Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 41, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 11, 2011Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 11, 2011, 6:53 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 52 min. 5 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 11, 2011, 6:53 PM CDT (23:53 UTC)
Expired: Apr 11, 2011, 7:45 PM CDT
In force: 52 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Jefferson County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 38 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:56 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 11, 7:14 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	3 Nnw Fairfield, AL	TREE DOWN BLOCKING HWY 269 NEAR MINOR HIGH SCHOOL
Apr 11, 7:14 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Bessemer, AL	TREE DOWN ON AVE H IN BESSEMER.
Apr 11, 7:15 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Bessemer, AL	COUPLE OF TREES DOWN ALONG AVENUE I...1112 AND 1118.
Apr 11, 7:17 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Bessemer, AL	TREES DOWN AND DAMAGED FENCE ON 1007 AVENUE J.
Apr 11, 7:21 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Mccalla, AL	LIGHT POST DOWN ON INTERSTATE 59 NEAR EXIT 107.

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 11, 4:05 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 36 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: 9 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -684 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 606 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 109 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 179 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.

096 
WFUS54 KBMX 112353
TORBMX
ALC073-125-120045-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0041.110411T2353Z-110412T0045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
653 PM CDT MON APR 11 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHWESTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  EAST CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 745 PM CDT

* AT 647 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM
  WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTH OF BROOKWOOD...OR 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF
  HOLT...AND MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  HUEYTOWN...BESSEMER...FAIRFIELD...OAK GROVE...NORTH JOHNS...ALABAMA
  ADVENTURE...SYLVAN SPRINGS...MAYTOWN...BRIGHTON AND MULGA.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 459 EXIT NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 10...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 104 THROUGH 120...

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 3360 8692 3336 8683 3335 8684 3327 8733
      3339 8737
TIME...MOT...LOC 2353Z 254DEG 45KT 3335 8724

$$

56

3 follow-up statements

972 
WWUS54 KBMX 120002
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
702 PM CDT MON APR 11 2011

ALC125-120012-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0041.000000T0000Z-110412T0045Z/
TUSCALOOSA AL-
702 PM CDT MON APR 11 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL TUSCALOOSA 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 3360 8692 3336 8683 3335 8684 3331 8716
      3336 8720 3346 8722
TIME...MOT...LOC 0002Z 254DEG 45KT 3337 8711

$$

ALC073-120045-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0041.000000T0000Z-110412T0045Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
702 PM CDT MON APR 11 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWESTERN JEFFERSON
COUNTY UNTIL 745 PM CDT...

AT 700 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR NORTH JOHNS...OR 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
HUEYTOWN...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  HUEYTOWN...BESSEMER...FAIRFIELD...ALABAMA ADVENTURE...SYLVAN
  SPRINGS...MAYTOWN...BRIGHTON...MULGA...MADISON AND BON AIR.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 459 EXIT NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 10...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 106 THROUGH 118...

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 3360 8692 3336 8683 3335 8684 3331 8716
      3336 8720 3346 8722
TIME...MOT...LOC 0002Z 254DEG 45KT 3337 8711

$$

56

823 
WWUS54 KBMX 120013 RRA
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
713 PM CDT MON APR 11 2011

ALC073-120045-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0041.000000T0000Z-110412T0045Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
713 PM CDT MON APR 11 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON
COUNTY UNTIL 745 PM CDT...

AT 709 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ALABAMA ADVENTURE...OR NEAR BESSEMER...MOVING
EAST AT 50 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  FAIRFIELD...BRIGHTON...MADISON...BON AIR...LIPSCOMB...MINOR...
  MIDFIELD...ROSS BRIDGE...BLUFF PARK AND DOCENA.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 459 EXIT NUMBERS 1 THROUGH 10...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 106 THROUGH 118...

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 3336 8683 3335 8684 3332 8709 3348 8711
      3358 8691
TIME...MOT...LOC 0013Z 254DEG 45KT 3340 8695

$$

56

473 
WWUS54 KBMX 120038 RRA
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
738 PM CDT MON APR 11 2011

ALC073-120047-
/O.EXP.KBMX.TO.W.0041.000000T0000Z-110412T0045Z/
JEFFERSON AL-
738 PM CDT MON APR 11 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT 745 PM CDT...

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

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THIS 
AREA UNTIL 745PM.

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

LAT...LON 3336 8683 3335 8684 3332 8709 3348 8711
      3358 8691
TIME...MOT...LOC 0037Z 254DEG 45KT 3347 8660

$$

56

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 11, 3:52 AM CDT	Wind Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	20 hr
Apr 11, 5:12 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Winston	48 min
Apr 11, 5:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa	39 min
Apr 11, 5:42 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	22 min
Apr 11, 6:08 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	37 min
Apr 11, 6:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Greene, Jefferson, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	47 min
Apr 11, 6:17 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Blount, Walker	43 min
Apr 11, 6:38 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Tuscaloosa	29 min
Apr 11, 6:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Greene, Hale	15 min
Apr 11, 6:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Bibb, Hale, Tuscaloosa	14 min
Apr 11, 6:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bibb, Chilton, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Jefferson and 5 more	57 min
Apr 11, 6:52 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Blount	38 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.