Alert archive / Georgia / Tornado Watches in 2011
Tornado Watch 95
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at Apr 4, 2011, 4:55 PM CDT for 34 counties in Alabama; 38 counties in Georgia. It was in force for 6 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Apr 4, 2011, 4:55 PM CDT (21:55 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 4, 2011, 11:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 6 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
- Largest hail expected
- 1.5 in
- Strongest gust expected
- 60 kt
All 72 counties
Autauga County, AL, Bibb County, AL, Blount County, AL, Calhoun County, AL, Chambers County, AL, Cherokee County, AL, Chilton County, AL, Clay County, AL, Cleburne County, AL, Coosa County, AL, Dallas County, AL, Elmore County, AL, Etowah County, AL, Fayette County, AL, Greene County, AL, Hale County, AL, Jefferson County, AL, Lamar County, AL, Lee County, AL, Lowndes County, AL, Macon County, AL, Marengo County, AL, Montgomery County, AL, Perry County, AL, Pickens County, AL, Randolph 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, Banks County, GA, Barrow County, GA, Bartow County, GA, Carroll County, GA, Catoosa County, GA, Chattooga County, GA, Cherokee County, GA, Clayton County, GA, Cobb County, GA, Coweta County, GA, Dade County, GA, Dawson County, GA, DeKalb County, GA, Douglas County, GA, Fannin County, GA, Fayette County, GA, Floyd County, GA, Forsyth County, GA, Fulton County, GA, Gilmer County, GA, Gordon County, GA, Gwinnett County, GA, Hall County, GA, Haralson County, GA, Heard County, GA, Jackson County, GA, Lumpkin County, GA, Meriwether County, GA, Murray County, GA, Paulding County, GA, Pickens County, GA, Polk County, GA, Towns County, GA, Troup County, GA, Union County, GA, Walker County, GA, White County, GA, Whitfield County, GA
The radar
The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 119 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:58 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
- 60%
- One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes
- 50%
- Ten or more severe wind reports
- 70%
- One or more gusts of 65 knots or more
- 30%
- Ten or more severe hail reports
- 20%
- One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more
- 10%
- Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports
- 90%
Warnings issued inside it
50 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 5:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Catoosa, Dade, Walker | 40 min |
| Apr 4, 5:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Lamar, Pickens | 50 min |
| Apr 4, 5:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker, Winston | 45 min |
| Apr 4, 5:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Walker | 53 min |
| Apr 4, 6:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa, Walker | 38 min |
| Apr 4, 6:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Walker, Winston | 44 min |
| Apr 4, 6:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa | 57 min |
| Apr 4, 6:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Walker, Winston | 40 min |
| Apr 4, 6:34 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Jefferson, Walker | 41 min |
| Apr 4, 6:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa | 50 min |
| Apr 4, 7:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Greene, Hale, Marengo, Sumter | 54 min |
| Apr 4, 7:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Hale, Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa | 67 min |
| Apr 4, 7:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Blount, Etowah, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby | 64 min |
| Apr 4, 7:25 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Lamar | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 7:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Dade, Walker | 49 min |
| Apr 4, 7:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Cherokee | 48 min |
| Apr 4, 7:40 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | BMX | Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair, Walker | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 7:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Chattooga, Floyd, Walker | 62 min |
| Apr 4, 7:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cleburne, Talladega | 41 min |
| Apr 4, 7:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Hale, Perry | 26 min |
| Apr 4, 7:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Hale, Marengo, Perry | 34 min |
| Apr 4, 8:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Perry, Shelby, Talladega | 38 min |
| Apr 4, 8:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Pickens, Whitfield | 51 min |
| Apr 4, 8:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bibb, Perry | 17 min |
| Apr 4, 8:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Floyd, Polk | 45 min |
| Apr 4, 8:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Jefferson, Shelby | 29 min |
| Apr 4, 8:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Whitfield | 43 min |
| Apr 4, 8:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Autauga, Chilton, Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry | 65 min |
| Apr 4, 8:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Bartow | 48 min |
| Apr 4, 8:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne, St. Clair, Shelby, Talladega | 46 min |
| Apr 4, 8:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Autauga, Chilton, Clay, Coosa, Shelby, Talladega | 38 min |
| Apr 4, 8:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Fannin, Towns, Union | 45 min |
| Apr 4, 8:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Paulding, Polk | 51 min |
| Apr 4, 8:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Dawson, Lumpkin, Pickens, White | 49 min |
| Apr 4, 8:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Calhoun, Cleburne, Randolph, Talladega | 47 min |
| Apr 4, 9:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Haralson | 42 min |
| Apr 4, 9:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Clay, Coosa, Randolph, Tallapoosa | 35 min |
| Apr 4, 9:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Montgomery | 31 min |
| Apr 4, 9:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Carroll, Cobb, Douglas, Haralson, Paulding | 46 min |
| Apr 4, 9:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Bullock, Elmore, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Montgomery and 1 more | 65 min |
| Apr 4, 9:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Elmore, Randolph, Tallapoosa | 63 min |
| Apr 4, 9:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Dawson, Hall, Lumpkin, White | 46 min |
| Apr 4, 9:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Cherokee, Cobb, Forsyth, Fulton | 53 min |
| Apr 4, 9:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Coweta, Heard, Troup | 31 min |
| Apr 4, 10:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Clayton, Cobb, Fulton | 65 min |
| Apr 4, 10:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Carroll, Cobb, Douglas, Heard | 45 min |
| Apr 4, 10:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Banks, Barrow, Gwinnett, Hall, Jackson | 48 min |
| Apr 4, 10:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | DeKalb, Gwinnett | 44 min |
| Apr 4, 10:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Clayton, Coweta, Fayette, Harris, Meriwether, Troup | 57 min |
| Apr 4, 10:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BMX | Barbour, Bullock, Chambers, Lee, Macon, Russell | 51 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
Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 119 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 45 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -348 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 509 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 24 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 150 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 332 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
416
WWUS20 KWNS 042155
SEL5
SPC WW 042155
ALZ000-GAZ000-050400-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 95
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
455 PM CDT MON APR 4 2011
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
CENTRAL ALABAMA
NORTHERN GEORGIA
EFFECTIVE THIS MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING FROM 455 PM UNTIL
1100 PM CDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND
GUSTS TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE
AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 80 STATUTE
MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 65 MILES NORTHEAST OF ROME
GEORGIA TO 25 MILES SOUTH SOUTHWEST OF SELMA ALABAMA. FOR A
COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE THE ASSOCIATED WATCH OUTLINE
UPDATE (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 91...WW 93...WW 94...
DISCUSSION...AN INTENSE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS TRACKING ACROSS
PORTIONS OF MS/AL WHERE MODERATE INSTABILITY AND STRONG SHEAR IS
PRESENT. DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL ARE THE MAIN THREAT.
HOWEVER...STRONG SURFACE PRESSURE FALLS IN THE WARM SECTOR COUPLED
WITH FAVORABLE LOW LEVEL VERTICAL SHEAR WILL PROMOTE SUPERCELLS
CAPABLE OF TORNADOES. STRONG TORNADOES CANNOT BE RULED
OUT...ESPECIALLY OVER THE AL PORTION OF THE WATCH THIS EVENING.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1.5 INCHES. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE
WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO
500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26040.
...HARTSPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 10:25 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Colbert, Cullman, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale and 9 more | 2 hr |
| Apr 4, 1:03 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Blount, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Fayette, Franklin and 16 more | 7 hr |
| Apr 4, 2:52 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Choctaw, Fayette, Greene, Pickens, Sumter, Tuscaloosa | 113 min |
| Apr 4, 4:28 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Autauga, Baldwin, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Chambers and 29 more | 62 min |
| Apr 4, 5:28 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Baldwin, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Covington and 6 more | 7 hr |
| Apr 4, 6:50 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Autauga, Baldwin, Bibb, Blount, Butler, Calhoun and 36 more | 85 min |
| Apr 4, 3:49 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Catoosa, Dade, Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray and 4 more | 56 min |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Georgia, 2011Tornado Watches in Alabama, 2011Every tornado 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.