Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 10, 2008Fayette County, Lamar County, Marion County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 10, 2008, 2:40 PM CST for Fayette County, Lamar County, Marion County, Alabama. It was in force for 24 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
Jan 10, 2008, 2:40 PM CST (20:40 UTC)
Expired
Jan 10, 2008, 3:04 PM CST
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Fayette County, AL, Lamar County, AL, Marion County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 43 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:44 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jan 10, 11:33 AM CSTTornado Watch PDSSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 129 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 2008-01-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 261 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2008-01-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 162 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
261 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-34 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
621 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
162 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
132 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KBMX 102041
TORBMX
ALC057-075-093-102115-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0004.080110T2040Z-080110T2115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
240 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF WINFIELD...
  NORTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  EAST CENTRAL LAMAR COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 315 PM CST

* AT 239 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
  A TORNADO NEAR BLOOMING GROVE...OR 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF VERNON...
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  BLUFF BY 245 PM CST...
  GU-WIN AND 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GUIN BY 255 PM CST...
  WINFIELD BY 300 PM CST...
  GLEN ALLEN...TUCKER AND 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BRILLIANT BY 305 PM
  CST...

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 700 PM CST THURSDAY EVENING
FOR WESTERN ALABAMA.

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

LAT...LON 3408 8782 3381 8757 3368 8801 3390 8812
TIME...MOT...LOC 2040Z 242DEG 35KT 3382 8800

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS54 KBMX 102049
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
248 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

ALC057-075-093-102115-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080110T2115Z/
FAYETTE AL-LAMAR AL-MARION AL-
248 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM CST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL MARION...NORTHEASTERN LAMAR AND NORTHERN FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 244 PM CST...A TORNADIC STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GUIN...OR ABOUT 9 
MILES WEST OF WINFIELD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.  A CONFIRMED 
TORNADO OCCURRED IN THE TOWN OF VERNON WITH THIS STORM.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WINFIELD AND 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF GLEN ALLEN BY 255 PM CST...
  BRILLIANT AND TUCKER BY 300 PM CST...

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 700 PM CST THURSDAY EVENING
FOR WESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3408 8782 3381 8757 3385 8795 3391 8802
TIME...MOT...LOC 2048Z 234DEG 42KT 3393 8791

$$
STEFKOVICH
000 
WWUS54 KBMX 102050
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
251 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

ALC075-102101-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080110T2115Z/
LAMAR AL-
251 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL LAMAR COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CST THURSDAY EVENING
FOR WESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3408 8782 3386 8763 3388 8792 3395 8795
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 230DEG 44KT 3396 8788

$$

ALC057-093-102115-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080110T2115Z/
FAYETTE AL-MARION AL-
251 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM CST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL MARION AND NORTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 248 PM CST...A TORNADO WAS REPORTED.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED
NEAR GUIN...OR ABOUT 6 MILES WEST OF WINFIELD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
50 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  BRILLIANT BY 300 PM CST...

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 700 PM CST THURSDAY EVENING
FOR WESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3408 8782 3386 8763 3388 8792 3395 8795
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 230DEG 44KT 3396 8788

$$

STEFKOVICH
000 
WWUS54 KBMX 102104
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
304 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

ALC057-093-102114-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080110T2115Z/
FAYETTE AL-MARION AL-
304 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL MARION AND NORTHWESTERN
FAYETTE COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS ENDED FOR THE MOMENT. THE STORMS 
THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE WEAKENED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CST THURSDAY EVENING
FOR WESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3408 8782 3386 8763 3388 8792 3395 8795
TIME...MOT...LOC 2104Z 230DEG 44KT 3406 8773

$$
STEFKOVICH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 10, 4:21 AM CSTLake Wind AdvisoryBMXAutauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more16 hr
Jan 10, 12:26 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Sumter34 min
Jan 10, 12:51 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarengo24 min
Jan 10, 1:00 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Tuscaloosa30 min
Jan 10, 1:16 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDallas, Hale, Marengo, Perry29 min
Jan 10, 1:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion, Winston29 min
Jan 10, 2:03 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar42 min
Jan 10, 2:14 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXLamar46 min
Jan 10, 2:48 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXPickens42 min
Jan 10, 3:31 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXPickens, Tuscaloosa44 min
Jan 10, 3:31 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarengo, Sumter29 min
Jan 10, 3:57 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter33 min
Jan 10, 4:11 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker34 min
Jan 10, 4:43 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson, Walker34 min
Jan 10, 5:49 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXShelby41 min
Jan 10, 5:56 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCherokee19 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.