Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 27, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 2, 2012Lamar County, Pickens County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 2, 2012, 2:59 PM CST for Lamar County, Pickens County, Alabama. It was in force for 46 min. 1 report 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: Mar 2, 2012, 2:59 PM CST (20:59 UTC)
Expired: Mar 2, 2012, 3:45 PM CST
In force: 46 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Lamar County, AL, Pickens County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 39 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:02 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
Mar 2, 3:15 PM CST	TSTM WND DMG	1 N Ethelsville, AL	SEVERAL TREES AND POWERLINES WERE BLOWN DOWN.

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
Mar 2, 1:20 PM CST	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 136 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: 544 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -15 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 530 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 180 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 204 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.6
Supercell composite: 2.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

056 
WUUS54 KBMX 022059
SVRBMX
ALC075-107-022145-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0027.120302T2059Z-120302T2145Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
259 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN LAMAR COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...
  NORTHERN PICKENS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 345 PM CST

* AT 258 PM CST...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL UP TO
  TENNIS BALL SIZE...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS
  STORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES WEST OF NEW HOPE...OR 6 MILES SOUTH OF
  COLUMBUS...AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MILLPORT...ETHELSVILLE...KENNEDY...FOREST...MELBORNE AND SHAW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. TORNADOES CAN
DEVELOP QUICKLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH NOT IMMEDIATELY
LIKELY...IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED...ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL
INTERIOR ROOM.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3352 8828 3365 8827 3367 8826 3367 8825
      3368 8795 3367 8794 3340 8794 3338 8830
TIME...MOT...LOC 2100Z 257DEG 41KT 3342 8838

$$

61

3 follow-up statements

582 
WWUS54 KBMX 022111
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
311 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ALC075-107-022145-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0027.000000T0000Z-120302T2145Z/
LAMAR AL-PICKENS AL-
311 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN
PICKENS AND SOUTHERN LAMAR COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CST...

AT 307 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL UP TO
TENNIS BALL SIZE...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS
STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR NEW HOPE...OR 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COLUMBUS...
MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MILLPORT...KENNEDY...MELBORNE AND SHAW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. TORNADOES CAN
DEVELOP QUICKLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH NOT IMMEDIATELY
LIKELY...IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL
INTERIOR ROOM.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3365 8827 3367 8826 3368 8795 3367 8794
      3360 8794 3340 8794 3340 8830
TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 257DEG 41KT 3346 8824

$$

61

840 
WWUS54 KBMX 022123
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
323 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ALC075-107-022145-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0027.000000T0000Z-120302T2145Z/
LAMAR AL-PICKENS AL-
323 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL
PICKENS AND SOUTHEASTERN LAMAR COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CST...

AT 321 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE DESTRUCTIVE HAIL UP TO
TENNIS BALL SIZE...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS
STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES SOUTH OF MILLPORT...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MILLPORT AND KENNEDY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. TORNADOES CAN
DEVELOP QUICKLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH NOT IMMEDIATELY
LIKELY...IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL
INTERIOR ROOM.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3355 8817 3360 8794 3346 8794 3345 8795
      3344 8818
TIME...MOT...LOC 2123Z 257DEG 41KT 3349 8809

$$

61

979 
WWUS54 KBMX 022132
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
332 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

ALC075-107-022145-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0027.000000T0000Z-120302T2145Z/
LAMAR AL-PICKENS AL-
332 PM CST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL
PICKENS AND SOUTHEASTERN LAMAR COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CST...

AT 330 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL...AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES
WEST OF ASHCRAFT CORNER...OR 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MILLPORT...MOVING
EAST AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EXTREME NORTHEASTERN PICKENS AND EXTREME
  SOUTHEASTERN LAMAR COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. TORNADOES CAN
DEVELOP QUICKLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH NOT IMMEDIATELY
LIKELY...IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL
INTERIOR ROOM.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3354 8805 3360 8795 3357 8794 3346 8794
      3345 8795 3346 8806
TIME...MOT...LOC 2132Z 257DEG 41KT 3350 8797

$$

61

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Mar 2, 4:53 AM CST	Wind Advisory	BMX	Autauga, Barbour, Bibb, Blount, Bullock, Calhoun and 33 more	13 hr
Mar 2, 2:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion	44 min
Mar 2, 3:26 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Pickens, Tuscaloosa	49 min
Mar 2, 3:38 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Lamar, Marion	52 min
Mar 2, 3:47 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Winston	43 min
Mar 2, 4:05 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, Walker	40 min
Mar 2, 4:16 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	44 min
Mar 2, 4:23 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marion, Winston	31 min
Mar 2, 4:39 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Jefferson, Walker	53 min
Mar 2, 4:46 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount	48 min
Mar 2, 4:53 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Marengo	52 min
Mar 2, 5:16 PM CST	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Blount, Jefferson, St. Clair	44 min
Mar 2, 5:43 PM CST	Tornado Warning	BMX	Lowndes	47 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2012 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2012

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.