Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 89, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 11, 2008Blount County, Jefferson County, St. Clair County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 11, 2008, 4:18 PM CDT for Blount County, Jefferson County, St. Clair County, Alabama. It was in force for 42 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, 4:18 PM CDT (21:18 UTC)
Expired: Apr 11, 2008, 5:00 PM CDT
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Blount County, AL, Jefferson County, AL, St. Clair County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:21 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 11, 3:00 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 87 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: 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 112118
TORBMX
ALC009-073-115-112200-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0089.080411T2118Z-080411T2200Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN BLOUNT COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF ONEONTA...
  NORTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHWESTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 500 PM CDT

* AT 418 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR TRAFFORD...OR 12
  MILES NORTH OF GARDENDALE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  MT OLIVE BY 425 PM CDT...
  REMLAP AND DALLAS BY 430 PM CDT...
  CLEAR SPRINGS AND LOCUST FORK BY 435 PM CDT...
  ALLGOOD AND ONEONTA BY 445 PM CDT...
  HIGHLAND LAKE BY 450 PM CDT...
  CALDWELL BY 455 PM CDT...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE
HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

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.

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

LAT...LON 3397 8634 3393 8637 3391 8634 3394 8632
      3379 8629 3376 8676 3390 8686 3401 8635
TIME...MOT...LOC 2118Z 260DEG 33KT 3383 8677

$$

JONES/90

4 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 112127
SVSBMX

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

ALC009-073-115-112200-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0089.000000T0000Z-080411T2200Z/
JEFFERSON AL-ST. CLAIR AL-BLOUNT AL-
427 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR SOUTHERN
BLOUNT...NORTHWESTERN ST. CLAIR AND NORTHEASTERN JEFFERSON
COUNTIES...

AT 426 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR DALLAS...OR ABOUT 12 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF CLEVELAND...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  CLEAR SPRINGS AND LOCUST FORK BY 435 PM CDT...
  7 MILES SOUTH OF EASLEY BY 440 PM CDT...
  HOLLY SPRINGS...ALLGOOD AND ONEONTA BY 445 PM CDT...
  HIGHLAND LAKE BY 450 PM CDT...
  CALDWELL BY 455 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 3397 8634 3393 8637 3391 8634 3394 8632
      3379 8629 3376 8676 3392 8677 3395 8660
      3397 8659 3400 8635
TIME...MOT...LOC 2127Z 260DEG 33KT 3384 8667

$$
STEFKOVICH

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 112134
SVSBMX

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

ALC073-112144-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0089.000000T0000Z-080411T2200Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
434 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

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 3397 8634 3393 8637 3391 8634 3394 8632
      3380 8629 3376 8665 3380 8670 3391 8667
      3395 8660 3397 8659 3400 8635
TIME...MOT...LOC 2134Z 270DEG 32KT 3380 8660

$$

ALC009-115-112200-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0089.000000T0000Z-080411T2200Z/
ST. CLAIR AL-BLOUNT AL-
434 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BLOUNT AND NORTHWESTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTIES...

AT 431 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR REMLAP...OR ABOUT 9 MILES
WEST OF SPRINGVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  9 MILES SOUTH OF ALLGOOD BY 440 PM CDT...
  HOLLY SPRINGS BY 445 PM CDT...
  7 MILES SOUTH OF HIGHLAND LAKE BY 450 PM CDT...
  CALDWELL BY 455 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 3397 8634 3393 8637 3391 8634 3394 8632
      3380 8629 3376 8665 3380 8670 3391 8667
      3395 8660 3397 8659 3400 8635
TIME...MOT...LOC 2134Z 270DEG 32KT 3380 8660

$$

STEFKOVICH

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 112144
SVSBMX

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

ALC009-115-112200-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0089.000000T0000Z-080411T2200Z/
ST. CLAIR AL-BLOUNT AL-
444 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BLOUNT AND NORTHWESTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTIES...

AT 440 PM CDT...A CIRCULATION WAS LOCATED NEAR CLEAR SPRINGS...OR 
ABOUT 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF SPRINGVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  HIGHLAND LAKE BY 450 PM CDT...
  CALDWELL BY 455 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 3397 8634 3393 8637 3391 8634 3394 8632
      3380 8629 3379 8656 3383 8663 3391 8662
      3397 8656 3400 8635
TIME...MOT...LOC 2144Z 264DEG 32KT 3385 8650

$$
STEFKOVICH

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 112151
SVSBMX

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

ALC009-115-112200-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0089.000000T0000Z-080411T2200Z/
ST. CLAIR AL-BLOUNT AL-
451 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN BLOUNT AND NORTHWESTERN ST. CLAIR COUNTIES...

AT 449 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR CALDWELL...OR ABOUT NEAR
SPRINGVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

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 3400 8635 3397 8634 3393 8637 3391 8634
      3394 8632 3380 8629 3379 8656 3385 8655
      3396 8646
TIME...MOT...LOC 2151Z 268DEG 35KT 3384 8639

$$
STEFKOVICH

The 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, 3:05 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	25 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, 4:22 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, 2008 Every tornado warning in 2008 Tornadoes 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.