Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 166, NWS Birmingham, AL

November 16, 2011Chambers County, Lee County, Macon County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Nov 16, 2011, 11:48 AM CST for Chambers County, Lee County, Macon County, Alabama. It was in force for 42 min. 6 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
Nov 16, 2011, 11:48 AM CST (17:48 UTC)
Expired
Nov 16, 2011, 12:30 PM CST
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Chambers County, AL, Lee County, AL, Macon County, AL

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Nov 16, 11:52 AM CSTTSTM WND DMG2 Ese Notasulga, ALALONG WHITMAN HILL RD AND COUNTY ROAD 54, NUMEROUS HOMES AND MOBILE HOMES SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE AND ONE HOME WAS DESTROYED. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Nov 16, 11:52 AM CSTTORNADO 12 Sse Notasulga, AL*** 1 INJ *** AN EF1 TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 110 MPH TOUCHED DOWN IN MACON COUNTY AND MOVED NORTHEAST INTO LEE COUNTY CROSSING CITY OF AUBURN AND LAKE HARDING BEFORE MOVING INTO HARRIS COUNTY GEORGIA. THE TORNADO DAMAGED A DOZEN MOBILE HOMES IN MACON COUNTY AND
Nov 16, 12:00 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG6 E Notasulga, ALPOSSIBLE TORNADO. BUILDING BLOWN DOWN.
Nov 16, 12:07 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG1 E Auburn, ALPOSSIBLE TORNADO. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE AT TERRACE ACRES APARTMENT COMPLEX.
Nov 16, 12:15 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG2 S Opelika, ALPOSSIBLE TORNADO. MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE TO HOMES, POWER POLES SNAPPED, POWER LINES DOWN.
Nov 16, 12:15 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG3 Sse Opelika, ALPOSSIBLE TORNADO. MAJOR DAMAGE TO TRAILER PARK. TRAILERS AND VEHICLES TOTALLY DEMOLISHED.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Nov 16, 9:46 AM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 122 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 12:00Z on 2011-11-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 990 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2011-11-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 133 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
990 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-4 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
497 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
133 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
197 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
3.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

252 
WFUS54 KBMX 161748
TORBMX
ALC017-081-087-161830-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0166.111116T1748Z-111116T1830Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1148 AM CST WED NOV 16 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN CHAMBERS COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  LEE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTH CENTRAL MACON COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 1230 PM CST

* AT 1146 AM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM
  WAS LOCATED NEAR LIBERTY CITY...OR NEAR NOTASULGA...AND MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  NOTASULGA...AUBURN...OPELIKA...WAVERLY...AUBURN UNIVERSITY...
  STURKIE...OAK BOWERY...CHAMBERS COUNTY LAKE...BEANS MILL AND
  CUSSETA.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 85 EXIT NUMBERS 51 THROUGH 70...

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 3245 8577 3253 8580 3258 8580 3258 8571
      3260 8570 3270 8570 3270 8568 3271 8567
      3271 8561 3274 8559 3288 8534 3262 8521
TIME...MOT...LOC 1749Z 243DEG 39KT 3254 8571

$$

56
2 follow-up statements
400 
WWUS54 KBMX 161802
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1202 PM CST WED NOV 16 2011

ALC017-081-087-161830-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0166.000000T0000Z-111116T1830Z/
LEE AL-MACON AL-CHAMBERS AL-
1202 PM CST WED NOV 16 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWESTERN CHAMBERS...
NORTH CENTRAL MACON AND LEE COUNTIES UNTIL 1230 PM CST...

AT 1157 AM CST...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A POSSIBLE 
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR NOTASULGA...MOVING NORTHEAST 
AT 45 MPH. POWER OUTAGES HAVE BEEN REPORTED...AS WELL AS TREES DOWN 
AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WITH THIS POSSIBLE TORNADO. THIS IS AN 
EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  AUBURN...OPELIKA...WAVERLY...AUBURN UNIVERSITY...STURKIE...OAK
  BOWERY...CHAMBERS COUNTY LAKE...BEANS MILL...CUSSETA AND CHEWACLA
  STATE PARK.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 85 EXIT NUMBERS 51 THROUGH 70...

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

LAT...LON 3249 8564 3253 8566 3258 8568 3260 8568
      3268 8568 3270 8568 3271 8567 3271 8561
      3274 8559 3288 8534 3262 8521
TIME...MOT...LOC 1801Z 243DEG 39KT 3259 8557

$$

56
570 
WWUS54 KBMX 161812
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1212 PM CST WED NOV 16 2011

ALC087-161821-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0166.000000T0000Z-111116T1830Z/
MACON AL-
1212 PM CST WED NOV 16 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTH CENTRAL MACON COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED 
AREA.

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

LAT...LON 3252 8555 3255 8556 3258 8557 3261 8558
      3265 8558 3268 8558 3271 8559 3274 8559
      3283 8532 3262 8521
TIME...MOT...LOC 1811Z 243DEG 39KT 3262 8544

$$

ALC017-081-161830-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0166.000000T0000Z-111116T1830Z/
LEE AL-CHAMBERS AL-
1212 PM CST WED NOV 16 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWESTERN CHAMBERS AND
LEE COUNTIES UNTIL 1230 PM CST...

AT 1207 PM CST...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A POSSIBLE 
TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR AUBURN UNIVERSITY...OR NEAR 
AUBURN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE 
CITY OF AUBURN WITH THIS POSSIBLE TORNADO. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY 
DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  OPELIKA...OAK BOWERY...BEANS MILL...CUSSETA AND MOUNT JEFFERSON.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 85 EXIT NUMBERS 51 THROUGH 70...

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

LAT...LON 3252 8555 3255 8556 3258 8557 3261 8558
      3265 8558 3268 8558 3271 8559 3274 8559
      3283 8532 3262 8521
TIME...MOT...LOC 1811Z 243DEG 39KT 3262 8544

$$

56

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 16, 2:42 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXPickens48 min
Nov 16, 2:59 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXFayette46 min
Nov 16, 3:32 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXWalker43 min
Nov 16, 5:44 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXSumter46 min
Nov 16, 6:34 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXMarengo, Sumter56 min
Nov 16, 7:57 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXHale, Marengo, Perry48 min
Nov 16, 8:35 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXPerry40 min
Nov 16, 9:08 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXChilton, Dallas, Perry37 min
Nov 16, 9:31 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXJefferson, St. Clair, Shelby29 min
Nov 16, 9:46 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXChilton, Coosa44 min
Nov 16, 9:56 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, St. Clair, Talladega34 min
Nov 16, 10:20 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXAutauga, Dallas, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery40 min
Nov 16, 10:25 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun35 min
Nov 16, 10:36 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXLowndes, Montgomery24 min
Nov 16, 10:56 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne34 min
Nov 16, 10:58 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXLowndes, Montgomery32 min
Nov 16, 10:59 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXElmore, Montgomery31 min
Nov 16, 11:21 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXElmore, Macon, Montgomery, Tallapoosa39 min
Nov 16, 11:40 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Macon, Montgomery23 min
Nov 16, 12:18 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXChambers, Lee27 min
Nov 16, 12:25 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXBullock, Macon, Russell25 min
Nov 16, 1:34 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBarbour41 min

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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.