Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2009
Tornado Warning 85, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 19, 2009, 6:24 PM CDT for Bibb County, Shelby County, Talladega County, Alabama. It was in force for 51 min. 4 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
- Apr 19, 2009, 6:24 PM CDT (23:24 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 19, 2009, 7:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 51 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
Counties Bibb County, AL, Shelby County, AL, Talladega County, AL
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 16 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 6:53 PM CDT | TORNADO 0 | 4 Sw Alabaster, AL | BASED ON PHOTOS AND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS, ANOTHER TORNADO HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ALABASTER. THE TORNADO WAS RATED AN EF-0 WITH THE HIGHEST WINDS BETWEEN 60 AND 65 MPH. A FEW TREES WERE DAMAGED ALONG THE PATH AND SOME MINOR SHINGLE DAMAGE OCCURRED. SEVERAL PEOPL |
| Apr 19, 6:53 PM CDT | TORNADO | 4 Sw Alabaster, AL | BASED ON PHOTOS AND EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS, ANOTHER TORNADO HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED IN ALABASTER. THE TORNADO WAS RATED AN EF-0 WITH THE HIGHEST WINDS BETWEEN 60 AND 65 MPH. A FEW TREES WERE DAMAGED ALONG THE PATH AND SOME MINOR SHINGLE DAMAGE OCCURRED. SEVERAL PEOPE |
| Apr 19, 7:02 PM CDT | TORNADO 0 | S Alabaster, AL | NUMEROUS TREES WERE SNAPPED OFF AND UPROOTED NEAR PUBLIX GROCERY AND COUNTY ROAD 11. |
| Apr 19, 7:02 PM CDT | TORNADO | Alabaster, AL | REPORTED ON THE GROUND NEAR THE SHOPPING CENTER AT EXIT NUMBER 238 OFF INTERSTATE 65. |
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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2:19 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 16 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2056 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 109 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 136 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WFUS54 KBMX 192324 TORBMX ALC007-117-121-200015- /O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0085.090419T2324Z-090420T0015Z/ BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 624 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2009 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR... NORTH CENTRAL BIBB COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA... CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA... THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...WILSONVILLE...COLUMBIANA... ALABASTER... SOUTHWESTERN TALLADEGA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA... THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...SYLACAUGA...CHILDERSBURG... * UNTIL 715 PM CDT * AT 623 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MAYLENE...OR 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF MONTEVALLO...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. * THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... MAYLENE BY 630 PM CDT... AMERICAN VILLAGE AND ALABASTER BY 635 PM CDT... COLUMBIANA BY 650 PM CDT... WILSONVILLE BY 700 PM CDT... CHILDERSBURG BY 705 PM CDT... CHILDERSBURG BY 710 PM CDT... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. 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 SUNDAY EVENING FOR ALABAMA. && LAT...LON 3339 8635 3314 8624 3310 8708 3321 8709 TIME...MOT...LOC 2324Z 261DEG 43KT 3316 8696 $$ 12/SIRMON
2 follow-up statements
000 WWUS54 KBMX 192339 SVSBMX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 639 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2009 ALC007-117-121-200015- /O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0085.000000T0000Z-090420T0015Z/ BIBB AL-SHELBY AL-TALLADEGA AL- 639 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2009 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL TALLADEGA...CENTRAL SHELBY AND NORTHEASTERN BIBB COUNTIES... AT 639 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR MARVEL...OR 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF MONTEVALLO...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... MAYLENE BY 655 PM CDT... SILURIA AND ALABASTER BY 700 PM CDT... SAGINAW AND CAMP BRANCH BY 705 PM CDT... 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF COLUMBIANA BY 715 PM CDT... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR ALABAMA. && LAT...LON 3314 8703 3321 8704 3339 8635 3314 8624 TIME...MOT...LOC 2339Z 258DEG 25KT 3319 8699 $$ 10/ARM
000 WWUS54 KBMX 192352 SVSBMX SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 652 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2009 ALC007-200002- /O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0085.000000T0000Z-090420T0015Z/ BIBB AL- 652 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2009 ...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN BIBB COUNTY IS CANCELLED... A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR ALABAMA. LAT...LON 3316 8693 3323 8694 3339 8635 3314 8624 TIME...MOT...LOC 2352Z 250DEG 14KT 3321 8690 $$ ALC117-121-200015- /O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0085.000000T0000Z-090420T0015Z/ SHELBY AL-TALLADEGA AL- 652 PM CDT SUN APR 19 2009 ...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 715 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL TALLADEGA AND SOUTHERN SHELBY COUNTIES... AT 652 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR MAYLENE...OR 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALABASTER...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR... MAYLENE BY 700 PM CDT... ALABASTER...SAGINAW AND SILURIA BY 710 PM CDT... CAMP BRANCH BY 715 PM CDT... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR ALABAMA. && LAT...LON 3316 8693 3323 8694 3339 8635 3314 8624 TIME...MOT...LOC 2352Z 250DEG 14KT 3321 8690 $$ 10/ARM
The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 4:36 AM CDT | Lake Wind Advisory | BMX | Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more | 13 hr |
| Apr 19, 2:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar | 38 min |
| Apr 19, 2:41 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Fayette | 26 min |
| Apr 19, 3:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Pickens, Tuscaloosa | 39 min |
| Apr 19, 3:21 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Hale, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa | 39 min |
| Apr 19, 4:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa | 28 min |
| Apr 19, 4:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Hale, Sumter | 46 min |
| Apr 19, 4:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 60 min |
| Apr 19, 4:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa | 38 min |
| Apr 19, 5:04 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa | 24 min |
| Apr 19, 5:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston | 63 min |
| Apr 19, 5:39 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Greene, Hale, Perry | 51 min |
| Apr 19, 6:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb, Perry | 63 min |
| Apr 19, 6:17 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Shelby | 43 min |
| Apr 19, 6:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Winston | 26 min |
| Apr 19, 6:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston | 48 min |
| Apr 19, 6:52 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | BMX | Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Perry | 53 min |
| Apr 19, 6:56 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Shelby | 3 hr |
| Apr 19, 6:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lowndes, Montgomery | 48 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.