Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Watches in 2011

Severe Thunderstorm Watch 379

May 26, 20115 states

The Storm Prediction Center issued this severe thunderstorm watch at May 26, 2011, 9:15 AM CDT for 5 states. It took effect at May 26, 2011, 9:20 AM CDT. It was in force for 9 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 26, 2011, 9:15 AM CDT (14:15 UTC)
In effect from: May 26, 2011, 9:20 AM CDT
Expired: May 26, 2011, 6:00 PM CDT
In force: 9 hr
Issued by: the Storm Prediction Center
Largest hail expected: 2 in
Strongest gust expected: 60 kt

All 127 counties

Autauga County, AL, Barbour County, AL, Bibb County, AL, Blount County, AL, Bullock County, AL, Calhoun County, AL, Chambers County, AL, Cherokee County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Clay County, AL, Cleburne County, AL, Coosa County, AL, Cullman County, AL, Dallas County, AL, DeKalb County, AL, Elmore County, AL, Etowah County, AL, Fayette County, AL, Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Jackson County, AL, Jefferson County, AL, Lamar County, AL, Lee County, AL, Lowndes County, AL, Macon County, AL, Madison County, AL, Marengo County, AL, Marshall County, AL, Montgomery County, AL, Morgan County, AL, Perry County, AL, Pickens County, AL, Pike County, AL, Randolph County, AL, Russell County, AL, Shelby County, AL, St. Clair County, AL, Sumter County, AL, Talladega County, AL, Tallapoosa County, AL, Tuscaloosa County, AL, Walker County, AL, Winston County, AL, Bartow County, GA, Carroll County, GA, Catoosa County, GA, Chattooga County, GA, Cherokee County, GA, Cobb County, GA, Dade County, GA, Dawson County, GA, Fannin County, GA, Floyd County, GA, Gilmer County, GA, Gordon County, GA, Habersham County, GA, Haralson County, GA, Lumpkin County, GA, Murray County, GA, Paulding County, GA, Pickens County, GA, Polk County, GA, Rabun County, GA, Stephens County, GA, Towns County, GA, Union County, GA, Walker County, GA, White County, GA, Whitfield County, GA, Avery County, NC, Buncombe County, NC, Cherokee County, NC, Clay County, NC, Graham County, NC, Haywood County, NC, Henderson County, NC, Jackson County, NC, Macon County, NC, Madison County, NC, Mitchell County, NC, Swain County, NC, Transylvania County, NC, Yancey County, NC, Anderson County, TN, Bledsoe County, TN, Blount County, TN, Bradley County, TN, Campbell County, TN, Carter County, TN, Claiborne County, TN, Cocke County, TN, Franklin County, TN, Grainger County, TN, Greene County, TN, Grundy County, TN, Hamblen County, TN, Hamilton County, TN, Hancock County, TN, Hawkins County, TN, Jefferson County, TN, Johnson County, TN, Knox County, TN, Loudon County, TN, Marion County, TN, McMinn County, TN, Meigs County, TN, Monroe County, TN, Morgan County, TN, Polk County, TN, Rhea County, TN, Roane County, TN, Scott County, TN, Sequatchie County, TN, Sevier County, TN, Sullivan County, TN, Unicoi County, TN, Union County, TN, Van Buren County, TN, Washington County, TN, City of Bristol, VA, City of Norton, VA, Lee County, VA, Russell County, VA, Scott County, VA, Washington County, VA, Wise County, VA

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 14:15 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 SPC expected

The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.

Two or more tornadoes: 20%
One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes: 5%
Ten or more severe wind reports: 30%
One or more gusts of 65 knots or more: 30%
Ten or more severe hail reports: 30%
One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more: 20%
Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports: 70%

Warnings issued inside it

92 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 26, 9:49 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Loudon, Meigs, Morgan, Rhea, Roane	26 min
May 26, 10:01 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Bledsoe, Marion, Sequatchie	44 min
May 26, 10:07 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Bradley, Hamilton, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea	38 min
May 26, 10:17 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Morgan, Roane, Scott	43 min
May 26, 10:41 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Monroe and 3 more	34 min
May 26, 10:51 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Roane, Scott	39 min
May 26, 11:18 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Grainger, Knox, Loudon and 2 more	42 min
May 26, 12:02 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Blount, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen and 6 more	43 min
May 26, 12:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	Jackson	39 min
May 26, 12:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	24 min
May 26, 12:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Loudon, McMinn, Monroe	42 min
May 26, 12:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	DeKalb, Jackson	38 min
May 26, 12:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins and 5 more	43 min
May 26, 12:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Gilmer, Gordon, Murray	52 min
May 26, 1:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Blount, Knox, Loudon, Monroe	42 min
May 26, 1:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Dallas	38 min
May 26, 1:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Dade, Walker	34 min
May 26, 1:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lowndes, Montgomery	46 min
May 26, 1:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	DeKalb	16 min
May 26, 1:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Fannin, Gilmer, Murray	52 min
May 26, 1:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chilton	43 min
May 26, 1:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Hawkins, Sullivan	26 min
May 26, 1:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cherokee	23 min
May 26, 1:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Bradley, Hamilton	35 min
May 26, 1:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens	32 min
May 26, 1:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Chattooga, Floyd	44 min
May 26, 1:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Blount, Cocke, Grainger, Jefferson, Knox, Sevier	44 min
May 26, 1:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery	38 min
May 26, 1:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Etowah	49 min
May 26, 1:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	McMinn	49 min
May 26, 2:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Union	44 min
May 26, 2:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cherokee, Clay	52 min
May 26, 2:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Pike	33 min
May 26, 2:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Fannin, Gilmer	33 min
May 26, 2:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	HUN	DeKalb	41 min
May 26, 2:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Autauga, Chilton, Coosa, Elmore	40 min
May 26, 2:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Bullock, Macon, Russell	32 min
May 26, 2:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson and 1 more	47 min
May 26, 2:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah	44 min
May 26, 2:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Loudon, McMinn, Monroe	43 min
May 26, 2:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Gilmer, Pickens	39 min
May 26, 2:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Fannin, Union	47 min
May 26, 2:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Graham, Jackson, Macon, Swain	59 min
May 26, 2:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon, Montgomery	13 min
May 26, 2:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Floyd	40 min
May 26, 2:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Talladega, Tallapoosa	24 min
May 26, 2:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Talladega	23 min
May 26, 2:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Macon	18 min
May 26, 2:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cherokee, Clay	46 min
May 26, 3:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Blount, Loudon	37 min
May 26, 3:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cherokee	37 min
May 26, 3:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby	40 min
May 26, 3:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Gilmer, Gordon, Murray	50 min
May 26, 3:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Sullivan and 1 more	46 min
May 26, 3:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, Etowah	45 min
May 26, 3:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Haralson, Polk	45 min
May 26, 3:21 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Clay, Tallapoosa	24 min
May 26, 3:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Bartow, Gordon	38 min
May 26, 3:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Union	61 min
May 26, 3:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Blount, Monroe	42 min
May 26, 3:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Greene, Hawkins	12 min
May 26, 3:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers	25 min
May 26, 3:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, St. Clair	39 min
May 26, 3:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Russell	35 min
May 26, 3:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain	62 min
May 26, 3:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Clay	47 min
May 26, 3:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, Walker	45 min
May 26, 3:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Carter, Greene, Hawkins, Sullivan, Washington	25 min
May 26, 3:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens, Sumter	24 min
May 26, 3:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Greene, Pickens	26 min
May 26, 3:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Chambers, Randolph	36 min
May 26, 3:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Union	32 min
May 26, 3:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Habersham, Rabun	64 min
May 26, 3:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, Scott	49 min
May 26, 4:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Blount, Cocke, Jefferson, Sevier	42 min
May 26, 4:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens	45 min
May 26, 4:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair	52 min
May 26, 4:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Sullivan	50 min
May 26, 4:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Dawson, Gilmer, Pickens	30 min
May 26, 4:20 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Carter, Johnson, Sullivan, Washington	40 min
May 26, 4:22 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FFC	Towns	38 min
May 26, 4:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Cherokee	52 min
May 26, 4:33 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Jefferson	42 min
May 26, 4:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Lumpkin, Union, White	22 min
May 26, 4:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FFC	Cherokee, Cobb, Dawson, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton and 1 more	40 min
May 26, 4:51 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	24 min
May 26, 4:51 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Johnson, Sullivan	39 min
May 26, 4:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Habersham, Rabun	51 min
May 26, 5:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Scott	27 min
May 26, 5:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Transylvania	67 min
May 26, 5:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Avery, Burke, Caldwell, McDowell	67 min
May 26, 5:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	GSP	Buncombe, Henderson, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania	65 min

Discussions around it

SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 185 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: 377 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -63 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 572 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 57 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 298 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 357 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.7
Supercell composite: 7.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 25, 8:33 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	Bibb, Colbert, Cullman, Fayette, Franklin, Jefferson and 12 more	7 hr
May 25, 10:27 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Colbert, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lawrence, Marion and 2 more	2 hr
May 26, 7:56 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Chilton, Clay and 22 more	94 min
May 26, 10:39 AM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Baldwin, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Dale, Escambia and 3 more	96 min
May 26, 12:22 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun and 33 more	83 min
May 26, 2:32 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Cherokee	58 min
May 26, 2:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	Henry	6 hr
May 26, 3:36 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne, Etowah and 6 more	84 min
May 26, 4:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	Elbert, Franklin, Habersham, Hart, Rabun, Stephens	7 hr
May 26, 6:12 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie	93 min
May 26, 12:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	Alleghany, Ashe, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin	11 hr
May 25, 7:22 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer and 18 more	53 min
May 26, 2:09 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Clay, Fentress, Jackson, Overton, Pickett, Scott and 1 more	96 min
May 26, 12:15 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig and 14 more	90 min
May 26, 3:30 PM CDT	Mesoscale Discussion	SPC	Alleghany, Bath, Bland, Buchanan, Craig, Dickenson and 18 more	60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Watches in Alabama, 2011 Severe Thunderstorm Watches in Tennessee, 2011 Severe Thunderstorm Watches in Georgia, 2011 Every severe thunderstorm watch 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.