Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 82, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 11, 20084 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 11, 2008, 12:10 PM CDT for 4 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 35 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
Apr 11, 2008, 12:10 PM CDT (17:10 UTC)
Expired
Apr 11, 2008, 12:45 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Fayette County, AL, Marion County, AL, Walker County, AL, Winston County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:11 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
Apr 11, 10:15 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 5.2 hours before the alert went out and 121 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 2008-04-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 33 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 2008-04-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 217 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
33 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-160 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
566 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
217 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
271 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KBMX 111711
TORBMX
ALC057-093-127-133-111745-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0082.080411T1710Z-080411T1745Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1210 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN WALKER COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF CARBON HILL...
  SOUTHEASTERN MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF WINFIELD...
  SOUTHWESTERN WINSTON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF LYNN...
  NORTHWESTERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 1245 PM CDT

* AT 1210 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR BLUFF...OR 9 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF FAYETTE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  GLEN ALLEN...WINFIELD AND TUCKER BY 1225 PM CDT...
  6 MILES NORTHWEST OF KANSAS AND 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF CARBON HILL BY
  1240 PM CDT...
  LYNN BY 1245 PM CDT...

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

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 400 PM CDT FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA.

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

LAT...LON 3412 8759 3393 8743 3367 8794 3390 8795
TIME...MOT...LOC 1710Z 236DEG 38KT 3381 8790

$$

JONES/90
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS54 KBMX 111731
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1231 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

ALC057-093-127-133-111745-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0082.000000T0000Z-080411T1745Z/
FAYETTE AL-WALKER AL-WINSTON AL-MARION AL-
1231 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MARION...SOUTHWESTERN WINSTON...NORTHWESTERN WALKER AND
NORTH CENTRAL FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 1231 PM CDT...A TORNADO WAS REPORTED.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED
NEAR GLEN ALLEN...OR ABOUT 6 MILES EAST OF WINFIELD...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  6 MILES NORTHWEST OF KANSAS AND 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF CARBON HILL BY
  1240 PM CDT...
  LYNN...NAUVOO AND 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NATURAL BRIDGE BY 1245 PM
  CDT...

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.

LAT...LON 3412 8759 3393 8743 3392 8745 3379 8772
      3397 8783
TIME...MOT...LOC 1731Z 236DEG 38KT 3393 8768

$$

27
000 
WWUS54 KBMX 111734
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1233 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

ALC057-093-127-133-111745-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0082.000000T0000Z-080411T1745Z/
FAYETTE AL-WALKER AL-WINSTON AL-MARION AL-
1233 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1245 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MARION...SOUTHWESTERN WINSTON...NORTHWESTERN WALKER AND
NORTH CENTRAL FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 1233 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR GLEN ALLEN...OR 
ABOUT 6 MILES EAST OF WINFIELD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  7 MILES NORTHWEST OF CARBON HILL BY 1240 PM CDT...
  LYNN AND 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NATURAL BRIDGE BY 1245 PM CDT...

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.

LAT...LON 3412 8759 3393 8743 3392 8745 3379 8772
      3397 8783
TIME...MOT...LOC 1733Z 236DEG 38KT 3394 8766

$$

27

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 11, 9:54 AM CDTLake Wind AdvisoryBMXAutauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more8 hr
Apr 11, 12:52 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXWalker, Winston38 min
Apr 11, 1:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Marion50 min
Apr 11, 1:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston52 min
Apr 11, 1:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Pickens49 min
Apr 11, 2:14 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXFayette, Marion, Walker, Winston46 min
Apr 11, 2:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker52 min
Apr 11, 2:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXMarengo47 min
Apr 11, 2:38 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXWinston22 min
Apr 11, 2:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Pickens51 min
Apr 11, 2:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston40 min
Apr 11, 2:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Dallas, Hale, Marengo, Perry49 min
Apr 11, 3:05 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXFayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa25 min
Apr 11, 3:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa51 min
Apr 11, 3:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker45 min
Apr 11, 3:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Walker19 min
Apr 11, 3:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Chilton, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby61 min
Apr 11, 3:50 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker40 min
Apr 11, 3:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair38 min
Apr 11, 4:01 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair44 min
Apr 11, 4:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Etowah38 min
Apr 11, 4:18 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson, St. Clair42 min
Apr 11, 4:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Greene, Hale, Perry, Sumter, Tuscaloosa53 min
Apr 11, 4:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega41 min
Apr 11, 4:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker23 min
Apr 11, 4:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Chilton, Hale, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby and 1 more48 min
Apr 11, 4:42 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Etowah33 min
Apr 11, 4:56 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBlount, Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair24 min
Apr 11, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Hale, Perry, Tuscaloosa48 min
Apr 11, 5:41 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Chilton, Perry49 min
Apr 11, 6:24 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Chilton, Perry51 min
Apr 11, 6:46 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXClay, Talladega29 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.