Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2009
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 429, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 26, 2009, 8:33 AM CDT for Jefferson County, Alabama. It was in force for 21 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
- Sep 26, 2009, 8:33 AM CDT (13:33 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 26, 2009, 8:54 AM CDT
- In force
- 21 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
County Jefferson County, AL
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 44 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:34 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 43 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
- 1993 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -15 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 656 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 27 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 57 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 67 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.5
- Supercell composite
- 3.4
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 Sep 26, 7:19 AM CDT, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 26, 7:19 AM CDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 719 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 .DISCUSSION... AS ADVERTISED THE STRONG COLD CORE LOW PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS IS CURRENTLY STARTING TO ACCELERATE EASTWARD AS SEEN IN THE LATEST IR/WV SATELLITE IMAGERY. THE HEIGHT FALLS AND DIFFLUENCE ALOFT IT PRESENTS OUT AHEAD OF IT WILL GENERATE A DECENT COLD FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT WILL MOVE FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA LATER TODAY WITH PLENTY OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO FOR MOST AREAS. BEYOND THIS FRONTAL PASSAGE...THE FORECAST MERELY BECOMES ONE OF TEMPERATURE AS HIGHS AND LOWS WILL BE SOME 10 TO 15 DEGREES LOWER OVER THE COMING WEEK AS YET ANOTHER COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA ON MONDAY. FOR TODAY...EXPECT THE FRONTAL PRECIPITATION TO BE ON OUR NORTHWESTERN DOORSTEP RIGHT AROUND SUNRISE. AM GROWING MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SATURATED AIRMASS THAT LAYS IN WAIT IN THE PREFRONTAL ENVIRONMENT. THE MODELS AND LATEST UPPER AIR SOUNDINGS INDICATE COLUMN PW VALUES WILL BE WELL IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES..SOME AS HIGH AS 2.35 INCHES...WHICH IS A TROUBLING FORETHOUGHT OF THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOODING. WITH THAT IN MIND...WILL INTRODUCE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ACROSS A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA UNTIL THE FRONT PASSES. STILL...I AM JUST A BIT ON THE SKEPTICAL SIDE AS I STILL WONDER HOW WIDESPREAD THE PROBLEM WILL BE. THE MAIN THREATS CAN BE REALIZED IF THE FORWARD SPEED IS SLOW...OBVIOUSLY THE INTENSITY OF THE CONVECTION...AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TRAINING CELLS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY. WITH THE FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE STILL LOW...BUT UP A BIT FROM MID WEEK...WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT THERE WILL BE ISOLATED PROBLEMS TO SAY THE LEAST. THERE IS ALSO THE CONSIDERATION OF A WEDGE BOUNDARY AND POSSIBLE WEAK SURFACE LOW THAT COULD GET ITS ACT TOGETHER ACROSS THE EAST AND SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES. IF THERE COULD BE SOME LIMITED INSTABILITY GENERATED FROM SURFACE HEATING...A STRONG TO POSSIBLY ISOLATED SEVERE WIND THREAT COULD BE IN THE CARDS LATER THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE MORE ROBUST CONVECTION. I WILL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT THE UPPER FLOW AND MOIST ADIABATIC UPPER LAPSE RATES ARE NOT HELPFUL TO GET THE UPDRAFTS NEEDED OT PRODUCE A MAJOR THREAT...BUT WITH SOME SURFACE INSTABILITY...THE MENTIONED FACTORS COULD BE OVERCOME. WITH THAT THOUGHT IN MIND...WILL ALSO KEEP THE IDEA OF A STRONG STORM OR TWO IN THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTERSECTS THIS REGION. BEYOND TODAY...THE FRONT WILL EXIT STAGE RIGHT DURING THE OVERNIGHT AND WITH ANOTHER DRY COLD FRONT ON MONDAY...TEMPS AND DEWPOINTS WILL HAVE THE FIRST FALL FEEL FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. I AM STILL WATCHING THE NEXT FRONT OVER THE COMING WEEKEND...BUT WILL HAVE TIME TO SORT OUT THE DETAILS DURING THE QUIET WEEK AHEAD. 17/KLAWS && .AVIATION...12Z TAF DISCUSSION. FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT ALL SITES WILL SEE RAIN TODAY AT SOME POINT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE A PROBLEM THROUGH OUT THE DAY. CEILINGS WILL RUN LOW...OR AT LEAST MVFR. IT COULD BRIEFLY DROP LOWER THAN THAT DURING A HEAVY RAIN STORM. DRIER CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN AFTER 00Z AS A FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE THROUGH FROM THE NORTHWEST. TIMING ON WHEN ALL OF THIS WILL CLEAR WILL DEPEND ON HOW FAST THE FRONT MOVES. FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT AT LEAST THE NORTHERN TAF WILL SEE THE RAIN END BETWEEN 00Z AND 03Z. 10/ARM && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWESTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWA FROM 10 AM UNTIL 7 PM SATURDAY. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWA FROM 10 AM SATURDAY UNTIL 1 AM SUNDAY. &&
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 26, 5:00 AM CDT, 3 hours 33 minutes before
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</html>In the hours before
Special weather statement, Sep 26, 5:36 AM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 536 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 ALZ022-261100- PICKENS- 536 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PICKENS COUNTY UNTIL 600 AM CDT... AT 534 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MEMPHIS...OR 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALICEVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... MEMPHIS. GEORGE DOWNER AIRPORT. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 17/KLAWS
Special weather statement, Sep 26, 6:23 AM CDT, 2 hours 10 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 623 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 ALZ022-023-261215- PICKENS-TUSCALOOSA- 623 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR PICKENS AND TUSCALOOSA COUNTIES UNTIL 715 AM CDT... AT 622 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF ALICEVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... DILLBURG. CARROLLTON. PIONEER. GORDO. ELROD. ECHOLA. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 17/KLAWS
Special weather statement, Sep 26, 7:49 AM CDT, 44 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 749 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 ALZ023-261315- TUSCALOOSA- 749 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR TUSCALOOSA COUNTY UNTIL 815 AM CDT... AT 748 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTH OF HOLT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... LAKE NICOL PARK. BANKHEAD LOCK AND DAM. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. 17/KLAWS
Local storm report, Sep 26, 8:08 AM CDT, 25 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
808 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0720 AM HAIL 1 NNE SIPSEY RIVER 33.28N 87.76W
09/26/2009 E0.75 INCH TUSCALOOSA AL FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
REPORTED AT MILE MARKER 35 ON U.S. HIGHWAY 82 WEST NEAR
SIPSEY SWAMP.
&&
GGOGGINSSpecial weather statement, Sep 26, 8:09 AM CDT, 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 809 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 ALZ015-024-261415- JEFFERSON-WALKER- 809 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR JEFFERSON AND WALKER COUNTIES UNTIL 915 AM CDT... AT 808 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BULL CITY...OR 17 MILES WEST OF HUEYTOWN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. WINDS UP TO 30 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... LITTLE SHOAL. OAK GROVE. HUEYTOWN. BIRMINGHAMPORT. FAIRFIELD. MAYTOWN. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION. KSL
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 26, 4:15 AM CDT | Flash Flood Watch | BMX | Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun, Chambers and 24 more | 16 hr |
| Sep 26, 6:56 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Pickens, Tuscaloosa | 49 min |
| Sep 26, 9:25 AM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Lamar | 3 hr |
| Sep 26, 9:35 AM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Walker | 115 min |
| Sep 26, 10:05 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Lamar | 3 hr |
| Sep 26, 10:17 AM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Fayette | 118 min |
| Sep 26, 11:15 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Walker | 3 hr |
| Sep 26, 12:24 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Blount, Jefferson | 3 hr |
| Sep 26, 12:47 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Shelby | 118 min |
| Sep 26, 1:42 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Calhoun, St. Clair, Talladega | 2 hr |
| Sep 26, 1:55 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Calhoun | 78 min |
| Sep 26, 2:30 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Clay | 3 hr |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2009Every 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.