Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 81, NWS Birmingham, AL

April 15, 2011Dallas County, Marengo County, Perry County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 2011, 7:09 PM CDT for Dallas County, Marengo County, Perry County, Alabama. It was in force for 66 min. 7 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 15, 2011, 7:09 PM CDT (00:09 UTC)
Expired: Apr 15, 2011, 8:15 PM CDT
In force: 66 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Dallas County, AL, Marengo County, AL, Perry County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:13 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 15, 7:26 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Marion, AL	TREE DOWN ON BALLARD ROAD.
Apr 15, 7:48 PM CDT	TORNADO 1	4 Wnw Cahaba River At M, AL	AN EF-1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NORTH OF MARION JUNCTION ALONG COUNTY ROAD 58 TRAVELING NORTHEAST TO COUNTY ROAD 944. HEAVY DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO THE ROOF AND WALLS OF A METAL WAREHOUSE. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 0.2 MILES AND MAX WIDTH WAS 100 YARDS. THE WINDS WERE
Apr 15, 8:04 PM CDT	TORNADO	5 Sse Cahaba River At M, AL	DAMAGE NORTH OF BELOIT WAS CONSISTENT WITH AN EF-1 TORNADO. WINDS WERE AROUND 105 MPH...TOUCHED DOWN EAST OF COUNTY RD 189 AND NORTH OF COUNTY RD 205 TRAVELING EAST-NORTHEAST FOR A PATH LENGTH OF 1.6 MILES OVER PASTURE LAND. IT UPROOTED AND SNAPPED HUNDREDS OF
Apr 15, 8:12 PM CDT	HAIL 1	Selma, AL	DOWNTOWN SELMA
Apr 15, 8:13 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	5 Wsw Selma, AL	SEVERAL TREES DOWN INCLUDING ONE ON A HOUSE. DAMAGE TO AWNING OF OLD GAS STATION.
Apr 15, 8:13 PM CDT	TORNADO 1	5 Wsw Selma, AL	AN EF-1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN WEST OF SELMA AND JUST SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 22 TRAVELING NORTHEAST TO WILDWOOD DR. THE BRIEF DAMAGE INCLUDED SOFT AND HARDWOOD TREES SNAPPED AND DAMAGE TO ONE HOME NEAR WILDWOOD DR DUE TO THE TREES. THE DAMAGE PATH LENGTH WAS 0.8 MILES
Apr 15, 8:17 PM CDT	HAIL 0.88	Valley Grande, AL

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 15, 11:21 AM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Jackson, MS (KJAN), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 243 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: 173 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -18 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1488 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 165 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

321 
WFUS54 KBMX 160009
TORBMX
ALC047-091-105-160115-
/O.NEW.KBMX.TO.W.0081.110416T0009Z-110416T0115Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN DALLAS COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHEASTERN MARENGO COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...
  PERRY COUNTY IN CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 815 PM CDT

* AT 708 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS DANGEROUS STORM
  WAS LOCATED 5 MILES WEST OF THOMASTON...OR 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
  LINDEN...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  UNIONTOWN...MARION...SELMONT-WEST SELMONT...SELMA...VALLEY
  GRANDE...THOMASTON...DAYTON...CONSUL...FAUNSDALE AND CENTRAL MILLS.

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 3249 8765 3249 8753 3257 8752 3278 8718
      3239 8685 3222 8737 3227 8744 3226 8751
      3217 8752 3209 8776 3233 8791
TIME...MOT...LOC 0009Z 242DEG 36KT 3226 8771

$$

17/KLAWS

3 follow-up statements

346 
WWUS54 KBMX 160024
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
724 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

ALC047-091-105-160115-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0081.000000T0000Z-110416T0115Z/
MARENGO AL-DALLAS AL-PERRY AL-
724 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PERRY...NORTHERN DALLAS
AND NORTHEASTERN MARENGO COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM CDT...

AT 722 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR DAYTON...OR 11 MILES EAST OF LINDEN...MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  UNIONTOWN...MARION...SELMONT-WEST SELMONT...SELMA...VALLEY
  GRANDE...CONSUL...FAUNSDALE...CENTRAL MILLS...BOGUE CHITTO AND
  ORRVILLE.

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

LAT...LON 3249 8765 3249 8752 3257 8752 3278 8718
      3239 8685 3222 8737 3227 8744 3227 8750
      3217 8760 3239 8778
TIME...MOT...LOC 0024Z 240DEG 33KT 3233 8760

$$

17/KLAWS

582 
WWUS54 KBMX 160041
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
741 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

ALC091-160051-
/O.CAN.KBMX.TO.W.0081.000000T0000Z-110416T0115Z/
MARENGO AL-
741 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN MARENGO 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 3227 8744 3227 8748 3231 8747 3232 8753
      3257 8752 3278 8718 3239 8685 3222 8737
TIME...MOT...LOC 0041Z 250DEG 37KT 3239 8739

$$

ALC047-105-160115-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0081.000000T0000Z-110416T0115Z/
DALLAS AL-PERRY AL-
741 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PERRY AND NORTHERN DALLAS
COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM CDT...

AT 740 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES WEST OF BOGUE CHITTO...OR 8 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF UNIONTOWN...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MARION...SELMA...SELMONT-WEST SELMONT...VALLEY GRANDE...VALDEN...
  BOGUE CHITTO...MARION JUNCTION...ORRVILLE...OLD CAHABA PARK AND
  POTTER STATION.

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

LAT...LON 3227 8744 3227 8748 3231 8747 3232 8753
      3257 8752 3278 8718 3239 8685 3222 8737
TIME...MOT...LOC 0041Z 250DEG 37KT 3239 8739

$$

067 
WWUS54 KBMX 160053
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
753 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

ALC047-105-160115-
/O.CON.KBMX.TO.W.0081.000000T0000Z-110416T0115Z/
DALLAS AL-PERRY AL-
753 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN PERRY AND
NORTHERN DALLAS COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM CDT...

AT 749 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR MARION JUNCTION...OR 12 MILES EAST OF
UNIONTOWN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  SELMONT-WEST SELMONT...SELMA...VALLEY GRANDE...POTTER STATION...
  DALLAS COUNTY HORSE ARENA...MEMORIAL STADIUM...SKYHARBOR AIRPORT...
  SUTTLE...RED FORD AND SPROTT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY OBSCURE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR
THE TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

TORNADOES ARE DIFFICULT TO SEE AND CONFIRM AT NIGHT. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3226 8734 3231 8747 3256 8742 3273 8714
      3239 8685
TIME...MOT...LOC 0053Z 246DEG 36KT 3245 8725

$$

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 15, 7:03 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Perry	57 min
Apr 15, 7:06 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	39 min
Apr 15, 7:33 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	BMX	Marengo	3 hr
Apr 15, 7:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chilton, Coosa	28 min
Apr 15, 8:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Perry	50 min
Apr 15, 8:52 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Elmore	38 min
Apr 15, 9:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore	30 min
Apr 15, 9:19 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Dallas, Lowndes	41 min
Apr 15, 9:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa	38 min
Apr 15, 10:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, Lowndes and 2 more	28 min
Apr 15, 10:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Randolph, Talladega and 1 more	32 min
Apr 15, 10:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Autauga, Coosa, Elmore	46 min
Apr 15, 11:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery, Pike	40 min
Apr 15, 11:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chambers, Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa	54 min
Apr 15, 11:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, Tallapoosa	47 min
Apr 15, 11:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Macon, Montgomery, Pike	38 min
Apr 15, 11:53 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	BMX	Chambers, Randolph, Tallapoosa	52 min
Apr 16, 12:14 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Montgomery, Pike	46 min
Apr 16, 12:36 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Chambers, Randolph, Tallapoosa	3 hr
Apr 16, 12:41 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Lee, Macon, Russell	34 min
Apr 16, 12:55 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Macon, Montgomery, Pike	50 min
Apr 16, 1:26 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Lee, Macon, Russell	49 min
Apr 16, 2:11 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lee, Russell	19 min
Apr 16, 2:58 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Russell	47 min
Apr 16, 4:13 AM CDT	Wind Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	15 hr

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.