Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 51, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 15, 2011Greene County, Hale County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 2011, 2:24 PM CDT for Greene County, Hale County, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. It was in force for 51 min. 1 report 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 15, 2011, 2:24 PM CDT (19:24 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 2011, 3:15 PM CDT
In force
51 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon
Emergency
Tornado emergency

Counties Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 81 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:24 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
Apr 15, 3:16 PM CDTTORNADO 33 Se Ralph, ALAN EF-3 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR RALPH IN NORTHEAST GREENE COUNTY AND MOVED NORTHEAST TO NEAR 1.5 MILES EAST OF UNIVERSITY MALL IN TUSCALOOSA. HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED AND A POWER TRANSMISSION TOWER WAS CRUSHED. MANY HOMES AND BUSINESSES WER

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
Apr 15, 7:32 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr
Apr 15, 11:21 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 7.4 hours before the alert went out and 81 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 2011-04-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2011-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 282 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1553 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
282 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
365 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

409 
WFUS54 KBMX 151924
TORBMX
ALC063-065-125-152015-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0051.110415T1924Z-110415T2015Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
224 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  EAST CENTRAL GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHERN HALE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHERN TUSCALOOSA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 315 PM CDT

* AT 220 PM CDT...STORM SPOTTERS AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
  WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO NEAR WEST
  GREENE...OR 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF EUTAW. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS
  TORNADO MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

...TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR UNION...KNOXVILLE...RALPH...AND MOUNDVILLE. 
TAKE COVER NOW. STORMS REPORTS OF A ONE HALF OF A MILE WIDE 
TORNADO...

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  UNION...KNOXVILLE...MOUNDVILLE...MCFARLAND MALL...LAKE WILDWOOD...
  COALING...SNODDY...RALPH...FOSTERS AND MOUNDVILLE AIRPORT.

THIS INCLUDES...
INTERSTATE 20 EXIT NUMBERS 45 THROUGH 79...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A LARGE...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY
TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE...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 3302 8797 3325 8734 3302 8731 3301 8742
      3292 8743 3288 8792
TIME...MOT...LOC 1922Z 253DEG 31KT 3294 8802

$$

08

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 15, 3:29 AM CDTWind AdvisoryBMXAutauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more22 hr
Apr 15, 8:49 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMarion41 min
Apr 15, 8:55 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXLamar50 min
Apr 15, 9:49 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXLamar116 min
Apr 15, 9:53 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXFayette, Marion37 min
Apr 15, 10:11 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXLamar6 hr
Apr 15, 10:37 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXPickens38 min
Apr 15, 10:51 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXSt. Clair39 min
Apr 15, 10:59 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson, St. Clair46 min
Apr 15, 11:12 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXFayette, Walker, Winston2 hr
Apr 15, 11:52 AM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarengo38 min
Apr 15, 12:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar, Pickens34 min
Apr 15, 12:24 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarengo51 min
Apr 15, 12:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Jefferson, St. Clair27 min
Apr 15, 12:59 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXDallas, Marengo, Perry46 min
Apr 15, 1:10 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston3 hr
Apr 15, 1:22 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXBlount3 hr
Apr 15, 1:25 PM CDTTornado Warning EmergencyBMXGreene, Sumter65 min
Apr 15, 1:43 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXPerry28 min
Apr 15, 2:14 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Pickens, Sumter4 days
Apr 15, 2:14 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter20 hr
Apr 15, 2:14 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter20 hr
Apr 15, 2:17 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo4 days
Apr 15, 2:31 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarengo, Sumter29 min
Apr 15, 2:39 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXGreene, Pickens, Sumter3 hr
Apr 15, 2:41 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Tuscaloosa64 min
Apr 15, 2:49 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Sumter41 min
Apr 15, 2:56 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, Sumter49 min
Apr 15, 3:10 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Tuscaloosa50 min
Apr 15, 3:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXTuscaloosa3 hr
Apr 15, 3:27 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Tuscaloosa48 min
Apr 15, 3:32 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXSumter58 min
Apr 15, 3:34 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLowndes, Montgomery56 min
Apr 15, 3:39 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Hale, Perry, Tuscaloosa66 min
Apr 15, 3:44 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXJefferson, Tuscaloosa37 min
Apr 15, 3:57 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningBMXLamar24 hr
Apr 15, 4:18 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXGreene, Hale, Sumter57 min
Apr 15, 4:21 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLamar39 min
Apr 15, 4:28 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Jefferson, Shelby62 min
Apr 15, 4:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBibb, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa42 min
Apr 15, 4:41 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarengo, Sumter64 min
Apr 15, 4:42 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Tuscaloosa33 min
Apr 15, 4:45 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion26 min
Apr 15, 5:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar52 min
Apr 15, 5:09 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXJefferson, Shelby3 hr
Apr 15, 5:13 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXBibb, Hale, Perry35 min
Apr 15, 5:18 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLamar30 min
Apr 15, 5:26 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXSt. Clair, Shelby, Talladega49 min
Apr 15, 5:30 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXHale, Marengo, Perry, Sumter60 min
Apr 15, 5:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXLamar22 min
Apr 15, 5:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXChambers, Lee, Macon45 min
Apr 15, 5:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion45 min
Apr 15, 5:55 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLowndes, Montgomery46 min
Apr 15, 6:08 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Talladega52 min
Apr 15, 6:11 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXDallas, Perry64 min
Apr 15, 6:12 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXLee21 min
Apr 15, 6:15 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXDallas, Lowndes60 min
Apr 15, 6:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXFayette, Walker43 min
Apr 15, 6:19 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXMarengo56 min
Apr 15, 6:43 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXTalladega3 hr
Apr 15, 6:53 PM CDTTornado WarningBMXCalhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Talladega31 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.