Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008
Tornado Warning 9, NWS Huntsville, AL
NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at Feb 6, 2008, 4:17 AM CST for Marshall County, Alabama. It was in force for 28 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
- Feb 6, 2008, 4:17 AM CST (10:17 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 6, 2008, 4:45 AM CST
- In force
- 28 min
- Issued by
- NWS Huntsville, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
County Marshall County, AL
The radar
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 66 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:19 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 6, 4:29 AM CST | HAIL 0.25 | Arab, AL | PEA SIZE HAIL REPORTED NEAR ARAB |
| Feb 6, 4:47 AM CST | HAIL 0.25 | Grant, AL | PEA SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN GRANT. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 5, 10:01 PM CST | Tornado Watch | SPC | 8 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 139 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
- 771 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -36 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 947 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 62 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 223 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 320 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.3
- Supercell composite
- 4.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WFUS54 KHUN 061018
TORHUN
ALC095-061045-
/O.NEW.KHUN.TO.W.0009.080206T1017Z-080206T1045Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
417 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
CENTRAL MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...
* UNTIL 445 AM CST
* AT 417 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 15 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF ARAB...OR ABOUT 9 MILES EAST OF CULLMAN...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
* LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
ARAB.
GRASSY.
UNION GROVE.
GUNTERSVILLE.
GRANT.
COLUMBUS CITY.
TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU
SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO...IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE COVER NOW.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.
LAT...LON 3456 8620 3443 8610 3441 8613 3440 8610
3435 8610 3421 8641 3425 8646 3428 8645
3431 8649 3432 8658 3436 8658
TIME...MOT...LOC 1017Z 238DEG 47KT 3420 8665
$$
JE1 follow-up statement
000
WWUS54 KHUN 061032
SVSHUN
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
432 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008
ALC095-061045-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080206T1045Z/
MARSHALL AL-
432 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 AM CST FOR CENTRAL
MARSHALL COUNTY...
AT 432 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ARAB...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO UNION
GROVE...MOUNTAIN VIEW...RABBIT TOWN...GUNTERSVILLE AND COLUMBUS CITY.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU
SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO...IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE COVER NOW.
A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING
FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA.
LAT...LON 3456 8620 3443 8610 3441 8613 3440 8610
3435 8610 3421 8641 3425 8646 3428 8645
3431 8649 3432 8658 3436 8658
TIME...MOT...LOC 1032Z 238DEG 47KT 3431 8645
$$
JEWhat 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 Feb 6, 4:13 AM CST, 4 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 6, 4:13 AM CST, 4 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 413 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 .UPDATE... UPDATED ZONES TO REMOVE WRN MOST COUNTIES FROM WATCH WHICH ARE LAUDERDALE/COLBERT/FRANKLIN AL. ALSO EXTENDED THE WATCH TO 7 AM FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CWA. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && 07
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 6, 12:57 AM CST, 3 hours 20 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 1257 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-070300- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 1257 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORMS THIS MORNING IS MOVING ACROSS THE REGION...RESULTING IN WINDY CONDITIONS. WINDS BETWEEN 20 TO 30 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THESE WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH AFTER SUNSET. PLEASE REFER TO WIND ADVISORY THAT HAS BEEN ISSUED (HUNNPWHUN) FOR MORE INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. SL
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Feb 6, 3:15 AM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 315 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 TNZ076-096-097-060945- FRANKLIN-LINCOLN-MOORE- 315 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FRANKLIN...LINCOLN AND MOORE COUNTIES UNTIL 345 AM CST... AT 315 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF PETERSBURG TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ATHENS...MOVING EAST AT 65 MPH. WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... BLANCHE. SKINEM. MOLINO. SMITHLAND. WOODS RESERVOIR. MAXWELL. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. JE
Special weather statement, Feb 6, 3:18 AM CST, 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 318 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 ALZ006-060945- MADISON- 318 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR MADISON COUNTY... ...TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM MAY AFFECT THE AREA AFTER 345 AM CST... AT 318 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A TORNADO 8 MILES EAST OF MOULTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. IF THIS THUNDERSTORM CONTINUES ON ITS PRESENT PATH...IT WOULD AFFECT WESTERN PORTIONS OF MADISON COUNTY...NEAR MADISON AND CAPSHAW...BY 345 AM CST. INTERESTS IN WESTERN MADISON COUNTY SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO POSSIBLE WARNINGS OVER THE NEXT HALF HOUR. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. JE
Special weather statement, Feb 6, 3:52 AM CST, 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 352 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 ALZ004-005-007-061015- LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MORGAN- 352 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LAWRENCE...LIMESTONE AND MORGAN COUNTIES UNTIL 415 AM CST... AT 351 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE FROM RIPLEY TO BANKHEAD NATIONAL FOREST...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... CADDO. SPEAKE. ATHENS. DECATUR. SOMERVILLE. SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR NORTH ALABAMA. BCC
Special weather statement, Feb 6, 3:54 AM CST, 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 354 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 TNZ076-096-097-061030- FRANKLIN-LINCOLN-MOORE- 354 AM CST WED FEB 6 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FRANKLIN...LINCOLN AND MOORE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 AM CST... AT 354 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM TULLAHOMA TO 5 MILES NORTH OF HAZEL GREEN...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF LYNCHBURG TO 10 MILES SOUTH OF FAYETTEVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH. WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... OAK GROVE. WOODS RESERVOIR. MAXWELL. ALTO. ST. ANDREWS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE STORM TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CST WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. JE
Local storm report, Feb 6, 4:11 AM CST, 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
411 AM CST WED FEB 06 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0315 AM TORNADO S MOULTON 34.48N 87.28W
02/06/2008 LAWRENCE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO ON GROUND ON HIGHWAY 36 SOUTH OF MOULTON POSSIBLY
TRAPPING PEDESTRIANS.
0320 AM TORNADO 6 SE MOULTON 34.42N 87.21W
02/06/2008 LAWRENCE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO REPORTED ON HIGHWAY 183 IN THE NORTHERN ALDRIDGE
GROVE AREA.
0320 AM TORNADO 12 E MOULTON 34.48N 87.07W
02/06/2008 MORGAN AL EMERGENCY MNGR
SEVERAL HOMES DAMAGED IN THE FIVE POINTS AREA.
0325 AM TORNADO 8 SW DECATUR 34.49N 87.09W
02/06/2008 MORGAN AL EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO REPORTED ON THE GROUND IN CHAPEL HILL.
0330 AM TORNADO DECATUR 34.57N 86.99W
02/06/2008 MORGAN AL EMERGENCY MNGR
MUD TAVERN FIRE DEPARTMENT DAMAGED WEST OF DECATUR
0335 AM TORNADO 10 WNW HUNTSVILLE 34.79N 86.75W
02/06/2008 MADISON AL EMERGENCY MNGR
TORNADO REPORTED ON THE GROUND WEST OF MONROVIA
0342 AM FUNNEL CLOUD HUNTSVILLE 34.73N 86.59W
02/06/2008 MADISON AL EMERGENCY MNGR
FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED AT INTERSECTION OF RESEARCH PARK
AND HIGHWAY 53.
0347 AM FUNNEL CLOUD MADISON 34.70N 86.75W
02/06/2008 MADISON AL TRAINED SPOTTER
FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED ON THE WEST END OF COUNTY LINE ROAD
0348 AM FUNNEL CLOUD MADISON 34.70N 86.75W
02/06/2008 MADISON AL EMERGENCY MNGR
FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED ON COUNTY LINE ROAD.
&&
KWEBERLocal storm report, Feb 6, 4:15 AM CST, 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
415 AM CST WED FEB 06 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0330 AM TORNADO DECATUR 34.57N 86.99W
02/06/2008 MORGAN AL EMERGENCY MNGR
ON 3200 BLOCK OF MODUS ROAD IN DECATUR A MOBILE HOME WAS
BLOWN ONTO ROAD.
&&
KWEBERThe office that day
Everything else NWS Huntsville, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 6, 2:40 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HUN | Lawrence | 50 min |
| Feb 6, 3:08 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HUN | Limestone, Morgan | 37 min |
| Feb 6, 3:30 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HUN | Madison | 45 min |
| Feb 6, 3:40 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HUN | Cullman | 35 min |
| Feb 6, 4:11 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HUN | Cullman | 19 min |
| Feb 6, 4:14 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HUN | Cullman | 31 min |
| Feb 6, 4:15 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HUN | Madison | 45 min |
| Feb 6, 4:43 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HUN | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 32 min |
| Feb 6, 4:46 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HUN | Cullman | 29 min |
| Feb 6, 4:47 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HUN | Jackson | 43 min |
| Feb 6, 5:04 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HUN | DeKalb, Jackson | 26 min |
| Feb 6, 5:26 AM CST | Tornado Warning | HUN | DeKalb, Jackson | 19 min |
| Feb 6, 5:29 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | HUN | DeKalb, Jackson, Marshall | 31 min |
| Feb 6, 6:12 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HUN | Marshall | 3 hr |
| Feb 6, 6:47 AM CST | Flash Flood Warning | HUN | DeKalb | 4 hr |
| Feb 6, 12:51 PM CST | Wind Advisory | HUN | Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale and 5 more | 5 hr |
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.