Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 140, NWS Birmingham, AL

September 5, 2011Pickens County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Sep 5, 2011, 6:20 AM CDT for Pickens County, Alabama. It was in force for 24 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
Sep 5, 2011, 6:20 AM CDT (11:20 UTC)
Expired
Sep 5, 2011, 6:44 AM CDT
In force
24 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Pickens County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 63 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 11:22 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
Sep 4, 9:42 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC9 hr
Sep 5, 5:35 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC10 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 123 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, Birmingham, AL at 00:00Z on 2011-09-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 881 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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, Birmingham, AL at 00:00Z on 2011-09-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 128 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
881 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
550 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
187 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

982 
WFUS54 KBMX 051120
TORBMX
ALC107-051200-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0140.110905T1120Z-110905T1200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
620 AM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 700 AM CDT

* AT 620 AM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM
  WAS LOCATED NEAR CARROLLTON...AND MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CARROLLTON...REFORM...OWENS...MCSHAN...NORTH PICKENS AIRPORT AND
  SHAW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3352 8822 3351 8790 3315 8795 3316 8814
TIME...MOT...LOC 1120Z 178DEG 18KT 3323 8805

$$

10/ARM
2 follow-up statements
794 
WWUS54 KBMX 051133
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
633 AM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

ALC107-051200-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0140.000000T0000Z-110905T1200Z/
PICKENS AL-
633 AM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL PICKENS COUNTY
UNTIL 700 AM CDT...

AT 633 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CARROLLTON...MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  REFORM...OWENS...MCSHAN...NORTH PICKENS AIRPORT AND SHAW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3323 8794 3324 8815 3352 8822 3351 8790
TIME...MOT...LOC 1133Z 178DEG 18KT 3330 8805

$$

10/ARM
177 
WWUS54 KBMX 051144
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
644 AM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

ALC107-051154-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0140.000000T0000Z-110905T1200Z/
PICKENS AL-
644 AM CDT MON SEP 5 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL PICKENS COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.

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

LAT...LON 3323 8794 3324 8815 3352 8822 3351 8790
TIME...MOT...LOC 1144Z 178DEG 18KT 3336 8805

$$

10/ARM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 5, 4:31 AM CDTWind AdvisoryBMXAutauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more26 hr
Sep 5, 5:34 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXMontgomery3 hr
Sep 5, 5:54 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXElmore, Montgomery2 hr
Sep 5, 6:19 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXPickens7 hr
Sep 5, 6:44 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXLamar4 hr
Sep 5, 6:57 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXLamar7 hr
Sep 5, 7:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXFayette, Marion, Walker, Winston8 hr
Sep 5, 8:27 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXSumter4 hr
Sep 5, 9:01 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXLamar60 hr
Sep 5, 9:29 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter48 hr
Sep 5, 9:40 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXPickens6 hr
Sep 5, 10:07 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker72 hr
Sep 5, 10:07 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter, Tuscaloosa59 hr
Sep 5, 10:07 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo5 days
Sep 5, 10:14 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Pike13 min
Sep 5, 10:16 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene6 hr
Sep 5, 10:28 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXLamar4 hr
Sep 5, 10:31 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee, Macon, Russell29 min
Sep 5, 10:48 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Hale, Perry27 min
Sep 5, 10:51 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee24 min
Sep 5, 11:11 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXChambers34 min
Sep 5, 11:36 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXTuscaloosa7 hr
Sep 5, 11:39 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXPerry36 min
Sep 5, 12:20 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXDallas25 min
Sep 5, 12:21 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Pike24 min
Sep 5, 12:35 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXChilton, Dallas, Perry25 min
Sep 5, 12:40 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXPickens3 hr
Sep 5, 1:00 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee, Russell30 min
Sep 5, 1:09 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson6 hr
Sep 5, 1:27 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXPickens3 hr
Sep 5, 1:47 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXPickens3 hr
Sep 5, 2:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson48 min
Sep 5, 2:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson4 hr
Sep 5, 3:01 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXFayette, Marion, Walker, Winston17 hr
Sep 5, 3:03 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee, Macon27 min
Sep 5, 3:26 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXJefferson15 hr
Sep 5, 4:06 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXPickens16 hr
Sep 5, 4:39 PM CDTFlash Flood Warning EmergencyBMXJefferson5 hr
Sep 5, 4:52 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXBibb, Shelby3 hr
Sep 5, 5:08 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBlount, Jefferson67 min
Sep 5, 5:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXEtowah, St. Clair6 hr
Sep 5, 6:12 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBlount, Jefferson78 min
Sep 5, 6:18 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXTuscaloosa6 hr
Sep 5, 6:38 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXBlount3 hr
Sep 5, 6:41 PM CDTHigh Wind WarningBMXBlount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah and 5 more3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Alabama, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes 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.