Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Birmingham, AL

February 24, 2011Marion County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Feb 24, 2011, 9:57 PM CST for Marion County, Alabama. It was in force for 33 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
Feb 24, 2011, 9:57 PM CST (03:57 UTC)
Expired
Feb 24, 2011, 10:30 PM CST
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Marion County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 57 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:58 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
Feb 24, 10:08 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG4 Se Shotsville, ALROOF DAMAGE TO TWO HOMES OFF CR 19
Feb 24, 10:18 PM CSTTORNADO 02 Wnw Hackleburg, ALA TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE TOWN OF HACKLEBURG. TRAVELING ON THE GROUND FOR ONLY 1/2 MILE, THE TORNADO DID CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO A NUMBER OF CHICKEN BARNS AND OUTBUILDINGS IN THE AREA, EXTENSIVELY LIFTING TIN ROOFS AND OVERHANG
Feb 24, 10:20 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG1 Wnw Hackleburg, ALTWO LARGE TREES DOWN ALONG OLD HACKLEBURG RD.
Feb 24, 10:20 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG2 S Hackleburg, ALREPORTS OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE ALONG AL HWY 253 SOUTH OF HACKLEBURG. EXTENT OF DAMAGE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME...POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Feb 24, 10:20 PM CSTTSTM WND DMGHackleburg, ALDAMAGE TO CHICKEN HOUSES. TV TOWERS TWISTED AND BLOWN DOWN. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Feb 24, 10:24 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG3 Sse Phil Campbell, ALTREES AND POWER LINES KNOCKED DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 13 NEAR THE MARION COUNTY LINE.

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
Feb 24, 8:30 PM CSTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 00:00Z, 4.0 hours before the alert went out and 160 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 2011-02-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 52 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 00:00Z on 2011-02-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 162 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
52 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1096 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
162 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
199 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

234 
WFUS54 KBMX 250357
TORBMX
ALC093-250430-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0004.110225T0357Z-110225T0430Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
957 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN MARION COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 1030 PM CST

* AT 957 PM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM
  WAS LOCATED NEAR TREMONT...OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FULTON...AND
  MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  HACKLEBURG...SHOTSVILLE...TESSNER AND BEAR CREEK.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 3 THROUGH 7...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING.

THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AND
WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3432 8764 3424 8764 3414 8819 3431 8818
      3433 8816
TIME...MOT...LOC 0357Z 255DEG 54KT 3423 8822

$$

27
2 follow-up statements
808 
WWUS54 KBMX 250412
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1012 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

ALC093-250430-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110225T0430Z/
MARION AL-
1012 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN MARION COUNTY
UNTIL 1030 PM CST...

AT 1007 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES NORTH OF WESTON...OR 9 MILES NORTH OF
HAMILTON...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  HACKLEBURG...TESSNER AND BEAR CREEK.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 3 THROUGH 7...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AND
WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3415 8814 3432 8810 3433 8816 3432 8764
      3424 8764
TIME...MOT...LOC 0412Z 255DEG 54KT 3428 8795

$$

27
300 
WWUS54 KBMX 250421
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1021 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

ALC093-250430-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110225T0430Z/
MARION AL-
1021 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN MARION COUNTY
UNTIL 1030 PM CST...

AT 1021 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR HACKLEBURG...OR 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF
HAMILTON...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BEAR CREEK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AND
WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3417 8804 3431 8798 3433 8816 3432 8764
      3424 8764
TIME...MOT...LOC 0421Z 255DEG 54KT 3431 8779

$$

27

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 24, 9:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion40 min
Feb 24, 10:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXGreene, Pickens41 min
Feb 24, 10:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston50 min
Feb 24, 10:30 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXFayette, Walker45 min
Feb 24, 10:41 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Greene, Jefferson, Lamar, Pickens, Tuscaloosa and 1 more49 min
Feb 24, 10:44 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Walker, Winston46 min
Feb 24, 11:16 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXBlount, Walker44 min
Feb 24, 11:21 PM CSTTornado WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson, Walker39 min
Feb 24, 11:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Greene, Hale, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby and 3 more66 min
Feb 24, 11:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, Walker50 min
Feb 24, 11:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair49 min
Feb 24, 11:38 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXDallas, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Sumter67 min
Feb 25, 12:09 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah, St. Clair57 min
Feb 25, 12:12 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Shelby, Talladega63 min
Feb 25, 12:29 AM CSTTornado WarningBMXCherokee, Etowah46 min
Feb 25, 1:17 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, Talladega43 min
Feb 25, 2:06 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBullock, Chambers, Elmore, Lee, Lowndes, Macon and 3 more39 min
Feb 25, 2:45 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBarbour, Bullock, Lee, Macon, Russell45 min
Feb 25, 3:35 AM CSTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBarbour, Pike, Russell40 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.