Alert archive / Alabama / Special Weather Statements in 2012

Special Weather Statement, NWS Birmingham, AL

May 7, 2012Jefferson County, Alabama

NWS Birmingham, AL issued this special weather statement at May 7, 2012, 3:56 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Alabama. It was in force for 49 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 7, 2012, 3:56 PM CDT (20:56 UTC)
Expired: May 7, 2012, 4:45 PM CDT
In force: 49 min
Issued by: NWS Birmingham, AL

County Jefferson County, AL

The radar

The Birmingham radar (KBMX), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:58 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Birmingham, AL (KBMX), launched 12:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 64 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: 215 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -91 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 950 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -17 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -2 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Birmingham, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this special weather statement went out at May 7, 3:33 PM CDT, 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 7, 3:33 PM CDT, 23 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, May 7, 11:59 AM CDT, 3 hours 57 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
1159 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

ALZ011>015-017>050-081700-
AUTAUGA-BARBOUR-BIBB-BLOUNT-BULLOCK-CALHOUN-CHAMBERS-CHEROKEE-
CHILTON-CLAY-CLEBURNE-COOSA-DALLAS-ELMORE-ETOWAH-FAYETTE-GREENE-HALE-
JEFFERSON-LAMAR-LEE-LOWNDES-MACON-MARENGO-MARION-MONTGOMERY-PERRY-
PICKENS-PIKE-RANDOLPH-RUSSELL-SHELBY-ST CLAIR-SUMTER-TALLADEGA-
TALLAPOOSA-TUSCALOOSA-WALKER-WINSTON-
1159 AM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE COUNTIES SERVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN BIRMINGHAM.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING ACROSS
CENTRAL ALABAMA. THE HAZARDOUS THREATS INCLUDE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS. THE AREA WITH THE GREATEST CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS IS NORTH
AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 59. THE STORMS SHOULD REACH THEIR PEAK
STRENGTH AND COVERAGE BETWEEN 4PM AND 7 PM...ALTHOUGH STORMS COULD
OCCUR AT JUST ABOUT ANY TIME THROUGH 10 PM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

THERE IS A THREAT OF ADDITIONAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH DAMAGING
WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...AS A COLD FRONT
APPROACHES AND SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH THE STATE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT MAY BE NEEDED
AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY...DUE TO THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM THREAT.

75

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 7, 2:29 PM CDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
229 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

ALZ013-015-023-024-072015-
FAYETTE AL-JEFFERSON AL-TUSCALOOSA AL-WALKER AL-
229 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN WALKER...TUSCALOOSA...
WESTERN JEFFERSON AND EASTERN FAYETTE COUNTIES UNTIL 315 PM CDT...

AT 230 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM PARRISH TO JENA...AND
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  CORDOVA...
  NORTHPORT...
  TUSCALOOSA...
  HOLT...
  HUEYTOWN...

TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND
UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED
ROADWAY.

&&

LAT...LON 3385 8733 3361 8693 3325 8700 3325 8708
      3322 8711 3324 8713 3322 8717 3320 8720
      3313 8720 3313 8728 3312 8729 3301 8732
      3300 8772 3302 8771 3302 8783 3331 8784
TIME...MOT...LOC 1930Z 315DEG 31KT 3370 8731 3313 8785

56

Special weather statement, May 7, 3:05 PM CDT, 51 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
305 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

ALZ030>032-039-072045-
GREENE AL-HALE AL-MARENGO AL-SUMTER AL-
305 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SUMTER...NORTHERN MARENGO...HALE
AND SOUTHERN GREENE COUNTIES UNTIL 345 PM CDT...

AT 303 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES NORTH OF AKRON TO 6
MILES NORTHWEST OF YORK...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  LIVINGSTON...
  YORK...
  CUBA...
  GREENSBORO...
  DEMOPOLIS...

&&

LAT...LON 3264 8839 3299 8768 3266 8749 3265 8752
      3239 8753 3226 8802 3230 8801 3230 8842
      3235 8843
TIME...MOT...LOC 2005Z 335DEG 27KT 3293 8770 3253 8837

56

Special weather statement, May 7, 3:15 PM CDT, 41 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BIRMINGHAM AL
315 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

ALZ015-017-023>025-033-034-072100-
BIBB AL-BLOUNT AL-JEFFERSON AL-PERRY AL-SHELBY AL-TUSCALOOSA
AL-WALKER AL-
315 PM CDT MON MAY 7 2012

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN WALKER...SOUTHEASTERN
TUSCALOOSA...WESTERN SHELBY...NORTHEASTERN PERRY...JEFFERSON...BIBB
AND SOUTHWESTERN BLOUNT COUNTIES UNTIL 400 PM CDT...

AT 312 PM CDT...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM ARKADELPHIA TO MAYTOWN TO
OAK GROVE TO 6 MILES WEST OF LOW GAP...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30
MPH.

PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  HUEYTOWN...
  FAIRFIELD...
  BESSEMER...
  GARDENDALE...
  FULTONDALE...

&&

LAT...LON 3380 8656 3380 8658 3376 8656 3324 8664
      3307 8677 3307 8688 3292 8688 3284 8693
      3284 8702 3274 8701 3267 8706 3285 8743
      3300 8742 3301 8758 3351 8721 3387 8706
      3387 8693 3390 8693 3399 8653
TIME...MOT...LOC 2015Z 300DEG 27KT 3384 8698 3357 8705
          3346 8710 3297 8747

56

Local storm report, May 7, 3:46 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

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Special weather statement, May 7, 3:54 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

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Special weather statement, May 7, 3:56 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

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The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 6, 7:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Fayette, Walker	41 min
May 6, 7:20 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Jefferson	40 min
May 6, 7:44 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Jefferson, Tuscaloosa	46 min
May 6, 7:54 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Randolph	51 min
May 6, 8:19 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	41 min
May 6, 8:30 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Shelby	45 min
May 6, 9:29 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Chambers	46 min
May 6, 9:56 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Walker	49 min
May 6, 10:13 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Lee	47 min
May 6, 10:27 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Calhoun	48 min
May 6, 10:41 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Macon	49 min
May 6, 11:26 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Elmore	49 min
May 7, 12:54 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Lamar	51 min
May 7, 1:20 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Pickens	40 min
May 7, 1:42 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Marion	48 min
May 7, 1:44 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Fayette, Pickens	46 min
May 7, 2:15 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene, Sumter	45 min
May 7, 2:29 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Tuscaloosa, Walker	46 min
May 7, 2:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BMX	Walker	45 min
May 7, 3:05 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Greene, Hale, Sumter	40 min
May 7, 3:15 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Bibb, Blount, Jefferson, Shelby	45 min
May 7, 3:54 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Jefferson	51 min
May 7, 3:56 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	BMX	Blount	3 hr
May 7, 4:07 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Blount, St. Clair	38 min
May 7, 4:29 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Shelby, Talladega	46 min
May 7, 4:55 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Calhoun	50 min
May 7, 5:16 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	BMX	Clay, Coosa, Talladega	44 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Alabama, 2012 Every special weather statement 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.