Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2011

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 245, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 26, 2011Chambers County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 26, 2011, 3:35 PM CDT for Chambers County, Alabama. It was in force for 25 min. 3 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: May 26, 2011, 3:35 PM CDT (20:35 UTC)
Expired: May 26, 2011, 4:00 PM CDT
In force: 25 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

County Chambers County, AL

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 26, 3:45 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	4 Wnw Lanett, AL	TREES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
May 26, 3:45 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Lafayette, AL	SEVERAL TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN AROUND LAFAYETTE.
May 26, 3:55 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	3 Ssw Stroud, AL	SEVERAL TREES AND POWER POLES WERE KNOCKED DOWN AROUND THE COMMUNITY OF FIVE POINTS.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 3 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 10 minutes after it went out.

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
May 26, 9:15 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 98 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: 516 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -136 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 708 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -30 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -8 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: -1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

247 
WUUS54 KBMX 262035
SVRBMX
ALC017-262100-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0245.110526T2035Z-110526T2100Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
335 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CHAMBERS COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 400 PM CDT

* AT 331 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60
  MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR LAFAYETTE...AND MOVING NORTHEAST
  AT 65 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  LANETT...STROUD...DENSON...WHITE PLAINS...LAKEVIEW...FREDONIA...
  AMITY PARK AND VEASEY CREEK PARK.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 85 EXIT NUMBERS 77 THROUGH 79...

WINDS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WILL BREAK LARGE TREE LIMBS AND CAUSE SOME
DAMAGE...ESPECIALLY TO SMALLER STRUCTURES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

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

LAT...LON 3275 8514 3275 8528 3273 8538 3274 8543
      3273 8544 3273 8547 3274 8549 3274 8554
      3291 8556 3311 8533 3311 8523 3286 8518
      3285 8515 3281 8516 3278 8512
TIME...MOT...LOC 2035Z 212DEG 55KT 3291 8537

$$

14

1 follow-up statement

645 
WWUS54 KBMX 262048 RRA
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
348 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

ALC017-262100-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0245.000000T0000Z-110526T2100Z/
CHAMBERS AL-
348 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CHAMBERS
COUNTY UNTIL 400 PM CDT...

AT 345 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF
60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR POST OAK FORKS...OR NEAR
STROUD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 65 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 85 EXIT NUMBERS 77 THROUGH 79...

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

LAT...LON 3275 8514 3275 8528 3273 8539 3294 8553
      3311 8533 3310 8523 3286 8518 3285 8515
      3281 8516 3278 8512
TIME...MOT...LOC 2049Z 212DEG 55KT 3309 8523

$$

14

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 May 26, 3:33 PM CDT, 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 26, 3:33 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
333 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

.DISCUSSION...

THE ADVERTISED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ONGOING ACROSS THE AREA
RIGHT NOW SO WILL MAKE THIS SHORT AND SWEET. LOOKS LIKE A MCV HAS
DEVELOPED THIS AFTERNOON AND IS SLIDING NORTHWARD IN ADVANCE OF THE
COLD FRONT. THIS HAS TRIGGERED NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
RESULTING IN LARGE HAIL AND WIND DAMAGE ACROSS THE EASTERN TWO
THIRDS OF THE AREA. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THAT THE BULK OF THE
ORGANIZED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE EAST OF CENTRAL ALABAMA BY 5
PM. WITH OVERALL COVERAGE DECREASING AND DAYTIME HEATING DECREASING
THE PLAN WITH SPC IS TO LET THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH EXPIRE AT
5 PM...WITH ONLY A FEW ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG
THE COLD FRONT. AS THE FRONT MOVES INTO THE ALREADY WORKED OVER
AIRMASS WE SHOULD SEE THE INTENSITY DECREASE. UNTIL THEN THE THREAT
CONTINUES TO BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. THERE
IS MINIMAL IF ANY AT ALL ROTATION WITH THE STORMS ALONG THE LEADING
LINE.

BEHIND THE FRONT...DRYING IS EXPECTED ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON...WITH
TEMPERATURES REMAINING IN THE UPPER 80S AND LOW 90S AS THE RIDGE
MOVES BACK IN. THE NEXT FRONT WILL IMPACT THE AREA BY WEDNESDAY.

&&

.AVIATION...
18Z TAF DISCUSSION.

A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT WILL PUSH INTO AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING WITH SHRA AND TSRA FORMING ACROSS THE AREA IN ADVANCE OF
THE FRONT. EXPECT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS TSRA INTO THE EVENING BUT
TIMING FOR INDIVIDUAL TAF SITES IS DIFFICULT SO WILL CARRY TEMPO
GROUPS INDICATING ANTICIPATED BEST WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY. SOME
TSRA COULD BECOME STRONG WITH STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND HAIL THE
MAIN CONCERN. EXPECT TSRA TO DIMINISH AFTER 00Z AS WE LOSE DAYTIME
HEATING AND SOMEWHAT DRIER MORE STABLE AIR SPREADS INTO AREA
BEHIND FRONT. GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO INDICATE IFR CONDITIONS
DEVELOPING TOWARD 12Z AND WITH TROUGHINESS HANGING IN THE AREA SEE
NO REASON TO DISCOUNT THIS HAPPENING. WILL INDICATE IFR CONDS 10Z-
14Z TIME FRAME WITH CONDITIONS IMPROVING RAPIDLY AFTER THAT TIME
AS MOIST NEAR SURFACE LAYER MIXES OUT. GUSTY SOUTHWEST WINDS THIS
AFTERNOON WILL DIMINISH AFTER 00Z AND GRADUALLY SHIFT TO MORE
WESTERLY OR NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION BY 12Z.

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.

41

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
GADSDEN     60  83  57  89  64 /  40  10  10  10  10
ANNISTON    61  84  60  89  67 /  50  20  10  10  10
BIRMINGHAM  61  84  60  90  69 /  30  10  10  10  10
TUSCALOOSA  59  85  61  92  66 /  20  10  10  10  10
CALERA      61  84  62  91  66 /  30  10  10  10  10
AUBURN      63  85  67  90  68 /  60  30  10  10  10
MONTGOMERY  64  88  65  92  66 /  50  20  10  10  10
TROY        64  88  66  91  65 /  50  30   0  10  10

&&

.BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.

&&

16/41

Hazardous weather outlook, May 26, 11:34 AM CDT, 4 hours 1 minute before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1134 AM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

ALZ011>015-017>050-270200-
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-
1134 AM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MOST OF CENTRAL ALABAMA THROUGH
THE EARLY EVENING HOURS AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA.  THE
SEVERE ACTIVITY WILL BE MAINLY ALONG AND EITHER SIDE OF THE I-59
CORRIDOR.  THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS...
LARGE HAIL...AND CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE
NECESSARY TODAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 26, 1:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
140 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0135 PM     HAIL             CENTRE                  34.15N 85.67W
05/26/2011  E1.00 INCH       CHEROKEE           AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

JTALLEY

Local storm report, May 26, 1:47 PM CDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
147 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0141 PM     HAIL             CENTRE                  34.15N 85.67W
05/26/2011  E1.75 INCH       CHEROKEE           AL   PUBLIC

            GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN CENTRE.

&&

16

Local storm report, May 26, 2:25 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
225 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0216 PM     HAIL             TROY                    31.81N 85.97W
05/26/2011  E1.00 INCH       PIKE               AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

0217 PM     HAIL             5 E VIDA JUNCTION       32.57N 86.60W
05/26/2011  E0.88 INCH       AUTAUGA            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

JTALLEY

Local storm report, May 26, 2:33 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
233 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0217 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SW PRATTVILLE         32.43N 86.47W
05/26/2011                   AUTAUGA            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN AND AROUND PRATTVILLE.

0212 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MILLBROOK               32.48N 86.37W
05/26/2011                   ELMORE             AL   PUBLIC

            TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN.

&&

JTALLEY

Local storm report, May 26, 2:51 PM CDT, 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
251 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0234 PM     HAIL             4 WNW MOUNTAIN CREEK    32.74N 86.54W
05/26/2011  E1.00 INCH       CHILTON            AL   AMATEUR RADIO

0220 PM     HAIL             OHATCHEE                33.78N 86.02W
05/26/2011  E1.00 INCH       CALHOUN            AL   PUBLIC

&&

JTALLEY

Local storm report, May 26, 3:11 PM CDT, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
311 PM CDT THU MAY 26 2011

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

0255 PM     HAIL             BYNUM                   33.61N 85.96W
05/26/2011  E1.00 INCH       CALHOUN            AL   PUBLIC

&&

JTALLEY

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 25, 10:56 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	49 min
May 25, 11:25 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lamar	50 min
May 25, 11:35 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Winston	40 min
May 26, 12:18 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Walker, Winston	42 min
May 26, 12:32 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	28 min
May 26, 12:50 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	14 min
May 26, 1:22 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Pickens	38 min
May 26, 2:10 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Walker, Winston	50 min
May 26, 2:40 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette	50 min
May 26, 2:49 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa	41 min
May 26, 3:20 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	40 min
May 26, 7:43 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Coosa	47 min
May 26, 7:48 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	27 min
May 26, 8:41 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee	49 min
May 26, 12:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	24 min
May 26, 1:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	38 min
May 26, 1:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	46 min
May 26, 1:20 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Etowah, St. Clair	40 min
May 26, 1:27 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Cherokee	48 min
May 26, 1:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton	43 min
May 26, 1:35 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Jefferson	40 min
May 26, 1:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cherokee	23 min
May 26, 1:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	38 min
May 26, 1:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah	49 min
May 26, 2:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Pike	33 min
May 26, 2:16 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	119 min
May 26, 2:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore	40 min
May 26, 2:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Macon, Russell	32 min
May 26, 2:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah	44 min
May 26, 2:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon, Montgomery	13 min
May 26, 2:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Talladega, Tallapoosa	24 min
May 26, 2:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Talladega	23 min
May 26, 2:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	18 min
May 26, 3:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby	40 min
May 26, 3:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah	45 min
May 26, 3:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Tallapoosa	24 min
May 26, 3:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, St. Clair	39 min
May 26, 3:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Russell	35 min
May 26, 3:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, Walker	45 min
May 26, 3:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Sumter	24 min
May 26, 3:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens	26 min
May 26, 3:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Randolph	36 min
May 26, 4:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair	52 min
May 26, 4:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cherokee	52 min
May 26, 4:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	24 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.