Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008
Tornado Warning 86, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 11, 2008, 3:05 PM CDT for Fayette County, Pickens County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 25 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
- Apr 11, 2008, 3:05 PM CDT (20:05 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 11, 2008, 3:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 25 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Fayette County, AL, Pickens County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL
The radar
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 72 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:05 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 3:35 PM CDT | HAIL 0.88 | N Safford, AL | NICKEL SIZE HAIL WAS OBSERVED NEAR PRUIT LOOP ROAD AND HWY 171. |
| Apr 11, 3:35 PM CDT | HAIL 0.88 | N Samantha, AL | PRUIT LOOP ROAD, HWY 171 |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 10:15 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
| Apr 11, 3:00 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.1 hours before the alert went out and 95 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.
- 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
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WFUS54 KBMX 112005 TORBMX ALC057-107-125-112030- /O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0086.080411T2005Z-080411T2030Z/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 305 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... SOUTH CENTRAL FAYETTE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA... NORTHEASTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA... THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...REFORM...GORDO... NORTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA... * UNTIL 330 PM CDT * AT 305 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR REFORM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. * THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... LUBBUB AND 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF ECHOLA BY 315 PM CDT... MOORES BRIDGE BY 320 PM CDT... NEW LEXINGTON AND 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF SAMANTHA BY 330 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. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA. TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER... CALL 1-800-856-0758. LAT...LON 3370 8758 3336 8739 3324 8799 3342 8812 TIME...MOT...LOC 2005Z 240DEG 40KT 3338 8797 $$ 27
3 follow-up statements
000
WWUS54 KBMX 112011
SVSBMX
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
311 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
ALC057-107-125-112030-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0086.000000T0000Z-080411T2030Z/
PICKENS AL-TUSCALOOSA AL-FAYETTE AL-
311 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL FAYETTE...NORTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA AND NORTHEASTERN PICKENS
COUNTIES...
AT 310 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR LUBBUB...OR ABOUT 6 MILES
NORTH OF GORDO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
MOORES BRIDGE BY 320 PM CDT...
NEW LEXINGTON...7 MILES NORTHWEST OF SAMANTHA AND 8 MILES WEST OF
WINDHAM SPRINGS BY 330 PM CDT...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR
NORTHERN ALABAMA.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT
FRIDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHERN ALABAMA.
LAT...LON 3343 8803 3370 8758 3337 8739 3336 8740
3328 8795
TIME...MOT...LOC 2011Z 244DEG 46KT 3341 8790
$$
STEFKOVICH000
WWUS54 KBMX 112017
SVSBMX
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
317 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
ALC057-107-125-112030-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0086.000000T0000Z-080411T2030Z/
PICKENS AL-TUSCALOOSA AL-FAYETTE AL-
317 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL FAYETTE...NORTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA AND NORTHEASTERN PICKENS
COUNTIES...
AT 314 PM CDT...TWO STRONG CIRULCATIONS WERE REPORTED. ONE WAS NEAR
GORDO AND THE OTHER JUST NORTH OF MOORES BRIDGE. BOTH STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.
THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
SAMANTHA AND 8 MILES SOUTH OF NEW LEXINGTON BY 330 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 3370 8758 3337 8739 3336 8740 3329 8790
3344 8797
TIME...MOT...LOC 2017Z 248DEG 44KT 3338 8783
$$
STEFKOVICH000
WWUS54 KBMX 112023
SVSBMX
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
322 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
ALC057-107-125-112030-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0086.000000T0000Z-080411T2030Z/
PICKENS AL-TUSCALOOSA AL-FAYETTE AL-
322 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CDT FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL FAYETTE...NORTHWESTERN TUSCALOOSA AND EXTREME NORTHEASTERN
PICKENS COUNTIES...
AT 319 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ECHOLA...OR ABOUT 7 MILES
NORTHEAST OF GORDO...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. IN ADDITION...THIS STORM
WILL PRODUCE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS.
THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
SAMANTHA AND 9 MILES SOUTH OF NEW LEXINGTON BY 330 PM CDT...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
LAT...LON 3370 8758 3337 8739 3336 8740 3330 8783
3344 8788
TIME...MOT...LOC 2022Z 248DEG 44KT 3340 8776
$$
STEFKOVICHThe office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 11, 9:54 AM CDT | Lake Wind Advisory | BMX | Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more | 8 hr |
| Apr 11, 12:10 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette, Marion, Walker, Winston | 35 min |
| Apr 11, 12:52 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Walker, Winston | 38 min |
| Apr 11, 1:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 50 min |
| Apr 11, 1:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston | 52 min |
| Apr 11, 1:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Pickens | 49 min |
| Apr 11, 2:14 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette, Marion, Walker, Winston | 46 min |
| Apr 11, 2:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 52 min |
| Apr 11, 2:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marengo | 47 min |
| Apr 11, 2:38 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Winston | 22 min |
| Apr 11, 2:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Pickens | 51 min |
| Apr 11, 2:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston | 40 min |
| Apr 11, 2:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Dallas, Hale, Marengo, Perry | 49 min |
| Apr 11, 3:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa | 51 min |
| Apr 11, 3:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 45 min |
| Apr 11, 3:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Walker | 19 min |
| Apr 11, 3:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Chilton, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby | 61 min |
| Apr 11, 3:50 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 40 min |
| Apr 11, 3:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair | 38 min |
| Apr 11, 4:01 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah, St. Clair | 44 min |
| Apr 11, 4:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Etowah | 38 min |
| Apr 11, 4:18 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair | 42 min |
| Apr 11, 4:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Greene, Hale, Perry, Sumter, Tuscaloosa | 53 min |
| Apr 11, 4:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega | 41 min |
| Apr 11, 4:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 23 min |
| Apr 11, 4:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Chilton, Hale, Jefferson, Perry, Shelby and 1 more | 48 min |
| Apr 11, 4:42 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah | 33 min |
| Apr 11, 4:56 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Blount, Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair | 24 min |
| Apr 11, 5:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Hale, Perry, Tuscaloosa | 48 min |
| Apr 11, 5:41 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb, Chilton, Perry | 49 min |
| Apr 11, 6:24 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb, Chilton, Perry | 51 min |
| Apr 11, 6:46 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Clay, Talladega | 29 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.