Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 121, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 27, 20114 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 27, 2011, 6:39 PM CDT for 4 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 66 min. 2 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: Apr 27, 2011, 6:39 PM CDT (23:39 UTC)
Expired: Apr 27, 2011, 7:45 PM CDT
In force: 66 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon
Emergency: Tornado emergency

Counties Bibb County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Shelby County, AL, Talladega County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 19 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:41 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 27, 7:00 PM CDT	HAIL 1	Pelham, AL	QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF INDUSTRIAL ROAD AND HIGHWAY 31.
Apr 27, 7:32 PM CDT	TORNADO 1	2 S Marvel, AL	AN EF-1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN NORTHEAST BIBB COUNTY JUST SOUTH OF MARVEL AND MOVED NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHWEST SHELBY COUNTY SNAPPING OFF DOZENS OF PINE TREES. NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED ALONG THE PATH. THE TRACK WAS 5.4 MILES LONG...50 YARDS WIDE...WITH PE

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

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

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 19 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: 587 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -359 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -197 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

540 
WFUS54 KBMX 272339
TORBMX
ALC007-021-117-121-280045-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0121.110427T2339Z-110428T0045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
639 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN BIBB COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTH CENTRAL CHILTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SHELBY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHWESTERN TALLADEGA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 745 PM CDT

* AT 636 PM CDT...STORM SPOTTERS AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
  WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO NEAR
  EOLINE...OR 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF CENTREVILLE. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED
  THIS TORNADO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

  THIS IS A TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR EOLINE...SIX MILE...MARVEL AND    
MONTEVALLO AND AMERICAN VILLAGE IN SHELBY COUNTY...TAKE COVER NOW!

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MONTEVALLO...CALERA...HELENA...ALABASTER...PELHAM...COLUMBIANA...
  CHELSEA...TALLADEGA SPRINGS...WILSONVILLE AND CHILDERSBURG.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 228 THROUGH 247...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A LARGE...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY
TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE...TAKE COVER NOW. FOR
YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3351 8649 3351 8639 3341 8638 3341 8637
      3342 8634 3315 8620 3311 8635 3311 8650
      3305 8652 3290 8704 3314 8724 3314 8719
      3323 8715 3325 8698 3333 8689 3338 8678
      3347 8668 3347 8662 3355 8652 3354 8649
TIME...MOT...LOC 2339Z 242DEG 48KT 3303 8716

$$

17

2 follow-up statements

432 
WWUS54 KBMX 272358
SVSBMX

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

ALC007-021-117-121-280045-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0121.000000T0000Z-110428T0045Z/
CHILTON AL-BIBB AL-SHELBY AL-TALLADEGA AL-
658 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWESTERN TALLADEGA...
SHELBY...NORTHEASTERN BIBB AND NORTH CENTRAL CHILTON COUNTIES UNTIL
745 PM CDT...

...TORNADO EMERGENCY CONTINUES FOR MAYLENE...ALABASTER...SHELBY 
COUNTY AIRPORT AND SOUTHERN HELENA AND SOUTH PELHAM...TAKE COVER 
IMMEDIATELY!  DO NOT WAIT!

AT 655 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM
SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF WILTON...OR 8 MILES WEST OF
MONTEVALLO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MONTEVALLO...CALERA...ALABASTER...HELENA...PELHAM...COLUMBIANA...
  CHELSEA...TALLADEGA SPRINGS...WILSONVILLE AND CHILDERSBURG.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 228 THROUGH 247...

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

LAT...LON 3354 8649 3351 8649 3351 8639 3341 8638
      3342 8634 3315 8620 3311 8635 3311 8650
      3305 8652 3301 8692 3311 8703 3320 8706
      3333 8689 3338 8677 3347 8668 3347 8662
      3355 8651
TIME...MOT...LOC 2357Z 234DEG 44KT 3316 8697

$$

17

400 
WWUS54 KBMX 280015
SVSBMX

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

ALC007-021-117-121-280045-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0121.000000T0000Z-110428T0045Z/
CHILTON AL-BIBB AL-SHELBY AL-TALLADEGA AL-
715 PM CDT WED APR 27 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWESTERN TALLADEGA...
SHELBY...NORTHEASTERN BIBB AND NORTH CENTRAL CHILTON COUNTIES UNTIL
745 PM CDT...

AT 713 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PELHAM...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CHELSEA...TALLADEGA SPRINGS...WILSONVILLE...CHILDERSBURG...
  SYLACAUGA...OAK MOUNTAIN STATE PARK...MEADOWBROOK...HIGHLAND
  LAKES...LAKE PURDY AND FOWLER LAKE.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 228 THROUGH 247...

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

LAT...LON 3354 8649 3351 8649 3351 8639 3341 8638
      3342 8634 3315 8620 3311 8635 3311 8650
      3305 8652 3301 8692 3311 8703 3320 8706
      3333 8689 3338 8677 3347 8668 3347 8662
      3355 8651
TIME...MOT...LOC 0015Z 235DEG 50KT 3330 8671

$$

17

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 27, 3:37 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lamar, Pickens	38 min
Apr 27, 3:45 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	45 min
Apr 27, 3:59 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Lamar, Pickens, Sumter	46 min
Apr 27, 4:13 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens	32 min
Apr 27, 4:14 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Sumter	31 min
Apr 27, 4:19 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	41 min
Apr 27, 4:26 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marion	34 min
Apr 27, 4:28 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Marengo, Sumter	47 min
Apr 27, 4:33 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	27 min
Apr 27, 4:40 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Greene, Hale, Lamar, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	50 min
Apr 27, 4:44 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens, Tuscaloosa	31 min
Apr 27, 5:07 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	38 min
Apr 27, 5:11 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Fayette, Hale, Jefferson, Shelby and 2 more	49 min
Apr 27, 5:14 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	31 min
Apr 27, 5:29 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa	31 min
Apr 27, 5:44 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Perry, Shelby	46 min
Apr 27, 5:52 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Chilton, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby and 1 more	53 min
Apr 27, 6:02 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Dallas	43 min
Apr 27, 6:21 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa and 3 more	39 min
Apr 27, 6:49 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah, Randolph and 1 more	56 min
Apr 27, 8:05 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	25 min
Apr 27, 8:20 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	25 min
Apr 27, 10:04 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	41 min
Apr 27, 10:42 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lamar, Marion, Winston	48 min
Apr 27, 10:51 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Marion	54 min
Apr 27, 12:08 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Marion, Winston	112 min
Apr 27, 2:09 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Walker, Winston	31 min
Apr 27, 2:17 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Marion, Winston	118 min
Apr 27, 2:51 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	19 hr
Apr 27, 2:51 PM CDT	River Flood Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter	6 hr
Apr 27, 2:59 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	46 min
Apr 27, 3:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Pickens, Tuscaloosa	60 min
Apr 27, 3:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	54 min
Apr 27, 3:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Greene, Hale, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa	67 min
Apr 27, 3:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marion	34 min
Apr 27, 3:57 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	3 hr
Apr 27, 4:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker	60 min
Apr 27, 4:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Pickens, Tuscaloosa	20 min
Apr 27, 4:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion	61 min
Apr 27, 4:47 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	58 min
Apr 27, 4:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale, Sumter	55 min
Apr 27, 4:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, Walker	65 min
Apr 27, 5:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar	68 min
Apr 27, 5:28 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	30 min
Apr 27, 5:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa	59 min
Apr 27, 5:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Bibb, Greene, Hale, Perry, Tuscaloosa	67 min
Apr 27, 5:39 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	21 min
Apr 27, 6:06 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Marengo, Sumter	16 min
Apr 27, 6:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Marion, Walker, Winston	61 min
Apr 27, 6:17 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Jefferson	118 min
Apr 27, 6:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair	57 min
Apr 27, 6:20 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Greene, Hale, Perry	55 min
Apr 27, 6:33 PM CDT	Areal Flood Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	3 hr
Apr 27, 6:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston	40 min
Apr 27, 6:39 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair	3 hr
Apr 27, 6:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Emergency	BMX	Blount, Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair	56 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2011 Every tornado warning in 2011 Tornadoes 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.