Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 56, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 26, 2008Montgomery County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Feb 26, 2008, 6:40 AM CST for Montgomery County, Alabama. It was in force for 35 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 26, 2008, 6:40 AM CST (12:40 UTC)
Expired: Feb 26, 2008, 7:15 AM CST
In force: 35 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Montgomery County, AL

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Feb 26, 6:50 AM CST	TSTM WND DMG	Sprague, AL	TREES DOWN ACROSS SOUTHERN END OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

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 10 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 26, 4:41 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 0.7 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 546 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -78 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -46 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 261240
SVRBMX
ALC101-261315-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0056.080226T1240Z-080226T1315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
640 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF MEADVILLE...

* UNTIL 715 AM CST

* AT 637 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  SPRAGUE...OR 12 MILES SOUTH OF HAYNEVILLE...AND MOVING EAST AT 65
  MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  RAMER AND 8 MILES SOUTH OF SPRAGUE BY 650 AM CST...
  GRADY...RAMER AND MEADVILLE BY 655 AM CST...
  CURRYS BY 700 AM CST...

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.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 AM CST
TUESDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM CST TUESDAY MORNING FOR
SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA.

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

LAT...LON 3198 8631 3205 8632 3205 8640 3214 8640
      3214 8637 3215 8636 3215 8631 3218 8599
      3198 8600 3196 8630
TIME...MOT...LOC 1240Z 268DEG 58KT 3201 8645

$$

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 Feb 26, 5:25 AM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 26, 5:25 AM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
525 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

CURRENTLY...A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING QUICKLY
ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AND GENERALLY STRETCHED NORTHEAST TO
SOUTHWEST FROM RANDOLPH TO COOSA TO PERRY TO MARENGO COUNTIES.
THIS ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EASTWARD AS A FRONT PUSHES
ACROSS THE STATE. BY 7AM...THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE APPROACHING THE
INTERSTATE 85 CORRIDOR.

BEHIND THIS FRONT...STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL USHER IN COLDER AND
DRIER AIR...WITH GUSTY WINDS CONTINUING THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS
AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. TEMPERATURES WILL SLOWLY FALL
THROUGH THE DAY...INTO THE MID 40S IN THE NORTHWEST AND LOW 50S IN
THE SOUTHEAST BY LATE AFTERNOON.

STRONG COLD ADVECTION AND BREEZY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT
THROUGH WEDNESDAY...AS A SURFACE HIGH DROPS INTO THE SOUTHEAST
KEEPING THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHT. AS THE MAIN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH
AXIS SWINGS THROUGH TONIGHT...ANY LEFTOVER MOISTURE COULD FALL AS
LIGHT FLURRIES ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. NO
ACCUMULATIONS OR TRAVEL PROBLEMS ARE EXPECTED. TEMPERATURES
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY MORNINGS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE MID TO
UPPER 20S...WITH HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY IN THE 40S TO AROUND 50.

.LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

TEMPERATURES WILL BEGIN TO MODERATE THURSDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SHIFTS
TO THE EAST AND WINDS TURN TO THE SOUTH. MOISTURE WILL GRADUALLY
RETURN TO THE AREA AHEAD OF A WEAK SHORT WAVE AND SURFACE FRONT THAT
WILL BRING THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS TO CENTRAL ALABAMA FRIDAY AND
FRIDAY NIGHT. THIS FRONT LOOKS TO STALL TO OUR SOUTH...AND THEN
RETURN NORTHWARD AS SOUTHERLY FLOW INCREASES SATURDAY NIGHT. KEPT
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY DRY AT THIS TIME. ALTHOUGH THIS MIGHT BE
OPTIMISTIC...ANY PRECIP THAT DOES DEVELOP WILL BE SCATTERED AND
MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTH AND WEST.

BETTER CHANCES FOR SHOWERS/TSTORMS WILL BE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY
AS A SHORT WAVE AND FRONT AFFECT THE AREA. THIS SYSTEM...ALBEIT AT
THE END OF THE FORECAST PERIOD...LOOKS TO BE VERY STRONG. STILL SOME
DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MODELS AS FAR AS TRACK AND TIMING...AND
LEFT CHANCE POPS IN FOR NOW...AND WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR FUTURE
MODEL RUNS.

14

&&

.AVIATION...06Z TAF DISCUSSION.

SOUTHERLY SURFACE WINDS ARE INCREASING ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA AS
PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS. MVFR CIGS SPREAD NORTHWARD A LITTLE
SOONER THAN EXPECTED...AND CLOUDS HAVE JUST ABOUT SPREAD OVER ALL OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA.  IFR CIGS POSSIBLE AT KMGM AND KTOI THROUGH 12Z
...WITH MFVR CIGS ELSEWHERE. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH A
KTCL-KBHM LINE ARND 09Z AND KMGM ARND 13Z. IFR VSBYS AND CIGS
EXPECTED WITH LINE OF STRONG TSTMS. TSTMS WILL NOT LAST FOR MORE
THAN TWO HOURS ONCE THEY BEGIN DUE TO FAST MOVING FRONT.

LOWER CLOUDS MAY BECOME SCATTERED BY AFTERNOON AS DRIER AIR MIXES
DOWNWARD. HOWEVER...COLD AIR STRATUS DECK WITH CIGS 1500-2500 FEET
WILL MOVE BACK INTO AREA BY LATE AFTERNOON. AFTER FROPA...SURFACE
WINDS WILL INCREASE TO BETWEEN 15 AND 25 KNOTS FROM THE NORTHWEST
AND NOT DIMINISH UNTIL AFTER 03Z.

58/ROSE

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     51  27  44  24  56 /  70  10   0   0  10
ANNISTON    53  28  45  27  57 /  80  10   0   0   0
BIRMINGHAM  53  27  45  30  56 /  60  10   0   0   0
TUSCALOOSA  52  29  50  29  60 /  40   0   0   0   0
CALERA      54  30  47  29  58 /  60  10   0   0   0
AUBURN      57  28  47  30  53 /  80  10   0   0   0
MONTGOMERY  59  30  50  27  59 /  80  10   0   0   0
TROY        58  29  49  24  59 /  80   0   0   0   0

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CST FOR ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 26, 6:07 AM CST, 33 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
607 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

ALZ011>015-017>050-271200-
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-
607 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT TONIGHT.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH 9 AM THIS MORNING...GENERALLY ALONG AND
SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM SELMA...TO ROCKFORD...TO LAFAYETTE. THE MAIN
THREAT IS STRONG...DAMAGING WINDS...WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH...
ALTHOUGH LARGE HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

BEHIND THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SHIFT
TO THE NORTHWEST AND BECOME BREEZY AND GUSTY...AT 10 TO
20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH. A LAKE WIND ADVISORY IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM TONIGHT.

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

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE
REQUIRED THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Feb 26, 6:00 AM CST, 40 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
600 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

ALZ040>044-261230-
AUTAUGA-DALLAS-ELMORE-LOWNDES-MONTGOMERY-
600 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR AUTAUGA...DALLAS...ELMORE...LOWNDES
AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM CST...

AT 559 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES WEST OF MULBERRY...OR 9 MILES NORTHEAST
OF SELMONT-WEST SELMONT...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
  BURNSVILLE.
  MULBERRY.
  VIDE JUNCTION.
  AUTAUGAVILLE.
  BOOTH.
  AUTAUGA COUNTY AIRPORT.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 AM CST
TUESDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM CST TUESDAY MORNING FOR
SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.

Local storm report, Feb 26, 6:02 AM CST, 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
602 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

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

0445 AM     TSTM WND DMG     HEFLIN                  33.65N 85.59W
02/26/2008                   CLEBURNE           AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES AND POWERLINES REPORTED DOWN COUNTY WIDE.

&&

JONES/90

Local storm report, Feb 26, 6:09 AM CST, 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
609 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

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

0445 AM     TSTM WND DMG     WEDOWEE                 33.31N 85.49W
02/26/2008                   RANDOLPH           AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN ACROSS THE NORTH END
            OF THE COUNTY. SOME STRUCTUAL DAMAGE.

&&

JONES/90

Local storm report, Feb 26, 6:27 AM CST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
627 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

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

0345 AM     TSTM WND DMG     LEEDS                   33.55N 86.56W
02/26/2008                   JEFFERSON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            *** 1 FATAL *** TREE DOWN ON MOBILE HOME ON HENRY ELLEN
            ROAD.

&&

KSUMRALL

Local storm report, Feb 26, 6:36 AM CST, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
636 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

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

0440 AM     TSTM WND DMG     LINEVILLE               33.31N 85.75W
02/26/2008                   CLAY               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN COUNTY-WIDE.

&&

KSUMRALL

Special weather statement, Feb 26, 6:37 AM CST, 3 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
637 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

ALZ037-038-045-047-261315-
CHAMBERS-LEE-MACON-TALLAPOOSA-
637 AM CST TUE FEB 26 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR CHAMBERS...LEE...MACON AND
TALLAPOOSA COUNTIES UNTIL 715 AM CST...

AT 632 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WEST POINT TO
MARTIN DAM...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WEST POINT TO 6 MILES
NORTH OF TALLASSEE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 10 MPH.

WINDS UP TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
  ROXANA.
  OAK BOWERY.
  CUSSETA.
  FAIRFAX.
  REEVES AIRPORT.
  TALLAPOOSA RIVER MILSTEAD.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 AM CST
TUESDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Feb 26, 3:23 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson	37 min
Feb 26, 3:28 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson	16 min
Feb 26, 3:47 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Shelby	28 min
Feb 26, 3:57 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton, Clay	33 min
Feb 26, 4:06 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Talladega	39 min
Feb 26, 4:13 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega	32 min
Feb 26, 4:18 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Talladega, Tallapoosa	27 min
Feb 26, 4:26 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, Talladega	34 min
Feb 26, 4:42 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Clay, Randolph, Tallapoosa	33 min
Feb 26, 4:55 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	35 min
Feb 26, 5:25 AM CST	Lake Wind Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	15 hr
Feb 26, 5:34 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	26 min
Feb 26, 6:09 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	36 min
Feb 26, 6:30 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lowndes	18 min
Feb 26, 6:42 AM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Montgomery	33 min
Feb 26, 6:45 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Elmore, Macon, Montgomery	30 min
Feb 26, 6:57 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Pike	33 min
Feb 26, 7:13 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Macon, Russell	47 min
Feb 26, 7:22 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Pike	38 min
Feb 26, 7:42 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee, Russell	18 min
Feb 26, 7:49 AM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Pike	56 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.