Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 128, NWS Mobile, AL

May 15, 20084 counties in Alabama; Escambia County, Okaloosa County, Santa Rosa County, Florida

NWS Mobile, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 2008, 12:17 PM CDT for 4 counties in Alabama; Escambia County, Okaloosa County, Santa Rosa County, Florida. It was in force for 43 min. 1 report 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: May 15, 2008, 12:17 PM CDT (17:17 UTC)
Expired: May 15, 2008, 1:00 PM CDT
In force: 43 min
Issued by: NWS Mobile, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Butler County, AL, Conecuh County, AL, Escambia County, AL, Monroe County, AL, Escambia County, FL, Okaloosa County, FL, Santa Rosa County, FL

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 15, 12:31 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Allentown, FL	ROOF BLOWN OFF NEW BARN

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

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 14 minutes after it went out.

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
May 15, 8:58 AM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 5.3 hours before the alert went out and 191 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: 203 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -17 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 571 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 64 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 44 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 
WUUS54 KMOB 151719
SVRMOB
ALC013-035-053-099-FLC033-091-113-151800-
/O.NEW.KMOB.SV.W.0128.080515T1717Z-080515T1800Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1217 PM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN ESCAMBIA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA...
  NORTHWESTERN OKALOOSA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA...
  NORTHERN SANTA ROSA COUNTY IN NORTHWEST FLORIDA...
  BUTLER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  CONECUH COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF EVERGREEN...
  EASTERN ESCAMBIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF BREWTON...
  NORTHEASTERN MONROE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 100 PM CDT

* AT 1217 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS DETECTED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE
  HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS
  WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
  CAMDEN TO 9 MILES NORTH OF BREWTON...AND MOVING EAST AT 51 MPH.

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  ROCK HILL...NYMPH...I65 AND US 84 AND FAIRNELSON BY 1225 PM CDT...
  OWASSA...NYMPH...LYEFFION AND JOHNSONVILLE BY 1230 PM CDT...
  WILCOX AND ROBERTS BY 1235 PM CDT...

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF
YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS
INJURY AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.

DOPPLER RADAR HAS INDICATED SOME WEAK ROTATION WITHIN THIS STORM.
WHILE NOT IMMEDIATELY LIKELY...A TORNADO MAY STILL DEVELOP. IF A
TORNADO IS SPOTTED...ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING...PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY
OR A ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET OR BATHROOM.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE AT
(2 5 1) 6 3 3 6 4 4 3. OR...YOU MAY CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...AND THEY WILL
RELAY YOUR REPORT.

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE. THIS 
IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A 
STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CDT THURSDAY AFTERNOON
FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST
MISSISSIPPI.

LAT...LON 3197 8644 3153 8656 3153 8670 3145 8670
      3143 8666 3136 8670 3107 8670 3072 8680
      3070 8744 3120 8718 3176 8732 3184 8692
      3197 8689
TIME...MOT...LOC 1717Z 255DEG 44KT 3186 8724 3124 8707
          3075 8730

$$

PURDY

What forecasters said that day

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

NWS Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 15, 9:30 AM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 15, 9:30 AM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
930 AM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

.UPDATE...JUST SENT A ZONE AND GRID UPDATE TO ACCOUNT FOR NEWLY
ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 326 THAT IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM CDT FOR
MOST OF THE WFO MOBILE FORECAST AREA. LATEST SPC MESOANALYSIS
INDICATES SB CAPE VALUES NOW APPROACHING 1500 TO 2000 J/KG WITH
VALUES OVER 2500 J/KG NOT TOO FAR OFFSHORE. SRH OFF OF THE KMOB VAD
WIND PROFILE ALSO INDICATES 0-3 KM VALUES OVER 300 M2/S2. THE VAD
WIND PROFILE ALSO INDICATES 40 TO 50 KNOT WINDS ARE LOCATED NOT TOO
FAR OFF THE DECK AND THESE VALUES ARE ALL FAVORABLE FOR ROTATING
UPDRAFTS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING ISOLATED TORNADOES AND DAMAGING WINDS.
THE HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT WILL ALSO HAVE TO BE MONITORED AS
PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE NOW OVER 2 INCHES AND THESE STORMS WILL
BE VERY EFFICIENT RAINFALL PRODUCERS AS EVIDENCED BY THE NEARLY
TROPICAL DOWNPOURS AT THE OFFICE WITHIN THE LAST 20 MINUTES.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR FURTHER
UPDATES ON THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION. /13

&&

.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...NONE.
FL...NONE.
MS...NONE.
GM...NONE.

&&

13.JC

Hazardous weather outlook, May 15, 7:25 AM CDT, 4 hours 52 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED FOR RIP CURRENTS...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
725 AM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

ALZ051>064-FLZ001>006-GMZ630-650-655-670-675-MSZ067-075-076-078-
079-161200-
CHOCTAW-WASHINGTON-CLARKE-WILCOX-MONROE-CONECUH-BUTLER-CRENSHAW-
ESCAMBIA-COVINGTON-UPPER MOBILE-UPPER BALDWIN-LOWER MOBILE-
LOWER BALDWIN-INLAND ESCAMBIA-COASTAL ESCAMBIA-INLAND SANTA ROSA-
COASTAL SANTA ROSA-INLAND OKALOOSA-COASTAL OKALOOSA-MOBILE BAY-
COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20 NM-
WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM-
WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60 NM-WAYNE-PERRY-
GREENE-STONE-GEORGE-
725 AM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA AND
NORTHWEST FLORIDA...NORTHWEST FLORIDA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

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

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME BETTER DEVELOPED LATER THIS
MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE DAY AND TONIGHT. DUE TO
DEEP LAYERED MOISTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST
AREA LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF
HEAVIER SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT. AT THIS TIME
DUE TO THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT WITH THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
IN PLACE GENERALLY TO THE NORTH AND WEST WILL HOLD OFF FROM ISSUING
ANY FLASH FLOOD PRODUCTS THIS MORNING...BUT CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS
SITUATION CLOSELY FOR POSSIBLE HEAVY RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS LATER
TODAY AND TONIGHT. DUE TO LIMITED INSTABILITY AND VERTICAL SHEAR
ESPECIALLY DEVELOPING LATER THIS AFTERNOON THE THREAT OF STRONG
ROTATING UPDRAFTS AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE ISOLATED MOSTLY DUE TO
THE DEEPER LAYERED MOISTURE. AT THIS TIME A SLIGHT RISK CONTINUES TO
BE POSTED FOR SEVERE WEATHER FOR MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH
TONIGHT. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE WILL CONTINUE TO
MONITOR THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER PATTERN FOR POSSIBLE UPDATES FOR
LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENT ALONG THE ALABAMA
NORTHWEST FLORIDA BEACHES TODAY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE CAN
BE EXPECTED OVER SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING. DUE TO A POSSIBLE SLOWER PROGRESSION OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS BY FRIDAY MORNING SOME FLOODING MAY BE POSSIBLE IN LOW
LYING AREAS AND WERE POOR DRAINAGE USUALLY OCCURS. THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THIS DEVELOPING
WEATHER SITUATION THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND TONIGHT FOR A POSSIBLE
FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR FRIDAY MORNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND SEVERE WEATHER
SPOTTERS MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 15, 11:00 AM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1100 AM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

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

1028 AM     TSTM WND DMG     NEW AUGUSTA             31.20N 89.04W
05/15/2008                   PERRY              MS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN BETWEEN NEW AUGUSTA AND RUNNELTOWN AND ALSO
            WEST OF RICHTON BETWEEN 1028 AND 1040 AM.

&&

GB

Local storm report, May 15, 11:27 AM CDT, 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1127 AM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

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

1106 AM     TSTM WND DMG     WAYNESBORO              31.67N 88.65W
05/15/2008                   WAYNE              MS   BROADCAST MEDIA

            WAYNESBORO TO CLARA TREES DOWN BETWEEN 1106 AND 1111 AM.

&&

GB

Local storm report, May 15, 11:31 AM CDT, 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1131 AM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

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

1056 AM     TSTM WND DMG     CITRONELLE              31.09N 88.24W
05/15/2008                   MOBILE             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

&&

CULLEN

Local storm report, May 15, 11:57 AM CDT, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1157 AM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

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

1154 AM     TORNADO          ANDALUSIA               31.31N 86.48W
05/15/2008                   COVINGTON          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TORNADO REPORTED ON THE GROUND JUST WEST OF ANDALUSIA
            ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

&&

CULLEN

Local storm report, May 15, 12:00 PM CDT, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1200 PM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

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

1130 AM     TSTM WND DMG     AQUILLA                 31.71N 88.41W
05/15/2008                   CHOCTAW            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN.

&&

GB

Local storm report, May 15, 12:12 PM CDT, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
1212 PM CDT THU MAY 15 2008

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

1145 AM     TSTM WND DMG     URIAH                   31.31N 87.50W
05/15/2008                   MONROE             AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            POSSIBLE TORNADO DESTROYED BARN ON ROCKY CREEK RD NEAR
            URIAH

&&

CULLEN

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 15, 10:24 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	MOB		96 min
May 15, 10:38 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MOB	Baldwin, Mobile	67 min
May 15, 11:01 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Escambia	59 min
May 15, 11:06 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Baldwin, Escambia	24 min
May 15, 11:10 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Covington, Escambia	52 min
May 15, 11:10 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Monroe	23 min
May 15, 11:19 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MOB	Choctaw, Clarke, Washington	41 min
May 15, 11:36 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MOB	Baldwin, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Monroe	39 min
May 15, 11:42 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Covington, Crenshaw	48 min
May 15, 11:43 AM CDT	Special Marine Warning	MOB		92 min
May 15, 11:49 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MOB	Baldwin	41 min
May 15, 11:51 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Conecuh, Covington, Escambia	39 min
May 15, 12:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Covington, Crenshaw	45 min
May 15, 12:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MOB	Monroe, Wilcox	31 min
May 15, 12:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Escambia	45 min
May 15, 12:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Butler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw	45 min
May 15, 12:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Butler, Crenshaw	28 min
May 15, 12:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Covington, Escambia	40 min
May 15, 1:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Crenshaw	19 min
May 15, 1:16 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	MOB		89 min
May 15, 1:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MOB	Covington	38 min
May 15, 2:45 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	MOB		45 min
May 15, 12:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MOB	Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa	44 min
May 15, 12:35 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MOB	Okaloosa, Santa Rosa	40 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2008 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Florida, 2008 Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.