Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 23, NWS Huntsville, AL

April 11, 2008Cullman County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 11, 2008, 2:45 PM CDT for Cullman County, Alabama. It was in force for 30 min. 3 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, 2:45 PM CDT (19:45 UTC)
Expired: Apr 11, 2008, 3:15 PM CDT
In force: 30 min
Issued by: NWS Huntsville, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Cullman County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:44 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, 3:02 PM CDT	HAIL 0.25	Crane Hill, AL	PEA SIZE HAIL REPORTED BY SPOTTER. RELAYED BY EMA.
Apr 11, 3:10 PM CDT	HAIL 0.5	2 Sw Crane Hill, AL	DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED NEAR THE TRADE COMMUNITY.
Apr 11, 3:22 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	3 Sse Logan, AL	REPORTS OF DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES ALONG COUNTY ROAD 222.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 92 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 KHUN 111947
TORHUN
ALC043-112015-
/O.NEW.KHUN.TO.W.0023.080411T1945Z-080411T2015Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN CULLMAN COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 315 PM CDT

* AT 245 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
  A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR NAUVOO
  IN EXTREME NORTHWEST WALKER COUNTY...MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 
  45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
  GOOD HOPE.
  CRANE HILL.
  HANCEVILLE.
  COLD SPRINGS.

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS TO NEAR 80
MPH...EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE TORNADO AREA.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

LAT...LON 3412 8661 3408 8667 3400 8672 3395 8679
      3392 8688 3390 8690 3389 8710 3392 8710
      3394 8712 3410 8712 3415 8661
TIME...MOT...LOC 1945Z 264DEG 37KT 3398 8730

$$

DJN

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS54 KHUN 112000 RRA
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
259 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

ALC043-112015-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0023.000000T0000Z-080411T2015Z/
CULLMAN AL-
259 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM CDT FOR SOUTHERN
CULLMAN COUNTY...

AT 259 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS 
TORNADO WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CRANE HILL...MOVING 
EAST-NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
WILBURN...ARKADELPHIA...BREMEN...WALTER...BLACK BOTTOM...
HANCEVILLE...GOOD HOPE...GARDEN CITY AND COLONY.

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

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR
NORTHEASTERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

LAT...LON 3412 8661 3408 8667 3400 8672 3395 8679
      3392 8688 3390 8690 3389 8710 3392 8710
      3394 8712 3410 8712 3415 8661
TIME...MOT...LOC 1959Z 264DEG 37KT 3401 8716

$$

DJN

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 11, 2:36 PM CDT, 9 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 11, 2:36 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
236 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

.DISCUSSION...
BUSY AFTN WITH TORNADO WATCH FOR ALL OF CWA UNTIL 4 PM (EXTENDED
THE TORNADO WATCH FOR DEKALB/JACKSON/MARSHALL COUNTIES).

AS OF 230 PM...LINE OF STRONG/SEVERE TSRA EXTENDS FROM THE HUN AREA
THRU LAWRENCE COUNTY. CDFNT JUST WEST OF AL AND WILL CONTINUE TO
MOVE EAST ACROSS THE CWA FOR THE REST OF THIS AFTN AND EVENING.
UPPER LEVEL CLOSED LOW NOW OVER IOWA...WHICH SLOWLY MOVES EAST.

FOR TONIGHT...SEVERE THREAT WILL BE OVER FOR NW AL BETWEEN 3 AND
4 PM...5 TO 6 PM FOR THE HUN AREA AND 7 TO 8 PM FOR EXTREME NE AL.
UNTIL THEN THE CHC OF SVR WX WILL CONTINUE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND
ISOLATED TORNADOES...ALSO HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS. ONE
GOOD THING IS THAT LOW LEVEL SHEAR WILL DECREASE AFTER 00Z...WHICH
WILL LESSON THE TORNADO THREAT.

SATURDAY...EXPECT PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES THANKS TO DRY SLOTTING...BUT BY
SATURDAY NIGHT...WRAP ARND CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO MOVE INTO THE TN
VALLEY.

SUNDAY...CLOUDY SKIES/LIGHT SHRA DUE TO VORT MAX/CDFNT MOVING
ACROSS THE AREA.

MONDAY...MAY BE TRICKY AS GFS SHOWS MORE LIGHT RAIN AS UPPER LOW
SLIDES SE. FOR NOW WILL GO WITH THE DRIER NAM AND LEAVE OUT THE
MENTION OF PCPN ON MONDAY. LATER SHIFTS WILL HAVE TO MONITOR. GFS
MOS ALSO SHOWS THAT OVERNIGHT LOWS NOW ON MONDAY MRNG WILL BE IN
THE MID/UPPER 30S...DUE TO CLOUD COVER WITH THE UPPER LOW.

TUESDAY THRU FRIDAY...TUESDAY MRNG LOWS NOW LOOK A LITTLE WARMER
WITH LOWS IN THE MID 30S INSTEAD OF LOW 30S. MADE A FEW ADJUSTMENTS
TO GRIDS AND ADDED A FEW DEGREES TO LOWS ON TUESDAY MRNG.

OTHERWISE...RIDGING WILL START A WARMING TREND/DRY CONDITIONS BY WEDNESDAY
AND WILL CONTINUE FOR THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
HUNTSVILLE    49  65  38  54 /  50  10  10  20
SHOALS        48  64  38  55 /  30  10  10  20
CULLMAN       51  65  39  55 /  50  10  10  20
FAYETTEVILLE  48  62  37  51 /  50  10  10  20
ALBERTVILLE   52  66  39  55 /  60  10  10  20
FORT PAYNE    52  63  37  53 /  60  10  10  20

&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...NONE.
TN...NONE.
&&

07

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 11, 8:35 AM CDT, 6 hours 10 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
835 AM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-111900-
LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN-
MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN-
835 AM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF
SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT...

A POWERFUL SPRING STORM WILL MOVE FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS TO THE
SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES BY LATE TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH
OF THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY THIS EVENING.

WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS
MORNING...BUT THE PRIMARY THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL OCCUR ALONG
AND AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING SQUALL LINE. THIS LINE WILL APPROACH THE
AREA NEAR MIDDAY OR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...AND SLOWLY WORK ITS WAY
EASTWARD. PRIMARY THREATS POSED BY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO
CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...

MUCH COLDER AIR WILL SLOWLY INFILTRATE THE TENNESSEE VALLEY DURING
THE WEEKEND IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. LOW TEMPERATURES MAY
FALL INTO THE LOWER AND MID 30S ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY MORNINGS.
DEPENDING ON CLOUD COVERAGE AND WINDS...FROST MAY DEVELOP...AND
FREEZING CONDITIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS
POSSIBLE LATER TODAY.

RSB/BCC

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 11, 1:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
144 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

TNZ097-111930-
FRANKLIN-
144 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY UNTIL 230 PM CDT...

AT 141 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HUNTLAND...OR 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
WINCHESTER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
  MAXWELL.
  BELVIDERE.
  TIMS FORD LAKE.
  WINCHESTER.
  COWAN.
  WOODS RESERVOIR.

SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

BCC

Special weather statement, Apr 11, 1:50 PM CDT, 55 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
150 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

TNZ076-096-111930-
LINCOLN-MOORE-
150 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LINCOLN AND MOORE COUNTIES UNTIL 230
PM CDT...

AT 146 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF HAZEL GREEN...OR 10 MILES
SOUTH OF FAYETTEVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. ANOTHER STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED ACROSS NORTHWESTERN LINCOLN COUNTY...ALSO
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE...
  CRYSTAL SPRINGS.
  FLINTVILLE.
  SMITHLAND.
  HURDLOW.
  LYNCHBURG.

THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

BCC

Local storm report, Apr 11, 1:54 PM CDT, 51 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
154 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0115 PM     HAIL             HODGES                  34.33N 87.93W
04/11/2008  E0.88 INCH       FRANKLIN           AL   PUBLIC

            NICKEL SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT HAROLDS GAS AND GROCERY
            STORE IN THE HODGES COMMUNITY.

0125 PM     HAIL             FRENCH MILL             34.77N 86.88W
04/11/2008  E0.50 INCH       LIMESTONE          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED.

0130 PM     HAIL             JONES CHAPEL            34.21N 87.05W
04/11/2008  E1.00 INCH       CULLMAN            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN THE CRANE HILL AREA.

0137 PM     HAIL             5 WNW RUSSELLVILLE      34.53N 87.81W
04/11/2008  M1.25 INCH       FRANKLIN           AL   CO-OP OBSERVER

            COCORAHS OBSERVER REPORTED HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL 5.7
            MILES WNW OF RUSSELLVILLE.

0145 PM     HAIL             7 NNW CULLMAN           34.27N 86.89W
04/11/2008  E1.75 INCH       CULLMAN            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN THE VINEMONT AREA.

&&

KWEBER

Local storm report, Apr 11, 2:20 PM CDT, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
220 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0210 PM     HAIL             HAZEL GREEN             34.93N 86.57W
04/11/2008  E0.50 INCH       MADISON            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF WALKER
            LANE AND 201 JUST SOUTH OF HAZEL GREEN.

0218 PM     HAIL             1 W NEW MARKET          34.91N 86.44W
04/11/2008  E0.88 INCH       MADISON            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED JUST WEST OF NEW MARKET.

&&

KWEBER

Local storm report, Apr 11, 2:21 PM CDT, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
221 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0210 PM     HAIL             HAZEL GREEN             34.93N 86.57W
04/11/2008  E0.50 INCH       MADISON            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF WALKER
            LANE AND 231 JUST SOUTH OF HAZEL GREEN.

&&

KWEBER

Local storm report, Apr 11, 2:42 PM CDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
242 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0216 PM     TSTM WND DMG     HUNTSVILLE              34.73N 86.59W
04/11/2008                   MADISON            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES REPORTED DOWN ALONG WALKER LANE APPROXIMATELY 1/4
            OF A MILE EAST OF THE PARKWAY IN HUNTSVILLE

&&

KWEBER

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 11, 11:55 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Colbert, Lauderdale	38 min
Apr 11, 1:16 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Cullman	44 min
Apr 11, 1:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Franklin, Lawrence	41 min
Apr 11, 1:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Cullman, Morgan	39 min
Apr 11, 1:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Limestone, Madison	48 min
Apr 11, 1:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Lawrence	25 min
Apr 11, 1:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Madison	35 min
Apr 11, 2:08 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Madison, Marshall, Morgan	37 min
Apr 11, 2:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Lawrence, Morgan	34 min
Apr 11, 2:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Limestone, Madison	31 min
Apr 11, 2:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Jackson, Marshall	48 min
Apr 11, 2:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Cullman	33 min
Apr 11, 3:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	HUN	Cullman	32 min
Apr 11, 3:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	DeKalb	29 min
Apr 11, 3:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Jackson	52 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.