Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2011

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 203, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 27, 2011Cherokee County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 27, 2011, 9:03 PM CDT for Cherokee County, Alabama. It was in force for 42 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: Apr 27, 2011, 9:03 PM CDT (02:03 UTC)
Expired: Apr 27, 2011, 9:45 PM CDT
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Cherokee County, AL

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

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 27, 1:42 PM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 2.1 hours before the alert went out and 153 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: 1215 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1433 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 244 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 408 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.6
Supercell composite: 15.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

866 
WUUS54 KBMX 280203
SVRBMX
ALC019-280245-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0203.110428T0203Z-110428T0245Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
903 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN CHEROKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 945 PM CDT

* AT 858 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING
  WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF SAND ROCK...OR 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FORT PAYNE...AND
  MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CLOUDLAND AND NEW MOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR YOUR PROTECTION...MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF
YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM CDT THURSDAY MORNING
FOR SOUTHEASTERN ALABAMA. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 1000 PM CDT WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR ALABAMA.

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...
CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3447 8549 3436 8547 3425 8582 3427 8581
      3426 8578 3435 8568 3438 8566 3438 8562
      3450 8556 3452 8551
TIME...MOT...LOC 0203Z 247DEG 44KT 3437 8576

$$
STEFKOVICH

1 follow-up statement

711 
WWUS54 KBMX 280220 RRA
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
920 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

ALC019-280245-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0203.000000T0000Z-110428T0245Z/
CHEROKEE AL-
920 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN
CHEROKEE COUNTY UNTIL 945 PM CDT...

AT 917 PM CDT...A ***YOU FORGOT TO SELECT A DEFAULT OPTION*** 
QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FORT PAYNE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CLOUDLAND AND NEW MOON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. TORNADOES CAN
DEVELOP QUICKLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH NOT IMMEDIATELY
LIKELY...IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL
INTERIOR ROOM.

&&

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER...CALL 1-800-856-0758.

LAT...LON 3447 8549 3436 8547 3425 8582 3427 8581
      3426 8578 3435 8568 3438 8566 3438 8562
      3450 8556 3452 8551
TIME...MOT...LOC 0221Z 247DEG 44KT 3446 8565

$$
STEFKOVICH

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 Apr 27, 6:36 PM CDT, 2 hours 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 27, 6:36 PM CDT, 2 hours 27 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
636 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

...SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK ONGOING...

.UPDATE...AVIATION DISCUSSION.

.DISCUSSION...

A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION IS CURRENTLY UNFOLDING ACROSS CENTRAL
ALABAMA...AND SUPERCELLS HAVE ERUPTED ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND
WESTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWA THIS AFTERNOON. A FEW TORNADOES HAVE
ALREADY TOUCHED DOWN...AND REPORTS OF MAJOR DAMAGE ARE STARTING TO
COME IN. THE 18Z SPECIAL SOUNDING THAT WAS PERFORMED PRESENTS A
DESTRUCTIVE SETUP...WITH 2700J/KG OF CAPE...EXTREMELY STEEP LAPSE
RATES...AND DRY AIR ALOFT. 0-3 KM HELICITY VALUES ARE ALMOST 700.
THE PARAMETERS WILL ONLY WORSEN AS WE GO THROUGHOUT THE REST OF
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE TIME FRAME FOR THE WORST SEVERE
WEATHER WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS FOR
NORTHWEST SECTIONS OF THE STATE...ROUGHLY FROM 2PM TO
8PM...CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE STATE...INCLUDING THE BIRMINGHAM
METRO AREA...FROM 4PM TO 10PM...AND THE SOUTHEAST SECTIONS FROM
6PM TO 2AM. I CANNOT STRESS HOW SERIOUS THIS SITUATION IS. DO
WHATEVER YOU CAN TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE AND PROPERTY NOW...YOUR LIFE
MAY DEPEND ON IT! ALL WEATHER WILL CLEAR THE AREA AFTER 6Z
TONIGHT...SO THE CLEANUP PROCESS CAN BEGIN.

56/GOGGINS

&&

.AVIATION...00Z TAF DISCUSSION.

LOOKING FOR TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTINUE THIS EVENING. ONE
TORNADO ALREADY OVER THE VICINITY OF TUSCALOOSA AND BIRMINGHAM
AIRPORTS. THANKFULLY...THE END IS NEAR AS A BOUNDARY WILL BEGIN TO
PUSH THROUGH FROM THE WEST ENDING THE THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS.
CURRENT THINKING IS THAT THE LINE WILL EXIT CENTRAL ALABAMA BY 06Z.

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WEATHER ARE EXPECTED AFTER THIS BOUNDARY MOVES
THROUGH.

NOTICE...KEET TAF WILL HAVE (AMD LTD TO VIS WIND AND WX) AMENDED TO
THE END OF THE FORECAST UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE CEILOMETER DATA
WILL BE GOING THROUGH NUMEROUS TESTS AND MONITORED FOR ACCURACY.

10/ARM

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT 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.

FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES: FAYETTE...LAMAR...MARION...WALKER...WINSTON.

&&

56

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 27, 1:27 PM CDT, 7 hours 36 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
127 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

ALZ011>015-017>050-281828-
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-
127 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

...TORNADO OUTBREAK LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

A SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS LIKELY TODAY FOR ALL OF CENTRAL
ALABAMA. STRONG...LONG LIVED TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS...AND
VERY LARGE HAIL ARE ALL POSSIBLE.  TORNADIC SUPERCELLS ARE EXPECTED
TO BEGIN DEVELOPING ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI-ALABAMA STATE LINE BETWEEN
2 AND 3 PM...AND THIS THREAT WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EASTWARD THROUGH
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...POTENTIALLY REACHING THE INTERSTATE
65 CORRIDOR BETWEEN 4 AND 6 PM. CURRENT THINKING IS A LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP LATE THIS EVENING AND TRAVERSE THE
EASTERN HALF OF THE BIRMINGHAM COUNTY WARNING AREA...EXITING INTO
GEORGIA BY 6 AM...AFFECTIVELY ENDING THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FOR
CENTRAL ALABAMA.

THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS SCENARIO FOR ANYONE IN
CENTRAL ALABAMA.  NOW IS THE TIME TO REVIEW YOUR SEVERE WEATHER
ACTION PLAN AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION WHEN WATCHES AND
WARNINGS ARE EVENTUALLY ISSUED.

LOCALIZED TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE THROUGH TONIGHT.
A FEW INCHES OF RAINFALL MAY OCCUR IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
ADDITIONALLY...MORE THAN ONE STORM MAY AFFECT THE SAME AREA. THIS
MAY PRODUCE SOME LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING.

EVEN OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORM AREAS...STRONG GRADIENT WINDS ARE ALSO
EXPECTED. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH ALONG WITH HIGHER GUSTS
UP TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED.

.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 WILL BE NEEDED
THROUGH TONIGHT DUE TO THE TORNADO THREAT.

27

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 27, 8:24 PM CDT, 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
824 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0824 PM     TORNADO          SANTUCK                 32.63N 86.13W
04/27/2011                   ELMORE             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            STRUCTURAL DAMAGE IN THE DEXTER ROAD AREA OF SANTUCK.

&&

JT

Local storm report, Apr 27, 8:28 PM CDT, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
828 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0808 PM     TORNADO          N WILSONVILLE           33.24N 86.48W
04/27/2011                   SHELBY             AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTER REPORTED TORNADO STRUCK POWERLINES AND/OR
            TRANSFORMER. POWER IS OUT.

&&

JT

Local storm report, Apr 27, 8:55 PM CDT, 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
855 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0700 PM     HAIL             PELHAM                  33.30N 86.79W
04/26/2011  M1.00 INCH       SHELBY             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF
            INDUSTRIAL ROAD AND HIGHWAY 31.

&&

ARM

Local storm report, Apr 27, 8:56 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
856 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0714 PM     HAIL             GADSDEN                 34.01N 86.01W
04/26/2011  M1.00 INCH       ETOWAH             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED OVER THE CITY OF GADSDEN.

&&

ARM

Local storm report, Apr 27, 8:59 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
859 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0700 PM     HAIL             PELHAM                  33.30N 86.79W
04/27/2011  M1.00 INCH       SHELBY             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF
            INDUSTRIAL ROAD AND HIGHWAY 31.

0714 PM     HAIL             GADSDEN                 34.01N 86.01W
04/27/2011  M1.00 INCH       ETOWAH             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED OVER THE CITY OF GADSDEN.

&&

DS

Local storm report, Apr 27, 8:59 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
859 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

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

0700 PM     HAIL             PELHAM                  33.30N 86.79W
04/27/2011  M1.00 INCH       SHELBY             AL   AMATEUR RADIO

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF
            INDUSTRIAL ROAD AND HIGHWAY 31.

0714 PM     HAIL             GADSDEN                 34.01N 86.01W
04/27/2011  M1.00 INCH       ETOWAH             AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED OVER THE CITY OF GADSDEN.

&&

DS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 27, 7:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Shelby	53 min
Apr 27, 7:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Marion, Walker, Winston	43 min
Apr 27, 7:17 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah	43 min
Apr 27, 7:28 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Hale, Marengo, Sumter	62 min
Apr 27, 7:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cleburne, Etowah, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega	59 min
Apr 27, 7:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa	57 min
Apr 27, 7:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega	51 min
Apr 27, 8:02 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Randolph, Tallapoosa	58 min
Apr 27, 8:03 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	15 min
Apr 27, 8:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Sumter	64 min
Apr 27, 8:17 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Dallas, Hale, Marengo, Perry	58 min
Apr 27, 8:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne	42 min
Apr 27, 8:20 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Chambers, Elmore, Lee, Tallapoosa	55 min
Apr 27, 8:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Calhoun, St. Clair, Talladega	21 min
Apr 27, 9:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Chambers	60 min
Apr 27, 9:03 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Perry	57 min
Apr 27, 9:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Hale, Marengo, Perry	54 min
Apr 27, 9:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chambers, Lee, Tallapoosa	38 min
Apr 27, 9:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa, Tallapoosa	37 min
Apr 27, 9:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah	39 min
Apr 27, 9:55 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Dallas, Marengo, Perry	3 hr
Apr 27, 10:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee	27 min
Apr 27, 10:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lee	12 min
Apr 27, 10:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Clay, Coosa, Elmore, Randolph, Tallapoosa	49 min
Apr 27, 11:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas, Lowndes	45 min
Apr 27, 11:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	44 min
Apr 28, 12:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Bullock, Elmore, Lee, Lowndes, Macon and 3 more	49 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2011 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2011

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.