Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2009
Tornado Warning 101, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at May 2, 2009, 2:28 PM CDT for Lamar County, Marion 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
- May 2, 2009, 2:28 PM CDT (19:28 UTC)
- Expired
- May 2, 2009, 3:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 47 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Lamar County, AL, Marion County, AL
The radar
The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 35 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:32 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2, 2:50 PM CDT | TSTM WND DMG | Hamilton, AL | 2 TREES DOWN IN EAST SIDE OF TOWN ALONG HWYS 17 AND 278. |
| May 2, 2:50 PM CDT | HAIL 0.25 | Hamilton, AL | PEA SIZE HAIL IN DOWNTOWN HAMILTON. |
| May 2, 3:21 PM CDT | FUNNEL CLOUD | Hamilton, AL | CR42 WITH PEA SIZE HAIL IN HAMILTON |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 7.5 hours before the alert went out and 160 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
- 830 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -4 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 507 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 30 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 62 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 76 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.2
- Supercell composite
- 1.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WFUS54 KBMX 021928
TORBMX
ALC075-093-022015-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0101.090502T1928Z-090502T2015Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
228 PM CDT SAT MAY 2 2009
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
CENTRAL MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF HAMILTON...
NORTHEASTERN LAMAR COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
* UNTIL 315 PM CDT
* AT 228 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DETECTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 11 MILES NORTHWEST OF
DETROIT...OR 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FULTON...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
7 MILES NORTH OF DETROIT BY 250 PM CDT...
WESTON BY 305 PM CDT...
HAMILTON BY 315 PM CDT...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
&&
LAT...LON 3418 8819 3422 8819 3423 8785 3398 8785
3401 8821
TIME...MOT...LOC 1928Z 268DEG 23KT 3413 8833
$$
272 follow-up statements
000
WWUS54 KBMX 021945
SVSBMX
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
245 PM CDT SAT MAY 2 2009
ALC075-093-022015-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0101.000000T0000Z-090502T2015Z/
LAMAR AL-MARION AL-
245 PM CDT SAT MAY 2 2009
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
MARION AND NORTHEASTERN LAMAR COUNTIES...
AT 242 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUES TO DETECT A
TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF BYRD...OR 13
MILES WEST OF HAMILTON...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
BYRD BY 255 PM CDT...
8 MILES NORTH OF HENSON SPRINGS BY 300 PM CDT...
WESTON BY 305 PM CDT...
RANKIN FITE AIRPORT BY 310 PM CDT...
HAMILTON...7 MILES NORTH OF PIKEVILLE AND 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF PEA
RIDGE BY 315 PM CDT...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
&&
LAT...LON 3418 8819 3422 8819 3423 8785 3398 8785
3401 8821
TIME...MOT...LOC 1945Z 268DEG 23KT 3413 8820
$$
27000 WWUS54 KBMX 021956 SVSBMX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 256 PM CDT SAT MAY 2 2009 ALC075-093-022015- /O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0101.000000T0000Z-090502T2015Z/ LAMAR AL-MARION AL- 256 PM CDT SAT MAY 2 2009 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL MARION AND NORTHEASTERN LAMAR COUNTIES... AT 256 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUES TO DETECT A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR BYRD...OR 8 MILES WEST OF HAMILTON...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... 8 MILES NORTH OF HENSON SPRINGS BY 300 PM CDT... WESTON BY 305 PM CDT... HAMILTON AND RANKIN FITE AIRPORT BY 310 PM CDT... 7 MILES NORTH OF PIKEVILLE AND 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF PEA RIDGE BY 315 PM CDT... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL 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 900 PM CDT SATURDAY EVENING FOR NORTHERN ALABAMA. && LAT...LON 3401 8816 3422 8816 3423 8785 3398 8785 TIME...MOT...LOC 1956Z 268DEG 23KT 3413 8812 $$ 27
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 7:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee, Etowah | 49 min |
| May 1, 7:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah | 49 min |
| May 2, 3:08 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 40 min |
| May 2, 3:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 52 min |
| May 2, 3:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Marion, Winston | 43 min |
| May 2, 4:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Marion, Winston | 30 min |
| May 2, 4:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar | 55 min |
| May 2, 4:31 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar | 59 min |
| May 2, 5:02 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Lamar | 28 min |
| May 2, 5:17 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette | 58 min |
| May 2, 5:23 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar | 67 min |
| May 2, 5:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker, Winston | 42 min |
| May 2, 6:02 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 58 min |
| May 2, 6:51 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 54 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.