Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2010

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 12, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 10, 2010Lowndes County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 10, 2010, 3:14 PM CST for Lowndes County, Alabama. It was in force for 31 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: Mar 10, 2010, 3:14 PM CST (21:14 UTC)
Expired: Mar 10, 2010, 3:45 PM CST
In force: 31 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Lowndes County, AL

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Mar 10, 1:05 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 115 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 487 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 268 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 308 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Mar 10, 5:30 AM CST, 9 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 10, 5:30 AM CST, 9 hours 44 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
530 AM CST WED MAR 10 2010

.UPDATE...AVIATION DISCUSSION.

&&

.DISCUSSION...TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

AS OF THIS WRITING...BAND OF STRONG CONVECTION WAS LOCATED RIGHT
ACROSS THE HEART OF THE FORECAST AREA. A STRONG SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL
JET AND MID LEVEL TROUGH AXIS WERE PROVIDING PLENTY OF VERTICAL
MOTION AND MOISTURE CONVERGENCE OVER THE AREA. EXPECT THIS AREA TO
TRANSITION VERY SLOWLY NORTHWARD AND EASTWARD WITH TIME...BUT
TRAINING CELLS WILL OCCUR WELL AFTER SUNRISE....WITH LESSER
ORGANIZATION NOTED LATER. SEVERAL LOCATIONS HAVE RECEIVED 1-2
INCHES OF RAIN OVERNIGHT WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OVER 3 INCHES OR
MORE. NOT ALL AREAS WILL EXPERIENCE THE HEAVY RAIN TODAY... BUT
WITH MORE RAIN EXPECTED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...WILL
ISSUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TONIGHT TO AVOID ANY CONFUSION
TO THE AREAS AND TIMING OF RAIN.

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL STRAIGHT JET STREAM IS POSITIONED ALONG THE
NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO. THIS JET WILL PUT CENTRAL ALABAMA UNDER
DIFFLUENT FLOW THROUGH THURSDAY. AS THE FIRST UPPER SYSTEM EXITS
THE AREA THIS MORNING...ANOTHER MORE POTENT MID LEVEL TROUGH SWINGS
ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING. SEVERAL THINGS COME INTO PLAY
BESIDES THIS TROUGH AND ADD TO THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG STORMS AND
HEAVY RAIN. A SURFACE WARM FRONT WILL INCH TO THE AREA TODAY WITH
SURFACE DEW POINTS RISING INTO THE 60S SOUTHWEST AND THE LOW LEVEL
JET KICKS BACK UP THIS EVENING. UNSTABLE SURFACE CONDITIONS
DEVELOP NEAR AND SOUTH OF THE SURFACE WARM FRONT WITH SOME
SUPERCELLULAR STRUCTURE POSSIBLE. THEREFORE...WILL MENTION A
CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF A LINE FROM MONTGOMERY TO
TUSCALOOSA TO HALEYVILLE. THESE STRONGER STORMS MAY BE ISOLATED
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND INCREASE IN COVERAGE LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND INTO THIS EVENING. THERE WILL BE A SMALL CHANCE OF DAMAGING
WINDS... HAIL...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. ELSEWHERE...STRONG STORMS
ARE POSSIBLE BUT SHOULD GENERALLY REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS.
HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT AREA WIDE
WHERE ANOTHER 2 INCHES OR MORE WILL BE POSSIBLE IN A SHORT PERIOD
OF TIME.

.LONG TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

LARGE PIN-WHEELING UPPER LOW WILL HAVE AN EFFECT ON CENTRAL ALABAMA
WEATHER AT LEAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. GFS/ECMWF HAVE ANOTHER SPOKE
ROTATING THROUGH THE FLOW ON FRIDAY AND HAVE ADDED 40-60 POPS. TRUE
COLD FRONT PUSHES ACROSS THE AREA FRIDAY WITH A RETURN TO MORE
SEASONAL TEMPERATURE READINGS THEREAFTER. WILL HAVE TO MONITOR
HOW CLOSE THE UPPER GETS TO NORTHERN ALABAMA AS THERE COULD BE A
SMALL CHANCE OF SHOWERS EVEN BEYOND SUNDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...12Z TAF DISCUSSION.
AVIATION WILL BE TREACHEROUS TODAY AND TONIGHT AS NUMEROUS SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA.
THE STRONGEST STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR BETWEEN 2300 AND 04Z AND
COULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...HAIL...BLINDING RAINFALL...AND POSSIBLY TORNADOES.

THE TCL ASOS IS HAVING COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS.  WROTE A RATHER
PESSIMISTIC TAF AND ADDED AMD NOT SKED UNTIL THE PROBLEM CAN BE
FIXED.

12/SIRMON

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES: 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.

&&

75/75/27

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 10, 12:18 PM CST, 2 hours 56 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1218 PM CST WED MAR 10 2010

ALZ011>015-017>050-111300-
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-
1218 PM CST WED MAR 10 2010

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

HEAVY RAIN WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH
TONIGHT.  PLEASE REFER TO ONGOING FLASH FLOOD WATCH AND WARNING
STATEMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH MAY PRODUCE SMALL HAIL...ARE
ALSO POSSIBLE AREA WIDE THROUGH TONIGHT.

THERE IS A SLIGHTLY ENHANCED THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
IN WESTERN ALABAMA...GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM JASPER...
TO CENTREVILLE...TO SELMA.  AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THE TIME OF
GREATEST THREAT WILL BE BETWEEN 3 PM AND MIDNIGHT...AS THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOP IN MISSISSIPPI AND MOVE EASTWARD INTO ALABAMA.  THESE STORMS
WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND
POSSIBLY A TORNADO.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE
NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

61

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 10, 2:47 PM CST, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
247 PM CST WED MAR 10 2010

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

0225 PM     FLOOD            HELENA                  33.29N 86.85W
03/10/2010                   SHELBY             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            WOMAN RESCUED FROM DRAINAGE DITCH ALONG WOODVALE DRIVE

&&

HB

Local storm report, Mar 10, 2:49 PM CST, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
249 PM CST WED MAR 10 2010

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

0236 PM     FLOOD            TALLADEGA               33.43N 86.10W
03/10/2010                   TALLADEGA          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            ONE INCH OF WATER OVER GRIST MILL ROAD NEAR TALCUM PLANT.

&&

Local storm report, Mar 10, 2:53 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
253 PM CST WED MAR 10 2010

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

0230 PM     FLOOD            PELHAM                  33.30N 86.79W
03/10/2010                   SHELBY             AL   NWS EMPLOYEE

            WATER...MUD...AND SMALL TREES WASHING OVER HIGHWAY 11
            BETWEEN PELHAM AND CHLSEA.

&&

Local storm report, Mar 10, 2:54 PM CST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
254 PM CST WED MAR 10 2010

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

0228 PM     FLOOD            JASPER                  33.85N 87.27W
03/10/2010                   WALKER             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            ONE FOOT OF WATER ON NUMEROUS AREA ROADWAYS IN AND AROUND
            JASPER.

&&

HB

Local storm report, Mar 10, 2:57 PM CST, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
257 PM CST WED MAR 10 2010

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

0254 PM     FLOOD            ALABASTER               33.25N 86.82W
03/10/2010                   SHELBY             AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PEOPLE TRAPPED IN VEHICLES ALONG HIGHWAY 31 NEAR
            ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL

&&

HB

Local storm report, Mar 10, 2:59 PM CST, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
259 PM CST WED MAR 10 2010

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

0258 PM     FLOOD            ALABASTER               33.25N 86.82W
03/10/2010                   SHELBY             AL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HIGHWAY 31 CLOSED NEAR SHELBY BAPTIST HOSPITAL DUE TO
            FLOOD WATERS

&&

HB

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 10, 2:24 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Greene, Hale and 5 more	6 hr
Mar 10, 2:28 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Fayette, Jefferson, Lamar, Pickens, St. Clair, Tuscaloosa and 1 more	6 hr
Mar 10, 4:06 AM CST	Flash Flood Watch	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	26 hr
Mar 10, 4:30 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Shelby	2 hr
Mar 10, 4:51 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, Talladega	3 hr
Mar 10, 6:30 AM CST	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Shelby, Talladega	4 hr
Mar 10, 7:57 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Chambers, Clay, Coosa, Randolph, Tallapoosa	3 hr
Mar 10, 8:31 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Dallas, Perry	60 hr
Mar 10, 8:45 AM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Sumter	5 hr
Mar 10, 8:58 AM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, Lamar and 4 more	4 hr
Mar 10, 10:19 AM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Shelby, Talladega	3 hr
Mar 10, 10:36 AM CST	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, St. Clair and 1 more	3 hr
Mar 10, 12:43 PM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Fayette, Jefferson, Lamar, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker	3 hr
Mar 10, 1:11 PM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay and 8 more	3 hr
Mar 10, 1:37 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby	36 hr
Mar 10, 1:37 PM CST	River Flood Warning	BMX	Dallas, Perry	5 days
Mar 10, 1:40 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes	35 min
Mar 10, 1:50 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Perry	25 min
Mar 10, 2:13 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas	32 min
Mar 10, 2:21 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Lowndes	24 min
Mar 10, 2:52 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Lowndes, Montgomery	23 min
Mar 10, 3:16 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Montgomery	29 min
Mar 10, 3:43 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Montgomery	47 min
Mar 10, 3:52 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Clay, Talladega	23 min
Mar 10, 4:13 PM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Randolph and 3 more	4 hr
Mar 10, 4:31 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Montgomery	29 min
Mar 10, 4:34 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Lee, Macon, Tallapoosa	26 min
Mar 10, 4:41 PM CST	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Shelby	3 hr
Mar 10, 4:59 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Lee	46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2010 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2010

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.