Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Huntsville, AL

February 24, 2011Lauderdale County, Lawrence County, Limestone County, Alabama

NWS Huntsville, AL issued this tornado warning at Feb 24, 2011, 10:44 PM CST for Lauderdale County, Lawrence County, Limestone County, 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
Feb 24, 2011, 10:44 PM CST (04:44 UTC)
Expired
Feb 24, 2011, 11:15 PM CST
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Huntsville, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Lauderdale County, AL, Lawrence County, AL, Limestone County, AL

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 80 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:48 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, 10:59 PM CSTTSTM WND DMG5 Ese Rogersville, ALMULTIPLE TREES DOWN NEAR HWY 72.
Feb 24, 10:59 PM CSTHAIL 0.55 Ese Rogersville, ALDIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED NEAR HWY 72.

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

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 4.7 hours before the alert went out and 148 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2011-02-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 17 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2011-02-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 538 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
17 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-79 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
793 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
538 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
629 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.

014 
WFUS54 KHUN 250444
TORHUN
ALC077-079-083-250515-
/O.NEW.KHUN.TO.W.0004.110225T0444Z-110225T0515Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1044 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HUNTSVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  LIMESTONE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  SOUTHEASTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...
  NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 1115 PM CST

* AT 1044 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR NORTH      
  COURTLAND...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.

* LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO INCLUDE...
  COXEY.
  RIPLEY.
  ATHENS.
  ELKMONT.
  HOLLAND GIN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU
SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO...IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE COVER NOW.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM CST FRIDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3482 8678 3478 8679 3477 8679 3461 8736
      3485 8743 3500 8684 3500 8683
TIME...MOT...LOC 0444Z 248DEG 53KT 3474 8728

$$
SL
2 follow-up statements
684 
WWUS54 KHUN 250457
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1057 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

ALC077-079-250505-
/O.CAN.KHUN.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110225T0515Z/
LAUDERDALE AL-LAWRENCE AL-
1057 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN LAWRENCE AND SOUTHEASTERN
LAUDERDALE COUNTIES IS CANCELED...

WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE THUNDERSTORM THAT 
PROMPTED THE TORNADO WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF LAWRENCE AND 
SOUTHEASTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTY. THEREFORE THE TORNADO WARNING HAS 
BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

A SEPARATE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR 
LAWRENCE AND WESTERN LAUDERDALE COUNTIES FOR DAMAGING WINDS IN 
EXCESS OF 70 MPH WINDS UNTIL 1130 PM CST.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM CST FRIDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

LAT...LON 3500 8683 3483 8678 3477 8679 3468 8709
      3469 8710 3474 8716 3483 8722 3485 8721
      3490 8721
TIME...MOT...LOC 0455Z 249DEG 49KT 3478 8712

$$

ALC083-250515-
/O.CON.KHUN.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110225T0515Z/
LIMESTONE AL-
1057 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM CST FOR
LIMESTONE COUNTY...

AT 1053 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR RIPLEY...OR ABOUT
11 MILES WEST OF ATHENS...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
CAIRO...CARTWRIGHT...TANNER...ELKMONT...FRENCH MILL...HOLLAND GIN...
CAPSHAW...BETHEL AND ARDMORE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORNADOES AT NIGHT ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL YOU
SEE OR HEAR THE TORNADO...IT MAY BE TOO LATE. TAKE COVER NOW.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM CST FRIDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3500 8683 3483 8678 3477 8679 3468 8709
      3469 8710 3474 8716 3483 8722 3485 8721
      3490 8721
TIME...MOT...LOC 0455Z 249DEG 49KT 3478 8712

$$

SL
358 
WWUS54 KHUN 250512
SVSHUN

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1112 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

ALC083-250520-
/O.EXP.KHUN.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110225T0515Z/
LIMESTONE AL-
1112 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR LIMESTONE COUNTY EXPIRES AT 1115 PM CST...

WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE THUNDERSTORM THAT 
PROMPTED THE TORNADO WARNING HAD WEAKENED. THEREFORE THE TORNADO 
WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

HOWEVER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR 
LIMESTONE COUNTY UNTIL 1130 PM CST FOR DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS 
OF 70 MPH.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM CST FRIDAY MORNING FOR
NORTHERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

LAT...LON 3500 8683 3483 8678 3477 8679 3468 8709
      3469 8710 3474 8716 3483 8722 3485 8721
      3490 8721
TIME...MOT...LOC 0510Z 249DEG 49KT 3485 8688

$$

SL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 24, 9:09 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementHUNColbert51 min
Feb 24, 9:29 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale46 min
Feb 24, 9:55 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNColbert, Franklin35 min
Feb 24, 10:10 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNColbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone35 min
Feb 24, 10:15 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNFranklin30 min
Feb 24, 10:21 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNColbert, Lauderdale, Lawrence24 min
Feb 24, 10:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNLauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan50 min
Feb 24, 11:04 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman41 min
Feb 24, 11:20 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNCullman25 min
Feb 24, 11:21 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNJackson, Limestone, Madison, Marshall, Morgan24 min
Feb 24, 11:23 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNMarshall, Morgan37 min
Feb 24, 11:40 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNCullman, Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Morgan35 min
Feb 24, 11:47 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson, Madison, Marshall28 min
Feb 24, 11:56 PM CSTTornado WarningHUNJackson22 min
Feb 25, 12:09 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall36 min
Feb 25, 12:09 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson, Marshall36 min
Feb 25, 12:14 AM CSTTornado WarningHUNDeKalb, Jackson20 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.