Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 35, NWS Mobile, AL

February 17, 2008Conecuh County, Covington County, Escambia County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this tornado warning at Feb 17, 2008, 3:13 PM CST for Conecuh County, Covington County, Escambia County, Alabama. It was in force for 47 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
Feb 17, 2008, 3:13 PM CST (21:13 UTC)
Expired
Feb 17, 2008, 4:00 PM CST
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Conecuh County, AL, Covington County, AL, Escambia County, AL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Feb 17, 3:40 PM CSTFUNNEL CLOUDOpp, ALTWO FUNNEL CLOUDS...GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL,
Feb 17, 3:48 PM CSTTORNADOBabbie, AL
Feb 17, 3:58 PM CSTTORNADOOnycha, ALPUBLIC REPORT OF A TORNADO

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

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Feb 17, 12:32 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 200 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 2008-02-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 5 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 2008-02-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 277 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
5 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-13 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
560 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
277 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
350 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 KMOB 172113
TORMOB
ALC035-039-053-172200-
/O.NEW.KMOB.TO.W.0035.080217T2113Z-080217T2200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
313 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN CONECUH COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHERN COVINGTON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF ANDALUSIA...
  EXTREME EAST CENTRAL ESCAMBIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 400 PM CST

* AT 304 PM CST...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR
  DIXIE...OR ABOUT 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ANDALUSIA...MOVING EAST     
  AT 50 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  SANFORD BY 320 PM CST...
  BABBIE...OPP...EODA AND ONYCHA BY 325 PM CST...
  ESTOTHEL BY 330 PM CST...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING...PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR A ROOM SUCH AS
A CLOSET OR BATHROOM. IF POSSIBLE...GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER
PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY
AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE DAMAGING HAIL OR DAMAGING
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

IF YOU ARE IN MOBILE HOME...EVACUATE IT AND GET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF A NEARBY STURDY BUILDING OR IN AN UNDERGROUND STORM SHELTER. IF NO
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER IS AVAILABLE AND A TORNADO IS FAST APPROACHING...
SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW DEPRESSION AND COVER YOUR
HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CST SUNDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA.

LAT...LON 3147 8628 3145 8626 3144 8619 3118 8619
      3112 8674 3132 8677 3154 8648 3152 8640
      3145 8640 3154 8629
TIME...MOT...LOC 2113Z 256DEG 60KT 3125 8653

$$
1 follow-up statement
000 
WWUS54 KMOB 172125
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
324 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2008

ALC035-053-172134-
/O.CAN.KMOB.TO.W.0035.000000T0000Z-080217T2200Z/
ESCAMBIA AL-CONECUH AL-
324 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN CONECUH AND EXTREME EAST
CENTRAL ESCAMBIA COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CST SUNDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA.

LAT...LON 3154 8629 3147 8628 3143 8619 3118 8619
      3113 8669 3133 8670 3145 8661 3154 8648
      3152 8640 3145 8640
TIME...MOT...LOC 2124Z 228DEG 47KT 3138 8644

$$

ALC039-172200-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0035.000000T0000Z-080217T2200Z/
COVINGTON AL-
324 PM CST SUN FEB 17 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CST FOR NORTHERN
COVINGTON COUNTY...

AT 318 PM CST...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PREVIOUSLY REPORTED A 
TORNADO.  THE RADAR INDICATED POSITION OF THE TORNADO WAS LOCATED 
NEAR ANDALUSIA...AND WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  EODA AND ROSE HILL BY 330 PM CST...

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 800 PM CST SUNDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND NORTHWEST FLORIDA.

LAT...LON 3154 8629 3147 8628 3143 8619 3118 8619
      3113 8669 3133 8670 3145 8661 3154 8648
      3152 8640 3145 8640
TIME...MOT...LOC 2124Z 228DEG 47KT 3138 8644

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 17, 7:00 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWashington45 min
Feb 17, 9:48 AM CSTMarine Weather StatementMOB2 hr
Feb 17, 10:37 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin38 min
Feb 17, 11:03 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw, Washington27 min
Feb 17, 11:11 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin49 min
Feb 17, 11:25 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBClarke35 min
Feb 17, 11:30 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMobile60 min
Feb 17, 11:46 AM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB59 min
Feb 17, 11:46 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin59 min
Feb 17, 11:58 AM CSTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Wilcox47 min
Feb 17, 12:29 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBEscambia61 min
Feb 17, 12:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBaldwin, Mobile45 min
Feb 17, 12:44 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB61 min
Feb 17, 12:54 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMobile36 min
Feb 17, 12:55 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB65 min
Feb 17, 1:12 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBButler, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Escambia63 min
Feb 17, 1:21 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBButler, Monroe, Wilcox39 min
Feb 17, 1:55 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB65 min
Feb 17, 2:11 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBCrenshaw19 min
Feb 17, 2:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBButler, Conecuh, Covington31 min
Feb 17, 2:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBBaldwin, Conecuh, Covington, Escambia59 min
Feb 17, 2:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBButler, Crenshaw23 min
Feb 17, 2:54 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBButler, Crenshaw36 min
Feb 17, 3:01 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBButler, Crenshaw44 min
Feb 17, 3:24 PM CSTMarine Weather StatementMOB5 hr
Feb 17, 3:28 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBButler, Covington, Crenshaw, Escambia50 min
Feb 17, 3:51 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBCovington24 min
Feb 17, 3:59 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB31 min
Feb 17, 4:30 PM CSTSpecial Marine WarningMOB90 min
Feb 17, 5:09 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCovington36 min
Feb 17, 5:53 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBCovington52 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.