Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 172, NWS Birmingham, AL

December 22, 20114 counties in Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Dec 22, 2011, 12:59 PM CST for 4 counties in Alabama. It was in force for 31 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
Dec 22, 2011, 12:59 PM CST (18:59 UTC)
Expired
Dec 22, 2011, 1:30 PM CST
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Bibb County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Perry County, AL, Shelby County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:00 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Dec 22, 1:25 PM CSTTSTM WND DMGLawley, ALTREES DOWN BWTWEEN LAWLEY AND RANDOLPH.
Dec 22, 1:25 PM CSTTORNADO 01 Ese Talladega Nationa, ALAN EF0 TORNADO WITH WINDS OF 70-80 MPH BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN BETWEEN LAWLEY AND RANDOLPH IN SE BIBB COUNTY. DAMAGE BEGAN ALONG HWY 82 WITH LARGE LIMBS BROKEN FOR 50 YARDS IN WIDTH. THE TORNADO THEN LIFTED JUST EAST OF CR 36. HERE DAMAGE WAS 150 YARDS WIDE WITH

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
Dec 22, 10:00 AM CSTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 7.0 hours before the alert went out and 51 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 2011-12-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 2011-12-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 102 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
699 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
102 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
129 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

092 
WFUS54 KBMX 221859
TORBMX
ALC007-021-105-117-221945-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0172.111222T1859Z-111222T1945Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1259 PM CST THU DEC 22 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN BIBB COUNTY IN ALABAMA...
  NORTHERN CHILTON COUNTY IN ALABAMA...
  NORTHERN PERRY COUNTY IN ALABAMA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTY IN ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 145 PM CST

* AT 1259 PM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM
  WAS LOCATED NEAR MARION...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  JEMISON...MONTEVALLO...CALERA...TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST...
  LAWLEY...CHILTON COUNTY MOTOR SPORTS PARK...ASHBY...BRIERFIELD
  IRONWORKS PARK...THORSBY AND WILTON.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 219 THROUGH 234...

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 3267 8741 3324 8672 3300 8652 3271 8701
      3272 8702 3270 8703 3255 8729
TIME...MOT...LOC 1859Z 229DEG 49KT 3267 8728

$$

27
3 follow-up statements
138 
WWUS54 KBMX 221909
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
109 PM CST THU DEC 22 2011

ALC007-021-105-117-221945-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0172.000000T0000Z-111222T1945Z/
BIBB AL-CHILTON AL-PERRY AL-SHELBY AL-
109 PM CST THU DEC 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL SHELBY...
NORTHEASTERN PERRY...NORTHERN CHILTON AND SOUTHEASTERN BIBB COUNTIES
UNTIL 145 PM CST...

AT 109 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED 9 MILES NORTHEAST OF MARION...MOVING NORTHEAST AT
55 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  JEMISON...MONTEVALLO...CALERA...TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST...
  LAWLEY...CHILTON COUNTY MOTOR SPORTS PARK...ASHBY...BRIERFIELD
  IRONWORKS PARK...THORSBY AND WILTON.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 219 THROUGH 234...

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

LAT...LON 3324 8672 3300 8652 3261 8719 3274 8733
TIME...MOT...LOC 1909Z 229DEG 49KT 3276 8716

$$

27
663 
WWUS54 KBMX 221920
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
120 PM CST THU DEC 22 2011

ALC007-021-105-117-221945-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0172.000000T0000Z-111222T1945Z/
BIBB AL-CHILTON AL-PERRY AL-SHELBY AL-
120 PM CST THU DEC 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL SHELBY...
NORTHEASTERN PERRY...NORTHWESTERN CHILTON AND SOUTHEASTERN BIBB
COUNTIES UNTIL 145 PM CST...

AT 118 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST...OR 10 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF BRENT...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  JEMISON...MONTEVALLO...CALERA...TALLADEGA NATIONAL FOREST...
  LAWLEY...CHILTON COUNTY MOTOR SPORTS PARK...ASHBY...BRIERFIELD
  IRONWORKS PARK...THORSBY AND WILTON.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 65 EXIT NUMBERS 219 THROUGH 234...

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

LAT...LON 3272 8701 3285 8714 3324 8672 3300 8652
TIME...MOT...LOC 1920Z 229DEG 49KT 3286 8702

$$

27
300 
WWUS54 KBMX 221930
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
130 PM CST THU DEC 22 2011

ALC007-021-105-117-221940-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0172.000000T0000Z-111222T1945Z/
BIBB AL-CHILTON AL-PERRY AL-SHELBY AL-
130 PM CST THU DEC 22 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL SHELBY...NORTHEASTERN
PERRY...NORTHERN CHILTON AND SOUTHEASTERN BIBB COUNTIES 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 3272 8701 3285 8714 3324 8672 3300 8652
TIME...MOT...LOC 1930Z 229DEG 49KT 3295 8689

$$

27

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 22, 8:49 AM CSTFlash Flood WatchBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion, Pickens, Walker, Winston7 hr
Dec 22, 9:52 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXFayette23 min
Dec 22, 10:13 AM CSTFlash Flood WarningBMXLamar3 hr
Dec 22, 11:47 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Tuscaloosa25 min
Dec 22, 11:51 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Perry15 min
Dec 22, 12:53 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Chilton, Shelby52 min
Dec 22, 1:08 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter19 hr
Dec 22, 1:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXShelby, Talladega33 min
Dec 22, 1:54 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair, Shelby, Talladega39 min
Dec 22, 1:59 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXAutauga, Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa46 min
Dec 22, 2:39 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXClay, Coosa, Tallapoosa15 min
Dec 22, 3:09 PM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXEtowah111 min
Dec 22, 3:34 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXPike41 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.