32  68 /  90  10  10  10  10

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THRU 12 NOON WEDNESDAY
FOR ALL COUNTIES.

&&

50

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 6, 12:18 AM CST, 3 hours 20 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1218 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008

ALZ011>015-017>050-070600-
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-
1218 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008

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

.DAY ONE...REST OF TONIGHT.

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO CENTRAL ALABAMA FROM
THE WEST DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.  THE STORMS SHOULD GET AS
FAR EAST AS INTERSTATE 59 BY 4 OR 5 AM....AND ANNISTON...CLANTON...
AND DEMOPOLIS BY 6 AM.  THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT
LINE WINDS ALONG A SQUALL LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS.  HOWEVER...
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE IF STORMS ARE ABLE TO DEVELOP
AHEAD OF THE LINE.

SOUTHERLY WINDS OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT AND SQUALL LINE WILL
MAKE CONDITIONS QUITE BREEZY THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.
WINDS WILL BE SUSTAINED AT 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.

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

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING THE THREAT OF DAMAGING
WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES...WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL
ALABAMA THROUGH NOON ON WEDNESDAY...UNTIL THE COLD FRONT PUSHES
EASTWARD INTO GEORGIA.

WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE STRONG OUT AHEAD AND ALONG THE COLD FRONT
AND SQUALL LINE THROUGH NOON ON WEDNESDAY. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 15
TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE. WINDS WILL BE
SHIFTING TO THE WEST AS THE FRONT CLEARS AN AREA AND WILL
DISSIPATE WEST TO EAST DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL
WILL CONTINUE THROUGH NOON WEDNESDAY...DUE TO THE THREAT OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS.

61

In the hours before

Local storm report, Feb 6, 2:07 AM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
207 AM CST WED FEB 06 2008

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

0205 AM     FUNNEL CLOUD     3 E SULLIGENT           33.89N 88.08W
02/06/2008                   LAMAR              AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            SIGHTED ON HWY 278 BETWEEN SULLIGENT AND BEAVERTON.

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Feb 6, 2:34 AM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
234 AM CST WED FEB 06 2008

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

0204 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 N BEAVERTON           33.96N 88.02W
02/06/2008                   LAMAR              AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            POSSIBLE TORNADO...POWERLINES AND TREES DOWN ON COUNTY
            ROAD 49.

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Feb 6, 3:03 AM CST, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
303 AM CST WED FEB 06 2008

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

0204 AM     TSTM WND DMG     N BEAVERTON             33.93N 88.02W
02/06/2008                   LAMAR              AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            POSSIBLE TORNADO...POWERLINES AND TREES DOWN ON COUNTY
            ROAD 49. DAMAGE TO THE ROOF OF THE POST OFFICE IN
            BEAVERTON.

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Feb 6, 3:08 AM CST, 30 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
308 AM CST WED FEB 06 2008

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

0305 AM     HAIL             SULLIGENT               33.89N 88.13W
02/06/2008  E0.75 INCH       LAMAR              AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

SUNGER

Local storm report, Feb 6, 3:31 AM CST, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
331 AM CST WED FEB 06 2008

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

0316 AM     TSTM WND DMG     4 WSW OAKMAN            33.69N 87.45W
02/06/2008                   WALKER             AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            *** 1 INJ *** POSSIBLE TORNADO...DAMAGE TO A TRAILER ON
            HAYSHILL ROAD NEAR COUNTY ROAD 18.

&&

SUNGER

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Feb 6, 1:29 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lamar	31 min
Feb 6, 1:51 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Pickens	54 min
Feb 6, 1:54 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens	51 min
Feb 6, 1:59 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion	46 min
Feb 6, 2:30 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Winston	27 min
Feb 6, 2:39 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	51 min
Feb 6, 2:57 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar	48 min
Feb 6, 3:11 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	39 min
Feb 6, 3:20 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Pickens	40 min
Feb 6, 3:21 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston	39 min
Feb 6, 3:48 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	30 min
Feb 6, 3:53 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker, Winston	52 min
Feb 6, 4:05 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	40 min
Feb 6, 4:13 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	47 min
Feb 6, 4:14 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	31 min
Feb 6, 4:27 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Hale, Marengo	33 min
Feb 6, 4:53 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Dallas, Hale, Marengo, Perry	37 min
Feb 6, 5:22 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Perry	38 min
Feb 6, 5:50 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa	40 min
Feb 6, 5:51 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa	39 min
Feb 6, 6:24 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Talladega	21 min
Feb 6, 6:29 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Talladega	46 min
Feb 6, 7:05 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, Talladega	40 min
Feb 6, 7:08 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	37 min
Feb 6, 7:25 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Montgomery	50 min
Feb 6, 7:38 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Cleburne	22 min
Feb 6, 7:40 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Elmore, Lee, Macon, Montgomery and 2 more	65 min
Feb 6, 8:09 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Pike	36 min
Feb 6, 9:13 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Russell	17 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2008 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008

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.