Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2010

Tornado Warning 21, NWS Mobile, AL

May 21, 2010Clarke County, Washington County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this tornado warning at May 21, 2010, 6:17 PM CDT for Clarke County, Washington County, Alabama. It was in force for 43 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
May 21, 2010, 6:17 PM CDT (23:17 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 2010, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Clarke County, AL, Washington County, AL

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 102 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:19 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 watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 21, 11:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 204 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, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 2010-05-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1818 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, Jackson, MS at 12:00Z on 2010-05-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 121 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1818 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
498 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
121 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
129 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.9
Supercell composite
5.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

469 
WFUS54 KMOB 212317
TORMOB
ALC025-129-220000-
/O.NEW.KMOB.TO.W.0021.100521T2317Z-100522T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
617 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2010

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL CLARKE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...
  NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 700 PM CDT

* AT 615 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO...NEAR BIGBEE...OR
  ABOUT 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF CHATOM...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WAGARVILLE BY 645 PM CDT...

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.

TO REPORT ANY TORNADOES...FUNNEL CLOUDS...OR OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER
OBSERVATIONS TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...CALL TOLL FREE AT 1 8
7 7 6 3 3 6 7 7 2.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FRIDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3169 8807 3148 8791 3138 8811 3159 8824
      3168 8821
TIME...MOT...LOC 2317Z 332DEG 23KT 3160 8815

$$
3 follow-up statements
008 
WWUS54 KMOB 212329
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
629 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2010

ALC025-129-220000-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-100522T0000Z/
WASHINGTON AL-CLARKE AL-
629 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2010

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL CLARKE AND NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTIES...

AT 624 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS 
TORNADO WAS NEAR TWO MILES SOUTH OF BIGBEE...OR ABOUT 10 MILES 
NORTHEAST OF CHATOM...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  SAINT STEPHENS BY 650 PM CDT...
  WAGARVILLE...LEROY AND 7 MILES WEST OF CARSON BY 700 PM CDT...

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.

TO REPORT ANY TORNADOES...FUNNEL CLOUDS...OR OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER
OBSERVATIONS TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...CALL TOLL FREE AT 1 8
7 7 6 3 3 6 7 7 2.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FRIDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3165 8820 3166 8807 3148 8791 3138 8811
      3158 8823
TIME...MOT...LOC 2329Z 323DEG 12KT 3157 8814

$$
788 
WWUS54 KMOB 212343
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
643 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2010

ALC025-212352-
/O.CAN.KMOB.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-100522T0000Z/
CLARKE AL-
643 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2010

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL CLARKE COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FRIDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3161 8818 3162 8811 3148 8792 3138 8811
      3154 8820
TIME...MOT...LOC 2342Z 323DEG 12KT 3154 8811

$$

ALC129-220000-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-100522T0000Z/
WASHINGTON AL-
643 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2010

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
WASHINGTON COUNTY...

AT 637 PM CDT.... THIS CIRCULATION WAS NEAR SAINT STEPHENS...MOVING 
SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  SAINT STEPHENS BY 650 PM CDT...
  WAGARVILLE...LEROY AND 7 MILES WEST OF CARSON BY 700 PM CDT...

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.

TO REPORT ANY TORNADOES...FUNNEL CLOUDS...OR OTHER HAZARDOUS WEATHER
OBSERVATIONS TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...CALL TOLL FREE AT 1 8
7 7 6 3 3 6 7 7 2.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FRIDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3161 8818 3162 8811 3148 8792 3138 8811
      3154 8820
TIME...MOT...LOC 2342Z 323DEG 12KT 3154 8811

$$
345 
WWUS54 KMOB 212358
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
658 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2010

ALC129-220008-
/O.EXP.KMOB.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-100522T0000Z/
WASHINGTON AL-
658 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2010

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
700 PM CDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FRIDAY
EVENING FOR SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA.

LAT...LON 3161 8818 3162 8811 3148 8792 3138 8811
      3154 8820
TIME...MOT...LOC 2358Z 180DEG 0KT 3155 8812

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 1:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBMobile, Washington23 min
May 21, 3:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBChoctaw30 min
May 21, 4:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBChoctaw, Clarke57 min
May 21, 4:31 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw, Clarke44 min
May 21, 4:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBClarke36 min
May 21, 5:04 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke41 min
May 21, 5:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWashington60 min
May 21, 5:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBClarke59 min
May 21, 5:58 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke24 min
May 21, 6:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBWashington59 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2010Every tornado warning in 2010Tornadoes 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.