Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 239, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 7, 2009Bullock County, Macon County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 7, 2009, 9:11 AM CDT for Bullock County, Macon County, Alabama. It was in force for 34 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 7, 2009, 9:11 AM CDT (14:11 UTC)
Expired: May 7, 2009, 9:45 AM CDT
In force: 34 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Bullock County, AL, Macon County, AL

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm 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 nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 2.2 hours before the alert went out and 157 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: 1258 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 446 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 115 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.6
Supercell composite: 3.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WUUS54 KBMX 071411
SVRBMX
ALC011-087-071445-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0239.090507T1411Z-090507T1445Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
911 AM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN BULLOCK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...UNION SPRINGS...MIDWAY...
  SOUTHERN MACON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 945 AM CDT

* AT 911 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60
  MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FRANKLIN FIELD...OR 7 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF UNION SPRINGS...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  UNION SPRINGS BY 920 AM CDT...
  GUERRYTON BY 935 AM CDT...
  6 MILES NORTH OF MIDWAY BY 940 AM CDT...

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...
CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3217 8589 3220 8589 3234 8584 3226 8543
      3216 8543 3216 8541 3215 8541 3214 8543
      3203 8543
TIME...MOT...LOC 1411Z 286DEG 28KT 3223 8575

$$

75

2 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 071429
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
929 AM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

ALC011-087-071445-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0239.000000T0000Z-090507T1445Z/
BULLOCK AL-MACON AL-
929 AM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 945 AM CDT
FOR SOUTHEASTERN MACON AND NORTHEASTERN BULLOCK COUNTIES...

AT 928 AM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS REPORTED CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED
NEAR THREE NOTCH...OR 7 MILES EAST OF UNION SPRINGS...MOVING EAST AT
30 MPH.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  THREE NOTCH AND GUERRYTON BY 935 AM CDT...
  MIDWAY BY 940 AM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS
IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES NUMBER ONE KILLERS.
REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.

&&

LAT...LON 3213 8575 3229 8569 3224 8543 3216 8543
      3216 8542 3215 8541 3214 8543 3208 8543
      3204 8544
TIME...MOT...LOC 1429Z 286DEG 28KT 3218 8559

$$

75

000 
WWUS54 KBMX 071436
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
936 AM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

ALC011-087-071445-
/O.EXP.KBMX.SV.W.0239.000000T0000Z-090507T1445Z/
BULLOCK AL-MACON AL-
936 AM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN MACON AND
NORTHEASTERN BULLOCK COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 945 AM CDT...

LAT...LON 3213 8575 3229 8569 3224 8543 3216 8543
      3216 8542 3215 8541 3214 8543 3208 8543
      3204 8544
TIME...MOT...LOC 1435Z 286DEG 28KT 3215 8554

$$

75

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 7, 7:00 AM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 7, 7:00 AM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
700 AM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

.UPDATE...FOR 12Z AVIATION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...

THIS MORNINGS ACTIVITY WILL PROVIDE A NICE FOCUSING MECH FOR
STRONGER AND ISOLATED SEVERE ACTIVITY AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON.
LOOKING AT PROGS...AREAS SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY WILL BE ABLE TO
GENERATE SUMMER-LIKE INSTABILITY PARAMETERS GRANTED THEY SEE SOME
MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON SUNSHINE. OBVIOUSLY...THE MORE SURFACE
HEATING THE STEEPER THE LOW LEVEL LAPSE WILL BECOME BY MID
AFTERNOON. THIS WILL DEFINITELY GET STORMS GOING AFTER LUNCH...AND
THEY COULD BE QUITE NUMEROUS AS WE GO TOWARDS THE EVENING. IM NOT
TOO IMPRESSED BY THE UPPER LAPSE RATES AT THIS JUNCTURE...BUT WITH
MID LEVEL DRY AIR IN PLACE...THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR SKINNIER CAPE
VALUES ALOFT TO BECOME MUCH FATTER...ALLOWING FOR A MORE ROBUST
HAIL THREAT. OUTSIDE OF AN EXITING JET ALOFT...THE SHEAR
PARAMETERS ARE NOT IMPRESSIVE...ESPECIALLY IN THE LOW LEVELS. THIS
WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THE STORMS MAY HAVE TROUBLE GETTING
ORGANIZED. HOWEVER...CLEARLY SEEING THE BOUNDARY IN PLACE...WOULD
TEND TO THINK THAT STORM ORGANIZATION WILL BE IN THE CARDS. MODELS
REALLY SEEM TO STRUGGLE WITH LOW LEVEL HELICITY VALUES AROUND A
BOUNDARY...SO I WOULD NOT TAKE ANY SEVERE THREAT OFF THE TABLE AT
THIS JUNCTURE...ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE LAST WEEK WORTH OF ACTIVITY.
THE STORMS WILL GENERALLY FORM ALONG THE FOCUS BOUNDARY AND DRIFT
SLOWLY TO THE SOUTHEAST. GIVEN THAT THE SHEAR VECTORS ARE ON THE
WEAK SIDE AND THE UPPER LAPSE RATES ARE FAIRLY MOIST
ADIABATIC...WILL TEND TO STICK TO THE THEORY THAT THE STORMS WILL
BE A BIT MORE DIURNALLY DRIVEN THAN IN PREVIOUS OVERNIGHT PERIODS.

LOOKS LIKE WE WILL CATCH A MUCH NEEDED REST ON FRIDAY AND PERHAPS
FOR A GOOD PART OF THE WEEKEND AS DRIER AIR PUSHES IN FROM THE
SOUTHWEST. IT WILL WARM SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE WEAK RIDGING NOSING
IN SO HIGHS IN THE 90S WILL BE THE FORECAST...ESPECIALLY SOUTH.

THE BREAK COMES TO AN END QUICK BY MONDAY AS YET ANOTHER SAGGING
BOUNDARY AND JET STREAK SLOWLY PUSHES OVER CENTRAL ALABAMA. FOR
NOW...I AM NOT SEEING ANYTHING ORGANIZED AS FAR AS A WIDESPREAD SEVERE
THREAT...BUT WE WILL CERTAINLY HAVE TO WATCH CAREFULLY AS IT IS
THAT TIME OF YEAR. MODELS SEEM TO BE IN DECENT AGREEMENT THAT THE
FRONT WILL CLEAR THE AREA TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND DRY AIR WILL
MOVE INTO THE AREA...BUT DONT WANT TO BITE TOO EARLY.

&&

.AVIATION...12Z TAF DISCUSSION.

LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL SLOWLY SHIFT SOUTHWARD
THROUGH CENTRAL ALABAMA TODAY. IFR CONDITIONS WILL START OFF THE
TAF PERIOD WITH A SLOW RISE ON THE CEILINGS AND VIS THROUGH 18Z.
ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED MAINLY SOUTH OF
INTERSTATE 20 THIS AFTERNOON. SOME MVFR CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED TO
RETURN AFTER 06Z.

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

17/88

Hazardous weather outlook, May 7, 5:32 AM CDT, 3 hours 39 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
532 AM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

ALZ011>015-017>050-081032-
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-
532 AM CDT THU MAY 7 2009

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA ON THURSDAY
FROM AROUND NOON UNTIL 10 PM.  THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS
WILL BE STRONG DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL.  THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR
DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20
DURING THE EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON AND ALONG THE HIGHWAY 80 AND
INTERSTATE 85 CORRIDORS IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING
HOURS.

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

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE NEEDED
ON THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

17/KLAWS

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 7, 8:42 AM CDT, 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
842 AM CDT THU MAY 07 2009

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

0835 AM     FLASH FLOOD      4 N PRATTVILLE          32.52N 86.45W
05/07/2009                   AUTAUGA            AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            FLASH FLOODING WAS REPORTED ON SHELIA BLVD., COUNTY ROAD
            40 AND COUNTY ROAD 3.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, May 7, 8:44 AM CDT, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
844 AM CDT THU MAY 07 2009

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

0839 AM     FLASH FLOOD      WETUMPKA                32.54N 86.20W
05/07/2009                   ELMORE             AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            US HIGHWAY 231 BETWEEN MONTGOMERY AND WETUMPKA HAS WATER
            OVER THE ROAD AND PARTS OF THE ROAD ARE IMPASSABLE.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, May 7, 8:50 AM CDT, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
850 AM CDT THU MAY 07 2009

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

0650 AM     TSTM WND DMG     TUSKEGEE                32.44N 85.71W
05/07/2009                   MACON              AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            A LARGE TREE HAS FALLEN ON A HOME ON HIGHWAY 80 WEST NEAR
            TUSKEGEE. THERE MAY BE OCCUPANTS TRAPPED IN THE HOME.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, May 7, 8:54 AM CDT, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
854 AM CDT THU MAY 07 2009

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

0850 AM     FLASH FLOOD      MONTGOMERY              32.35N 86.28W
05/07/2009                   MONTGOMERY         AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            COLLISEUM ROAD NEAR WINN DIXIE IMPASSABLE. CAR STALLED
            OUT IN ROAD

&&

STEFKOVICH

Local storm report, May 7, 8:56 AM CDT, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
856 AM CDT THU MAY 07 2009

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

0835 AM     FLASH FLOOD      4 N PRATTVILLE          32.52N 86.45W
05/07/2009                   AUTAUGA            AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            FLASH FLOODING WAS REPORTED ON SHELIA BLVD.,COUNTY ROAD
            40, COUNTY ROAD 3, COBBS FORD ROAD, UPPER KINGSTON,
            COUNTY ROAD 31, AND A FEW CREEKS IN PRATTVILLE NEAR
            CHESTNUT STREET.

&&

LINHARES

Local storm report, May 7, 8:59 AM CDT, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
859 AM CDT THU MAY 07 2009

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

0650 AM     TSTM WND DMG     TUSKEGEE                32.44N 85.71W
05/07/2009                   MACON              AL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            A LARGE TREE HAS FALLEN ON A HOME ON HIGHWAY 80 WEST NEAR
            TUSKEGEE. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE HOME WERE TRAPPED INSIDE
            BUT HAVE BEEN RESCUED WITHOUT INJURY.

&&

LINHARES

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 7, 5:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Macon, Tallapoosa	27 min
May 7, 6:31 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Macon, Montgomery, Tallapoosa	29 min
May 7, 6:43 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bullock, Macon, Russell	47 min
May 7, 7:11 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Chilton	3 hr
May 7, 7:19 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Macon, Russell	34 min
May 7, 7:27 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Macon, Montgomery	33 min
May 7, 7:32 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore, Lee, Macon and 2 more	4 hr
May 7, 8:07 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Montgomery	4 hr
May 7, 8:35 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Macon, Montgomery	40 min
May 7, 9:40 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Barbour, Bullock, Macon, Montgomery, Pike, Russell	4 hr
May 7, 10:43 AM CDT	Flash Flood Watch	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Chambers, Chilton and 15 more	13 hr
May 7, 11:24 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Elmore, Lee, Macon and 3 more	4 hr
May 7, 12:21 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Elmore, Montgomery	22 hr
May 7, 1:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Barbour	37 min
May 7, 1:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Barbour	48 min
May 7, 1:30 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Barbour	39 min
May 7, 2:14 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Montgomery	6 hr
May 7, 3:14 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Elmore, Macon, Montgomery and 2 more	3 hr
May 7, 3:14 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bullock, Elmore, Macon, Montgomery and 2 more	3 hr

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.