Alert archive / Alabama / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 73, NWS Birmingham, AL

March 31, 2012Walker County, Winston County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 31, 2012, 5:32 PM CDT for Walker County, Winston County, Alabama. It was in force for 43 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 31, 2012, 5:32 PM CDT (22:32 UTC)
Expired
Mar 31, 2012, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Birmingham, AL
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Walker County, AL, Winston County, AL

The radar

The Columbus AFB radar (KGWX), 96 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:34 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
Mar 31, 5:59 PM CDTHAIL 1.75Manchester, ALGOLF BALL SIZED HAIL IN MANCHESTER

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
Mar 31, 5:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC3 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 10.5 hours before the alert went out and 96 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 2012-03-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1095 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, Birmingham, AL at 12:00Z on 2012-03-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 24 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1095 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
580 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
36 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.

600 
WUUS54 KBMX 312232
SVRBMX
ALC127-133-312315-
/O.NEW.KBMX.SV.W.0073.120331T2232Z-120331T2315Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
532 PM CDT SAT MAR 31 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BIRMINGHAM HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL WALKER COUNTY IN ALABAMA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL WINSTON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST ALABAMA...

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT

* AT 530 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDICATED A SEVERE
  THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL...AND
  DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
  CORINTH REC AREA...OR 6 MILES WEST OF ARLEY...AND MOVING SOUTH AT
  10 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  JASPER...FALLS CITY...POPLAR SPRINGS...MCDOWELL CAMP GROUNDS...LAKE
  SHORE...CURRY...WALKER COUNTY AIRPORT AND LUPTON.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 52 THROUGH 65...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

FOR YOUR PROTECTION...MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF
YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3378 8716 3379 8747 3416 8743 3416 8721
TIME...MOT...LOC 2232Z 000DEG 8KT 3407 8732

$$

56
3 follow-up statements
832 
WWUS54 KBMX 312241
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
541 PM CDT SAT MAR 31 2012

ALC127-133-312315-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0073.000000T0000Z-120331T2315Z/
WALKER AL-WINSTON AL-
541 PM CDT SAT MAR 31 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL
WINSTON AND CENTRAL WALKER COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM CDT...

AT 539 PM CDT...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 NEAR
MCDOWELL CAMP GROUNDS...OR 7 MILES WEST OF ARLEY...MOVING SOUTH AT 10
MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  JASPER...POPLAR SPRINGS...MCDOWELL CAMP GROUNDS...LAKE SHORE...
  CURRY...WALKER COUNTY AIRPORT...LUPTON...MANCHESTER...GAMBLE AND
  HOLLY GROVE.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 52 THROUGH 65...

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

LAT...LON 3378 8716 3379 8747 3408 8742 3408 8721
TIME...MOT...LOC 2241Z 000DEG 8KT 3405 8732

$$

56
090 
WWUS54 KBMX 312257
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
557 PM CDT SAT MAR 31 2012

ALC133-312307-
/O.CAN.KBMX.SV.W.0073.000000T0000Z-120331T2315Z/
WINSTON AL-
557 PM CDT SAT MAR 31 2012

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WINSTON COUNTY
IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED 
AREA.

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

LAT...LON 3378 8716 3379 8747 3400 8741 3399 8721
TIME...MOT...LOC 2257Z 004DEG 17KT 3391 8730

$$

ALC127-312315-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0073.000000T0000Z-120331T2315Z/
WALKER AL-
557 PM CDT SAT MAR 31 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL WALKER
COUNTY UNTIL 615 PM CDT...

AT 553 PM CDT...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 5 MILES
WEST OF CURRY...OR 6 MILES NORTH OF JASPER...MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  JASPER...MANCHESTER...WALKER COUNTY AIRPORT...GAMBLE...BOLDO...
  CEDRUM AREA...HOLLY GROVE AND TOWNLEY.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 52 THROUGH 65...

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

LAT...LON 3378 8716 3379 8747 3400 8741 3399 8721
TIME...MOT...LOC 2257Z 004DEG 17KT 3391 8730

$$

56
308 
WWUS54 KBMX 312303
SVSBMX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
603 PM CDT SAT MAR 31 2012

ALC127-312315-
/O.CON.KBMX.SV.W.0073.000000T0000Z-120331T2315Z/
WALKER AL-
603 PM CDT SAT MAR 31 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL WALKER
COUNTY UNTIL 615 PM CDT...

AT 558 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A SEVERE 
THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL IN MANCHESTER. THIS STORM 
WAS LOCATED JUST NORTHWEST OF DOWNTOWN JASPER...MOVING SOUTH AT 20 
MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  JASPER...BOLDO...CEDRUM AREA...HOLLY GROVE AND TOWNLEY.

THIS INCLUDES...
US 78 EXIT NUMBERS 52 THROUGH 65...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS STORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL. SEEK SHELTER NOW
INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

&&

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

LAT...LON 3378 8716 3379 8747 3400 8741 3399 8721
TIME...MOT...LOC 2303Z 004DEG 17KT 3388 8730

$$

56

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 31, 4:27 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXLowndes48 min
Mar 31, 5:18 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXMontgomery42 min
Mar 31, 5:27 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXLowndes, Montgomery3 hr
Mar 31, 5:33 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXRussell42 min
Mar 31, 5:56 AM CDTDense Fog AdvisoryBMXFayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, Winston3 hr
Mar 31, 6:11 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXBullock, Macon, Russell49 min
Mar 31, 6:48 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryBMXBarbour, Bullock, Macon, Pike, Russell117 min
Mar 31, 7:32 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningBMXLowndes, Montgomery3 hr
Mar 31, 4:23 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXWinston37 min
Mar 31, 4:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWinston36 min
Mar 31, 4:48 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXWalker27 min
Mar 31, 5:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker, Winston52 min
Mar 31, 5:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Etowah37 min
Mar 31, 5:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount44 min
Mar 31, 5:49 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBMXCherokee26 min
Mar 31, 5:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Walker38 min
Mar 31, 6:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXBlount, Calhoun, Etowah, St. Clair52 min
Mar 31, 6:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker49 min
Mar 31, 6:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWinston41 min
Mar 31, 6:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXJefferson, Walker40 min
Mar 31, 6:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXCalhoun, Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, St. Clair, Talladega38 min
Mar 31, 6:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWalker33 min
Mar 31, 6:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBMXWinston32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Alabama, 2012Every 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.