Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Mobile, AL

January 10, 2009Washington County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this tornado warning at Jan 10, 2009, 2:15 PM CST for Washington County, Alabama. It was in force for 37 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
Jan 10, 2009, 2:15 PM CST (20:15 UTC)
Expired
Jan 10, 2009, 2:52 PM CST
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Washington County, AL

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 68 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:18 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

Slidell Radar S, LA (KSIL), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 190 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Slidell Radar S, LA at 12:00Z on 2009-01-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 859 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Slidell Radar S, LA at 12:00Z on 2009-01-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 213 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
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
859 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-12 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
490 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
213 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
234 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.1
Supercell composite
7.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS54 KMOB 102015
TORMOB
ALC129-102100-
/O.NEW.KMOB.TO.W.0002.090110T2015Z-090110T2100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
215 PM CST SAT JAN 10 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 300 PM CST

* AT 212 PM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
  TOPTON...OR ABOUT 17 MILES SOUTH OF CHATOM...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE  TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  TOPTON BY 230 PM CST...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING...PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR A ROOM SUCH AS
A CLOSET OR BATHROOM. IF POSSIBLE...GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER
PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY
AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE DAMAGING HAIL OR DAMAGING
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

IF YOU ARE IN MOBILE HOME...EVACUATE IT AND GET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF A NEARBY STURDY BUILDING OR IN AN UNDERGROUND STORM SHELTER. IF NO
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER IS AVAILABLE AND A TORNADO IS FAST APPROACHING...
SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW DEPRESSION AND COVER YOUR
HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 3136 8803 3124 8798 3119 8825 3125 8827
TIME...MOT...LOC 2016Z 248DEG 18KT 3123 8823

$$
3 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS54 KMOB 102027
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
227 PM CST SAT JAN 10 2009

ALC129-102100-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-090110T2100Z/
WASHINGTON AL-
227 PM CST SAT JAN 10 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CST FOR SOUTH
CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY...

AT 227 PM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUED TO INDICATE A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS
NEAR TOPTON...OR ABOUT 16 MILES SOUTH OF CHATOM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
25 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  MCINTOSH BY 245 PM CST...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING...PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR A ROOM SUCH AS
A CLOSET OR BATHROOM. IF POSSIBLE...GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER
PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY
AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE DAMAGING HAIL OR DAMAGING
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

IF YOU ARE IN MOBILE HOME...EVACUATE IT AND GET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF A NEARBY STURDY BUILDING OR IN AN UNDERGROUND STORM SHELTER. IF NO
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER IS AVAILABLE AND A TORNADO IS FAST APPROACHING...
SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW DEPRESSION AND COVER YOUR
HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY BE OBSCURING THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU
WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE
PLACE.

LAT...LON 3123 8819 3127 8821 3136 8803 3124 8798
TIME...MOT...LOC 2027Z 247DEG 20KT 3126 8816

$$
000 
WWUS54 KMOB 102038
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
238 PM CST SAT JAN 10 2009

ALC129-102100-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-090110T2100Z/
WASHINGTON AL-
238 PM CST SAT JAN 10 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 PM CST FOR EAST
CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY...

AT 238 PM CST.... THIS TORNADO WAS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL WASHINGTON
COUNTY...OR ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CHATOM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
20 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  RURAL EASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY AT 250 PM CST

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING...PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR A ROOM SUCH AS
A CLOSET OR BATHROOM. IF POSSIBLE...GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER
PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY
AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS
STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE DAMAGING HAIL OR DAMAGING
STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

IF YOU ARE IN MOBILE HOME...EVACUATE IT AND GET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF A NEARBY STURDY BUILDING OR IN AN UNDERGROUND STORM SHELTER. IF NO
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER IS AVAILABLE AND A TORNADO IS FAST APPROACHING...
SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW DEPRESSION AND COVER YOUR
HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY BE OBSCURING THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW IF YOU
WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE
PLACE.

LAT...LON 3126 8812 3129 8814 3136 8803 3128 8799
TIME...MOT...LOC 2038Z 240DEG 18KT 3128 8812

$$
000 
WWUS54 KMOB 102052
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
252 PM CST SAT JAN 10 2009

ALC129-102102-
/O.CAN.KMOB.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-090110T2100Z/
WASHINGTON AL-
252 PM CST SAT JAN 10 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

LAT...LON 3126 8812 3129 8814 3136 8803 3128 8799
TIME...MOT...LOC 2052Z 240DEG 18KT 3131 8805

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jan 10, 10:25 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryMOBMobile70 min
Jan 10, 4:17 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBWashington28 min
Jan 10, 4:45 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Washington30 min
Jan 10, 5:13 PM CSTTornado WarningMOBBaldwin, Clarke, Monroe, Washington37 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.