Alert archive / Alabama / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 52, NWS Mobile, AL

April 15, 2011Choctaw County, Alabama

NWS Mobile, AL issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 2011, 4:02 PM CDT for Choctaw County, Alabama. It was in force for 58 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 15, 2011, 4:02 PM CDT (21:02 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 2011, 5:00 PM CDT
In force
58 min
Issued by
NWS Mobile, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

County Choctaw County, AL

The radar

The Mobile radar (KMOB), 161 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:06 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, 4:35 PM CDTTORNADOLisman, ALTORNADO PRODUCED MAJOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO RESIDENCE.
Apr 15, 4:38 PM CDTHAIL 2.757 N Butler, ALVERY LARGE HAIL KNOCKED THE WINDSHIELDS OUT OF CARS.
Apr 15, 4:44 PM CDTTORNADOJachin, ALNUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES REPORTED DOWN.
Apr 15, 4:55 PM CDTHAIL 1.75Pennington, ALLARGE HAIL DAMAGED SEVERAL VEHICLES AT THE PAPER MILL.
Apr 15, 4:55 PM CDTHAIL 2.75Pennington, ALBASEBALL SIZE HAIL CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE GEORGIA PACIFIC PLANT. WINDS AND SUNROOFS WERE BUSTED OUT OF CARS IN THE AREA.

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, 11:21 AM CDTTornado WatchSPC9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 173 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°0°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.

450 
WFUS54 KMOB 152102
TORMOB
ALC023-152200-
/O.NEW.KMOB.TO.W.0052.110415T2102Z-110415T2200Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOBILE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  CHOCTAW COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF BUTLER...

* UNTIL 500 PM CDT

* AT 357 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR BUTLER...OR
  NEAR LISMAN...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  PENNINGTON AND DEAS AROUND 415 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

&&

LAT...LON 3232 8799 3228 8801 3226 8801 3207 8808
      3206 8811 3201 8810 3181 8818 3180 8847
      3230 8842
TIME...MOT...LOC 2102Z 264DEG 37KT 3215 8823

$$
2 follow-up statements
109 
WWUS54 KMOB 152131
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
431 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

ALC023-152200-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0052.000000T0000Z-110415T2200Z/
CHOCTAW AL-
431 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR NORTHERN
CHOCTAW COUNTY...

AT 429 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS NEAR RIDERWOOD...OR ABOUT 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF BUTLER...
MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  GREEN ACRES AND BUTLER AROUND 440 PM CDT...
  LITTLE WALKER...JACHIN...MT STERLING AND MOUNT STERLING AROUND 450
  PM CDT...
  ROBJOHN AROUND 455 PM CDT...
  CHOCTAW CITY AND LAVACA AROUND 500 PM CDT...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING...PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR A ROOM SUCH AS
A CLOSET OR BATHROOM. IF POSSIBLE...GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER
PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY
AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY BE OBSCURING THIS TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW! IF YOU
WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR IT COMING...IT MAY BE TOO LATE TO GET TO A SAFE
PLACE.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

LAT...LON 3232 8799 3228 8801 3226 8801 3207 8808
      3206 8811 3201 8810 3201 8813 3201 8845
      3230 8842
TIME...MOT...LOC 2131Z 262DEG 22KT 3216 8831

$$
511 
WWUS54 KMOB 152143
SVSMOB

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
443 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

ALC023-152200-
/O.CON.KMOB.TO.W.0052.000000T0000Z-110415T2200Z/
CHOCTAW AL-
443 PM CDT FRI APR 15 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CDT FOR NORTHERN
CHOCTAW COUNTY...

AT 438 PM CDT...COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO. THIS 
TORNADO CROSSED THROUGH RIDERWOOD AND LISMAN...AND IS NOW NEAR 
BUTLER...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  LITTLE WALKER...JACHIN...MT STERLING AND MOUNT STERLING AROUND 450
  PM CDT...
  ROBJOHN AROUND 455 PM CDT...
  CHOCTAW CITY...LAVACA...PENNINGTON AND DEAS AROUND 500 PM CDT...

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPORTED ACROSS THE TOWNS OF RIDERWOOD 
AND LISMAN.  AREA RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO TAKE COVER NOW. THIS IS A 
DANGEROUS STORM.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING...PREFERABLY IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR A ROOM SUCH AS
A CLOSET OR BATHROOM. IF POSSIBLE...GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER
PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY
AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI.

LAT...LON 3232 8799 3228 8801 3226 8801 3207 8808
      3206 8811 3201 8810 3201 8813 3201 8845
      3230 8842
TIME...MOT...LOC 2141Z 262DEG 22KT 3217 8824

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 14, 10:41 PM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryMOB44 hr
Apr 15, 10:20 AM CDTTornado WarningMOBWashington40 min
Apr 15, 10:50 AM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Washington40 min
Apr 15, 10:56 AM CDTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw49 min
Apr 15, 11:09 AM CDTTornado WarningMOBWashington51 min
Apr 15, 11:26 AM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Monroe49 min
Apr 15, 11:41 AM CDTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw64 min
Apr 15, 11:52 AM CDTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw, Clarke, Washington38 min
Apr 15, 12:07 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBMonroe38 min
Apr 15, 12:20 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw, Clarke, Washington40 min
Apr 15, 12:35 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBMonroe, Wilcox24 min
Apr 15, 12:44 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBWashington46 min
Apr 15, 12:51 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Wilcox33 min
Apr 15, 1:09 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBWashington51 min
Apr 15, 1:22 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Washington21 min
Apr 15, 1:46 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Washington44 min
Apr 15, 2:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMOBChoctaw27 min
Apr 15, 2:22 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Monroe, Wilcox38 min
Apr 15, 2:55 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBMonroe, Wilcox50 min
Apr 15, 3:18 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBButler, Conecuh, Monroe, Wilcox57 min
Apr 15, 3:41 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Washington32 min
Apr 15, 4:27 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBClarke, Monroe48 min
Apr 15, 4:57 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw42 min
Apr 15, 5:09 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBButler, Conecuh, Monroe, Wilcox51 min
Apr 15, 5:44 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBMonroe, Wilcox31 min
Apr 15, 5:47 PM CDTTornado Warning EmergencyMOBChoctaw58 min
Apr 15, 5:54 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBWilcox51 min
Apr 15, 5:59 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBButler26 min
Apr 15, 6:23 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBWilcox32 min
Apr 15, 6:34 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw41 min
Apr 15, 6:44 PM CDTTornado WarningMOBChoctaw, Clarke, Washington61 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.