Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 166, NWS Birmingham, AL

August 25, 2008Calhoun County, Clay County, Cleburne County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Aug 25, 2008, 11:55 AM CDT for Calhoun County, Clay County, Cleburne County, Alabama. It was in force for 35 min. 2 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
Aug 25, 2008, 11:55 AM CDT (16:55 UTC)
Expired
Aug 25, 2008, 12:30 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Calhoun County, AL, Clay County, AL, Cleburne County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 108 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:57 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 25, 12:16 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG5 Ne Dearmanville, ALPOSSIBLE TORNADO. SEVERAL RESIDENCES DAMAGED CHOCOLOCCO WHITE PLAINS ROAD. TREES DOWN AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OVER 2 MILE STRETCH BETWEEN GRAND VIEW SUBDIVISON AND MOUTAIN VIEW SUBDIVISION.
Aug 25, 12:16 PM CDTTORNADO 15 Ne Dearmanville, ALONE AUTO SHOP WAS DESTROYED...2 HOUSES SUSTAINED MODERATE DAMAGE...ONE HOME HAD LIGHT DAMAGE...AND 50-100 TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF OR UPROOTED.

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 25, 7:28 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC13 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 4.9 hours before the alert went out and 108 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2008-08-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 675 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2008-08-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 166 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
675 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
533 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
166 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
168 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KBMX 251655
TORBMX
ALC015-027-029-251730-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0166.080825T1655Z-080825T1730Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1155 AM CDT MON AUG 25 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL CALHOUN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...JACKSONVILLE...FORT MCCLELLAN...
  ANNISTON...
  EXTREME NORTHEASTERN CLAY COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHWESTERN CLEBURNE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 1230 PM CDT

* AT 1151 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 14 MILES SOUTH OF
  ANNISTON...OR 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OXFORD...MOVING NORTH AT 31
  MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  ANNISTON BY 1220 PM CDT...
  FORT MCCLELLAN BY 1225 PM CDT...
  WEAVER AND JACKSONVILLE BY 1230 PM CDT...

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 188 THROUGH 191.

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 300 PM CDT MONDAY AFTERNOON
FOR SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA.

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

LAT...LON 3384 8567 3347 8570 3346 8577 3357 8580
      3358 8579 3359 8580 3380 8586
TIME...MOT...LOC 1655Z 169DEG 27KT 3351 8573

$$

61
1 follow-up statement
000 
WWUS54 KBMX 251702
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1202 PM CDT MON AUG 25 2008

ALC027-251712-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0166.000000T0000Z-080825T1730Z/
CLAY AL-
1202 PM CDT MON AUG 25 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EXTREME NORTHEASTERN CLAY COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CDT MONDAY AFTERNOON
FOR EASTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3384 8567 3364 8568 3364 8569 3353 8569
      3351 8576 3357 8580 3358 8579 3380 8586
TIME...MOT...LOC 1702Z 172DEG 24KT 3354 8573

$$

ALC015-029-251730-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0166.000000T0000Z-080825T1730Z/
CLEBURNE AL-CALHOUN AL-
1202 PM CDT MON AUG 25 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1230 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
CALHOUN AND SOUTHWESTERN CLEBURNE COUNTIES...

AT NOON CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTH OF DEARMANVILLE...OR
ABOUT 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OXFORD...MOVING NORTH AT 28 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  DEARMANVILLE BY 1215 PM CDT...
  ANNISTON BY 1220 PM CDT...
  FORT MCCLELLAN BY 1225 PM CDT...
  WEAVER AND 6 MILES SOUTH OF JACKSONVILLE BY 1230 PM CDT...

DO NOT USE HIGHWAY OVERPASSES FOR SHELTER. OVERPASSES DO NOT PROVIDE
PROTECTION FROM TORNADIC WINDS. VEHICLES STOPPED UNDER BRIDGES BLOCK
TRAFFIC AND PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING OUT OF THE STORMS PATH AND
TO SHELTER. IF YOU CANNOT DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...GET OUT OF
YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE FLAT IN A DITCH AS A LAST RESORT.

LAT...LON 3384 8567 3364 8568 3364 8569 3353 8569
      3351 8576 3357 8580 3358 8579 3380 8586
TIME...MOT...LOC 1702Z 172DEG 24KT 3354 8573

$$

61

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 25, 5:49 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXDallas, Perry26 min
Aug 25, 6:06 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXHale, Perry24 min
Aug 25, 6:27 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter4 hr
Aug 25, 7:05 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXLowndes, Montgomery25 min
Aug 25, 7:40 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXAutauga, Lowndes, Montgomery35 min
Aug 25, 7:57 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Montgomery, Pike33 min
Aug 25, 7:57 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXAutauga, Elmore, Montgomery33 min
Aug 25, 8:12 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXMontgomery33 min
Aug 25, 8:16 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBarbour29 min
Aug 25, 8:27 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXChilton33 min
Aug 25, 8:44 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBarbour, Bullock, Macon, Russell31 min
Aug 25, 8:47 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXClay, Coosa, Tallapoosa28 min
Aug 25, 8:59 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXMontgomery3 days
Aug 25, 9:04 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXChilton, Shelby26 min
Aug 25, 9:10 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXClay, Talladega35 min
Aug 25, 9:12 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Macon, Russell33 min
Aug 25, 9:24 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXBullock, Macon3 hr
Aug 25, 9:25 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXChambers, Randolph35 min
Aug 25, 9:27 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXShelby3 hr
Aug 25, 9:30 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby30 min
Aug 25, 9:33 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXClay, Cleburne27 min
Aug 25, 9:36 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee, Macon, Russell39 min
Aug 25, 9:43 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson3 hr
Aug 25, 9:57 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXCleburne, Randolph22 min
Aug 25, 10:49 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXClay, Talladega26 min
Aug 25, 10:59 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXMontgomery3 hr
Aug 25, 11:03 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount, St. Clair27 min
Aug 25, 11:31 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount29 min
Aug 25, 11:57 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXRandolph33 min
Aug 25, 12:21 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXCoosa, Jefferson, Shelby4 hr
Aug 25, 12:30 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Etowah30 min
Aug 25, 12:56 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCherokee, Etowah34 min
Aug 25, 1:30 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXPike30 min
Aug 25, 2:28 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBarbour32 min
Aug 25, 3:02 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Macon13 min
Aug 25, 3:03 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBarbour27 min
Aug 25, 5:45 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBarbour, Bullock, Pike30 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2008Every tornado warning in 2008Tornadoes 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.