Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Birmingham, AL

January 10, 2008Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, Walker County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 10, 2008, 4:11 PM CST for Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, Walker County, Alabama. It was in force for 34 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, 4:11 PM CST (22:11 UTC)
Expired
Jan 10, 2008, 4:45 PM CST
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Jefferson County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL, Walker County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:11 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
Jan 10, 11:33 AM CSTTornado Watch PDSSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 74 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 102213
TORBMX
ALC073-125-127-102245-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0009.080110T2211Z-080110T2245Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL WALKER COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTH CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 445 PM CST

* AT 407 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR WINDHAM
  SPRINGS...OR 15 MILES NORTH OF HOLT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WHITSON BY 425 PM CST...
  GORGAS STEAM PLANT...GORGAS AND GOODSPRINGS BY 440 PM CST...

A WALL CLOUD HAS BEEN REPORTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THIS STORM AND IT 
IS STRENGTHENING RAPIDLY.  

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 3351 8768 3361 8748 3360 8742 3364 8741
      3377 8716 3360 8704 3335 8756
TIME...MOT...LOC 2211Z 238DEG 36KT 3348 8752

$$

12/SIRMON
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS54 KBMX 102220
SVSBMX

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

ALC073-125-127-102245-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080110T2245Z/
TUSCALOOSA AL-JEFFERSON AL-WALKER AL-
420 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM CST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL WALKER...WEST CENTRAL JEFFERSON AND NORTH CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA
COUNTIES...

AT 416 PM CST...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR WHITSON...OR ABOUT 18 MILES NORTH OF HOLT...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
WYE...GOODSPRINGS...GORGAS AND GORGAS STEAM PLANT.

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.

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

LAT...LON 3360 8742 3364 8739 3377 8717 3375 8715
      3360 8704 3345 8744 3354 8753
TIME...MOT...LOC 2220Z 235DEG 36KT 3353 8743

$$

61
000 
WWUS54 KBMX 102233
SVSBMX

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

ALC073-125-102242-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080110T2245Z/
TUSCALOOSA AL-JEFFERSON AL-
432 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL JEFFERSON AND NORTH CENTRAL
TUSCALOOSA COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

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

LAT...LON 3377 8717 3365 8710 3361 8716 3362 8718
      3358 8720 3353 8729 3356 8732 3358 8732
      3359 8734 3364 8739
TIME...MOT...LOC 2232Z 240DEG 32KT 3365 8727

$$

ALC127-102245-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080110T2245Z/
WALKER AL-
432 PM CST THU JAN 10 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM CST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL WALKER COUNTY...

AT 429 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR GOODSPRINGS...OR
ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CORDOVA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO GORGAS 
AND GORGAS STEAM PLANT.

THIS STORM PRODUCED DAMAGE IN THE WINDHAM SPRINGS AND WILEY AREAS OF 
NORTHERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY.

LAT...LON 3377 8717 3365 8710 3361 8716 3362 8718
      3358 8720 3353 8729 3356 8732 3358 8732
      3359 8734 3364 8739
TIME...MOT...LOC 2232Z 240DEG 32KT 3365 8727

$$

61

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, 2:40 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion24 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, 4:43 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.