Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 90, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 11, 2008Calhoun County, Cherokee County, Etowah County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 11, 2008, 4:42 PM CDT for Calhoun County, Cherokee County, Etowah County, Alabama. It was in force for 33 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, 4:42 PM CDT (21:42 UTC)
Expired: Apr 11, 2008, 5:15 PM CDT
In force: 33 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Calhoun County, AL, Cherokee County, AL, Etowah County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 112 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:45 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

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 119 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: 9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -79 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 983 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 207 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 209 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KBMX 112142
TORBMX
ALC015-019-055-112215-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0090.080411T2142Z-080411T2215Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EXTREME NORTHEASTERN CALHOUN COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHERN CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...
  EXTREME EAST CENTRAL ETOWAH COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 515 PM CDT

* AT 442 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  TENNALA...OR 8 MILES EAST OF HOKES BLUFF...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40
  MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  ELLISVILLE AND 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF SPRING GARDEN BY 450 PM CDT...
  6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HOWELLS CROSSROADS BY 500 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 3412 8542 3411 8540 3406 8541 3405 8539
      3396 8538 3396 8548 3394 8549 3392 8577
      3409 8580 3424 8544
TIME...MOT...LOC 2142Z 247DEG 35KT 3403 8570

$$

03

3 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 112150
SVSBMX

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

ALC015-055-112200-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0090.000000T0000Z-080411T2215Z/
CALHOUN AL-ETOWAH AL-
450 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EXTREME EAST CENTRAL ETOWAH AND EXTREME
NORTHEASTERN CALHOUN COUNTIES 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 3412 8542 3411 8540 3406 8541 3405 8539
      3400 8540 3396 8538 3396 8570 3411 8574
      3424 8544
TIME...MOT...LOC 2150Z 258DEG 34KT 3405 8561

$$

ALC019-112215-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0090.000000T0000Z-080411T2215Z/
CHEROKEE AL-
450 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR SOUTHERN
CHEROKEE COUNTY...

AT 445 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ELLISVILLE...OR ABOUT 8 MILES
SOUTH OF CENTRE...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  8 MILES SOUTH OF HOWELLS CROSSROADS BY 500 PM CDT...
  9 MILES SOUTH OF WATERHOUSE BY 505 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 3412 8542 3411 8540 3406 8541 3405 8539
      3400 8540 3396 8538 3396 8570 3411 8574
      3424 8544
TIME...MOT...LOC 2150Z 258DEG 34KT 3405 8561

$$

STEFKOVICH

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 112157
SVSBMX

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

ALC019-112215-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0090.000000T0000Z-080411T2215Z/
CHEROKEE AL-
457 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN CHEROKEE COUNTY...

AT 454 PM CDT...A TORNADO WAS REPORTED.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 6
MILES SOUTH OF HOWELLS CROSSROADS...OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
CENTRE...MOVING EAST AT 45 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 3424 8544 3412 8542 3411 8540 3406 8541
      3405 8539 3400 8540 3396 8538 3399 8557
      3413 8565
TIME...MOT...LOC 2157Z 251DEG 41KT 3410 8548

$$
STEFKOVICH

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 112210
SVSBMX

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

ALC019-112220-
/O.EXP.KBMX.TO.W.0090.000000T0000Z-080411T2215Z/
CHEROKEE AL-
510 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN CHEROKEE COUNTY EXPIRES AT
515 PM CDT...

THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS ENDED. THE STORMS THAT PROMPTED THE
WARNING HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE COUNTY.

LAT...LON 3424 8544 3412 8542 3411 8540 3406 8541
      3405 8539 3400 8540 3396 8538 3399 8557
      3413 8565
TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 251DEG 41KT 3415 8531

$$
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, 4:18 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, 4:56 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.