Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2011
Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL
NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at Apr 20, 2011, 11:58 PM CDT for 4 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 62 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 20, 2011, 11:58 PM CDT (04:58 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 21, 2011, 1:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 62 min
- Issued by
- NWS Birmingham, AL
Counties Calhoun County, AL, Cherokee County, AL, Cleburne County, AL, Etowah County, AL
The radar
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 110 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:59 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
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 5.0 hours before the alert went out and 131 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1060 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -143 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1220 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 128 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 84 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
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</html>What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at Apr 20, 8:30 PM CDT, 3 hours 28 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 20, 8:30 PM CDT, 3 hours 28 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 830 PM CDT WED APR 20 2011 .UPDATE... MESOSCALE UPDATE. && .DISCUSSION... SURFACE ANALYSIS HAS EFFECTIVE FRONT LOCATED FROM NEAR TUSCALOOSA TO NEAR AUBURN THIS EVENING. NEAR SURFACE AIRMASS BEHIND THIS FRONT IS STILL RATHER STABLE DUE TO THE RAIN-COOLED AIR FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS EARLIER IN THE DAY. EVEN A BUBBLE HIGH STILL EXIST NORTH OF BIRMINGHAM FROM THIS PREVIOUS ACTIVITY. BACK WEST...A WEAK SURFACE LOW APPEARS SOUTHWEST OF GTR THIS EVENING...A WEAK SURFACE REFLECTION OF AN ATMOSPHERIC SPIN EVIDENT ACROSS NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI. SUPERCELL STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN NOTED ON SEVERAL STORMS IN CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI WITH VERY LARGE HAIL BEING REPORTED AND SOME WIND DAMAGE. THE THUNDERSTORMS BEHIND THE SUPERCELLS ARE BECOMING MORE LINEARLY ORIENTED AND WITH EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR VALUES 45+...EXPECT THESE STORMS TO CONTINUE ORGANIZING. SO WHAT TO EXPECT...THE OVERALL TORNADO THREAT APPEARS LIMITED AS LOW LEVEL SHEAR IS MARGINAL. BUT STORMS THAT FORM SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY AND MOVE NEAR IT WILL HAVE SOME TORNADO POTENTIAL...MAINLY FOR AREAS FROM TUSCALOOSA TO ALICEVILE NORTHWARD. IT APPEARS THAT A MORE WIND AND HAIL THREAT IS DEVELOPING WITH THE ORGANIZING LINE...AS VERY UNSTABLE AIR IS FEEDING INTO THE AREA FROM THE SOUTH. EVEN IF ELEVATED...ELEVATED SOUNDINGS ARE ALSO UNSTABLE. ADDITIONALLY...FLASH FLOODING WILL BECOME A GREATER THREAT HERE SHORTLY AS THESE STORMS MOVE IN. GREATEST THREAT AREA THE NEXT FEW HOURS THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT. WILL MONITOR INSTABILITY AS THE WATCH MAY HAVE TO BE EXTENDED EASTWARD A FEW COUNTIES SHORTLY. 75/LINHARES && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED AT 309 PM CDT WED APR 20 2011/. COLD FRONT IS NOT EXPECTED TO SLIDE MUCH FARTHER SOUTH THAT WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY LOCATED ALONG THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. CONDITIONS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 20 STILL REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS BUT THE EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER HAS KEPT MOST STORMS IN CHECK AS IT IS HELPING THE CAP HOLD IN PLACE. AS WE HEAD INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...THE THREAT THEN SHIFTS TO MORE OF A HEAVY RAIN EVENT. COMPUTER MODELS INDICATE THAT WE COULD SEE SEVERAL UPPER LEVEL SHORT WAVES BETWEEN NOW AND TOMORROW MORNING RIDING ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. EACH WAVE COULD ENHANCE CONVECTION WITH THE END RESULT BEING TRAINING THUNDERSTORMS OR STORMS THAT KEEP MOVING ACROSS THE SAME LOCATION. CURRENTLY THINKING THAT AMOUNTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN 1 AND 3 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. CURRENT THINKING IS THAT BEST AREA FOR THE HEAVY RAIN WILL BE ALONG AND NORTH OF INTERSTATE 20 AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 65. FRONT IS EXPECTED TO PUSH BACK TO THE NORTH EARLY FRIDAY ENDING THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT. DRY AND WARMER CONDITIONS ARE ON TAP JUST IN TIME FOR THE WEEKEND. HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER THE ATLANTIC WILL PREVAIL FOR MUCH OF NEXT WEEK...WHICH IS A PATTERN TYPICAL IN THE SUMMER. THIS WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA ABOVE NORMAL WHICH WILL HELP TRIGGER ISOLATED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS FOR MOST OF NEXT WEEK. 10/ARM && .AVIATION...18Z TAF DISCUSSION. VERY COMPLEX AVIATION FORECAST UPCOMING AS MULTIPLE SHORTWAVES ALOFT AND SURFACE BOUNDARIES INTERACT TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE FIRST WAVE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS STALLED NEAR THE I-20 TAF LOCATIONS BUT OUTFLOW HAS PUSHED SOUTHWARD AND NEW THUNDERSTORM INITIATION HAS BEGUN BETWEEN MGM AND TOI. BOTTOM LINE...THE NEXT 6 HOURS WILL BE DOMINATED BY THE PRESENCE OF ONGOING CONVECTION. VC SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BE EXPECTED AT ANY TIME WITH PREDOMINANT SOUTHERLY WINDS AND VARIABILITY IN ANY THUNDERSTORMS. NONE OF THE 12Z MODELS HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THE CURRENT WEATHER...BUT THE ATMOSPHERE SHOULD BECOME A LITTLE MORE STABLE OVERNIGHT WITH MORE SCATTERED COVERAGE. SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE IN THE LOWER TO MID LEVELS AND IFR CEILINGS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND BEGIN A SLOW LIFT LATE TOMORROW MORNING. 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. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... GADSDEN 57 79 58 83 57 / 70 60 50 20 10 ANNISTON 62 83 61 84 58 / 70 60 50 20 10 BIRMINGHAM 63 80 64 86 63 / 70 60 40 10 10 TUSCALOOSA 62 83 61 87 62 / 70 30 20 10 10 CALERA 64 81 62 85 60 / 70 40 30 10 10 AUBURN 64 85 63 84 61 / 50 40 40 10 10 MONTGOMERY 65 85 62 87 59 / 50 30 20 10 10 TROY 64 86 61 85 58 / 40 20 20 10 10 && .BMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: BIBB...BLOUNT...CALHOUN...CHEROKEE...CHILTON...CLAY... CLEBURNE...COOSA...ETOWAH...FAYETTE...GREENE...HALE... JEFFERSON...LAMAR...MARION...PERRY...PICKENS...RANDOLPH... SHELBY...ST. CLAIR...SUMTER...TALLADEGA...TUSCALOOSA...WALKER... WINSTON. &&
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 20, 8:11 PM CDT, 3 hours 47 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL 811 PM CDT WED APR 20 2011 ALZ011>015-017>050-211130- 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- 811 PM CDT WED APR 20 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR AND WEST OF A LINE FROM ONEONTA TO TALLADEGA TO ALEXANDER CITY. THE OVERALL TORNADO THREAT IS LOW. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA...SO SOME FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS...WITH A LESSER THREAT OF LARGE HAIL. OVERALL TORNADO THREAT SHOULD REMAIN LOW THROUGH THURSDAY. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE FOR TUESDAY... AHEAD OF A SURFACE FRONT. CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW AT THIS TIME DUE TO TIMING INCONSISTENCIES ONLY...AND NOT DUE TO ANY LACK OF OVERALL FORCING AND INSTABILITY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE STORMS. 75
In the hours before
Local storm report, Apr 20, 11:16 PM CDT, 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1116 PM CDT WED APR 20 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1111 PM TSTM WND DMG BLUFF 33.82N 87.91W
04/20/2011 FAYETTE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES DOWN.
&&
JTLocal storm report, Apr 20, 11:18 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1118 PM CDT WED APR 20 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1041 PM TSTM WND DMG BLUFF 33.82N 87.91W
04/20/2011 FAYETTE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ACROSS SOUTHERN PART OF COUNTY.
&&
JTLocal storm report, Apr 20, 11:30 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, Apr 20, 11:37 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, Apr 20, 11:56 PM CDT, 2 minutes before
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</html>Special weather statement, Apr 20, 11:58 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Birmingham, AL issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 20, 7:10 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Marion | 50 min |
| Apr 20, 8:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar | 39 min |
| Apr 20, 8:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion | 46 min |
| Apr 20, 8:54 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Lamar | 3 hr |
| Apr 20, 9:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Winston | 52 min |
| Apr 20, 9:36 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Winston | 3 hr |
| Apr 20, 9:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker and 1 more | 66 min |
| Apr 20, 10:12 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston | 3 hr |
| Apr 20, 10:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa | 47 min |
| Apr 20, 10:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Blount, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 54 min |
| Apr 20, 10:40 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Blount, Greene, Jefferson, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and 1 more | 3 hr |
| Apr 20, 11:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, Talladega | 49 min |
| Apr 20, 11:52 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | BMX | Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, St. Clair, Talladega | 3 hr |
| Apr 21, 12:12 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Chambers, Clay, Coosa, Randolph | 63 min |
| Apr 21, 12:30 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Lamar, Marion, Pickens | 3 hr |
| Apr 21, 12:40 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cleburne | 28 min |
| Apr 21, 12:50 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Pickens | 40 min |
| Apr 21, 3:03 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Greene, Sumter | 42 min |
| Apr 21, 7:36 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | BMX | Greene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter | 65 hr |
| Apr 21, 8:08 AM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | BMX | Lamar | 36 hr |
| Apr 21, 9:23 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | BMX | Greene, Hale, Marengo | 5 days |
| Apr 21, 2:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Sumter | 36 min |
| Apr 21, 2:43 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Greene, Sumter | 32 min |
| Apr 21, 3:24 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Greene | 51 min |
| Apr 21, 6:13 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | BMX | Chilton | 47 min |
Nearby
Special Weather Statements in Alabama, 2011Every special weather statement 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.