Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 203, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 3, 20099 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 3, 2009, 3:20 PM CDT for 9 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 55 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: May 3, 2009, 3:20 PM CDT (20:20 UTC)
Expired: May 3, 2009, 4:15 PM CDT
In force: 55 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Calhoun County, AL, Chambers County, AL, Clay County, AL, Cleburne County, AL, Coosa County, AL, Randolph County, AL, St. Clair County, AL, Talladega County, AL, Tallapoosa County, AL

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 3, 11:35 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 88 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: 365 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -26 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 527 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 193 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 180 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.4
Supercell composite: 2.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 3, 1:23 PM CDT, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 1:23 PM CDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
123 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009

.UPDATE...AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

ONGOING CONVECTION ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL SECTIONS OF THE
AREA. MAIN CONCERN WILL BE IF THE MAIN BOWING SEGMENT ACROSS THE
SOUTHWEST WILL TRACK EAST NORTHEAST OR MOVE MORE NORTHEASTWARD OVER
THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THIS DERECHO WILL BE MOVING INTO A MORE
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS AND WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED EXCLUSIVELY.

&&

.AVIATION...18Z TAF DISCUSSION.

TWO LINES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OUT THERE THIS AFTERNOON. ONE
IMPACTING TCL AND WILL MOVE INTO BHM AND EET WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR.
THE SECOND LINE IS MOVING INTO SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA IN THE FORM OF A
DERECHO. MAIN CONCERN FOR TAFS WILL BE THE ONGOING POSSIBILITY FOR
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. GUSTY WINDS
WILL BE POSSIBLE...WITH MVFR CONDITIONS DURING STRONGER STORMS...AND
BRIEF PERIODS OF IFR VIS POSSIBLE. AFTER 3 TO 4Z MVFR CIGS ACROSS
ALL AREAS. ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE AFTER
9Z TOMORROW.

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...FLASH FLOOD WATCH WEST COUNTIES
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 1:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
130 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009

ALZ011>015-017>050-041645-
AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE-
CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE-
JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-
PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA-
TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON-
130 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE STORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS AREAS GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A
LINE FROM CARROLTON TO ONEONTA.  THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE STORMS
WILL BE STRONG DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES.  THE
FIRST AND PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE FROM UNTIL 5 PM.  HOWEVER...A
SECONDARY LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS ALSO POSSIBLE LATER THIS
EVENING AND THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

THERE IS ALSO THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING ACROSS WESTERN ALABAMA.
DUE RECENT HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS WEST ALABAMA...THIS AREA HAS
BETTER CHANCES FOR FLASH FLOODING THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...BUT
AREAS OUTSIDE THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH COULD EXPERIENCE FLOODING IF
STORMS TRAIN OVER THE SAME AREA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA
MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN THREAT IS WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH
AND SMALL HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS NEEDED THIS
AFTERNOON AND WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED TONIGHT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 3, 3:06 PM CDT, 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
306 PM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0304 PM     TORNADO          SYLACAUGA               33.18N 86.26W
05/03/2009                   TALLADEGA          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            UNCONFIRMED TORNADO...MULTIMPLE TREES DOWN AND UPROOTED.

&&

10.5

Local storm report, May 3, 3:09 PM CDT, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
309 PM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0304 PM     TORNADO          OAK GROVE               33.19N 86.30W
05/03/2009                   TALLADEGA          AL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            UNCONFIRMED TORNADO OLD SYLACAUGA HWY AND ODENS MILL.

&&

10.5

Local storm report, May 3, 3:11 PM CDT, 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
311 PM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0300 PM     TSTM WND DMG     COLUMBIANA              33.18N 86.60W
05/03/2009                   SHELBY             AL   PUBLIC

            TREES DOWN IN COLUMBIANA.

0300 PM     TSTM WND DMG     SYLACAUGA               33.18N 86.26W
05/03/2009                   TALLADEGA          AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            ESTIMATED 50 MPH WINDS AT WEST WALNUT AND COALING ROAD
            BEHIND FOOD WORLD. POWER OUT AND TREE LIMBS DOWN.

&&

Local storm report, May 3, 3:14 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
314 PM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0304 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 E COLUMBIANA          33.18N 86.53W
05/03/2009                   SHELBY             AL   PUBLIC

            UTILITY SHED MISSING

&&

10.5

Local storm report, May 3, 3:17 PM CDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
317 PM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0308 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MILLBROOK               32.48N 86.37W
05/03/2009                   ELMORE             AL   PUBLIC

            POWER LINES AND TREES DOWN.

&&

Local storm report, May 3, 3:20 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
320 PM CDT SUN MAY 03 2009

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

0308 PM     TORNADO          WEAVER                  33.76N 85.81W
05/03/2009                   CALHOUN            AL   PUBLIC

            911 OFFICE RELAYED A PUBLIC REPORT OF A TORNADO ON THE
            GROUND IN WEAVER.

&&

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 2, 7:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Walker	43 min
May 2, 7:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	24 min
May 2, 7:34 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, Walker	56 min
May 2, 7:56 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Lamar, Marion	4 hr
May 2, 7:56 PM CDT	Flash Flood Watch	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker and 1 more	9 hr
May 2, 8:19 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair, Walker	41 min
May 3, 5:08 AM CDT	Flash Flood Watch	BMX	Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Marion and 6 more	16 hr
May 3, 8:37 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Sumter	53 min
May 3, 11:28 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Greene, Hale, Tuscaloosa	15 min
May 3, 12:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo, Sumter	61 min
May 3, 12:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	55 min
May 3, 12:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa	51 min
May 3, 12:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Sumter	62 min
May 3, 1:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry and 2 more	57 min
May 3, 1:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	67 min
May 3, 1:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Hale, Perry	42 min
May 3, 1:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa	50 min
May 3, 1:40 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Greene, Hale, Perry, Tuscaloosa	50 min
May 3, 1:42 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa	2 hr
May 3, 1:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby	44 min
May 3, 1:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore and 6 more	65 min
May 3, 2:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega	58 min
May 3, 2:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Bibb, Bullock, Chilton, Clay, Coosa and 7 more	58 min
May 3, 2:48 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, St. Clair, Talladega	57 min
May 3, 3:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Coosa, Elmore, Lee and 5 more	73 min
May 3, 3:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne	54 min
May 3, 3:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Talladega	18 min
May 3, 4:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Cleburne, Randolph	34 min
May 3, 4:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Lee, Russell	34 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2009 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2009

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.